best caliber for coyote hunting

[Bofire]

I get a kick out of polls and statements that refer to "the best".  So much depends on your criteria.  Is it pure balistics, availibility of ammo, availability of bullets, etc?  Of the guns listed I voted 223 just for the blend of performance, availability, and affortability.  As a general rule most of the 22-25 cal center fires are gonna do the job just fine.  The 22 cal stuff IMO is more versitile overall as a varmit gun (not strickly coyotes) from the sense of just not wanting to bang away w/ a 24 or 25 cals on ground squirrels.   

This one seems pretty specific to me... BEST CALIBER FOR COYOTE HUNTING. The question doesn't ask 'most economical coyote caliber' or 'best varmint/coyote caliber'... not even 'most widely distributed coyote caliber'... it implys nothing about saving fur, calling, road hunting, glassing, baiting, etc.

Why did I state .243/6mm? Because it is the best... how do I know? Hundreds of coyotes were harmed in the name of science. Emperical evidence has shown the 6mms absolutely dominate ANY of the .22 centerfires... almost no run-offs, superior down-range performance, superior trajectorys, superior projectiles, etc. If given a shot at a coyote... under nearly any field condition... I refuse to believe that anyone in their right mind would rather have a .22/250... than a .243 loaded with 55-70 grain bullets.

Would you mind providing me a link to any of these studies please. thank you.
Carl

[shoot-em-dead]

22-250 because thats the caliber I bought for yotes. Next I'd have to break out the .300 win mag but hey I'm no expert and these are the only rifles I have. love em both

[CastleRocker]

I believe that your "best" caliber for coyotes is whatever you shoot the most accurately.  You can shoot the biggest, fast-est, and best-est, but if you miss.....you might as well be throwing rocks and sticks.  I hunt fur and I like to call them close and use my 17 Reminton.  Itty-bitty entrance, very seldom an exit, inside is jelly.  I wish I had a 243 for coyotes though when I'm not hunting hides....

[509er]

Saw a 17 Remington fireball at cabelas last time I was there.  Cool looking little round, looked like a scaled down 300 wsm.

[trotterlg]

I have both of the 17 Remingtons, I shoot 20gr bullets in the Fireball and 30gr bullets from the 17 Remington.  The Fireball is a little light for the Coyotes in WA I think, but just fine in AZ.  Larry

[bowhunterforever]

I vote for the 204 ruger! I have never had a runner and only a couple spinners and thats because of shots to far back shots! All yotes were shot with federal 39 gr blitz kings and the farthest droped dog is 450 yards so far! I just just bought a few boxes of hornady 45 gr soft points to see how they work!

[MHWASH]

I voted 22-250. Shoots flat, hits hard, not too bad on pelts. For me coyotes and pelts go together. I've been using the 22-250 for several years. Although I don't have the numbers like a lot of guys do, I see no reason to go to a .243. there is a .243 sitting in the safe, I just don't see the need to use it.

[Intruder]

Sorry.... my post seems to have stirred the pot here.  I think the point I was trying to make was a bit of a  .  I don't disagree in principal with what JoshT is saying.   No doubt that a .243 is likely a better gun for stickily killin dogs.  Josh makes some compelling arguments and he has the experience and results to show. 

My point was really centered more on the idea that people get hung up thinking that 1 particular cal or 1 particular make or 1 particular bullet is some how the key or the "best"... be it yotes, deer, elk, whatever.  To take the .243 discussion to the next level, why not wildcat it?  Some of the BR stuff is faster shooting, more accurate, more efficient burning powder, etc.  That surely makes it the better, right?  How far do you want to take it?  That was really my point.  For 75% or more of the folks out there, they can't shoot the difference between a 222, 223, 22-250 or a .243.  So getting hung up on trying to determine the best is often largely an academic discussion.     

[JoshT]

Some of the BR stuff is faster shooting, more accurate, more efficient burning powder, etc.  That surely makes it the better, right?  How far do you want to take it?  That was really my point.  For 75% or more of the folks out there, they can't shoot the difference between a 222, 223, 22-250 or a .243.  So getting hung up on trying to determine the best is often largely an academic discussion.     

None of the BR stuff is faster... 6ppc, 6br, 6xc... all slower, and almost all of them have some feeding issues in bolt guns. Any round in the .243, 6mm Rem, .240 Roy, .243wssm, any of those cases AI'd, etc... is the cat's meow for coyotes.  I don't doubt that a .22/250 is a great coyote round... I've killed a ton of dogs with one... I'm just saying that anything a .22/250 can do... a big 6 can do better. So, for all of you who say the .22/250 is the best... you're simply making my point for me. 55 grainer at 3800 vs 55 grainer at 4k+... if one is great... the other is greater. For what it's worth... when the 6mm Rem. barrel is shot out on my 700 BDL-V... I'll screw on a 6mm/250 pipe... that way... we'll all be right!

I concur that any of the "best" stuff is mostly academic... but hey... that's the fun in these discussions.

[Lowedog]

So what have we learned from this almost useless post.  The 22-250 seams to be the most popular on this board, JoshT is almost fanatical in his belief that the .243 is the best coyote caliber...period and we all probably voted for the caliber that we hunt with most. 

The best point made on this thread is that any caliber under .243 is legal to hunt with year round regardless of what big game season may be open where you are hunting and you can still hunt cougar with the .22 caliber center fires.

-Lowedog

[woodswalker]

while I voted 22-250..cuz i DO use that....the long ranger for me is the 257 Roberts, loaded with med weight bullets and stoked into the +P ranges.  in my Ruger that holds .35 groups at 100 yards...and minute of 'yote at a LONG ways out.

[jjhunter]

I think that there is a lot of useful info on this post.  It is interesting to look at everyone's experience and logic and see what has worked for them and why.  A thread like this will always contain a lot of B.S., but if you read the entire thing, you should come away with a few points that may help you make a more informed decision when the time comes to buy a new 'yote rifle.   

[trotterlg]

If Cougar season is open and you do not have a Cougar lisense then it would not be legal to hunt Coyote with a .223.  Is this incorrect?  Larry

[atomicjoe23]

That would be incorrect. . .it would be illegal to hunt coyote with a .24 centerfire during any big game season that you don't hold a valid tag for the big game season that is currently open. . .

. . .you circumvent needing a big game license and tag by hunting coyotes with a .22 centerfire or smaller. . .but you can legally hunt a cougar with a .22 centerfire. . .hope that's clear as mud

[trotterlg]

You are right, I re-read the regs, it is sort of convoluted, but it seems that Cougar, even it though it is a big game animal, is exempt from the .240 rule because you can hunt it with a .22 and you can also hunt Coyotes with a .22 or smaller so I guess life is good.  I am going to head oversouth of Ellensburg tomorrow to see what there is to be found.  Larry