The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Hunt

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 11, 2006, 05:17 PM   #1
cgbills
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 9, 2006
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 274
.308 for coyote?

I am wanting to buy a rifle mainly for target shooting at about 200 yards and also wanted to do long distance shoots with it. I think .308 is a good all around round. but here is my question. I have a friend that goes coyote hunting on his land every now and then and i might like to join him every once and a while, but the main use of this rifle would be percision target shooting. So do you think a .308 is ok for coyote? i could use down sized rounds for it. also getting 2 rifles is out of the question since i am a poor college student (poor even though the army is mainly footing the bill)
cgbills is offline  
Old December 11, 2006, 05:29 PM   #2
rem33
Junior member
 
Join Date: March 31, 2006
Posts: 1,528
A 308 will do in a coyote to 200 yds. just fine as long as your not wanting the hide. Also a 308 is suitable for deer sized game or "long" shots.
If just coyotes to 2 or even 300 yrd. why not a .223? They will work on a animal that sized just fine. Just use a hollow or soft point.
rem33 is offline  
Old December 11, 2006, 06:03 PM   #3
Limeyfellow
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2005
Posts: 1,380
A .308 is likely to blow the whole back half of the coyote away when you shoot them or similar bloody mess. Its good if you want the coyote taken care as a pest though if you intend to take the hide for leathercraft and so on, you be much better off with a .223 or 22-250 and still be accurate at the 200 yards you requested and with more and enough power to eliminate the coyote.
Limeyfellow is offline  
Old December 11, 2006, 06:09 PM   #4
Twycross
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 26, 2005
Location: Montana
Posts: 1,187
As long as you aren't trying to save the pelt, a .308 is great. It'll make a mess for sure, but if you've already decided on .308 as your cartridge of choice, I wouldn't think twice about using it on coyotes.
__________________
The test of character is not 'hanging in' when you expect light at the end of the tunnel, but performance of duty, and persistence of example when you know no light is coming.
- Vice Admiral James Stockdale, USN (ret.)
Twycross is offline  
Old December 11, 2006, 06:26 PM   #5
boltgun71
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 4, 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 547
The .308 will be a fine cartridge for you. For coyotes if its legal where you hunt you may want to look into full metal jacket rounds that may not destroy the hide if you want to keep it. If its just for predator control i wouldn't worry. I've used my .300 Win Mag to shoot coyotes before, its does a pretty effective job on them. Out of curiosity, are you using the G.I.Bill? I'm looking forward to using mine in the future.
boltgun71 is offline  
Old December 11, 2006, 07:56 PM   #6
cgbills
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 9, 2006
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 274
I use my G.I. bill for living expenses and my National Guard supplemental grant for tuition
cgbills is offline  
Old December 12, 2006, 12:01 AM   #7
taylorce1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2005
Location: On the Santa Fe Trail
Posts: 8,207
For what you say you are looking to do with the rifle I'd look at a .243 Winchester. You can do alot with this round and still get a good varmint round and move up to a good deer cartridge with proper bullets. Nothing wrong with the .308, but if you are only looking to shoot 200 yards at the range the .243 is more than capable of good accuracy at that range and beyond. If you are wanting to shoot cheap surplus ammo then I'd go with the .223/5.56 rifle, good on varmints and paper, but I'm sure I don't have to tell you that.
taylorce1 is offline  
Old December 12, 2006, 10:18 AM   #8
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
Use the .308. The coyote won't care at all.

If your primary goal were coyote hunting, that's a whole 'nother deal. There are lots of cartridges which are equally effective as the .308 but with much less recoil. Since that's a secondary goal, however, I wouldn't think twice about it.

I'd use 110-grain loads for coyotes...

Art
Art Eatman is offline  
Old December 12, 2006, 02:38 PM   #9
john in jax
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 11, 2005
Posts: 1,177
another vote for the .308

IMO the .308 is well suited, use the right bullet and you'll have a little hole going in and a little bit bigger hole coming out. No .308 bullet I know of will "blow the whole back half off" a yote.
__________________
America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. Claire Wolfe

Last edited by john in jax; December 12, 2006 at 07:25 PM.
john in jax is offline  
Old December 12, 2006, 03:35 PM   #10
UniversalFrost
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 20, 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,300
like the others said the .308 with work fine for yotes as long as you don't want to save the pelt. If you reload, get some 110 grain m1 carbine bullets and load them up on the .308 brass. This makes for a smok'n load that decemates yotes and other smaller critters.

