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Rimfire Coyote setup

megastink

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2011
Messages
991
Location
Southeast PA
I want to get a rimfire bolt or semi rifle setup for coyotes and fox. I live in a straight walled rifle only area (which sucks). We are allowed to hunt varmints and predators with rimfires. I have a vision in my head of either a .22 mag or .17 wsm AR style rifle with a suppressor and thermal optic. We have a LOT of fawn killers up here and they need killing.

I'm hoping to find someone that has hunted with both of these calibers and can give me some advice. Shots would be under 100 yards, mostly in big woods, maybe some field edges. I appreciate the advice.
 
I want to get a rimfire bolt or semi rifle setup for coyotes and fox. I live in a straight walled rifle only area (which sucks). We are allowed to hunt varmints and predators with rimfires. I have a vision in my head of either a .22 mag or .17 wsm AR style rifle with a suppressor and thermal optic. We have a LOT of fawn killers up here and they need killing.

I'm hoping to find someone that has hunted with both of these calibers and can give me some advice. Shots would be under 100 yards, mostly in big woods, maybe some field edges. I appreciate the advice.
The 17 is great but you need to consider if you are going to be able to feed it shells have been hard to get and twice the price I know a guy who has an ar 17 sitting in a gun shop now going to sell it to fund another build we shot hedge balls with it at 200 yds wether luck or not I killed a coyote with my cheap savage at 300 yds they are a wicked little cartridge. David
 
The 17 is great but you need to consider if you are going to be able to feed it shells have been hard to get and twice the price I know a guy who has an ar 17 sitting in a gun shop now going to sell it to fund another build we shot hedge balls with it at 200 yds wether luck or not I killed a coyote with my cheap savage at 300 yds they are a wicked little cartridge. David
Do you shoot it suppressed?
 
Bear Creek Arsenal may be something to consider if you want a 22 mag semi. But upon purchase be sure to check the barrel for proper torque. Unless you don't mind FTF and Stove Piping. Reasonably priced around $5-6 hundred I believe. Skip the video till the end. That is when they fixed the issue. I have been wanting to get one just to see if it is a common issue.
 
I use both 22 mag and 17 hmr every once in a while on predators. Carry one or the other all the time for sod puppies, beaver and other critters. I love my 17s and consider them one of my top 3 favorite rounds of all time. It won't have an issue killing a coyote with the right shot out to 100 yards. I wouldn't go much over that though due to energy loss. I shoot either a CZ452 or tikka T1x suppressed in the 17HMR and have a Bergara and a few Marlin bolts I shoot 22 mag in. I use a heavier bullet in the 22 mag with a 30 cal rifle suppressor on it and it will hit a bit harder at 100. I also wouldn't go much over 100 with it either.
Really can't go wrong with either caliber for what you are doing. Ammo is easy to find and cost roughly the same a box of 50($15+/-). I would recommend going with a good bolt action for either one over a semi. The ones I mentioned are very smooth and quiet shooting and loading. I highly recommend a suppressor for both and outfitting with a decent scope. All mine are topped with Zeiss fine cross haired scopes because the rifles are all very capable of great accuracy! Many beaver head shots have been placed and sod puppies have been successful eradicated out to 100 yards with them😉
If you are more fox and smaller coyote I would probably lean towards 17HMR. Great fur saver for those closer shots. Shoot for heart.
 
I have a 17hmr and a 22 mag.,BOTH Marlins, the 17 is ACCURATE, but I like the heavier bullet from the 22mag. Ammunition for both are readily available. IMO the 22 mag is better for coyotes
 
I have a 17hmr and a 22 mag.,BOTH Marlins, the 17 is ACCURATE, but I like the heavier bullet from the 22mag. Ammunition for both are readily available. IMO the 22 mag is better for coyotes
I have 17 hmr 22 mag and 17wsm killed pigs with each one of them if a person can keep getting shells I would stick with the wsm it out preforms the other two. The 22 mag has killed a lot of stuff a lot of poachers go to gun . But you used to give up a lot of accuracy because of shell quality where people I know sorted shells to get the most out of their 22 mag. I shot my wsm over a chronograph and had very consistent velocities which showed up on paper in accuracy. David
 
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