The Firing Line Forums

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

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 2, 2013, 08:19 PM   #1
chipchip
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 21, 2005
Posts: 247
Coyote Caliber

If you only going to hunt coyotes in wide open spaces. What caliber would you use.
chipchip is offline  
Old July 2, 2013, 08:47 PM   #2
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
I found that in general, I've not seen coyotes all that far out where long shots are really important. So far, my .223 has been plenty good. But, if there is a real expectation of shots beyond 250 to 300 yards, any of the .22 centerfire magnums or a .243 would do just fine.
Art Eatman is offline  
Old July 2, 2013, 09:19 PM   #3
allaroundhunter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 6, 2012
Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 1,670
Re: Coyote Caliber

I use my .243 loaded with 75 gr varmint HPs. That load is going close to 3400 fps and it is plenty to ruin a coyotes day at any range inside of 400 yards.
allaroundhunter is offline  
Old July 2, 2013, 09:21 PM   #4
colbad
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 3, 2012
Posts: 506
We have killed many in close with a SG and buckshot. I like my Ruger 77 in .223 mainly because ammo is cheap and plentiful. Never had a need for one of the super hot .22 center fires.
colbad is offline  
Old July 2, 2013, 09:44 PM   #5
rickyrick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 15, 2010
Posts: 8,233
Yup, they can come surprisingly close. I've pulled off (somehow) hunting them with a mini 14. Any of the light varmint class bullets will take care of a yote. With those bullets shot placement is critical..... You must hit them between any two of the four legs

I was shocked at how frail to gunshot wounds coyotes actually are. It is in sharp contrast to A raccoon that can take a nuke to the skull and get angry at you
__________________
Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!
rickyrick is offline  
Old July 3, 2013, 02:39 AM   #6
wet
Member
 
Join Date: October 2, 2011
Location: ID.
Posts: 89
This year we have been using a .17. Great fun
wet is offline  
Old July 3, 2013, 08:01 AM   #7
Backwoodsboy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 19, 2012
Location: Western, Ny
Posts: 190
I generally take my .22 wmr as well as my .243. Any yotes pop up inside a hundred yards and the wmr gets the nod, anything further and well that's where the .243 shines.
__________________
"Si vis pacem, para bellum". If you want peace, Prepare for war!!!!
Backwoodsboy is offline  
Old July 3, 2013, 08:12 AM   #8
Bobby1243
Member
 
Join Date: June 25, 2013
Location: williston fl
Posts: 38
22-250
Bobby1243 is offline  
Old July 3, 2013, 09:28 PM   #9
Crankylove
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 8, 2008
Location: 8B ID
Posts: 1,752
I don't hunt specifically for coyotes, but do take any I come across while hunting other game, and have used calibers ranging from .22 LR to .270 Win with good results.

If I was to go coyote hunting, it would most likely be with my .22 Hornet. Low recoil and noise, light weight, relatively cheap to shoot, and still more than enough power for yotes as far out as I would care to shoot.
__________________
The answer to 1984 is 1776
Crankylove is offline  
Old July 3, 2013, 10:14 PM   #10
armoredman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 22, 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,292
Quote:
It is in sharp contrast to A raccoon that can take a nuke to the skull and get angry at you
The mental image of that was priceless!

I think this would do for coyotes. 7.62x39mm

armoredman is offline  
Old July 3, 2013, 10:57 PM   #11
fatwhiteboy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 3, 2011
Posts: 317
.22-250
__________________
Fat White
So Cal
fatwhiteboy is offline  
Old July 4, 2013, 05:58 AM   #12
Geezerbiker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 20, 2011
Location: Willamina, OR
Posts: 1,908
If we're talking over 300 yards, my vote would be for the .25-06. It still has enough power for one shot drops way out there...

Tony
Geezerbiker is offline  
Old July 4, 2013, 08:05 AM   #13
Hunter Customs
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 26, 2005
Location: Osborn, Missouri
Posts: 2,697
Here's the calibers I use, 300 yards or less 223, out to 400 yards a 22-250, from 400 yards on I use my bull barrel 243.

I have a coyote hunting buddy that killed one a while back at a little over 460yards with a bull barrel 220 swift.

I don't know about anywhere else but here in our neck of the woods the coyotes seem to have a strong tenacity for living.

I shot one with a 22-250 about a 1/4 mile out, did not dupe the wind right and hit him a little further back then I intended.
He took off at a run, dragging his guts across a frozen bean stubble field, crossed two fences and 3/4 of a mile later I caught up with him.
He was alive but exhausted, I finished what I started.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
Hunter Customs is offline  
Old July 4, 2013, 01:37 PM   #14
rickyrick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 15, 2010
Posts: 8,233
To be fair, I kill them at close ranges, at night, I only target those that cause problems and I lay in wait. When I hear them approaching or catch a glimpse of them approaching. Occasionally I call one in. At that point, I turn on my gun light and aim carefully. The red light does not phase them at all.
The beauty of it all is this; a good swift flick of the safety causes them to stop and look in my direction. perfect moment to take the shot.

