1 rifle/cartridge for everything incl coyotes

[D Lee]

Greetings. Yes, I am aware that the 1 cartridge for everything has been discussed too many times. That said, helmet on, here goes...

Now 78 y/o with a lot of good hunting behind me. All my rifles but 2 are gone. My old Winchester 22 stays. I thought long and hard on which "do everything" rifle / cartridge I wanted to keep. Comfortable and confident with my choice. Tikka Laminated - 30-06 - Zeiss scope.

QUESTION: I've read TONS about which bullet is best for Coyote out of this rifle. Read all the good, bad about LITE bullets in the 110 & 125 gr weights. Seems - for Coyotes - the 130 / 135 gr might be a workable / accurate compromise?? Sierra 130 and Speer 135 HP.

If you have any FIRST HAND experience with either of these 2 bullets, I would appreciate your sharing, especially on the powder choice and accuracy aspect.

Thank you kindly.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Any cheap cup and core 30 cal bullet will be just fine for yotes. I assume keeping the pelts doesn’t matter.

That being said, a much better “do anything” rifle would be one of the Creedmoors (22, 6, or 6.5), IMHO

 

[Jack321]

Love the 06 for a "do-all" rifle. It's perfect and has been going strong for over 100 yrs, it's proven and effective and it'd be mu choice if I only had 1 rifle also.

I laced a gopher a few yrs back at 350 yds when I was sighting in my 30-06. Bang. Flop.

I wouldn't have an issue shooting yotes with it all.

Any bullet that patterns well out of it will take down a yote.

 

[D Lee]

HHTR.....yes, the other cartridges would be better Coyote choices. Just not my choice for owning 1 "all around" rifle.

Jack.....you're right. Good sense says stay with a tried and true 150 gr c&c with a good BC. I just thought a lighter Varmint bullet might / maybe ??? do a bit better - strictly for Wiley?? IF I could get the accuracy. The Tikka's 1:11 twist would help.

TBD.

Have a good day gentlemen. Thanks for responding.

 

[HandgunHTR]

HHTR.....yes, the other cartridges would be better Coyote choices. Just not my choice for owning 1 "all around" rifle.

Jack.....you're right. Good sense says stay with a tried and true 150 gr c&c with a good BC. I just thought a lighter Varmint bullet might / maybe ??? do a bit better - strictly for Wiley?? IF I could get the accuracy. The Tikka's 1:11 twist would help.

TBD.

Have a good day gentlemen. Thanks for responding.

The Creeds will kill everything up to and including moose. What more could you ask for?

 

[Cleriger]

Greetings. Yes, I am aware that the 1 cartridge for everything has been discussed too many times. That said, helmet on, here goes...

Now 78 y/o with a lot of good hunting behind me. All my rifles but 2 are gone. My old Winchester 22 stays. I thought long and hard on which "do everything" rifle / cartridge I wanted to keep. Comfortable and confident with my choice. Tikka Laminated - 30-06 - Zeiss scope.

QUESTION: I've read TONS about which bullet is best for Coyote out of this rifle. Read all the good, bad about LITE bullets in the 110 & 125 gr weights. Seems - for Coyotes - the 130 / 135 gr might be a workable / accurate compromise?? Sierra 130 and Speer 135 HP.

If you have any FIRST HAND experience with either of these 2 bullets, I would appreciate your sharing, especially on the powder choice and accuracy aspect.

Thank you kindly.

.308 for do all rifle. Ammo ready to find too

 

[Maverick1]

@D Lee - suggest you change the title of this thread to something along the lines of “coyote round for 30-06?” Otherwise you will likely get a lot of unrelated suggestions on which caliber to pick for a do it all rifle. You’ve already made that choice.

@Cleriger @HandgunHTR - the OP is 78 and has already made his choice, the 30-06. He is looking for a suitable coyote round for the 30-06.

 

[Cleriger]

To get fancy, love my 6.5 PRC

 

[D Lee]

@D Lee - suggest you change the title of this thread to something along the lines of “coyote round for 30-06?” Otherwise you will likely get a lot of unrelated suggestions on which caliber to pick for a do it all rifle. You’ve already made that choice.

@Cleriger @HandgunHTR - the OP is 78 and has already made his choice, the 30-06. He is looking for a suitable coyote round for the 30-06.

