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Hunting & Fishing Coyote caliber

scsbronco

scsbronco

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 15, 2010
367
2
40
Michigan
Hey Guys....


Im looking to set another gun up for myself.

Purpose: Coyote gun 100-600 yards

What Im looking at..

Option 1 Remington SPS varmint in 243 or 22-250 dropped into a Whiskey-3 to mimic my TRG

Option 2 Tikka T3 varmint in 223 1:8" twist to run 75 or 80 grain bullets.


I reload for 223. I know nothing about 22-250 or 243. I was wondering if it would be worth the jump to the bigger cases. Does the 243 buck the wind better? What would be the ideal wind cheater?

Thanks for the comments
 
Re: Coyote caliber

It's not one of your options but id vote for a sps varmit in 223 dropped into a whiskey 3. 223 is a good coyote round, esspecially is your lookin to keep the fur and you have the reloading data/gear already. The 243 is probably a bit better in the wind and has the advantage of serving as a dual purpose round for deer and pronghorn. I'm not a 22-250 fan so I don't really have anything to say about it
 
Re: Coyote caliber

.243 all the way & good to 700yds with ease & bucks wind better than any 22 if you have to have an all around caliber for them.
I use a 6x45 I built for coyote/antelope (.223 necked to 6mm) out here.
I have a .223 & .243 for backup coyote rigs.
.243 coyote load is with the 65g vmax @ 3500 fps.
.223 coyote load...50g vmax at 3300 fps
6x45 coyote load, 65g vmax at 3132 fps.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

I'm leaning more towards the 6mm cartridges.

Although I need to run the data on the heavy 223 loads.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

A good heavy .223 will work fine out to 600 and further, but a 6mm will be better, if your going to go that route I'd shoot something like a 105 Amax or similar to get the best range from the gun. Not sure if it matters much or not but I believe a .223 will outlive the .243 barrel by some time depending on use. and as others have mentioned, the .243 could serve as a light big game rifle as well. Lots of options, weigh em all out, and pick.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

243 is much better past 300 yds than the 223. The 22 250 can do almost as well if you have a fast twist barrel and reload.
I would take a 6mm every time.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ColdBoreMiracle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A good heavy .223 will work fine out to 600 and further, but a 6mm will be better, if your going to go that route I'd shoot something like a 105 Amax or similar to get the best range from the gun. Not sure if it matters much or not but I believe a .223 will outlive the .243 barrel by some time depending on use. and as others have mentioned, the .243 could serve as a light big game rifle as well. Lots of options, weigh em all out, and pick. </div></div>

+1 on CBM

223 with heavies are alot better at distance than people give them credit for. Bang for the buck, you can't beat 223.

I love my 22-250's, but you're hard put to find a factory gun with a twist rate less than 1 in 12. Put those same 75grainer's in a fast twist 250 and you have a long range whacker. Windcheater, for me, 80grn berger's in a 22-250. I'm getting an old friend re-barreled in a 1-7" for these specificallly.

Good luck in making your choice!

Breeze

my ol' friend "the stacker"
TrustyRusty22250.jpg
 
Re: Coyote caliber

i've got a 223ai, 22-250ai and a 6cm if i can't get it done with that i don't know what will
 
Re: Coyote caliber

I think that the .243 would be better for bucking the wind. Out to a couple hundred yards, the .223 is great too.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

What you need to think about is if the lighter loads will have the killing energy at that type of range. I have killed coyotes out past 300, but never out to 700
 
Re: Coyote caliber

I like the input!

What got me thinking about this was a recent trip to SD. The wind was wicked out there. I didnt see any Yotes during the day but, it wasnt winter yet either. The few days I was there the wind was 15-45mph all the time. I have a LMT setup nice but I cant call wind well.

Im slowly learning the 243loads as I read the reply tonight. 60-87gr bullets seem to be the ticket?
 
Re: Coyote caliber

I put a package together for a customer this afternoon. He chose a savage 10xp in 243. It has a 9-1/4 twist. We did away with the cheap scope, base and rings that came on it. I put mark 4 bases and rings, a bushnell 6500 2.5-16 x 42 scope with mildot reticle. He picked up 4 different types of ammo, all from 85barnes to 100 federals. I believe he has picked a superb coyote setup. I'm looking forward to taking him to the range and see how it shoots to 500.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

600yds is a bit much, but in the desired caliber range my choice would be .243 without a doubt.

.17hmr is my coyote caliber... I rarely get a shot on one past 200yds though.

I have zero experience with it, but .204 ruger looks good on ballistic charts. It's the only thing that might surpass .243 for the given application.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

Reloading the 243 (or 22-250) is no different then reloading anything else. Just pay attention as you work up your loads like you did for your 223.

You have a 22, (223) so based on that, I'd pick the 243 over the 22-250.

Personally I use a 204 Ruger (though I have 223s, 243s, and others) for coyotes, never hit one I didn't kill.

But to stay on topic, as mentioned, my vote goes to the 243 Win.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

The .204 or 20 TAC will shoot at least was well to 500 as anything you will find. Quite, fast, flat and kills well.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

I am an avid predator hunter and have gone through each of the calibers. I started with a 22-250 then went to 223 and finally ended up at 243. Where I live in northern Arizona the yotes fur up pretty good in the winter and the wind blows often. The 22-250 wasn't bad but didn't buck the wind as much as I would have liked. I switched to a 223 to go with an AR platform and found the 223 just didn't cut it for dropping yotes or bucking the wind the way I would like for it to. I switched to a Remington 700 mountain in 243 and got the results I was looking for with 75g Sierra Blitzkings. They buck the wind, have plenty of yote stopping capability even on furred up yotes, and perform well at longer ranges. I am currently having a 6WOA AR built to switch back to an AR platform but I am a firm believer in the 6mm for yotes.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

+1 on the .243 for bucking wind
I have a rem700 varmint in .243 that I use for coyotes with 80gr nosler.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: johnnyappleseed</div><div class="ubbcode-body">southbreeze: so you plug in that spotlight to your cigarette lighter in your truck? </div></div>

JA, that's a lightforce stryker 170 (on clearance at cabelas right now) It comes with a 13amp/hour battery pack with a 3 pos switch and rheostat.

