Light recoil rifle for coyotes and antelope?

[MudRunner2005]

I have the same story with a Savage that a friend has. It is a 308. It shot 4" groups. We put it in a Laminated Stock and pillow bedded it, Then Lapped the barrel and trying load after load with several differend brans of 150g,165g bullets and even 175 smk the best we can get it to do is 1.5 MOA. Everyone runs across a lemon every now and then. He bought another savage in 25-06 and it shoots good. I don't have a 243 but have a 308 SPS Varmint and it shoots 1/2 moa at 500yds. easy. I did bed it in a laminated stock but it shot so good with the cheep plastic stock and cheep factory 150 g Federal ammo. I did not reload for it untill I started shooting longrange.

I know the feeling...I had a Weatherby Accumark .257 Wby that was the same way... After years of frustration, I traded it back before Thanksgiving. Best decision I'd made in a while.

 

[Makaira]

A 257 Weatherby would be just about perfect except the ammo price part

 

[MudRunner2005]

A 257 Weatherby would be just about perfect except the ammo price part

So why not build a poor man's .257 Wby..... .25-06 AI 40-degree shoulder. I have owned both, and shooting them side by side at the range with developed handloads, the .25-06 AI wins in every category, except velocity. And it only loses in that category by maybe 100 fps, at the most. Whatever you're shooting won't be noticing that 100 fps loss, as it will be dead before it hits the ground.

I got rid of my .257 Wby, and had it from 2008 to late 2014. I built my .25-06 AI back in Feb 2014, and have absolutely fell head-over-heels for that caliber. I use cheap and abundant .270 Win. brass to form for it.

Back when brass was hard to find, I found 200 once-fired Wichester .270 Win brass for $50 shipped to my door. And I still have 100 in the bag that haven't been touched. The .25-06 AI has been very good on brass life for me, considering the pressures I load in them.

I highly recommend building one for varmints, coyotes, and deer. You will see what all the fuss is about.

 

[Chopperguy]

My light varmint/coyote rifle is rather old school.

I went to a 250/300, or the old 250 Savage. It's shooting 85 grain Nosler V Max Varmint loads over 3100 fps and getting well under 1/2 MOA.

Best thing is I found a load using Varget that is that accurate and fast. I love using it as with a rifle like this I could be shooting in below 0 or very warm temps.

It is an amazing little cartridge. I used to use a 25-06 and it worked well, however I paid for it's accuracy with increased recoil and muzzle blast.

The coyotes fall like a brick when hit with the 250. If we ever get the opportunity to use suppressors here, this will get one and then the varmints will have even more to fear from the 250!

 

[T.Rep]

Remington 700 VLS in caliber of your choice. I have the 204 and it is a tack driver with factory Hornady Superformance ammo. Not a light gun by any means but it shoots very well

 

[longrangehunter]

The 6.5 Creedmore is intriguing, but I have a feeling that in 10-20 years it's going to be no different and maybe worse than my 220 Swift and 7 STW that have very few ammo options which never seem to be in stock. Time will tell and that's a discussion for a different thread.

I'm surprised how few options there are in a stainless .243 with a medium weight barrel (a Predator Max in stainless would be awesome). The .25s are not in the running as I don't want the added recoil. No wildcats whatsoever as I have too much going on to reload.

Thanks for all the ideas thus far.

 

[sdgunslinger]

You want a mid weight barrel and a stainless gun , look no further than a Ruger 77 Predator ....they have a beautiful trigger and shoot great....

 

[longrangehunter]

You want a mid weight barrel and a stainless gun , look no further than a Ruger 77 Predator ....they have a beautiful trigger and shoot great....

Unfortunately, they don't come in .243. They are a great looking rifle.

 

[lewwetzel]

The 6.5 Creedmore is intriguing, but I have a feeling that in 10-20 years it's going to be no different and maybe worse than my 220 Swift and 7 STW that have very few ammo options which never seem to be in stock. Time will tell and that's a discussion for a different thread.

I'm surprised how few options there are in a stainless .243 with a medium weight barrel (a Predator Max in stainless would be awesome). The .25s are not in the running as I don't want the added recoil. No wildcats whatsoever as I have too much going on to reload.

Thanks for all the ideas thus far.

Hey, lrh: fwiw, there's a .243 Remington 700 in the classifieds now that might be right up your alley....

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Unfortunately, they don't come in .243. They are a great looking rifle.

I have one in a 6.5 Creedmoor and it shoots 1/2 moa with just a free floating barrel. I do plan on bedding the action though. It comes in a 308 as well if your not set on the 243.

 

[thekyrifleman]

Go classic,

Get a 220 Swift or a 257 Roberts, either original or the Ackley Improved!!

 

[silvertip-co]

ar15 in .223/5.56 is as light as they come for 500y. Or ar47 if your shooting past 800yrds.

 

[longrangehunter]

As I mentioned before I'm replacing a 220 swift and I'm looking for a bolt gun 10-11 lbs with scope.

 

[NattyBumpoII]

243 would be perfect. For factory ammo 25-06 or 270 would be great too. 260 is great but very little factory ammo.

+1

Thanks for keeping it real. The OP doesn't sound like a rifle loony.

(Not that there is anything wrong with that.)

NB