Choice of caliber for coyotes

[Fishhook805]

Look at flat shooting cartridges with plenty of velocity in the .20 to max .264 calibers. Something like the .204 Ruger, .22-250, .243 Winchester, or 6 Creedmoor. I use a 6.5 Creedmoor because I was easier to get parts to build at the time, cheaper than going 6 Creedmoor, and has better barrel life. I personally don't like .223 for coyote, because in my experience it doesn't put them down well, especially when limited to lead free options like I am.

I will not comply! nor have I. this lead ban has not changed a thing in regard to our Argentina Condors here in Cal, I carry non lead in my pocket and chamber lead. talk now has moved to the concern of high copper levels. I try and convince my friends in other States to try our new California bullet they are made of paper mache embedded with poppy seeds resulting in a more harmonious outcome. I told them we live on the front line of this battle until one young Vet corrected me politely saying "no Sir you live behind enemy lines " a smarter move would have been to demand we just burry our gut piles instead of changing an industry. Beam me up !

 

[30378wbymag]

I shoot my .220 Swift, .243 Win or my 6.5 Grendel depending. The Grendel gets more time afield just because of the quick secondary shot on doubles... And if a wolf or wolves come in!!!

 

[bballard]

My vote goes for the 22-250...

 

[Kelljp]

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.

Here in the mountains of East TN, it's hard to use a scope. One to two hundred yard shots are possible but unlikely.
I switched to a 12 gauge with a Carlson choke and TSS ammo. Anything out to 80 yards is realistic. Success rate has went up 100%.

 

[Gar Guru]

Tell us which Pulsar thermal you plan on using. I have a pulsar and at 400 yards it would be a crap shoot hitting a coyote sized target off shooting sticks regardless of what caliber you shoot. As a previous poster mentioned, positive target identification may be an issue with any but the most expensive thermals.

 

[RUFFIAN R - NY]

Have used the 17 on close ones and 20's are just fine for the pelt hunters also . I like to see how close I can get to them before I go BANG !

 

[Naymola]

It is not my intent to offend anyone here, I apologize in advance, but some of these recommendations are atrocious! A 17 HMR at 400 yards or some other varmint round dropping 4' at 400 yards, are you kidding me! My 20-250 with 40's drops 8" at 400 with a 200 yard zero or my 22-243 has a 10" drop with 55's. A guy really has to weed through the advice given on forums!
You sound as if you just want to kill a few coyote and not make a profession of it? And have an assortment of calibers to choose from. Rather than spending the time and expense to have a dedicated coyote rifle built, that .300 would do it i guess. I haven't looked at bullet weights in 30 caliber Varmint configurations in years, something like 125 grains the last time I've looked into it??? If so, try out a 125 grain. That will give you the flat trajectory needed and also a big reduction in recoil.

 

[Alberta Wexit]

22 Hornet out to 250 then 243 55 gr or 25-06 75gr. Last two pelt damage.

 

[dls guide]

So, How fur friendly do you want the gun to be? Some of these calibers are not.

 

[Chas1]

I use a 223 and 22-250,either one will get the job done.I use the 223 more,less powder use in these times and seem to shoot it better from sticks.

+1 it'll get the job done and real plus not a lot of powder gets used up.

 

[6mmfan]

243 has so much to commend it! Component availability, 4,000fps MV if that impresses you, high BC 87gr Vmax, gentle recoil, shoot all day, lots of handsome old NIB wooden rifles unless you want to build new…

 

[BrianID]

You have many good options. You will just have to decide what is best for you. With a heavier gun and lighter bullet/caliber it will be easier to watch the coyotes drop in your scope. For that reason I'm often packing a heavy rifle with in a lighter caliber/bullet. Improving my view through the scope of what happens after I pull the trigger is important to me. It may not be as important to you. A lighter rifle is nice to pack around though. It is also nice to have a larger caliber bullet that hits harder at longer ranges and isn't affected as much by the wind. 115 gr Berger's are a great long range coyote bullet in my 6mm Creedmoors but they are not fur friendly.
I like to call coyotes often and my solution was to buy multiple guns. I have a 223 bolt action, 223 Wylde AR, 5.56 AR, 22-250 bolt action, 6mm Creedmoor in bolt action and AR10.

The last couple of years I've shot most coyotes I call at 20-200 yards so I mostly pack my 223 Wylde that shoots 40gr ballistic tips at 3900 fps. I've never felt the need for more power and if I place to bullet correctly almost all the coyotes inside 300 yards drop instantly. If I hit them in a less than ideal spot it causes enough damage to slow them down just as well as any 6mm 80gr ballistic tip or 6mm 115 gr Berger's has. If I hunted an area that 30+ lb coyotes were common then I would be more inclined to shoot something bigger than a 40 gr ballistic tip.

If I could have only one coyote gun I would probably look at something like 22-250, 220 swift, 22 Creedmoor or 6mm Creedmoor. I'm really happy with a 223 and 40 gr ballistic tip to 200 yards and can make it work out to 300 or 400 yards but it is less than ideal for longer shots.

 

[timo308]

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.

The .204, .223, .243, .257 and .264 are all good CALIBERS for coyotes. And depending upon how fast you want to drive your bullets, you'll have to pick a CARTRIDGE in whichever CALIBER you choose with the correlating powder capacity.

 

[Plowboy85]

I personally shoot a 6mm rem with 87v max, enough bullet to buck the wind and plenty violent enough to break them down. We do not keep furs so damage is not a factor for us. The 22 creed with 80ish Berger's is proving to be a killer as well.