Best Predator Rifle?

[Anonymous]

Anyone have recommendation on the best calibre for a predator rifle...varmit size up to coyote or wolf? 30.06, 30-30, 223, or ??

Anyone using a laser dot light for a handgun? If so, what are your brand recommendations for a Baretta .40 S&W?

 

[dun]

When you through wolf into the mix that really starts getting away from the 22 calibers. A good heavy barrelled (good=accurate) varmint rifle with an excellent trigger in in 6mm Rem would be just about perfect. For only up to and includidng coyote, depending on the ranges and light wind conditions, anything from .219 Donaldson Wasp up yo probably the new .223 WSSM would be the cats meow. Id you have much wind and the range is going to be in the 300 + range, your back to the 6mm. That all being said, whatever you already have that is accurate enough for the ranges you'll be shooting will work well also.
Yesterday I just picked up a 22-250 in a Savage heavy varmint with their new trick trigger. The choices were from that to a Browning 223 WSSM, a Ruger .220 Swift, all in varmint weights. I prefer the stainless and the new trigger. If I could have found a heavy varmint in 6mm in a model 700, or better yet a Savage I would have jumped on that. Around here when the wind blows it blows so hard I don;t want to be out in it anyway. In the desert if you waited for calm winds you'ld never leave the house.

dun

Anyone have recommendation on the best calibre for a predator rifle...varmit size up to coyote or wolf? 30.06, 30-30, 223, or ??

Anyone using a laser dot light for a handgun? If so, what are your brand recommendations for a Baretta .40 S&W?

 

[Oldtimer]

I've had several different calibers over the years, but probably liked the 22-250 the best. Really will reach out their and touch something. If you are cost conscientious look at a 223 or 308. Can buy a lot of cheap ammo for both. I've used the 308 with light bullets on everything from gophers to coyotes. And with it you can just switch bullet weights and hunt about any North American game.

They used to say "that the man that uses only one gun for everything is the man to be feared"- meaning that using one gun for everything made you quite proficient.

 

[MR3]

I would agree with the 6mm as the best all around varminter, if their is such a thing. I mostly shoot the 22-250. Although this round is affected by the smallest of breeze. If you go with a one in ten twist, you can shoot a heavier boat tail bullet that will be less affected by the wind and if you go to a 26" barrel over the 24" you will gain 200' per sec. and if you go with one of those fancy elastic stretch slings your gun will feel much lighter to pack. I will agree with Dun on a trigger job as the most affective way to improve your accuracy.

Just the other day my friend told me the guys out at the range, shooting competition could shoot a 6" group at 1000 yards with the 22-250. I said no way! He said he would take me out next time they shoot but it would be on a Sunday and you would be in church. I told him I would skip church and take my chances of burning in hell just to see that. The best I've done is a 3" group at 350 yards. I don't doubt it can be done, I just need to see it. > Rod

 

[Jake]

getting one of the new .243 Winchester Short Magnums would be great. Extremely flat, fast gun and you can use it on game up to the size of a deer, hog or even greater.

 

[A. delaGarza]

Anyone have recommendation on the best calibre for a predator rifle...varmit size up to coyote or wolf? 30.06, 30-30, 223, or ??

Anyone using a laser dot light for a handgun? If so, what are your brand recommendations for a Baretta .40 S&W?

223 or 22-250 is not necesary to go with wldcat calibers, but a good wildcat will be 22-243 Middlestead or something similar as a 22-6mm. the difference is that one is base in a 308 and the other a 7x57 , if you already own a 30-06 or a 30-30 as I imagine the accelerator bullet will work good enough and for a 40 S&W I will choose a Glock

 

[MR3]

:idea: "HEY!!"

CAN YOU DEDUCT A NEW VARMINT RIG AS A RANCH EXPENSE?

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I've got a cabinet full ranging from 300 Weatherby Mag down to rimfires. In the mix is a .243. I can tell from experience that it won't take down hogs but shoots very flat for ammo that can be bought anywhere. The 6MM is more powerfull and extremely flat but has the same problem...light penetration. For varmints I guess penetration isn't a problem. Killed a few deer with them but larger hogs grunt and walk away with core lok ammo. 22-250 are so fast I've had them disentrigrate just from hitting a raindrop. My buddy just bought a 7MM-08 and says it's the best one he's ever had. Winchester 70 Featherweight. It's basically a 308 necked down for better ballsitics.

