Predator Hunting Rifles - What's yours?

[AKMAN]

I have a handful of AR uppers that I drag around the swamps up here for predators in the usual calibers, but most of the time I default to a stainless MkII in 243. Easy to carry, shoots great, low maintenance and enough punch for wolves. I use a bonded 95 grainer and have been plenty happy with the performance. I keep leaning more and more towards short action "whitetail calibers" for wolves; 257 Roberts, 260/6.5C, etc.
Next short action 700 I find is going to be a 270-08 AI with a short-ish barrel and a 1-10 twist to shoot 6.8 SPC bullets (85-110 grains) above their design envelope. I'm betting it can reach 3300 fps with a 100 grain bullet.
Never enough donor actions laying around...

 

[mcseal2]

I've upgraded mine since my old post.

I still have the bolt 204 but have went to shooting the 40gr V max Superformance factory load in it, and no longer use it for predators. It just goes out for varmints now. Those bullets shoot great but after a couple splash hits on shoulders I still like the 45gr Hornady's much better for predators.

I bought a new upper for the AR built in 204 with a 20" barrel. It's in an HBAR contour with a 1 in 9 twist that really does well with the 45gr Hornady factory loads. The average of 3 groups I shot with it last time I had it out was 3/8". It pushes the 45gr bullets at 3325fps too. I have a 3.5-18x44 Swarovski Z5 on it and it has become my main predator gun unless it's real windy or shots are likely to be real long.

I got a new (used) truck gun also, a Remington 700 in 22-250. It had a Timney trigger, HS Precision stock, and Leupold fixed 12x scope when I got it. I really expected the barrel to be shot out on it but figured the asking price was fair even if it needed re-barreled. It turned out it did not. It shoots the 50gr Superformance loads extremely well. I replaced the scope with a Leupold VX-6 3-18x44. I may have to steal that scope back off it, it's to expensive for a truck gun, but it works great for predator hunting with it's big field of view on low power and ability to zero for longer shots.

Also had a 25-06 built as part of project Kimberly I posted under the firearms thread. It's a Winchester M70 action, B&C Alaskan stock in tan/black camo, with a #4 McGowan barrel. The barrel has been cryoaccurized. It is picky on what it likes but I found that the 100gr Barnes TTSX factory loads do very well. My wife is stealing it for antelope and maybe deer, but I might take it out for some coyotes when it's windy. If I ever get the chance to hunt a wolf I think it would be perfect.

 

[Ingo]

I don't have a picture handy of my actual rifle I take calling. It's my push-feed, late 80's Model 70 .243 'Youth Ranger' with a 3-10x original Simmons AETEC scope. I got that scope on a rifle my dad bought me for high-school graduation and I was a little disappointed it wasn't a Leupold but it's actually a really clear scope with a great eye-box and FOV. Perfect for my coyote rifle. I think it's optically better than my Vortex Viper PST 6-24x on my .223 pictured below.



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[tacticalfarmer]

cz 22 hornet. Browning a bolt 223. Savage 260 LW hunter or weather warrior for longer range, 100 grain nozler with cre 223 powder. Shot gun trying out valmet lion with 26" Barrels. Or supernova if not to far to pack.





shot gun trying

 

[topher89]

257 Roberts for me... but that is because I only coyote hunt when I antelope hunt. This thread is getting me thinking about getting out more for coyotes. I see a 22-250 in my future....

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[mcseal2]

Our grass is so thick this year I see the 243 and 25-06 getting more use than the smaller guns. I've seen the fast light bullets, especially V max bullets, blow up on grass and not make it to the animal. The Superformance loads from the 204 and 22-250 seem prone to this.

 

[wyodog]

22-243 built on a Rem short action with a Benchmark barrel 1-8 twist, shooting 75 gn Hornady Amax. Topped with a Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50. Furthest kill 853 yards.

