Fiftydriver & Others...recommend a coyote-deer setup, what cartridges?

[CanadianLefty]

Fiftydriver and others,

What would you use for a long-range, varmint (coyote/some mixed varmints) to deer cartridge, if you already have a 270, 300 mag and other big game rifles?

I'd prefer access to factory cartridges in a pinch and I'm thinking about:

6mm Remington AI or a 25-06 or 25-06AI and a 24" barrel?

How about just using my 270 Win with 110gr Tipped TSX bullets for the coyotes (less fur damage?) and pronghorns?

I'm really curious about your experiences with the 270AI! Sounds interesting and would look neat. What would you expect the velocity gain to be over the regular 270 win. if you limited both to 22" barrels (for light weight). I'd do that if I could get a 140-142gr. bullet up to 3050 in a 22" barrel? Is this practical?

My practical hunting ranges are 0-600yards or so. Not looking for a heavy set-up...more a mid-weight sporter varmint/deer/pronghorn hunting rifle, 22-24" barrel with a cartridge such as above that has velocity and/or high BC to prevent too much winddrift.

 

[Fiftydriver]

First question, do you want to save the coyote pelts? If not larger is better for long range deer. I am not saying a huge magnum but if your not concerned with pelt damage, that opens up a much wider range of cartridges, especially factory options.

My honest opinion, 270 Allen Magnum!!! Have not gotten Remington or Winchester to load that one yet though.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[CanadianLefty]

While I think your cartridges are great (esp. long range), I'd love your opinion on the 270AI, 6mm rem AI, 25-06AI etc.

What velocity gains over the std. 270, 25-06 etc? Have you done a 270AI; what did you think about it...etc.

22-24" barrels.

I'm concerned with saving the pelt of coyotes a bit- the holes can be 1" or so on exit- just a sew job, but I don't want explosive softball-sized exits.

Thank you. I appreciate your opinion.

 

[jpretle]

Coyote medicine

I can't count the # of coyotes that fell to a 70g SRA HPBT, out of my 243. Small exit holes and good clean kills. If I was to take that pursuit up again, I would use the same thing.

 

[Fiftydriver]

The 270 AI is a great round, will get you dang near the same ballistic performance as the 270 Wby Mag. I would not say its a pelt friendly round under 300 yards or so and even at long range, you would need to be very selective on bullets to prevent large exit wounds.

If you hit any sizeable bone, you will get a large exit, no way around it with that level of energy.

To be honest, for a true pelt rifle, a 25-06 AI with a 100 gr TSX would be an interesting combo if the bullet was accurate enough for long range shooting. This bullet will not produce the large exits with most hits but again, you hit bone with these large calibers, you will get a large exit wound.

Thats where the challange comes, having the ballistic performance to get out to the range you want but with a level of energy that will not cause bone explosion if one is hit.

My choice, I would build something like a 6mm-250 or the mentioned 243 and but I would go with a 1-8 twist barrel and drive the heavy VLD bullets to around 2900 to 3050 fps. Ballistically, these will buck the wind better then any other 6mm caliber bullet out there, even the ultrahigh velocity loads. Yes, they drop more but bullet drop is easy and consistant to predict, wind drift is what will make you miss.

There would be no recoil and accuracy is amazing.

While these are a little light on deer put past 400 yards or so, they would work. Its hard to get one round to hammer deer size game but also be pelt friendly on yotes as well....

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[NYLES]

I like Kirby's first sugguestion 270AM, absolutley awsome deer round then go with the absolute most explosive 277 bullet you can get it to shoot and turn them yotes into ketchup!

Or how bout a 100 gr barnes solid very little expansion and in your 270 you can get 3300+ easy, and pick another bullet for deer. Id do that way before I bought a varmit gun! Save those bucks for the deer gun!

 

[royinidaho]

I"m with Nyles' and Kirby's first suggestion. The 270 AM. It'll put the surprise on those dogs that set up at about 650 yds and bark at ya.

I've used the 140 class bullet w/the 270 Win and if you hit just behind the ribs there isn't much hide damage. But it wouldn't reach those heavy hunted barkers that sat out there.

The AM with 150 accubonds or ballistic tips would make a good yote load. But I bet the 169.5 WC would be better. We'll soon see.....

 

[Wild_Bill]

6X47 Lapua

hi try a 6X47 Lapua it is a great calibre it almost equils 243 ballistics and with 107gr MatchKings it is wining a lot of F Class shoots back to 1000yds and the barrel life is good.

Cheers Bill
Australia