30 caliber coyote rifle - Page 2

Sarge · June 20, 2013, 10:21 PM

I won't claim to know everything on the subject but after playing with flat-base 125 grain bullets in the 30-06, I'm going back to 150 boattails. At 2900+, they are wicked on anything and you only have one trajectory to dope, year round.

kilimanjaro · June 20, 2013, 11:44 PM

A .30 caliber is a bit big, but using enough gun is an old rule, for good reason. I'd be partial to a .308 or .30-06, personally, I just like them. You get a lot of versatility out of the .30 choice, you can ramp up to hunting deer, elk, or hogs, at range, while a .270 or similar may not do that for you.

For a cheap .30 caliber, think 7.62x54R in a Mosin-Nagant, you can trick one out for not much dinero. I used a sportered SMLE No. 1 for some years as my coyote rifle, worked fine for a $50 bargain.

Old Stony · June 21, 2013, 04:36 AM

I am always a proponent of using enough caliber to do the job right, but most of the 30 cal's sure seem like a lot of overkill to me for what you are proposing. A 22 centerfire like the 22-250 or 22 swift would be great, but if in open windy areas, the .243 or 6mm's offer a long range advantage with bullet stability.

steveNChunter · June 21, 2013, 04:58 AM

Quote:

You get a lot of versatility out of the .30 choice, you can ramp up to hunting deer, elk, or hogs, at range, while a .270 or similar may not do that for you.

If you can't easily take a deer, elk, or hog with a .270, you might as well just stay at home. Using "too much" gun or just as importantly, the wrong type of bullet, is just as bad as not having enough gun.

And lets face it, coyotes are not that hard to kill. Any bullet over about 80 gr (unless its made for varmint hunting) is a waste and won't expand as well unless its at close range or in a magnum. Lots of coyotes are taken with the light 35 and 40 gr .224 bullets and they're just as dead as if they were shot with a .50 bmg

Picher · June 21, 2013, 05:15 AM

It depends on whether you have to walk much when hunting. If not, a varmint barrel would be a bit steadier, but not necessarily any more accurate.

I love the .243 Win for Eastern yotes! Wind deflection is less than a .22-250, which was used for many years. Misses on smaller critters are easier to see in turfed areas.

Kimber84 · June 21, 2013, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowhunter57

Along with the 22-250, I'm going to have to consider the .243 too. The bullet selection for the .243 is off of the chart...not to mention the ballistics comparison to the 22-250.

Since I'm considering Savage rifles, there seems to be 2 barrel types/lengths to choose from, in both calibers.
There's a 22" sporter barrel and a 26" heavy varmint barrel.

What would make you choose one over the other?

Thank you, Bowhunter57

I've got a .243 Kimber Montana, 22" sporter barrel. Personally I love it, super light weight gun and I'm running around 2860 fps with a 95 g SST hand load. Zeroed at 215 yards its around 6-7" low at 300. It takes the yotes and drops them in their tracks.

Wind drift at 15 mph at 300 yards is 12-13".

Brian Pfleuger · June 21, 2013, 09:30 AM

If you're going to be shooting coyote and smaller, get the .22-250. If you're going to be shooting anything bigger than coyote, .243.

The MPBR of the two bullets I mentioned (55gr .243 and 35gr 22-250) are nearly identical. There is essentially no difference out to 400 yards and only 2" difference at 500, although the .243 has about 10" less wind drift at 500 in a 10mph wind.

June 20, 2013, 10:21 PM	#26
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	I won't claim to know everything on the subject but after playing with flat-base 125 grain bullets in the 30-06, I'm going back to 150 boattails. At 2900+, they are wicked on anything and you only have one trajectory to dope, year round. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

June 21, 2013, 09:30 AM	#32
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	If you're going to be shooting coyote and smaller, get the .22-250. If you're going to be shooting anything bigger than coyote, .243. The MPBR of the two bullets I mentioned (55gr .243 and 35gr 22-250) are nearly identical. There is essentially no difference out to 400 yards and only 2" difference at 500, although the .243 has about 10" less wind drift at 500 in a 10mph wind. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

June 20, 2013, 11:44 PM	#27
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	A .30 caliber is a bit big, but using enough gun is an old rule, for good reason. I'd be partial to a .308 or .30-06, personally, I just like them. You get a lot of versatility out of the .30 choice, you can ramp up to hunting deer, elk, or hogs, at range, while a .270 or similar may not do that for you. For a cheap .30 caliber, think 7.62x54R in a Mosin-Nagant, you can trick one out for not much dinero. I used a sportered SMLE No. 1 for some years as my coyote rifle, worked fine for a $50 bargain.

June 21, 2013, 04:36 AM	#28
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	I am always a proponent of using enough caliber to do the job right, but most of the 30 cal's sure seem like a lot of overkill to me for what you are proposing. A 22 centerfire like the 22-250 or 22 swift would be great, but if in open windy areas, the .243 or 6mm's offer a long range advantage with bullet stability.

June 21, 2013, 05:15 AM	#30
Picher Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 3,694	It depends on whether you have to walk much when hunting. If not, a varmint barrel would be a bit steadier, but not necessarily any more accurate. I love the .243 Win for Eastern yotes! Wind deflection is less than a .22-250, which was used for many years. Misses on smaller critters are easier to see in turfed areas.