For the question about the G.I Bill. I used mine and it paid for what the loans didn't cover. Make sure to apply for the pell grants as well. It really helped out. My GI bill lasted through my Bachelors (already had an associates before using the GI Bill) and I am still using it as I start my MBA. I only wish I had opted for the extra 600 bucks investement for the "kicker" that they offered right before I got out. That would have made a huge difference.

Happy shooting and one piece of advice. Take some of the old books from classes you hated out to the range. After I wasted about 100rds of .223 on a statistics book, I felt great! (love math, and always got A's, but that darn stats class struggled to get a B)...
__________________
Lifetime member VFW and NRA

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati" (when all else fails play dead) -Red Green

UniversalFrost is offline  
Old December 12, 2006, 08:48 PM   #11
TJ Freak
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 3, 2005
Location: Spokane WA
Posts: 143
Coyotes

If I had a choice of only one cartridge for coyotes only, I would go with a 22-250. If I were thinking that I may go deer hunting also, I would go with a .243. I don't own a .308 but my 7mm mag works well for deer or moose or elk.....I think it all depends on the versitality on the round you are looking for.

We'll stop 'em at the Cascades.

RG
TJ Freak is offline  
Old December 13, 2006, 08:48 AM   #12
biglabsrule
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 24, 2006
Location: Adirondack Park, upstate NY north of Utica
Posts: 385
It'll do the job of taking him down... I posted a couple picks of what a .30-06 did to a coyote, pretty much gutted its side out for me... Where I'm from you have to use a rimfire when night hunting coyotes... so .22mag is the main choice for people.... but a .308 is a nice round to have on the shelf
__________________
got me a little lady, the gun buying has come to an end, sigh
biglabsrule is offline  
Old December 13, 2006, 10:14 AM   #13
dfaugh
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 17, 2002
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 1,715
.308 will definitely do in a coyote, even at extended range. BUT, if you wanna save the pelts (a worthwhile endeavor, as a good pelt is worth about $50) you want something smaller. If you just wanna have something to shoot accurately at the range (<300 yards) a .22-250, or maybe a .223 makes more sense.

Another option I'm looking to is a Savage, which allows easy barrel swaps. Gonna buy a gun (caliber TBD), a stock I really like, a decent scope......Then I can "add" calibers with different barrels and a set of headspace guages. Less expensive than buying multiple guns.
__________________
"If you Listen to Fools, the Mob Rules"

"No one has the answer, but one thing is true.
You'e got to turn on evil, when its coming after you.
You've gotta face it down,and when it tries to hide,
you've got to go in after it, and never be denied.
Time is running out...Let's roll.
Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for love.
We're going after satan, on the wings of a dove.
Let's roll for freedom, let's roll for truth.
Let's not let our children grow up fearful in their youth."
dfaugh is offline  
Old December 13, 2006, 03:38 PM   #14
Crosshair
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 16, 2004
Location: Grand Forks, ND
Posts: 5,333
+1 on handloading the 308 30 carbine bullets, I do it and it works well. They are cheap and you can use surplus AA1680 powder, cheap on the surplus powder market, to load them with. PM me if you want some load data. (Use at your own risk or course.)
__________________
I don't carry a gun to go looking for trouble, I carry a gun in case trouble finds me.
Crosshair is offline  
Old December 15, 2006, 07:20 PM   #15
Fat White Boy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2005
Posts: 1,276
People kill elk with the .308... I hit a coyote in October at 218 yards with my .308. Very dead, right now...
Fat White Boy is offline  
Old December 16, 2006, 08:59 PM   #16
masterhunter
Junior member
 
Join Date: September 4, 2006
Location: In the USA....
Posts: 136
If you handload why not stick with the .308 and load some Accelererators in it (.223 bullets in a sabot) never tried them but hear they are fast and as accurate as your regular ammo through the gun.....now you got "2" rifles
masterhunter is offline  
Old December 16, 2006, 09:06 PM   #17
drhunta2
Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2006
Location: Rochester New York
Posts: 70
Just to throw something else in the mix, how about 7mm-08. Very similar to the 308 just necked down, not as much recoil, small rounds - standard is 140gr. and works for both deer and coyote. Just a little fuel for the fire. Thanks for your service to our country.
drhunta2 is offline  
Old January 28, 2007, 02:36 PM   #18
hinkleid
Member
 