 

[dun]

This is where you start gettin ginto range. At 20 feet a 12 gauge is perfect, but it has ahard time getting the job done at 400 yds. What is required is a bullet of enough weight and proper design to penetrate enough to disrupt the vitals. It has to shoot flat enough over the range it is being used to not require hold over/under and have a ballilstic co-efficient and adequate speed to not be affected by wind.
We battled these problems in the desert where a shot would range from 100 feet to 400-500 yds. At 400 yds a 25-06 (or 257 Roberts Improved) and a 120 grain bullet will really do a job on coyotes, but it doesn;t have the proper structure to expand, all it does is poke a hole through the vitals. The coyote runs off, some times a long way before finally succuming to the injury. As much as I hate coyotes, I detest even more seeing any animal suffer.
A lot depends too on the type of shooting conditions you face. If you're wacking them on the jump, you need something fast handling, if you set up and snipe them from long range you need a heavy varmint rig.

dun

I've got a cabinet full ranging from 300 Weatherby Mag down to rimfires. In the mix is a .243. I can tell from experience that it won't take down hogs but shoots very flat for ammo that can be bought anywhere. The 6MM is more powerfull and extremely flat but has the same problem...light penetration. For varmints I guess penetration isn't a problem. Killed a few deer with them but larger hogs grunt and walk away with core lok ammo. 22-250 are so fast I've had them disentrigrate just from hitting a raindrop. My buddy just bought a 7MM-08 and says it's the best one he's ever had. Winchester 70 Featherweight. It's basically a 308 necked down for better ballsitics.

 

[A. delaGarza]

I've got a cabinet full ranging from 300 Weatherby Mag down to rimfires. In the mix is a .243. I can tell from experience that it won't take down hogs but shoots very flat for ammo that can be bought anywhere. The 6MM is more powerfull and extremely flat but has the same problem...light penetration. For varmints I guess penetration isn't a problem. Killed a few deer with them but larger hogs grunt and walk away with core lok ammo. 22-250 are so fast I've had them disentrigrate just from hitting a raindrop. My buddy just bought a 7MM-08 and says it's the best one he's ever had. Winchester 70 Featherweight. It's basically a 308 necked down for better ballsitics.

maybe we have the same hobbies I've got that kind of cabinet too but from calibers ranging from 460 mag.- to rimfires including all of the Weatherbys even the 224, 375 and several wildcats but the best of the best that will do the job as well as your friend's 7mm-08 is the 240 wby but bullets are expensive, you could have the 6mm-06 wildcat but for real a 22-250 will be perfect for the job and the 223 will do it too and with cheaper bullets

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I'm a big fan of Weatherby cartirdges. I wanted to add to the previous post but didn't want to bore anyone. My next rifle (as if I need one) will be a .257 Weatherby. That is about the flattest shooting cartridge I've been able to find. High velocity, shoots flat, caliber large enough to withstand. I know some who hunt mulies and elk with it, but if I had the chance for that I think the 300 would be more applicable. I also use only Barnes X copper rounds. They stand up real well to ultra high velocities. You have to be sparing about usage, because they are expensive. 460 Mag? Sheez, those are for thick skinned African game, like elephant and water buffalo.

 

[Craig-TX]

I'll go ahead and weigh in with the 22-250 for small varmints. It's a great round. Of course, if you want to get more exotic there are the 220 Swifts that aren't nearly as available these days. Those rounds are almost magical. Or the 25.06 or the 22.250 Improved, or many others.

It might be old fashioned but I'll also have to admit that one of my favorites is the 30.06. I like to carry a M-1 Garand. IMO it's the best battle rifle ever built by anyone anywhere and the peep sites don't mind some banging around in the pickup. Anybody who had to qualify on a 700 or 1,000 yard range in the service knows that peep sights are extremely accurate at great ranges.

On the other hand, as my eyesight slowly degrades I do appreciate a scope more. I just don't like having to baby a scoped rifle. Bottom line, use whatever you can shoot straight with.

