All .22's very popular around here: .22-250, .220 Swift, .223 Rem and a guy I work with uses 12 ga.
.22-250 Enough For Wolves?
- Thread starter lewwetzel
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Bullet bumper
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We don't have Wolves but we have feral dogs and some are as big as Wolves .
It's mainly about what range do you need.
The more range you need the bigger cartridge , heavier bullet and more velocity you need to get .
243W is a good middle ground and the 6mm diameter bullet means that there is lots of good bullets many of them competition quality available for that calibre .
The 22-250 will do the job no worries and if you have one then use it but windy days will cause problems for the lighter .224 bullets .
The faster twist barrel and heavier bullets will help and keep the range real , but my vote is for 243 W .
It's mainly about what range do you need.
The more range you need the bigger cartridge , heavier bullet and more velocity you need to get .
243W is a good middle ground and the 6mm diameter bullet means that there is lots of good bullets many of them competition quality available for that calibre .
The 22-250 will do the job no worries and if you have one then use it but windy days will cause problems for the lighter .224 bullets .
The faster twist barrel and heavier bullets will help and keep the range real , but my vote is for 243 W .
MontanaRifleman
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500mag_guy
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Shot placement, as always, is king. But, keep in mind that their heart is just behind the last rib. If you want to take one home move the shot a bit more forward. Think bait about that one.
^^^^^!!!YES!!!^^^^^
I was getting ready to post alot the proper shot placement on wolves but you seem to have it covered!
A 12 ga? That sounds interesting
Waits until there is deep snow. Runs up to them on snogo and shoots them with No. 4. He gets about 10-12 per year.
Bullet bumper
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That is all well and good but at what range ? Try killing a wolf at 700 yards with a 22 hornet.
So by that theory a knife is a good weapon to take Wolves as long as you don't mention or discuss the range .
I could kill a wolf with a baseball bat but would it be a practical hunting weapon . I think not.
What about a bolt gun in an abattoir it can kill the biggest Ox in the paddock at about zero range.
You can not ignore the terminal ballistic capabilities of a cartridge at range when discussing the suitability to hunt certain game in certain conditions , they all work if you can get close enough and place a perfect shot .
The 22-250 will do the job at average hunting ranges but it still has range limitations and bad wind bucking ability compared to bigger cals that will do a better job and that goes on and on up the cartridge performance ladder but at some point practicality steps in and things like recoil , weapon weight , weapon cost , ammo costs , weapon portability , hunting style , terrain conditions , personal abilities , dictate the biggest practical cartridge for the job .
A 22 Hornet is more towards the least suitable end of the scale than the most suitable in my book .
Sourdough
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I live in Alaska, on average our Wolves range from 80 to 180lbs. A good friend of mine is a professional guide, who specializes in Wolves. I am often invited to go along with him and his clients. No 22s period, 243 minimum. He prefers a 25-06. Some clients will bring 30-06s and he says that is OK. Some bring a .243, again he is OK with it. But when a guy shows up with a .223, .22-250, or a .220 Swift, he tells them they need a real gun that will stop something. They either accept the loan of a 25-06, or they go home. He tells them up front when they are booking with him, nothing smaller than a .243. Some will show up with a 22-250 anyway. Occasionally a .17 Remington will find it's way up there.
I shot a Wolf with a .223 one morning, at 150 yards. I felt it was a good shot. That Wolf took off like he had afterburners. We spent three hours trying to find it, then gave up. I went home and got my Beagles. Found out we had been off on the wrong track. They found it many miles away, in a totally different direction. The Wolf was lying dead. Birds had already started picking at it's eyes and head. It was a nice Gray, worth maybe $300.00. But after the birds found it and did their distruction I only got $100.00 for trim work.
I shot a Wolf with a .223 one morning, at 150 yards. I felt it was a good shot. That Wolf took off like he had afterburners. We spent three hours trying to find it, then gave up. I went home and got my Beagles. Found out we had been off on the wrong track. They found it many miles away, in a totally different direction. The Wolf was lying dead. Birds had already started picking at it's eyes and head. It was a nice Gray, worth maybe $300.00. But after the birds found it and did their distruction I only got $100.00 for trim work.
Bullet bumper
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That all sounds right to me and is good common sense .
180 lbs ! wow that's a lot of dog . The heaviest dog I ever owned weighed 140 lbs and he was a real monster .
DesertHowler
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I killed a wolf in Idaho in 2011. The range was about 30 yds, and the rifle was a 7mm-08, 140 grain bullet. The angle was straight on, and the bullet entered the center of the chest, exiting the lower back. The wolf rared up at the shot, and then went about 70 yards and out of sight. I've hunted coyotes for 25 years, and I believe a coyote would have dropped in its tracks with the same shot using a .22-250. Bottom line is, these things are a lot tougher than coyotes.
A trapper friend of mine shot a trapped wolf with a .223...twice. His opinion is that a 22 cal is not big enough for wolves.
A trapper friend of mine shot a trapped wolf with a .223...twice. His opinion is that a 22 cal is not big enough for wolves.
mtrettig
Member
Getting myself ready to build an AR in 6X45 myself. I want a little more snort than a .223 offers. I think a 75 gr v-max in his kitchen will keep the tracking required to a minimum! I considered re-barreling my own 22-250 up to a 250 Savage. But I've been needing an excuse to build an AR. And I want to smoke the pack!
mtrettig
Member
Hard or soft bullet?
Where was he hit?
ntg
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I'm with Roy on this one and it's not just because we're neighbors. 22-250 is fine and I don't care about the way a wolf dies as long as it's dead (coyotes are in the same category for me).
Sourdough
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OK, shoot him in the gut with a .22RF, and it will kill him just like a 22-250. He will crawl off and die somewhere, and for some folks mission accomplished. I'll not quibble over whether it's humane or not , I don't really care myself. But at $250.00 to $400.00 per pelt, I want to take him home. A .22-250 just does not have the energy to put him down and keep him down. No .22 does, unless you make that one in a thousand shots. Therefore I carry a 25-06, or a 30-06. Three or four good pelts will pay for a new gun and scope.
ntg
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You make a good point Sourdough if your selling pelts.
