Coyote caliber

[turkeyhunter]

I need some good sound advice. This topic seems to come up quite often and I keep reading more on the web and get more confused each time I read some more. We are seeing more and more coyotes and sign in our area and would like to remedy this. We raise turkeys and chickens in the summer and are afraid we are going to get some visitors. Not to mention we would like to extend our hunting seasons. My son and I are going to buy a rifle for coyote hunting. We want something we can shoot some distance with yet not destroy hides. After reading all the articles and posts, sounds like every caliber and load can destroy a hide. We have contemplated 22 mag, 22-250 and 223. I have also considered a .243 since I could also you it on antelope should I get the chance next summer to hunt them. Can any offer some good advice on these calibers and ammo?
Thanks for your help in advance!

[COUNTRYBOY]

I just ordered a Remington .243 this week for coyote hunting. My buddy uses a 22-250 but has to be careful not to hit any limbs or bushes that will cause the bullet to explode,which has happened but it is an awesome long distance gun. I went with the .243 for better brush penatration and will shoot as far as the 22-250 but either gun won't tear up the hide if you use low grain bullets. We use the Remington Varmint V-Max Ammo. They are made to explode on impact and not ruin the hide. Everyone has their own opinion but either the 22-250,.223, or .243 are awesome calibers for coyotes.

A COUNTRYBOY CAN SURVIVE

[Big58cal]

Get a .17 HMR!!!!!! I got one in late November and LOVE IT!! Took it squirrel hunting one time and it was literally blowing half of the squirrel's head off on the exit side. The one I've got is the rimfire. With Hornady ballistic tips (V-Max I believe), it pushes a 17 grain bullet at 2550 fps. You can also get a centerfire in the .17 cal. The bullets on it are 25 grain. The rimfire is a .22 mag case necked down to a .17 cal. The centerfire is a .223 case necked down I believe. I saw a guy shoot a groundhog with the centerfire. It wasn't a pretty sight!

I believe for coyotes though, the rimfire would be what you want. It makes a tiny hole going in, and I would say on something the size of a coyote, the bullet shouldn't do that much damage coming out (if it does at all). I'll let you know in a few weeks. I'm supposed to go help a guy get rid of some coyotes on a farm. A guy on another site I go to was talking about a friend of his that took his .17 rimfire prairie dog hunting. They were busting the dogs out to 300 yds without any trouble.

The guns aren't that bad price wise either. I got the Marlin 17VS, with the laminated wood stock, heavy barrel, and a stainless satin finish. I put a Simmons Aetec 3.8 x 12 X 44 mm scope on it. Between the gun, scope, scope mounts, and 2 boxes of cartriges, it was less than $450. I got the Marlin because it's the only one that I'm aware of that you can get an after-market trigger for.

[COUNTRYBOY]

Hey 58, not to dispute you, but I know of two coyotes that's been shot with a .17 in the head and they ran off. Both were taken down by his hunting partner running away and both had a .17 in the head. Also they were shot at less than fifty yards. I'm was gonna buy one myself but after comparing ballistics with a 22-250 and .243 there was no challenge.

A COUNTRYBOY CAN SURVIVE

[Wildcat]

On PredatorMasters.com there about a couple hundered guys on there from across the country who live and talk predator hunting. From what I saw most of them say for a fur gun in centerfire a 233 is the one. I myself have a 22-250 and have blown a few holes though the other side of a coyotoe.

[Big58cal]

I agree with you Countryboy. I was talking to a guy on another site and he said basically the same thing. He said that the bullets blow up when hitting that hard head. He said that the lungs were the best place to shoot. Said it makes jelly of the lungs. Either there or a "Texas Heart Shot".[:0][}:)]

If you're going to be doing a lot of shooting, you can't beat it at $10 for 50 cartriges. Especially with the accuracy I've seen with mine, and the yardage you can get out of one, how can you go wrong?

[Jimmie in Ky]

I would say forget the 17hmr. It's samll time and worthless for the most part when shooting coyote's. It's already been tested extensively on coyote's under all conditions and found to be wanting.

The 223 and 22-250 are the most used calibers for coyote's. If you want a distance shooter go for the 22-250. Both are great calibers and using 50 to 55 grain vmax type bullets you will damage very few hides. Naturally if not placed well, either one makes a heck of a big hole.I use the 22-250 and most bullets do not exit. Most you can't even tell they've been shot. They just go to sleep ;-) Jimmie

[Feedman]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by COUNTRYBOY</i>
<br />Hey 58, not to dispute you, but <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I know of two coyotes that's been shot with a .17 in the head and they ran off. Both were taken down by his hunting partner running away and both had a .17 in the head.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> Also they were shot at less than fifty yards. I'm was gonna buy one myself but after comparing ballistics with a 22-250 and .243 there was no challenge.

A COUNTRYBOY CAN SURVIVE
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> Do you think that they would have died later from the .17 round in the head?

It ain't braggin, if you can back it up.

[COUNTRYBOY]

Feedman, I really don't know. Probably. He and his buddy were hunting, he had his .17 while his buddy took a shotgun. They called in two coyotes less than 50 yards. One he shot at 30 yards. That one he said was knocked down but jumped right up and started running when his buddy took it down with the shotgun as he did with the other. Both coyotes had been shot in the head,neither had a exit hole. I don't know if the skull was penatrated but I'm afraid there just isn't enough power. I'm gonna stick with my .243.

A COUNTRYBOY CAN SURVIVE

[turkeyhunter]

Thanks for the replies guys.
Jimmie said that with a bad placed shot, there will be damaged. What do you consider a bad placed shot? Should you take a head shot or a vitals shot? I would think the head would cause the bullet to explode making a mess but would the ribs in a vital shot cause the bullet to explode and exit with a big hole? I'm not a high powered rifle shooter and don't know these things....

Anyone ever try the new Remington Premier 22 mags? They are a polymer tipped round. They look very similar to a the Remington .17 hornady but have twice the weight. The velocity is very similar as well.

[jcuts]

.243 Win - 80 gr Nosler Balistic Tip for coyotes.

IMHO much better than any .22 centerfire on a windy day. But I do not worry about pelt damage.

[Jimmie in Ky]

Anything hitting major bone. Such as the skull or a leg joint.Most shots through the center mass don't even show, you have to look for the entrance hole. The major reason for most of my sewing is lousy knife work[:)] Jimmie

[varmiterkid]

hey man the 223 ammo is very cheap thats what i would go with it shoots out to about 300 yards. i also have a 243 but that might do a little to much damage if u guys want to save the hides. and are also about $15 more for shells. i use 55 grain American Eagles for the 223 and it is $5 for a box. they shoot very very tight groups. i would buy a howa if ur still looking there japan made but they shoot good. there a lot cheaper to because they are new. i got mine in 223 for just over $500 with a 6-24x50

SHOOT STRAITE

[varmiterkid]

country boy yes the 17 is a nice gun but for coyotes u might want to up it to the centerfire 22 its just that the little 17 is no good in wind or heavy rain and i have herd of people on claim days shooting them behind the soilder and haveing them run a good ways. i want a gun that'll but umm down without ruining the hides i the the 222 and 223 are best for this