Craig-TX

 

[D.R. Cattle]

For something just to throw in the truck, I'm craving a Mini 14 Ranch rifle. So far they seem kind of pricey, but nice little rifles.

 

[A. delaGarza]

I'm a big fan of Weatherby cartirdges. I wanted to add to the previous post but didn't want to bore anyone. My next rifle (as if I need one) will be a .257 Weatherby. That is about the flattest shooting cartridge I've been able to find. High velocity, shoots flat, caliber large enough to withstand. I know some who hunt mulies and elk with it, but if I had the chance for that I think the 300 would be more applicable. I also use only Barnes X copper rounds. They stand up real well to ultra high velocities. You have to be sparing about usage, because they are expensive. 460 Mag? Sheez, those are for thick skinned African game, like elephant and water buffalo.

you're right 257 wby is the flatest medium game cartridge but having the 277 (for O'Connor fans) very close and 7mm will do a better job with mulies and elk but the 300 is just the greatest (30-378 for very long range) and 340 is a little over powered for them, 460 is really tough to handle but worth it.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I love that 300. The dang thing just kicks like an old mule and it's hard to overcome that thought when aiming for a target at 400 yards. The older I get the more I want to trade downwards in caliber and recoil. We have our annual contest at the end of a good wekend of deer hunting in the mountains. We set milk jugs downhill at 400 yards and poke at them. The 300 always comes out on top, with the help of the Leupold Vari X3. But then the milk jugs probably blow up just because I scared the hell out of them. On a side note those guys always make fun of me for packing such a large rifle. All the 30-06 people forget that I'm spitting out the same projectile they are. Just a hell of a lot faster. They also tell me that rifle is way too big. But as they were saying it, I saw his deer in the back of the truck. That thing had 5 holes in it all over the place. Mangled. Mine had one nice little puncture placed in the right spot. Velocity plays a role in the amount of shock and adds more to knockdown than just the bullet.

 

[A. delaGarza]

I love that 300. The dang thing just kicks like an old mule and it's hard to overcome that thought when aiming for a target at 400 yards. The older I get the more I want to trade downwards in caliber and recoil. We have our annual contest at the end of a good wekend of deer hunting in the mountains. We set milk jugs downhill at 400 yards and poke at them. The 300 always comes out on top, with the help of the Leupold Vari X3. But then the milk jugs probably blow up just because I scared the hell out of them. On a side note those guys always make fun of me for packing such a large rifle. All the 30-06 people forget that I'm spitting out the same projectile they are. Just a hell of a lot faster. They also tell me that rifle is way too big. But as they were saying it, I saw his deer in the back of the truck. That thing had 5 holes in it all over the place. Mangled. Mine had one nice little puncture placed in the right spot. Velocity plays a role in the amount of shock and adds more to knockdown than just the bullet.

I'm already going down-the-hill in caliber shooting I prefer my old 270 or 30-06 southpaw rifles as an everyday hunting season farm companion and my 22-250 as a predator exterminator

 

[Ellie May]

Sounds to me like you guys are gun happy!!
Ellie May

 

[sam]

i carry a mini 14 in my truck and in a gun boot on my 4 wheeler. i have a scope on it, have 2 mags, a 20 rounder for the truck, and a 6 rounder for sliding in the gun boot on the 4 wheeler. its a good gun for buzzards to because they are a varmint, they probably kill more calves and cows trying to calve than coyotes. i killed a wild hog with it a while back, he ran about 15 or 20 feet and went down. bullet placement is the key. if you don't think the .223 is a good bullet, there are a lot of cemetaries filled with dead taliban and iraqi's where our boys are fighting right now that can prove otherwise

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I'm dying to get my hands on a mini 14 ranch rifle

 

[A. delaGarza]

i carry a mini 14 in my truck and in a gun boot on my 4 wheeler. i have a scope on it, have 2 mags, a 20 rounder for the truck, and a 6 rounder for sliding in the gun boot on the 4 wheeler. its a good gun for buzzards to because they are a varmint, they probably kill more calves and cows trying to calve than coyotes. i killed a wild hog with it a while back, he ran about 15 or 20 feet and went down. bullet placement is the key. if you don't think the .223 is a good bullet, there are a lot of cemetaries filled with dead taliban and iraqi's where our boys are fighting right now that can prove otherwise

AMEN