Light recoil rifle for coyotes and antelope?

longrangehunter

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Jan 26, 2002
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What rifle would you guys suggest for a light recoil gun good for coyotes and antelope at up to 500 yards? I want something in the 10-11 lb range including scope. I really would prefer stainless also.

As far as caliber I'm liking the 243, but I'm open to any caliber with great factory ammo availability.






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What rifle would you guys suggest for a light recoiling gun good for coyotes and antelope at up to 500 yards? I want something in the 10-11 lb range including scope. I really would prefer stainless also.

As far as caliber I'm liking the 243, but I'm open to any caliber with great factory ammo availability.

243 would be a great round. Lots of available factory ammo. If you wanted more energy then i might suggest the 308 but it wont be as flat shooting as the 243. My personal choice would be the 6.5 Creedmoor but ammo is not always available to some people. For a rifle choice Id look at the Savage lrp. I dont have any experience with it but I hear its a tack driver! That weighs in at 9.25 lbs and is chambered in both the 243 or 6.5cm.
 
I think 9.25 is actually the twist rate for the LRP. Savage lists 11 lbs on their website. That gets heavy after a few hours of walking. I do like the 12 series.
 
I think you would be happy with a 6.5 Sherman. It's sort of like a 6.5-06 AI, but better.

You can contact Rich Sherman (elkaholic) on here, for more info.
 
There are OMG so many possibilities.

but

You will not go wrong with a Savage. LRP in any of the 3 chamberings. BVSS in 308. A Preditor Hunter 10/110 in 243, 260 or 6.5CM.

Tikka T3 are excellent. Any of the Varmint in caliber from 243 to 30-06.

Sako 85. Varmint or Varmint stainless. 243 to 308.

Browning. X-Bolt Eclipse Target (becuase the Varmint only comes as 22caliber). I've not been behind one but this is one of the few that come with a 28" barrel with a proper twist.

Weatherby. Vanguard but while it suites me it might not you.

Howa. Same as Vanguard.

Cooper.

Custom.

The list could go on a lot longer.

Then there are Remingtons.

IIWM, knowing what I know now, Browning X-Bolt in 308.
 
I have a Savage Predator 10/110 in 6.5 Creedmoor topped with Zeiss HD 3-15 x42 and it weighs 10 lbs. also, it will shoot 5/16 groups at 100 yds with Berger 140 VLDs and RL 17.
 
264 WM or 26 Nosler would be absolutely dynamite for that use. Remington makes the .264 WM in the 700CDL SF. I have one and it's a great carry rifle. In a heavier rifle you can get it in the Rem Sendero.

If you check with Nosler I believe you can pre order the 26 Nosler on sale for around 1,400-1500.00.

You can't go wrong with either caliber or any of those three platform. The 26 Nosler will of course have considerably shorter barrel life so if barrel life is a big concern I'd stick with the .263. That's exactly what it was made for.

Come to think of it if you check on gun broker you can probably find a pre 64 Mod 70 "Westerner" which had the heavier barrel which would really be a great way to go. I see them there from time to time with some of them being in incredible shape.
 
243 would be perfect. For factory ammo 25-06 or 270 would be great too. 260 is great but very little factory ammo.
 
If you want something with a heavy varmint barrel the Rem.SPS Varmint with 26" barrel in 243 will weigh under 12lbs with scope. Plenty of factory ammo from 55g to 100g bullets and you can build on it. A friend has a Savage Long range hunter in 25-06. Weighs 9lbs with scope. 87g, 100g, and 117g and 120g bullets. A 240 Weatherby is a lazer but expensive to shoot factory loads. 260, 7-08, 280 rem. 6-284,6.5-284 It is just so many choices. You will just have to weight out what you need in the way you hunt and what the factory ammo is available if you don't reload, in the bran of rifle you like. Good luck. I know I have pulled my hair out trying to deside what is the perfict rifle and cartridge. In time you just have to get one of each :D
 
Thanks again. Right now I'm thinking it's going to be hard to beat the 243 as far as availability and recoil. I'm not too recoil adverse, but this is replacing a 11lb 220 swift which is a total pleasure to shoot.

Which of the Savages in the 9-10 lb range is the best shooter?
 
Thanks again. Right now I'm thinking it's going to be hard to beat the 243 as far as availability and recoil. I'm not too recoil adverse, but this is replacing a 11lb 220 swift which is a total pleasure to shoot.

Which of the Savages in the 9-10 lb range is the best shooter?
I don't know of a Savage model that is not a good shooter. The choice is between a 24" barrel and a 26" barrel.

IIWM: 10/110 The Preditor Hunter Max 1 Savage Arms in 243.

All different types of factory ammo. All different ways to hand load.
Meets the weight and recoil parameters.
If it doesn't shoot, Savage will support it.
 
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