Coyotes with a 17 mach 2?

[Cutty]

How far would you guys feel comfortable taking a coyote with a 17 mach 2?

I've got a tricked out Ruger 10/22 ( heavy, fluted Butler creek barrel with a target crown, re-worked trigger, butler creek synthetic stock capable of a legit .45 MOA at 50 yards) but I'm thinking of picking up an EBACO 17 mach 2 conversion barrel and bolt.

What do you guys think?

Or should I just buy a Savage .223; .22-250?

 

[LB]

Sensitive subject, everybody has a different opinion.

Mine is that 22-250 is a very good starting point for just about any reasonable presentation, out to beyond 400 yards, or so.

A 17 Remington, and similiar, is limited to about 150 yards, under normal conditions.

Anything less is not responsible hunting, in my opinion. You have to do all you can to eliminate runners.

Good hunting. LB

 

[Fiftydriver]

From the performance I have seen with the 17 HMR used on badgers here in Montana, I would not even recommend the much hotter 17 HMR for yotes.

They just do not have the penetration needed for these heavier critters.

The 17 rimfires are rodent rounds in my opinion, gophers, P.dogs and such.

Would they kill a coyote, certainly!!

But the 22 Mag is a vastly better yote killer due to its better penetration performance and still I do not think this is adiquate.

I believe rifle rounds used for coyotes would start with the small centerfires for calling rifles in closer cover. The 22 Hornet, 22 K-Hornet, 218 Bee and 218 Mash Bee are what I would recommend as minimal.

The 221 FB is a great yote round but in my opinion, the open country coyote rounds should start with the 223 and go up from there.

That is what I woudl recommend any way, my personal yote hammer is a 257 STW shooting the 100 gr Bonded Core FBHP Wildcat Bullets to 4000 fps.

Obviously I could care less about pelt damage!!

I would not ues the 17 M2 on yotes intentionally in any situation, just not enough round to be an efficent killer and I feel even these dogs need to be hammered quickly and cleanly.

Good Shooting!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[kac1345]

I like that Kirby about the Pelt Damage

I would love to see a yote hit with a 100 grainer doing 4k at say 30-40 yards

it would rain for a while I would imagine...sorry guys couldn't resist!

I have only seen it rain like that one day! in my life and that was a Fat Kaliforna Ground SQ.. shot at 30 yards with 22-250. WHEW!! it was a sight!

 

[LB]

On a routine lung shot, 100 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips @3650MV blow out the far side with half dollar exits, near or far.

Facing chest shots, or a hit in the spine is a mess, but I don't worry about fur, either.

Main point is that this is consistant with many high velocity chamberings, suitable for predators. You hit a major bone and you have a mess.

I have seen many dead coyotes, hit with a 220 Swift or 243 that do just as much, if not more damage, as does my 25'06 AI.

In my opinion, the heavier bullets kill just as well, but cause less damage....generally speaking.

But, getting back to the question; I would not recommend any rimfire for coyotes. You may get away with it once or twice, but the odds are against you.

Good hunting. LB

 

[Taos]

We have been having dismal results shooting coyotes out here with the .17HMR. Out of about 10-12 taken all had to be shot again with a centerfire of some kind. It is a small rodent round at it's very best. I was very intersted when they came out but for what I would use it for it does not cut the mustard.

 

[budlight]

I used to do lots of shooting with a 22-250. I have since moved up in diameter. I do a fair amount of dog hunting with remote callers and just out road hunting.

My buddy uses his 6mm rem. It works pretty good with 75 grain hollow points. I prefer my .277 or .284 If I'm pelt hunting I use hard copper bullets like the Seirra HPBT in the 140 grain .277 or the 168 gr. HPBT match bullets for my 7mm STW. Those just both dump dogs at long range. No expansion so it's tiny hole no matter how the dog is hit.

Nothing sweeter than a dog out mousing over 1/4 mile away and they didn't even hear it coming.

As to the above posting. I'd don't call it responcible hunting with less than centerfire .22's and then the high end ones only.

As for completly tearing apart dogs (Causing Rain) My 458 win mag with custom 275 grain 3/8th inch diameter hollow points loaded to 3000 FPS is the ultimate small animal gun.

