best caliber for coyotes?

Joined
Apr 5, 2021
Messages
483
Location
Washington
I’m shooting 87gr Bergers out of my T3x in 243. No reason other than I scored 500 of them and got acceptable accuracy with hardly any effort.

Before that, I just used whatever big game rifle I had ready to go. No runners with 7mm Rem Mag and 150gr ABLR or 300 Win Mag and 168gr TTSX.
 

Checkmate

FNG
Joined
Jan 20, 2020
Messages
12
I use a .223. Most shots are <300 yards for us. I just put a new Howa mini together in 223. It shoots well, just need to get it out to draw blood now.
 

Goatie

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
293
Location
Minnesota
I do a lot of night hunting as well. MPBR with a 5” target in my 6 creed shooting 108’s is 300 yards. I bought a 204 specifically for night hunting. While I loved the gun (M700 VSSF II with a sig whiskey 5 gen 2 5-25x52), I didn’t really feel like I was giving up much when I took my 6CM out - it eventually sat in my safe collecting dust until I sold it a year ago.

I took a buddy out calling once that was a big AR guy. All I heard about on the drive out is how much quicker his follow up shots would be compared to my humble bolt gun. I called in 12 dogs over two days and he didn’t knock the wind out of a single one, I bet he went through 3 30 round mags between the 12 of them. Never again will I hunt with a guy using an AR...SMH
I’ve only shot a few coyotes with 223, 22-250, 243, 308, and 270 standard cals. All were dead quickly and all were well within 3 bills.

I later got into shooting prairie dogs and started using the same guns. After shooting a prairie dog square in the chest at 523 yards with an AR 223 16” 55gr vmax (I now realize I had actually loaded too hot), then watching crawl 15 yards to the bottom of its hole... 223 is off my list for coyotes beyond about 200.

I love the idea of quick follow up shots on yotees. However, the reality of hunting Yotes has taught me to focus on a more sturdy and confident first shot, and hope misses give your buddy their opportunity at success 😉

The last time I called coyotes this winter I carried my 243 and gave my buddy my AR with the 223 upper.

Adding photos of yotee guns L to R for fun
7-08, 243, 204, 223, 6.5 Grendel
 

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Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Messages
714
Location
NV
My go-to varmint cartridge is my custom 220 Swift AI. But if I had to pick just 1 it would be a 22-250. I do have one of those in a Weatherby Mark V Super Varmint master that has also been a great rifle
 

Kotaman

WKR
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
3,112
Location
North Dakota
I hunt coyotes all winter. I’ve killed them with .17 HMR, .22 Mag, .204 Ruger, .223, 22-250, .243, 6.5 Grendal, 6.5 CM and everything larger. If I could only choose one caliber to hunt coyotes, it would be the 22-250. Not the most fur friendly but they die.
 

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1stSgt M

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 2, 2021
Messages
114
I have a sig tread in 556/223 with 55 grain hornady v max seems to do pretty well but this last year i have been using a tikka t3x in 22-250 with 50 grain browning BXV bullets and they have been knocking them down quick and not much pelt damage i like them both
Dam coyotes on my ranch have gotten smart or so they think, I'm killing them with my 22-250, fast flat shooting can't go wrong!
 

KSTiger

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 24, 2021
Messages
103
Location
Overland Park, KS
I built a $3000 22-250 that hammered coyotes and tore them up a bit.


Then I bought a $500 ruger American .204. Put it in a chassis, and it absolutely HAMMERS coyotes. Very rarely exits. Shoots 35 and 40 grain Bergers with ridiculous accuracy.

One and done out to 300 so far. Have had 1 exit in 10 coyotes.

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
What chassis and scope you got on that rig?
 
Joined
Mar 22, 2020
Messages
364
What chassis and scope you got on that rig?

It’s an Indian creek designs.
He only makes them for the ruger Americans

Scope is super simple Burris predator quest


Awesome guy awesome chassis


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
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Rockrods

FNG
Joined
Jan 5, 2022
Messages
20
Location
Nebraska
Shot them with .17 hmr, .22mag,.204 and up to .264 win mag 300 win mag. Favorite calibers are 22-250 with 50 gr noslers and .243 with 55-75 gr.
 

satchamo

WKR
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
763
223 in an AR is the best all around gun and caliber for coyotes east of the Mississippi. I never get shots presented past 200 but I need those follow up shots more times than not especially when calling in pairs. Ammo is cheap (by todays standards) and readily available. I like 55 grain vmax.

Out west, I have no idea…. Listen to everyone else haha
 
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Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
2,316
6 Creed for day time and those that hang up. 22-250 night rifle
What ammo are you shooting in them?

I use a 22-250 for night hunting but I think the 22 Creed is better since the case feeds from magazines better. I am building a dedicated day rifle and the 6 Creed is on my radar for it.
 

ALF

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
285
Location
SW Wisconsin
Anybody that's a rifle loony has shot them with multiple rifles, calibers, cartridges, and bullets.

I have too many favorites to name only one or two.

I feel a 6mm of some sort make 'em deader though......
 

Huntin Fool

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 18, 2022
Messages
171
I‘ve shot my fair share with both 22-250 and .223 and the 22-250 definitely has more efficient drt, but the .223 with fioccchi 50 gr vmax is way more fur friendly, not to mention the plus for follow up shots out of an ar on doubles and runners
 
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