Join Date: January 15, 2007
Posts: 28
I use a 7 mag for coyotes here in ID. Main reason is that I am not going to go out and buy a smaller caliber just for shooting them.
I do however use a smaller 120 grain bullet with alot of velocity (around 3200 fps, + or -) and it ruins their day. Shot 2 yesterday, and drops them very fast!
I for one would rather shut a 7 mag... than a 223, 22/250, 243.. etc. I am a grown man and have no problem shooting a larger gun... as I have a 30/06, and a 7 Mag.. but like the 7 mag the best to shoot.

Last edited by hinkleid; January 28, 2007 at 07:58 PM.
hinkleid is offline  
Old January 28, 2007, 08:17 PM   #19
Desertfox
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 26, 2006
Location: Arkansas-Oklahoma Line
Posts: 336
I have successfully used a 25-06 with 85 gr. bullet on Yotes.

It was severely damaging to the pelt. If you are after the pelt, go with something slower maybe and head shot if possible.

Most important, be safe and have fun. Know your shot and whats beyond the target. We tend to relax during a predator hunt and forget the basic safety principles.
__________________
Teach a kid to respect wildlife, then teach a kid to hunt and fish.
Desertfox is offline  
Old January 29, 2007, 05:03 PM   #20
Jseime
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 31, 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,775
I dont yet have a dedicated coyote rifle so I use my deer gun. Right now that is Ruger M77MkII in .270 Win. Previously it was a Remington 742 woodmaster in .243 Win

Buy the target gun you want and it will kill coyotes just fine. With a heavily constructed or even a Remington core-lokt bullet you wont cause a lot of damage on your average yote. They arent very big or tough animals so you wont get a lot of expansion. There are rounds available for the .308 with FMJ too but i wouldnt reccomend using them.

I like to see coyotes that are really quite dead so i use a 110 grain spitzer in my .270 loaded to the max with IMR 4831. Bang....thwack....done.
__________________
I love the smell of fresh shotgun in the morning.
Jseime is offline  
Old January 29, 2007, 07:51 PM   #21
Mannlicher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 8, 2001
Location: North Central Florida & Miami
Posts: 3,207
well, let me slant this from the perspective of someone that has actually killed coyotes with a .308.
I have killed out to 250 yards with my Remington 700. With proper bullets, the .308 will kill them cleanly as far as you can see them. Remember, this is the same round that snipers shoot folks with at 1000 yards.
I have been handloading the Hornady 130 grain spire point over IMR4895, and getting exellent accuracy.
In my experience, the exit wounds are baseball size, and the animal usually leaps up, and flops down.
__________________
Nemo Me Impune Lacesset

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan
Mannlicher is offline  
Old January 29, 2007, 08:10 PM   #22
BIGR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 13, 2000
Location: Mountains
Posts: 1,385
Yea use some lighter bullets on them and blow up everyone of those scum suckers that you can.
BIGR is offline  
Old January 29, 2007, 10:00 PM   #23
Dave Haven
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 1, 2000
Location: near Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 790
If you want to save the pelt, use a heavy bullet or a full-jacketed bullet.
If you don't care about the pelt, use a 110 grain soft point or VMAX.
Dave Haven is offline  
Old January 29, 2007, 10:17 PM   #24
skeeter1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 11, 2006
Location: Northeast Ohio
Posts: 3,403
.308 sounds perfect to me for what you want to do with it. Great target round, cheap ammo, and it will certainly take out a 'yote, albeit possibly not in one piece.

I suspect my .357 Magnum carbine would do a number on a coyote, but accuracy-wise it's certainly not in the same league as a .308.
skeeter1 is offline  
Old January 30, 2007, 05:56 PM   #25
BIGR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 13, 2000
Location: Mountains
Posts: 1,385
I use to use a 30.06 on groundhogs until I got the 22.250. The 06. was a little bit overkill with 150 gr. bullets and would blow them up big time.
BIGR is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11321 seconds with 8 queries