Bobcat Safe 22-250

[satchamo]

I pulled a bobcat tag in IL this fall so I’m looking to cook up a load for my 22-250 that isn’t a 77 TMK because I’m afraid it will damage a bobcat to high hell. I have a 1:8 twist tikka. I know this is probably more rifle than I need and in the past when I had a cat tag I carried a 17 hmr but I feel way more confident with my 250.

Currently I have 60 gr TMKs that shoot decent (nowhere as well as 77). I also have also shot some factory 50 gr vmax and they shot fine even in the faster twist.

I’ve shot a pile of coyotes with 50 gr vmax out of 223 and 22-250 and a bunch with 58 in 243 but never have I shot a cat so I don’t know how they fair on bobcat hides.

What’s a fur “safe” bullet for bobcats?

 

[justin davis]

50 grainer be good. Have shot a few with 50 grain blitzing a going 3650. Hardly can tell it was shot. I have used 53 grain max on them as well

 

[Erict]

I'd spend more time getting confident with the 17HMR, or borrow a 22 mag or 17 WSM with 20 grain bullets, or even a shotgun. Yeah, people luck out every year shooting bobcats with a 243 with little damage but I'd play the odds and use something small. I have shot a handful of bobcat and can say that the hide is quite thin and it's too easy to make a real mess. Good luck.

 

[IDElkmagnet]

Im a big fan of the 55gr sierra game king #1365. For cats iI would load it down to just below 223 velocities. I haven't killed a bob with it but it's a fur friendly bullet at 223 speeds and good at killing.
Id be afraid of a 50gr v max coming apart in an 8 twist

 

[KenLee]

Factory Superformance NTX 35gr is your answer. I wouldn't bother working up my own round unless your rifle doesn't like these. No exit, just liquifies everything inside the fur.

 

[Chris in TN]

Im a big fan of the 55gr sierra game king #1365. For cats iI would load it down to just below 223 velocities. I haven't killed a bob with it but it's a fur friendly bullet at 223 speeds and good at killing.
Id be afraid of a 50gr v max coming apart in an 8 twist

That's exactly what I'd do. I used to shoot coyotes with that bullet and they'd hold together at .220 swift speeds and I bet they'd leave reasonable holes at slower speeds.

I have a bobcat that I tube-skinned and had tanned and it has an exit from a .50 caliber muzzleloader bullet, but without a ton of expansion (shot through the ribs), and it's not noticeable unless you look for it.

 

[OverInfinite]

53 vmax ultra slow. 60gr vmax at 2950ish fps still put a big size hole in a coyote. He was quartering to me and I shot right in between his front shoulders and came out just behind his front leg.

Anyone try copper bullets on a cat? Always wondered if a slow heavy copper that would barely expand and “zip” through would be okay on a hide, knowing they might get 50-100 yards before going down.

 

[PanhandlePilgrim]

I know trappers would use FMJs way back when because they didn't want the expansion. Thats likely not legal so something like a Barnes might be the ticket.

 

[Buckhead]

Use your HMR. Bobcats are relatively small, doesn’t take much to drop one. Have shot a couple using a .243 and a .223. Made a mess out of them.

 

[EdP]

Thin hide and the body is probably more narrow than you might think. Much more narrow than a coyote. I've never shot either a bobcat or coyote but I've trapped and put up the fur from quite a few of both. You might keep a 50 gr bullet inside or it might blow up at the exit and make a mess. The .17 is a much better choice and I think it unlikely you would need the long range the .22-250 would give. On the other hand, Justin Davis has apparently had good success and it's hard to beat real world experience.

If I had a bobcat tag in Illinois I'd be setting traps instead of looking to shoot one. Higher odds of connecting and a .22 short will do the job.

 

[satchamo]

Thin hide and the body is probably more narrow than you might think. Much more narrow than a coyote. I've never shot either a bobcat or coyote but I've trapped and put up the fur from quite a few of both. You might keep a 50 gr bullet inside or it might blow up at the exit and make a mess. The .17 is a much better choice and I think it unlikely you would need the long range the .22-250 would give. On the other hand, Justin Davis has apparently had good success and it's hard to beat real world experience.

If I had a bobcat tag in Illinois I'd be setting traps instead of looking to shoot one. Higher odds of connecting and a .22 short will do the job.

I call them in pretty regularly and have 0 traps or experience so I will not be doing that

 

[EdP]

I call them in pretty regularly

That's cool. I guess in that situation you might want the extra range.

 

[nw_bearcat]

I call them in pretty regularly and have 0 traps or experience so I will not be doing that

What range are you regularly getting them called to? If inside 100 yards I’d go with the 17 and the 20gr bullets. Have killed several coyotes at that range with that combo. Haven’t shot a cat, but have some fox and a 50gr vmax type makes a mess at sub 100 yards from a 223. Don’t know that you could make it work in a 22-250.