What caliber should my new night gun be?

[YotaEer]

I currently use a 16” 6.5 Grendel AR with reloads as my night thermal gun. It works well inside 200 but I have many coyotes hang up in the 200-300 yard range where the Grendel starts to drop. Looking to use it as an SPR type instead and get a flat shooting bolt rifle as my night gun.

Currently thinking 22-250, 204 ruger or another 6.5 creedmoor and reload 95gr v max. All would extend to 300 easily point and shoot. The creed is more like 275, but close enough. Suppressed 100% of the time so thinking a 20-22” barrel.

Any thoughts?

 

[Sogan]

Bolt or semi?

 

[YotaEer]

Bolt or semi?

I’d prefer bolt. I shoot them more accurately and am more comfortable carrying them, especially at night.

 

[newguy2k3v2]

22 creedmoor? Should be extremely flat and if you reload creedmoor already it might be a little easier logistically than 22-250

 

[Sogan]

I’d prefer bolt. I shoot them more accurately and am more comfortable carrying them, especially at night.

I’d go 22-250 then. Great Coyote round, fur friendly, flatter than 6.5creed and ammo available most places

 

[Gunner51usa]

22-250! I’d rather smack the critter at that range with the speed of god.. leave those long range shots to the 6.5 and all of its glory.. My .02

 

[tk427]

22-250, 22cm or good old. 243 in the 70 - 80 range

There's a bunch in-between but with supply being an issue all around I'd go something sustainable, even at the raised cost

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

A 220 Swift might have more brass available due to its unpopularity.

Or, because it’s rare the cost is insanely high.

I don’t own one but it would be fun for a few hundred rounds.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

A 220 Swift might have more brass available due to its unpopularity.

Or, because it’s rare the cost is insanely high.

I don’t own one but it would be fun for a few hundred rounds.

They are laser beams. But at night what is the point? .220’Swift is for daytime vrmint vaporizing. At night, it’s performance doesn’t add much.

.223 is perfect for most my realistic ranges at night. It’s cheap, plentiful and accurate.

Though not as cool as a swift.

Sirhr.

 

[YotaEer]

The more I’ve contemplated, logistically it would be easiest to do a 204 ruger upper.

I have SRPs and lever already, which should work like CFE 223. AR handguard has room for the extra battery back.

 

[XikoPlavi]

So your allowed to hunt at night legally? Must be nice.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Running a good and warm .223 is hard to beat and it's easy to find a load for and there's plenty of bullets available. The 6.5cm and 6cm are also really good but if it's under 500, I'd just roll with a 80gr .223 with an Origin action. You have options down the road that way too. Jmo

 

[stello1001]

So your allowed to hunt at night legally? Must be nice.

Where are you not?

 

[XikoPlavi]

Where are you not?

East coast mid Atlantic

 

[YotaEer]

So your allowed to hunt at night legally? Must be nice.

They just changed it a couple years ago in PA to allow ARs, thermals etc at night for varmints.

 

[XikoPlavi]

They just changed it a couple years ago in PA to allow ARs, thermals etc at night for varmints.

Ohh cool. We can shoot the varmint infestation in Philly @ 3am. Word up.

 

[Jigstick]

220 swift or a 22-243 Ackley for the win

 

[Anb618]

Any reason not to just change your barrel out for a .22 Grendel?
Same bolt face, same mags, more speed for the small amount of extended range you’re looking to gain.

Nvm. Just saw you said bolt action, so you also want to build a new gun…

 

[PJC]

I really had fun in the 90s busting ground hogs with my 220 Swift. I could get the super light Nosler BTs close to 4000 fps. Super fun round to shoot…you can watch impacts before you get the full recoil impulse.

Edited for spelling errors

 

[YotaEer]

Any reason not to just change your barrel out for a .22 Grendel?
Same bolt face, same mags, more speed for the small amount of extended range you’re looking to gain.

Nvm. Just saw you said bolt action, so you also want to build a new gun…

I’d prefer a bolt gun but you raise a good point of just a barrel or upper change. Never heard of 22 Grendel but that’s interesting, similar to 22 creedmoor.

I’m currently leaning 204 due to saving myself some time and $ but I will have to look into 22G more

 

[Scrumbag]

22-250, 22cm or good old. 243 in the 70 - 80 range

There's a bunch in-between but with supply being an issue all around I'd go something sustainable, even at the raised cost

I'd go .243W with a lightish bullet or a 1:8 twist 22-250

 

[260284]

I killed one at 300 the other night with my 223 and 75gr ELDM @3025 fps. Somehow missed at 150 or so and she made the mistake of stopping. Held over a bit on the second shot. No doubt when the 75 hits them, exit was bigger than a golfball. I may see how fast I can push the 53 gr Vmax out of the bolt gun. Don't want any pass throughs when shooting around cattle.

 

[260284]

I got the 53gr V-Max up to 3650 with varget out of my 1-7 twist 22 BR. Fired 5 shots without the suppressor to make sure they didn't explode before they cleared the end of the barrel. They hit steel pretty hard at 415 yards. The barrel is currently 26", may have to chop it down to 20" and see what it does. Been thinking about cutting the factory Tikka varmint down to 18-20" and rechambering it to 223AI and see what speeds I can get. I like shorter barrels for hunting suppressed.

