Ultimate Long Range Coyote Rifle

Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
18
Location
Idaho
I am in the process of looking to build a super long range coyote rifle. I hunt competativley and have a custom call making business so I would like to win a major hunting tournement. I get shots at a thousand yards plus and want to maximize my ability to make hits.

I am looking for the ultimate in flat shooting wind bucking rifle/bullet cobination. I am not in the hide preservation business so I it does not have to be fur friendly.

Any thoughts? I don't even mind shooting a larger caliber if that is what is necassary. My goal is to have the flattest shooting rifle around. However I would like to keep it to 30 cal and under.
 
My choice would be a 6.5x284 shooting a 140grn A-MAX at 3100fps. Another good choice would be a 300 WSM shooting the 210grn Beger at 2900fps. Norma makes excellent 300 WSM brass.
 
If your looking for fast and flat the line of 7mm Allen Mag cartridges are just that. Coyotes at 1000 plus yards is a huge challenge even if you have a vast amount of experience in shooting long range. What ever your choice hope you do well in competition.
 
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7AM.....coyotes....yeah that would probably be enough.

how big/heavy can this gun be?

how many rounds before the barrel is toast?
 
It can be pretty heavy, I dont mind. I am also probably going to put a can on it. I am going to practice till my eyes fall out. I have a friend that has shot them at about 700 yards I have made a kill at about 550 and looking for a little extra.
I am also not to concerned with barrel life. When the barrel pukes I will put another one on.

My main goal is flat-accurate-wind drift galor.
 
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One needs to realize that "flat shooting" is a relative term. At 1000 yards, there really is nothing that is flat shooting, you will either need to dial up for each shot or you will need to use a ballistic reticle for hold over at ranges past 500 yards and out.

One should also consider that the more intense the chambering the more it will be effected by temp changes and elevation changes. You have have the baddest beast on the planet but if its not consistant you will not kill many dogs.

The challange is hitting a target that is relatively small at very long ranges. My 7mm AM will certainly dump any yote at any range you can hit him at but I am not sure its the best choice for your application, YET...

How many rounds will you be putting through this rifle every year?

Since the Wildcat bullets are not available at the moment because the company is in the process of being sold, it takes a bit of smoke out of the 7mm AM fire. Its still the fastest out there but the main problem is its velocity and the next best commerically available high BC bullets such as the 180 gr Berger VLD.

The 7mm AM will hit 3400 fps easily with this bullet weight, only problem is that of all the rifles I have built and tested, the 180 gr berger does not care for velocity much over 3250 fps. This is a relatively mild load in the 7mm AM, in fact very mild.

If I am using a lighter bullet then the 200 gr ULD in the 7mm AM, it will be a 160 gr Accubond and I will load it to the nuts so to speak to flat out HORSEPOWER it out to long range. This goes against my theory of long range hunting but it will work. a 160 gr AB at 3500 fps is nothing to sneeze at. Still ballistically, the wind will infuence this bullet quite a bit at 1K, even when launched at 3500 fps.

You may want to consider something like a 7mm RUM loaded with the 180 gr Berger. This would allow you to use upper pressure loads for good consistant, clean powder burns and you would be right in the perfect velocity range for this bullet, 3100-3200 fps depending on barrel length.

May be a better choice for your application.

Let us know how many rounds you will be throwing down range every year and that will help alot.

One question I have, if your calling in yotes, why do you need a 1K rifle? You must have some seriously call shy yotes in your area. Generally in my area, they will hold up from 300-500 yards out if they are going to. In that case, there are any number of hot rifles that would serve your needs extremely well. The 257 STW comes to mind.
 
I live in Idaho and we do get alot of call shy dogs. It is nothing to get a coyote out there and not move in. I have some spots that I consistently see dogs in the 500 to 1500 hundred yard range. I am sure that I will not be taking many past 800 but the difference between 1st and second place could be one dog. With the way the tournements usually run you usually have to be fairly close to home and that means lots of pressure. Also I some times will sit on a ridge and glass and see some in areas that they are pressured and can get some long shots.

I suspect that I would probably be putting between 100-300 rounds a year through this gun. Most of it being practice I am sure alot depends on how much practice it takes to gain some confidence. I would say that in all practical sense it may only get to shoot at dogs 10-30 times a year. I would only bring it out when I know that I have long visability. The owyhees is some massive country and offers long shots if you can spot them and have the kahonies to make a shot.
 
I've had one of Kirby's 7mm AMs for a little while and sure do like it. Below is a video of a rock taking a beating at 994 yards. You can see the puff, then after the delay you can her the smack. Below it is a shot of that rock and you can see the 2 craters from the 2 shots I took. I didn't measure the spacing but I'd guess it's about 3" or so. Kirby builds a great long range rig to say the least.:) Not too bad for 994 yards off a bipod and rear bean bag.

Like Kirby said, there are other cartridges that will kill at that range but I love "Horsepower".:D

994 Oh Bleep Moment video by ss7mm - Photobucket


DSC01941Medium.jpg
 
I have an AR-15 chambered in 223 with a mil dot scope on it. I worked up a load that works really well with the recticle.

100 and 200 yrds use the center crosshair.
300 uses the first dot
400 uses the second dot
500 uses the third dot
and 600 the bottom dot.

I'm shooting a 55 grain fur friendly bullet too. I guess you could even take advantage of the upper dots as well and go all the way out to 1k. I would use a 25-06 wssm or a 243 wssm though. Both of which could be used in the ar platform.
 
I am planning to build a 6.5-06 AI with a 28" Light Varmint contour Shilen barrel from a Savage action. I figure to get 3250 to 3350 FPS with 130 grain bullets. I plan on using the Bergers and Scirroccos with around a .570 BC. That combination seemed to hold up very well even against more overbore rounds like the 257 Weatherby etc due to the 264 bullets higher BC.

If you do not like the wildcat route the 270 WSM is hard to beat with the right bullet.
 
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