Thank you Maverick. Intend to try a 130 gr or 135. See what happens at the target and run the ballistics thru JBM. If it doesn't work out...a little time and a few $ lost. 150 gr not a bad fall back position either for under 400 / 500 yards. Again...thanks.

 

[KenLee]

Shoot coyotes with whatever round you shoot everything else with. Good practice. Why not? Coyote hides aren't worth anything.

 

[elkguide]

Not as old as you and even though I still have a few rifles in different calibers, but I'm also stuck on one caliber/rifle that I grab for everything from coyotes to elk. It's also a .30 caliber but it's a .300 Win Mag. I use 165's or 180's for everything and coyotes don't move much after a 180 grainer goes through them.

As to which bullet to use in your trusty '06. I don't like to resight my rifle over and over depending on the bullet that I'm using so I tend to shoot the same bullet year-round. If it's accurate enough for coyotes, it should be just fine for an elk.

 

[Maverick1]

To get fancy, love my 6.5 PRC

Is the struggle with reading or comprehension?

 

[Mideerhunter]

If you're intending to stay with 30-06, you should determine if you are keeping the hides or not. If not, you could just run with the bullet you have the most experience with as you'd know the drop for it. If you are looking for a new rifle/bullet combo, try looking at the .223 thread. They are using the 223 for everything including elk and bear. You can get cheap practice ammo if you go that route.

 

[fwafwow]

Is the struggle with reading or comprehension?

This is fundamentally flawed.

 

[TaperPin]

Greetings. Yes, I am aware that the 1 cartridge for everything has been discussed too many times. That said, helmet on, here goes...

Now 78 y/o with a lot of good hunting behind me. All my rifles but 2 are gone. My old Winchester 22 stays. I thought long and hard on which "do everything" rifle / cartridge I wanted to keep. Comfortable and confident with my choice. Tikka Laminated - 30-06 - Zeiss scope.

QUESTION: I've read TONS about which bullet is best for Coyote out of this rifle. Read all the good, bad about LITE bullets in the 110 & 125 gr weights. Seems - for Coyotes - the 130 / 135 gr might be a workable / accurate compromise?? Sierra 130 and Speer 135 HP.

If you have any FIRST HAND experience with either of these 2 bullets, I would appreciate your sharing, especially on the powder choice and accuracy aspect.

Thank you kindly.

I’ve never hesitated to try any combination that sounds like fun - those 130ish gr bullets sound like fun. There seems to be new 30 cal bullets every month.

Distance to target will be something to consider if you’re really stretching the range - at some point high BC bullets make more sense regardless of weight.

It’s funny - if someone released a new cartridge with exactly the same performance, so many shooters would flock to it because it’s so versatile. Lol

 

[Hustler23589]

Any .30 caliber. .308, 30-06, 300 wsm, 300 win mag, etc etc etc. endless bullet choices.

 

[Maverick1]

This is fundamentally flawed.

Fundamentally perfect.

 

[D Lee]

A bit of a late update with my apologies.

First....all the replies are much appreciated. THANKS!!!

OK................accuracy wise.......the light 30 cal bullets for Wiley are not working out so well. My reloading work might be the culprit, but I don't think so. Asking a lot of a cartridge to go from 220 gr to 110 / 125 gr. Again, IMHO. All that said.....definitely keeping the 30-06.

Spent a week seriously thinking. Decided 2 rifles / cartridges better than 1 in the safe. I considered many second rifle cartridges......22-250........243 Win....6.5 Creed......25-06........and others. As an old curmudgeon, JOC & the .270 Win was my hero growing up. I now own a Browning X Bolt in .270.

Yes...you're right...my 2 rifles do overlap. They do. Hear me out tho. The 30-06 will serve me well with 200 gr Accubond / Partition / Hot Cor bullets for Elk and Moose. The .270 bullet will handle Coyote, WT, Mule Deer, Black Bear and Pronghorn. Each rifle....each cartridge.....proven in the field!!! My personal emphasis being on KISS with the 2 rifles - 1 bullet each.

Which bullet in the .270...inside 400 yards +/-?

My logic........make the Deer bullet work on Wiley...not the other way around. Capitalizing on what the .270 Win does best. Right now considering the 130 Accubond or the 110 TTSX......strictly for the game I listed. TBD.

Be safe. MAGA!!!