 

[Mbaysinger89]

For a bolt gun at night, if your into loading 20-223. If your not 204R or 22-250. I like that the traditional 20 cal bullets fall off the face of the earth after 5-600 yards but hit hard inside 400. I also dont night hunt wide open places with line of sight for a mile very often.

 

[Ronws]

I could suggest.300 Black Out. But the best reach for the range you want is, I think, .308 Win, such as an AR-10 format. Something that looks like a MK11 Mod 0. Mine is really good, the Windham Weaponry R16SFST-308. 16 in chrome moly 4150M barrel.

 

[Aescobar17]

I run a 22 Creed with 80 ELDMs and an XG50 for my thermal stick. Longest confirmed kill on a coyote was 370ish. He fell at 348. Ran straight at me 15-20 yards before falling hence the “ish” part. I’ve shot quite a few hogs between 250 and 300. The 22 creed is very forgiving of misjudged range calls within 300, and still has considerably more energy than the 204 or a slow twist 250.

 

[Aescobar17]

makes for one hell of a coyote stick

 

[Aescobar17]

They are laser beams. But at night what is the point? .220’Swift is for daytime vrmint vaporizing. At night, it’s performance doesn’t add much.

.223 is perfect for most my realistic ranges at night. It’s cheap, plentiful and accurate.

Though not as cool as a swift.

Sirhr.

During the day it’s much easier to range accurately. A “laser beam” is much more forgiving of missed range calls. My day time truck rifle was a 20” 7 twist 223 pushing 75 BTHPs for a long time, and was easily capable writhing 300-400 on coyotes. At night it sucked. Miss the call by 25 yds and I was shooting over or under. An 80 ELDM at 3470ish and I miss the call by 25 at 300 yds and I’m still hitting fur. And regardless if it’s a tad high or low that dog isn’t surviving a 80 moving that fast for very long at all.

 

[Aescobar17]

This video is through a Trijicon REAP 35 being used as a handheld scanner on a humid night. I’m shooting the 22 Creed with XG.

 

[YotaEer]

makes for one hell of a coyote stick

The 22 creed is interesting. Could use all the extra/old brass I have for 6.5 creed.

How do you like the DA nomad? I’m looking at that or new sico harvester EVO as my next can.

 

[Aescobar17]

It’s my favorite can I have or have had. Short enough and light enough while still maintaining good suppression. I need a Nomad Ti for a lightweight hunter and I’ll be set.

 

[YotaEer]

It’s my favorite can I have or have had. Short enough and light enough while still maintaining good suppression. I need a Nomad Ti for a lightweight hunter and I’ll be set.

Good to hear. I only have a sico omega currently and swap it between all my guns but would like the nomad or harvester EVO to stay permanently on my 6.5 CM.

 

[newguy2k3v2]

Nomad ti matched with a lightweight mounting system is an excellent can. Hardly even changes the balance of the rifle.

 

[Travis224]

I run a 16" & 18" 22 creed. 60vmaxes @ 3700fps in 18" and 3500fps in 16" gun. Both bolts. Point and shoot to 300yds. The biggest issue to get the speed is to reload with faster powder. I use H4895.

 

[Robert S]

I have run a 22.250, a 204 ruger, and a 22 creed. All 3 are killers, it is about you and what is best for you. I’d say my 22 cm is overkill for coyotes at 300 unless you know your round and its limits at close range. Mine flies a long way which isn’t ideal for night hunting where I go.

For me, I set up my thermal on the 204AR. It is a devastating round inside 400.

 

[YotaEer]

I have run a 22.250, a 204 ruger, and a 22 creed. All 3 are killers, it is about you and what is best for you. I’d say my 22 cm is overkill for coyotes at 300 unless you know your round and its limits at close range. My load was way overkill.

For me, I set up my thermal on the 204AR. It is a devastating round inside 400.

I’m still heavily leaning this direction. It will be the cheapest and easiest option. No FFL etc if I just build/buy a new upper.

What length barrel did you go with? Who makes it?

 

[Robert S]

I’m still heavily leaning this direction. It will be the cheapest and easiest option. No FFL etc if I just build/buy a new upper.

What length barrel did you go with? Who makes it?

I bought a 24” schilen with the matching bolt. They only take a minute to get them running well with am adjustable block. Feeding can be a challenge. You will have to modify some mags slightly, or at least I had to.

 

[softcock]

I have run a 22.250, a 204 ruger, and a 22 creed. All 3 are killers, it is about you and what is best for you. I’d say my 22 cm is overkill for coyotes at 300 unless you know your round and its limits at close range. Mine flies a long way which isn’t ideal for night hunting where I go.

For me, I set up my thermal on the 204AR. It is a devastating round inside 400.

I never thought twice about .204 , and kinda snubbed my nose up at it for years ....
Till I actually shot beside guy using .204 . small but it just Hits like a little BadAss . efficient, accurate, flat speed .
.

 

[Robert S]

I never thought twice about .204 , and kinda snubbed my nose up at it for years ....
Till I actually shot beside guy using .204 . small but it just Hits like a little BadAss . efficient, accurate, flat speed .
.

Totally agree.