Best cal for long range Coyotes?????

[john powers]

Ok I have the m77 223 and the ar15 223 and I got into long range shooting last year. I had shawn at Defensive Edge build me a 7mmwsm that whacks them out to my best hit at 600 yrds Keep in mind im a Beginer shooter, the gun on the bench shoots great and I have no problem hitting the plates at 800 to 1000,,,My problem is that I would like to save some hides and the 7mmwsm cuts them in half most times and the 223 at 300yrds+ doesnt have enough energy,,,I was thinking 22-250 but im still in 22 Cal so what do all you hav to say????????? Keep in mind I also do all my own realoading,,,JP

 

[royinidaho]

Try some solid copper bullets such as Barnes in that 7.

I used some Lost River 135s in a 270 Win @3200. At ranges from 50 to 400 yds the exit wound was the same size when hit in the ribs. About the size of a quarter.

Or just shoot em' in the head.

 

[Waltech Jim]

John,

Look into 22-6mm or 22-243.

They are for shooting high BC 22 bullets fast. The jackets on the match bullets usually hold up pretty well.

Jim

 

[dogdinger]

i have been ....

going thru this same dilemma. if you will read my posts on "long range rifle on a budget" , i have been picking Jerry's brain about the very same situation.....i shoot a 22-250 and a 204 ruger for coyotes, but there's always those 600-800 yd shots where you just cant get any closer.....what i wanted was a gun that would shoot the 6mm 105gr or 115gr out there at extreme velocity.....hopefully 3200-3600fps....what i have decided on (with Jerry's help) is the 6X284.....i have ordered a 28" shillen select match bbl in 1-8 twist for my savage short action....also ordered a boyds thumbhole VIP laminate stock.....saving my pennies for a bushnell 4200 in 5-15.......i plan to have this rig shooting by late summer/early fall and hopefully be posting dead coyote pics this winter......AJ

 

[Outlaw249]

I have seen my buddy roll more than 1 coyote at 400+ yards with this load out of his 25-06
75 Gr. vmax with 49 gr of IMR 4320 at 3600 FPS.

Joe

 

[Frank7mm]

I use a 22-250 AI with 75grn A-max at 3500fps. This past summer I droped two red fox at 900yds. The a-maw shoot so well I've never tried anything else. I think they need 1-8 twist. ( not good for many factory guns)

 

[Catfish]

No matter what you shoot, if it will shoot flat enough to reach out there it will leave big holes. I shoot a .22-6mm with 80 gn. bullets, has been Sierra`s, and they leave a hole abt. 4 in. in dia. on exit. A .20 BR with 55 Bergers might do alittle better, but not quite as flat and more wind drift.

 

[tscott]

I think you were on the right track with the 22-250.

 

[linksmechanic]

I know the .204 is a bit small but I shot a yote at 600 yard's bang flop with a 40 grain berger. At 300-500 it's no sweat.

 

[Outlawkyote]

The 22-243 Middlested is a good choice out to about 800yds (my furthest is 792yds) but bullet selection is the most dificult decision. Ive been using 80gr sierra's with poor luck and 75gr A-max's with decent success. The 80gr SMKs are very hard on pelts and Ive blown a few just about in half. Exit wounds are about the size of foot balls. The 75gr A-max's arent bad after about 600yds but, any closer and even they tear pelts up.
Ive backed off shooting coyotes at such distances and reverted back to my old stand by load using a 50gr nosler balistic tip at about 4250fps. Anything out to 600yds just drops in its tracks and exit wounds are usually around the size of a quarter (near or far) which I find acceptable.

 

[john powers]

long range coyotes best cal???

tHANKS ALL FOR YOUR INPUT i THINK i WILL BUILD A 260 OR 243 AND GET TO HUNTING thanks JOHNgun)

 

[john powers]

Best Cal for long range COYOTES

Well I settled on the 243 I picked up a model 7 Predator and started doing some different loads,,,After looking at the diferent bc,,s I settled on the Speer 105 gr spitzer with a bc of 0.433 ...everything went well with small entry and exit wounds but at 2800 fps It wasent enough so I now am working on a load for the Berger 95 gr VLD at 3200 fps ,,,we will se how that goes ,,any one tryed these bullets in a 243 yet out to 600 yards???? John

 

[Freebore]

95 grain Berger

The 95 grain Berger will do what you are looking for beyond 600 yards. I had trouble getting that bullet to stabilize for me in a 1-10 twist Ackley Improved and have ordered a 1/9 twist. Some guys can get them to shoot very well in their 1-10 twist factory barrels. Depends on the barrel. You might want to try AA3100 powder w/that 95 grain.
This is the bullet I'm going to be shooting in that new barrel.

 

[Sendero_Man]

You almost need a 1 in 8 twist to stabilize the heavy pills well in the 243

mine is a 1 in 8 5 L/G broughton. I shoot the 115 DTAC at 3178 fps at 4895 asl.

It does a good job on coyotes. 732 yards is the longest. average is closer.

doesn't tear them up unless you hit shoulder area.