I took a friend with me once that thought my method was incredulous. Within the hour, without a call, I whispered to him "There is a coyote straight ahead"..."Where?" he says. "Right there, sitting" I say as I illuminated the coyote. the coyote was leisurely sitting about 50yds dead ahead and scanning. My buddy had brought his SuperSomthingOrOther 270 deer rifle. I patiently waited as he chambered a round, the coyote didn't budge an inch. Buddy assumed some fancy firing position. I was dumbfounded as I watched the dirt splash about two feet to the left of the coyote. The coyote peals out, flinging dirt, and sticks in the air.......Buddy excitedly asked "Did I get him??" I replied "UMMMM, I think the bullet went right through him, it was weird!"...I played like I was looking for the carcass and blood for a bit. I shoulda told him the truth but I didn't have the heart.
That was a bonus story, sorry lol


My point is that my ballistic needs are going to be different from the next guys and so on.
__________________
Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

Last edited by rickyrick; July 4, 2013 at 01:42 PM.
rickyrick is offline  
Old July 5, 2013, 09:08 PM   #15
std7mag
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 23, 2013
Location: Central Taxylvania..
Posts: 3,609
50 BMG, or .338 Lapua...
std7mag is offline  
Old July 6, 2013, 12:28 AM   #16
BIG P
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 8, 2010
Location: North Georgia
Posts: 1,679
223 & 25-06, But 25-06 most of the time cause its my death ray of choice for yotes.
BIG P is offline  
Old July 6, 2013, 05:04 PM   #17
JD0x0
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 30, 2013
Posts: 1,037
.243 Win, .25-06, .270 win.
The .270 is able to hunt game up to the size of Elk (and it's said you can take any animal on the plant with the right load) the downside is more recoil, which really isn't all that bad, but it certainly has more than the smaller cartridges.

Quote:
I was dumbfounded as I watched the dirt splash about two feet to the left of the coyote.
Wow! Your friend hit 2 feet left of the target @ 50 yards!? What happened was his optics messed up? That is horrid accuracy. I wouldn't hunt with a friend that made a shot like that.

Last edited by JD0x0; July 6, 2013 at 05:09 PM.
JD0x0 is offline  
Old July 6, 2013, 05:06 PM   #18
Scorch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2006
Location: Washington state
Posts: 15,247
22-250 or 243 for way out yonder, 223 for 350 yds and under.
__________________
Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs.
But what do I know?
Summit Arms Services
Scorch is offline  
Old July 6, 2013, 05:14 PM   #19
Sure Shot Mc Gee
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 2, 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,876
Wide open spaces can have different meanings to it. Are we talking 7-800 yards here. Or far less. It would think it depends on the terrain one has in their area. Where I hunt. 200 yards is wide open spaces. Some would get a chuckle out of even considering to hunt on 200 yard grounds. But it does still take all the precision I can put forth to drop an animal as anyone else uses at much longer distances. When I use my 25-06 I know I'm over-guned for the purpose. If I again use my 223 I feel kind'a under-guned. So I've chosen to split the difference. I use my 243 allot of the time. I know the 243 again is on the edge of more gun than is needed. But I'm comfortable with that. My partner or hunting companion swears by his 204 Ruger as its being the best cartridge for the purpose. As to which caliber is best? I suppose its what ever someone has available that they can shoot well and have the confidence knowing "Yep I know can make that shot!!" would be my best answer to this question.

S/S
Sure Shot Mc Gee is offline  
Old July 7, 2013, 03:28 PM   #20
rickyrick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 15, 2010
Posts: 8,233
@ JD0x0,Yeah I have not invited him back lol
__________________
Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!
rickyrick is offline  
Old July 7, 2013, 05:45 PM   #21
603Country
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 6, 2011
Location: Thornton, Texas
Posts: 3,993
If you are just shooting coyotes, then the 223, 22-250, or 220 are great options, as is the 204. I've shot quite a few coyotes with my 223 and my 220, but when I started seeing a lot of pigs, those rifles weren't quite enough to really anchor them. If I had a 243, I'd have gone to that, since it's a nice tweener caliber and good for small varmints and for deer and pigs. I do have a 260, so I decided to start using it for coyotes and pigs (and deer) and it's great. I load the Nosler 100 gr Ballistic Tip and it does all I can ask of a bullet.

But...back to just coyotes...I've found that my 223 with the little Nosler 40 gr Ballistic Tip does a fine job on them. And the velocity isn't that far behind my 220 with the 55 gr bullet.
603Country is offline  
Old July 7, 2013, 08:14 PM   #22
BuckRub
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 3, 2012
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 1,046
223 or a little more expensive is the 22-250. But any gun I have In hand when I see a coyote turns into a coyote gun.
BuckRub is offline  
Old July 9, 2013, 08:06 PM   #23
steveNChunter
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 14, 2012
Location: Southern Appalachian Mtns
Posts: 1,520
Quote:
If we're talking over 300 yards, my vote would be for the .25-06. It still has enough power for one shot drops way out there...
Bingo

I have a .25-06 that is my go to deer rifle for longer range, but I'd imagine the 100 gr ballistic tips I load for it would serve as a good long range coyote round as well.

My dedicated varmint/yote rifle is a 6mm rem shooting a 60 gr Sierra HP but I have never shot a yote at very long range...yet

Those are my "top two" ideal coyote cartridges I have on hand.

Another good one would be a .257 Weatherby Mag but the ammo/brass is expensive and they burn barrels quick. Its a hot-rod of a cartridge though
__________________
DEO VINDICE
steveNChunter is offline  
Old July 11, 2013, 08:53 PM   #24
reynolds357
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 10, 2012
Posts: 6,158
.220 Swift
reynolds357 is offline  
Old August 14, 2013, 05:57 PM   #25
mwmjones
Member
 
Join Date: December 4, 2001
Posts: 77
.223 .204 .22-250 .243 any are great
mwmjones is offline  
Reply

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 05:35 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 0.09406 seconds with 10 queries