With optics, red light can identify/kill at 300 yards; remove red lense cover identify at over 1/4 mile. focusable beam, bad MF'r of a night hunting light.

That dynamic duo has stacked up yotes/foxes/pigs for a few years now.

They also make a I/R filter for night vision use.....bad ass.

Sorry OP, got carried away.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

SCSBronco,

I see you're an Indianian....I do some stuff up there in the southern end of the state near Louisville. There's another great group of boys from your neck of the woods at "Midwest Predator Hunters" that's based in Indiana. We come up regular, cook & visit, shoot the shit and whatever else.

Good little Forum, check it out if you're bored.

Cheers,
Breeze
 
Re: Coyote caliber

I picked up the 140mm Lightforce Lance a few months ago. I just got the 12v corded version because I didn't want a heavy battery pack and frankly haven't had the best experience with rechargeable spot lights. At first glance I was quite disappointed with it considering the price. At 25yds, my grandfather's 20 year old Q-beam is a better light. However, when you stretch out past 100 yards, the Q-beam becomes all but useless. The Lightforce has a nice throw and doesn't have any annoying dark spots in the center of the beam. I wanted something compact, that's why I went with the 140. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably get the 170. I wish I could see them side by side to see a true comparison. I may order the 170 anyway. I'll be sure to post my thoughts if I do. I would imagine that the HID versions are significantly brighter, but I couldn't risk blinding any cows. If I were just shining yotes, I'd give HID a whirl. I don't care if I blind those bastards....
 
Re: Coyote caliber

Shit this is a full blown HiJack and I apologize OP.

Check out the kit. it has a dimmer swithc that you can sweep on a lower setting, then flip over to full bang when you spot your critter for the burn / shot. They're sooper light too.

Now, the battery is qood quality sealed lead acid batt, not that ni-cad shit they put in a q-beam. If you really want to get some good run time, buy the 30watt bulb and you'll get 80% performance of original but will net you 3-4hours of uninterrupted usage. The throw of the bulb is focusable by rotating the lense housing much like a mag light.

If you're going into a stand or fixed location, I bring my battery jump box. It'll run this light for hours.

I've got two of these stryker set ups and IMHO for the predator work I do, they are the duck's nuts.

Once again OP, apologize for the high jack.

Breeze
 
Re: Coyote caliber

Hi jacks are welcome on this one!!!!! Good info on all subjects. I was going to ask some of those questions too.

Let's keep it going!

I was using my streamlight tl1 with Cree led upgrade. I have it on my LMT I was very surprised how well it worked. The only thing that was killing me was fog rolling in. I had four sets of eyes on me a few weeks ago. They were 280yds out. I couldnt Identify the body to take a shot. So, I pulled back and called my dad to come in with more light. I held their attention because I had a garbage bag full of pheasant guts.

When my dad pulled up they trotted off. We then began to call again. A little bit of rabbit distress LIT the woods up. The sound of a few pack within a mile in every direction sent chills down my spine.

After that I was hooked !!!
 
Re: Coyote caliber

Although my bread and butter gun is a .22-250, if you plan on doing regular shooting past 400 yards, id go with the .243. .22-250 gets pretty iffy past 400 in wind and less than ideal hits.

Ive shot about 40 now with my .260, and although I wouldnt call it "fur friendly", I have been pleasantly surprised with the lack of damage with 123 scenars. I wouldnt want to have to sew up 100 of em, but for the couple dozen a year I kill with it, its not to bad.

I still use the .22-250 for 90% of my calling though.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

Unless you're using thermal, fog will always be a problem. That's were a second light, or a light a couple feet to one side is handy. You don't get all that reflective backscatter light in your scope.

to me that's the only real ass cracker of having a light on the gun for night hunting, first shot smoke will white out your scope picture reflecting the light source on your weapon. It makes a double very difficult to pull off.

I almost always hunt with a can on now at night, just to make sure my field of view stays clear for multiples or a quick follow up shot, if necessary.

I went back and reread your OP. What are you shooting that you already load 223 for? Not that we need an excuse for another shootin' iron
smile.gif


Load up what you got with some 69, 75 or 80's and see how they act in your 223.

Cheers,
breeze
 
Re: Coyote caliber

I'm loading 55gn vmaxs and 69gn smk at for a LMT. It has a 1:7 twist 18" barrel. I haven't tried anything heavier. I'm not sure what bullets can be seated mag length after 69gn.

Side note: I don't care much about the fur. If the coyotes explode that's fine. I just sick of them eating all the pheasants and rabbits.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rth1800</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The .204 or 20 TAC will shoot at least was well to 500 as anything you will find. Quite, fast, flat and kills well. </div></div>

RTH,
What bullets you using in 204 going that far out? I've just got some 45 grn's that I'm going to try out of a 24" DPMS upper. I'm hoping they'll stabilize.

I've been doing alot of small bore stuff since my bypass surgery; per Doc's orders of keeping recoil down for a while. I'be been hearing good things about 17's shooting 30grn Hammmett's, but the twist rate is fast to stabilize them.
 
Re: Coyote caliber

You might have a hard time recovering those coyotes you shoot with the .223 at 500-600 yds, they tend to run off
 
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