Choice of caliber for coyotes

[COBigJohn]

4K FPS on a light HP.... and you have internal organ explosion!

220 Swift baby!!!!!

Second choice would be 22-250.

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[docdempster65]

.243 Winchester

 

[Lee Goodwin]

223 is made for coyote size critters. Some folks around here use 17hmr to do less damage to pelts. If you're good you can kill out to 400 with a 17....but you gotta be good and no wind.

 

[docdempster65]

.243 Winchester...at clos ranges in rifle, .22 WMR

 

[ScottSeavers]

Looking for opinion on what caliber would be the best for coyotes. At ranges never know anywhere from 10 yards to 400 yards. I'm putting a pulsar thermal scope on the rifle. I will be reloading for it. Thanks for any information appreciate it.

 

[kwpotter]

Depends on quite a few things.

Are you just killing them or taking hides?

Range you plan to shoot?

How much wind will typically have to deal with.

I've shot truckloads of coyotes over the last thirty years with .220 Swift, .204 Ruger, .264wm, 260Rem, and even the 7RM and 7mm STW.

Out to about 400yds in relatively calm conditions the .204 is outstanding and with the right bullet and shot placement produces excellent hides.

The Swift is it's equal to about 600yds.


If it's going to be very windy I just take take one of the .260's because of much higher BC bullets that are superior when fighting the wind.

One that doesn't get the love anymore it should is the .22 Hornet wich is an outstanding varminter out to about 400yds.

Absolutely agree. I am a gun crazy deplorable as Hillary called us, and own all you listed above. Comes down to personal choice, and the conditions mentioned. Good shooting y'all.

 

[ScottSeavers]

Looking for opinion on what caliber would be the best for coyotes. At ranges never know anywhere from 10 yards to 400 yards. I'm putting a pulsar thermal scope on the rifle. I will be reloading for it. Thanks for any information appreciate it.

223 REM

 

[carwash31]

22 Creed!! I own 3 of them! It has turned into my favorite rifle for everything from Whitetail Deer to Hogs, to Coyotes! I have barrel lengths from 16" to 24". I shoot from 70grain to 85.5 Bergers! Speed Kills!

 

[Big_Sky Hunter]

Another vote for .204. 32 gr V-Max leaves pencil sized holes with no exit. Also can see impact through scope. Laser beam out to 400 and fairly good barrel life. Stock Tikka is tough to beat for a light walking rifle.

 

[DonLR]

Looking for opinion on what caliber would be the best for coyotes. At ranges never know anywhere from 10 yards to 400 yards. I'm putting a pulsar thermal scope on the rifle. I will be reloading for it. Thanks for any information appreciate it.

Use something you would hunt big game with. My go to is a 25-06. Great flat shooting long range cartridge that hits hard on deer and harder on yotes. Of course that assumes you don't want the hide. If you can consistently kill yotes at 400 yds then killing a deer will be a walk in the park.

 

[drcarr]

For over 40yrs my goto predator guns depend upon the type of terrain I'm hunting in...For close cover shooting I slide my Savage O/U 24v, chambered in .222 Remington over a 3" Magnum 20ga, out of its case...Where cover/terrain will likely make for longer distance shooting my .243 Winchester is the usual choice......

 

[284ackley]

Looking for opinion on what caliber would be the best for coyotes. At ranges never know anywhere from 10 yards to 400 yards. I'm putting a pulsar thermal scope on the rifle. I will be reloading for it. Thanks for any information appreciate it.

22-250 and .223ai are my favorite. 204 Ruger works as does .220 Swift. Bullet choice critical if saving pelts.

 

[INVICTUS]

Looking for opinion on what caliber would be the best for coyotes. At ranges never know anywhere from 10 yards to 400 yards. I'm putting a pulsar thermal scope on the rifle. I will be reloading for it. Thanks for any information appreciate it.

For those conditions I would say 223. Shooting in low light with a thermal it will work well at those ranges. Costs are lower and it's plenty of round.

 

[CNY Yote Hunter]

Depends on where you live but the 204 became extremely popular in NY due to our laws that prevent you from hunting them with anything 22 cal and up during any open deer season so even the 22-250 is out or the 220 swift etc while deer is open. I use a 22-250 and the guys I hunt with use a 204 and that 204 is an amazing cartridge. It kills just as fast as the 22-250 does and reaches plenty far out there for what you are looking for. The 22-250 reaches a bit further with a little more behind it but the dogs can't tell the difference. That said the ammo for 204 is non existent in stores for anything factory here where as the 22-250 you can still get ammo for on occasion. Out of the 204 and 22-250 the 204 would be my first pick and it's because it is fur freindly and kills them the same as a 22-250. The only downfall I guess would be 32-40 grain ammo is the normal weight for projectiles for the 204, the 22-250 has a far wider range of weights. Have fun with whatever you choose and knock those dogs down!!!!