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Ideal Wolf Hunting Rifle

I am using my psl.....10 rounds of semi auto 7.62x54r. Lots of thump and the rifle I know VERY well. I have bean all to happy to hunt with a single shot lately but for wolf you gotta plan on multiple targets and I am prepared to be a little less precise than usual.
 
A lot of the professional wolf hunters that were ground based up here used the 243 win with great success. As dedicated wolf hunting up here is a real rugged occupation a tough super dependable , accurate rifle is a must.
My choice is the Ruger M77MKII stainless Target in 6.5 Creedmoor
The same rifle in 25/06 or 243 would be my next choice.
 
Cold Trigger Finger said:
A lot of the professional wolf hunters that were ground based up here used the 243 win with great success. As dedicated wolf hunting up here is a real rugged occupation a tough super dependable , accurate rifle is a must.
My choice is the Ruger M77MKII stainless Target in 6.5 Creedmoor
The same rifle in 25/06 or 243 would be my next choice.
Click to expand...
If anyone was going to listen to someones opinion about wolf killin',it'd be the guy in Alaska I'd listen to!So,now I'd like to know if anyone up there, you've run into, has turn their old ruger m77,30-06 into a 6.5-06?The Creedmoor is great,but a barrel is a custom 6.5 wolf killer!Maybe!I was hoping I'd Find out before I pulled my 30-06 barrel and bought a short throat,6.5-06 chambered E.R.Shaw barrel and a throat reamer.I've wanted to do it from the time I bought the rifle and barrel tools.A twist rate/bullet weight would be the thing that's held me up mostly.I'll look on Rugers web site for twist and the reloading tables will tell me the velosity to expect,but what bullet are you using???Holie wolf hides BBBBat man!!!!!
 
There is a real great wolf hunter out of Fairbanks that uses a Ruger M 77 mk II in 6mm PPC he shoots 80 grain Hornady fmjs At 2800 fps. He shoots a lot of fox and lynx but really goes out of his way on a big scale to kill wolves. He does fine with fmj s .
I think the 6.5 /06 would be a perfect wolf round. I would go fast on the twist. And try the Lapua 144 gr fmjbt. Or one of the mono metal expanding bullets. . If your going to be targeting a lot of wolves then your going to be shooting running wolves at some point. . Lets face it, a grey wolf at 400 yards is a real tough target. And broadside gut shots are very common when a pack takes off in what ever direction their nose was pointed. The biggest pack I've taken a poke at was 14 . I don't think coyot fever compares.
And as far as runners my friend got two with his 06 with 168 Seirra. Hpbt. The one at about 125 yards was a bang flop the other was at around 400 yards and it ran about 400 yards. Both had good size exit holes.
And if you have to make a Texas heart shot on a 140 lb wolf you need feet of penetration not 10" .
 
Chugiakbilly said:
Hi fellow shooters, maybe a side point to some, but I have a hard time skinning and tanning multi-part wolves. They don't stretch too well either and our fur buyers only pay $500.00 to $1,000.00 for whole wolves, not holed wolves. Keep the terminal ballistics in mind and try to avoid complete penetration, ( read: no exit holes ) My picks here in Alaska are the .204 and .243 for close and long range...... just match your bullet and do your part, either of them is more than capable of quick clean kills. Enjoy the hunt, keep your powder dry.gun)
Click to expand...

While selling a hide is a good thing I'm more interested in dead wolves. Trapping is better for hides but I'd rather shoot them. 13 has a 10 per day limit but that would be a rare thing unless you ran into a pack in fresh powder. The only time I've done that is without any firearms on the Little O.

Gus
 
tclose, I bought a Ruger 77 Mk II in 30-06 several years ago intending to make it into a 6.5-06. Given my intent, the Ruger was a poor choice because it has a short internal magazine length, just barely longer than the 3.340 necessary for the 30-06.

With the long, streamlined 6.5 VLD's, you will need quite a bit more mag length or you will be giving up a lot of case capacity. I have been told optimum OAL's can run something in the neighborhood of 3.6" with a 6.5-06 or one of its variants.

My solution was to go with the 6.5-284 NORMA instead. I did not have it throated for the longer bullets and wish I had. My max OAL to the rifling with a 140g AMAX was 3.092 and it shot best seated to 3.050. I gave up some case capacity because I did not think to specify having the barrel throat cut for VLD's.

If you want to know more, PM me or start a new thread on the appropriate forum so that we can minimize hijacking this particular thread.
 
Speedo; what's the Little O . I know of the Little S but I'm unfamiliar with the Little O

I don't know if the 6.5x284 will hold 4 in the mag like the 06 case does. . That is IMO more important than an extra 50-75 fps.
 
Cold Trigger Finger said:
Speedo; what's the Little O . I know of the Little S but I'm unfamiliar with the Little O

I don't know if the 6.5x284 will hold 4 in the mag like the 06 case does. . That is IMO more important than an extra 50-75 fps.
Click to expand...

The Little Oshetna river, located in 13a. It flows into the Oshetna river which in turn flows into the Susitna.

Gus
 
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