It's better than 50 BMG unless somebody gets a lightweight hollow point going! I've been on the .50 hunts and those really long shots watching on spotting scopes is fun.

 

[kac1345]

Yeah budlight I did get a little off track there Sorry!

Still good fun though!

 

[budlight]

I went to South dakota this summer to help out the ranchers. I didn't have any of my guns this time to go prarrie poodle shooting. I was loaned a 223 loaded with 500 rounds of something like 52 grain HP's. It took two full days to finish 500, but it was worth it and his P.P. population had a major set back. the friend I was with when we were discussing kill ratio. He and I both thought it was probably in the high 80% range.

That wouldn't win a trap contest to get 88 out of 100.

Next year I'm going to be ready to red spray out 500+ a day. It really takes 2-3 guns per person even with heavy barrels because they get hot and you have to allow for cool down time. It seemed like most of my time was spent waiting on the .223 rifle. It was hard to get through 500 rounds in two day's

To the coyote poster. I think that 223 is a low end gun also. It would be my minumum.

 

[kac1345]

Yeah I hear ya on the 3-4 Rifles ... They do get hot qiuck! definatly the .223 seems to bye far the most popular... good shots with no wind was out 500yds with the .223 but the kill ratio was not even close to yours ...at that range things happen quick..We Started out with a .221 FireBall , 222, ,223,.22-250 once those were all gone we moved to the 220 swift AI and the 25-06 AI was fun.. needless to say some barrels got roasted that day!

I am still in the process right now building a .223 AI I had it out one day to just check it out no butt pad on it nothing... Rem 700 Pac-Nor Barrel #8 Straight taper and I really was not expecting much I loaded on the hot side just because I figured I either waste the primer pockets on the first go around or I would have good formed brass first firing! anyways I arrived at the range at it was raining ....my shooting partner was more interested at the moment on my .223 AI than my new GAP .338LM both were spankin new and needed breakin in so I said well hell go at it ! I'll work on the lapua and he started in on the .223 AI anyways about 2/3 through the day we are getting close to being done and he yells out to me hey this thing is not holding copper anymore...I said so shoot it! ..I'm not shitin one hole groups for the rest of the day Fireforming no less ...the targets were totaly Soaked by the end of the day and we didn't crawl out from our overhang to place new targets we just shoot what we had..here is a group unfortunatly it is a little ragged we just peeled the sticker off the backing because it was so wet..I wish I had just cut it out ..it would have preserved the group better. here it is.

Later Keith

 

[budlight]

You increase your % with a good shooting platform. F-350 4X4 dually with heavy comforter over the top of the cab.. My buddy does this quite often so he has bench rest type sand bags. All we would do is drive out to a colony of 1000's of mounds and park.

All shots were probably sub 350 yards. Many in the sub 200 yard. When your 7 feet up your shooting down and they are more exposed. The competion is not % but how high you can get them to pop up in the air. So I have learned to shoot right at the edge of the dirt and PP

 

[kac1345]

Yeah I guess that would help lol!! we were out there on our little portable fold up Benches most homemade.

 

[dakor]

Well I wouldnt even use a 17 Rem on a coyote past 250 yards and here is why. I shot a Red Fox standing at 355 yards with a 20gr vmax right through the lungs. He dropped sat there for a few seconds stood up and ran another 20 yards or so then fell back down and I put another into him when he tried to get up the second time to finish him off. I was not impressed at all with the performance of the 17 at that distance. Fox are easy to kill yotes a lot tougher. I think if you were shooting 100 yards or less you would be ok otherwise I think I would pick something bigger.

 

[longtch]

I did take a small coyote called into 75 yds with the .17 mach 2. It went down quick but I gave it another of the little hornady pills for good measure.
Pros; entrance hole is like a pinhole, and no exit or shrapnel holes.
Cons; probably marginal for larger coyotes.
I'm finding ammo is becoming harder to find and costs 25% more than when I bought the rifle 4 years ago.
Your thought about getting a 22-250 is a better idea. I'd say you'll have another 400 yds of kill zone.