Rem R-15 60 gn Vmax vortex viper HST 4-16x50

Benelli super nova

Stoger 3" autoloader

TC predator 22-250 hornady superformance Zeiss scope

 

[LetsRock1409]

Ruger KM77VT MKII 220 swift, Lpld VX-3L 4.5-14x50...now I lay them down to sleep for all big game babies to safely keep

 

[Beendare]

i bought a LH Savage bolt gun for coyotes [now wishing I would have got the LH Tikka]

But most times I end up using my heavy AR by RR......that thing is a tack driver...and its a blast for those runners.

 

[huntsman22]

today it was a Ruger American 6.5....

 

[gdog]

17 Predator with 30 gr Kindler Gold bullets.

 

[justinspicher]

Mega receiver set
cmc trigger
kns anti rotation pin set
seekins bolt catch
seekins mag release
axts mi-t556 14.5 barrel
lantac dragon muzzle break
slr adjustable ti gasblock
bison armory full auto bcg
axts/noveske raptor charging handle
kac 45° micro flip ups
stippled magpul k2
magpul ctr
kac urx 3.1 13.5 rail
kac trigger guard
encapsulated buffer
kryptic custom coat on barrel, all furniture/accessories coated
kac hand stop
kac side panels
Battle arms development ambi safety
Vortex strike eagle 1-6x

 

[Elkfitness]

today it was a Ruger American 6.5....

What stock is that?

 

[huntsman22]

Mdt lss

 

[RoJo]

Remington 870 12 ga for me most of the time. I have used a few different chokes, like a Carlson's "Dead Coyote", a Pattern Master Long Range, and a Remington extended .670. They all work well, but the PM is extremely loud because it is ported. For ammo, I have used good ol' #4 buck, BB, and T, all in 3". The T was Hevi-Shot "Dead Coyote", and that stuff is very expensive but really does a job on coyotes.

Here is a double from a few years ago:

 

[Embarger]

Howa 1500 in 22-250 with a 55 gr vmax

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[mcseal2]

Just got the barrel broke in on a new rifle I plan to call with a lot. It's a Ruger M77 stainless action with a Pac Nor #4 fluted stainless barrel in 243 win. The stock is a McMillian game scout I got them to make for the Ruger action. The whole rifle and stock is cera-koted in Kryptek camo, like the Highlander pattern but with more brown and tan, less green. Its topped with a Leupold VX-6 3-18x44 with the TMOA reticle. Those scopes have a 38ft field of view at 100yds on 3x, almost double what my old 4.5-14x Leupolds have at 19.9ft. I love them for calling.

I had hoped the rifle would like a 80-90gr bullet, I wanted to use a lighter controlled expansion bullet in case I ever get to shoot a bobcat with it. I ruined one years back with a 75gr V max. The gun is a bit finicky, it didn't like any of the brands of factory ammo I tried until I tried the Federal Premium ammo with the 100gr Sierra Gameking. It will put them in a ragged hole and I have several boxes so I'm going to go with that for now. My wife will likely be deer hunting with this rifl also, the scope much better in low light than the older model 2.5-8x on her 308 and still has the big field of view she likes. I need to get the chronograph out now and see about getting a turret built for that load.

 

[Frito]

I spent a few years calling coyotes when I lived in TX and used a rifle that I built from a cheap Remington 700sps in .223. I ran a Vortex, I think it was a 4-16X, but can't remember exactly. I had a Douglas barrel put on it and a HS Precision stock. It was a good shooter. I only killed about half a dozen coyotes with it. I shot a lot of pigs and a couple of whitetails with that rig too. Sold it when I moved to Colorado. Growing up and before that I had a Browning A Bolt Stalker 25-06 with an old school Redfield 3x9, all stock that killed enough pigs and coyotes in about 10 years to kill the barrel. Back then I drove with a rifle on my dash, and was killing stuff every day. Good times.

 

[gumbl3]

Found a screaming deal on an American Predator in .204. It's an accurate little gun and super fun to shoot. Oh, and the yotes don't think much of it around here. Right now it's the lead off batter when I go calling.