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Next coyote rifle. Rebarrel time

1lessdog said:
I started Predator hunting in 1972 and started with a 22-250 and shot it for many years. About 1999 I went to a 220 Swift and 52 gr Hornady bthp pushing them about 3900 fps. Then in 2020 I had a 22-6MM AI with a Krieger 1 - 15 twist and shooting Sierra 50 gr Blitzking at just over 4300 fps without pushing it. I hold on fur out to 450 yds. I also have a 6MM AI witn a Brux 1 - 13 twist shooting Sierra 55 gr Blitzking at 4200 fps. Is it a barrel burner. Yup it is., and yes it will. And when the barrel is shot out I will have another one Machined and chambered. I can have any caliber built that I want. If there is another caliber that will shoot 50 or 55 gr over 4400 fps I will have it built. Them 50 and 55 gr Blitzking are truly Coyote killing bullets. Anything out there pushing 50 or 55 gr over 4400?
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I doubt most people commenting realizes the difference a bullet at 4000fps makes vs one at 3500fps at night while predator hunting.
 
Just to be ornery, how about a 20 sploder just for something new. I'd think a 40gr vmax would still do okay on a yote at 400 yds. If you wanted a flatter trajectory, you could bump it up to some kind of 20 ARC variant (20BR, 20 PPC, 20 Valkery/SPC, ect). They would all make for a fun project to develop, and I suspect you could set it up to run both 40gr and 55gr pills.

If you're not looking for a project to tinker with, then I'd go with a 22XC or 22CM and call it done. You could run 53gr vmax if you're a speed freak, or 64gr eld-vt if you want more consistency in the wind at 400 yds. 6mm rounds are a lot more versatile, but at 400 yds, I don't see a practical advantage. If you really want the bigger hole from the 6mm, I don't see why you wouldn't do a 6xc since you already have dies.
 
Lefty2506 said:
Just to be ornery, how about a 20 sploder just for something new. I'd think a 40gr vmax would still do okay on a yote at 400 yds. If you wanted a flatter trajectory, you could bump it up to some kind of 20 ARC variant (20BR, 20 PPC, 20 Valkery/SPC, ect). They would all make for a fun project to develop, and I suspect you could set it up to run both 40gr and 55gr pills.

If you're not looking for a project to tinker with, then I'd go with a 22XC or 22CM and call it done. You could run 53gr vmax if you're a speed freak, or 64gr eld-vt if you want more consistency in the wind at 400 yds. 6mm rounds are a lot more versatile, but at 400 yds, I don't see a practical advantage. If you really want the bigger hole from the 6mm, I don't see why you wouldn't do a 6xc since you already have dies.
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Yea I just want a bigger hole, not really winds here to contend with. My mindset says a fuzz more potential damage. I’m about 224’d out shooting them at night with thermal. As stated somewhere earlier, I’m a pretty bad man in daytime with normal glass and a 22-250 BUT standing with a tripod and thermal I think I want a little overkill to help offset a not so perfect shot. They are gonna be runners no matter what you shoot
 
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I have used a lot of different varmint rifles for coyotes, and currently use .243 Win., 6.5 Grendel, .223, .20 Practical, 6br, .22 Nosler and .257 Roberts. They all have merit. Within 400 yards, most anything will work in center fire, though I usually gravitate towards the .243 and 6BR when shots are expected to be longer - and .223 within 275 yards or so and .22 Nosler to 400 or so. Not that they can't hit further - just that they seem to still retain lots of killing speed at those distances. I run 58 V-Maxes in the .243 at 3,300 FPS for best accuracy from that particular rifle.

I think I like the .22 Nosler for the best "all around" gun, in that it is somewhat of a bridge between the .22/250 or .243 and the .223. I don't mind giving up a bit of velocity to the larger cartridges when I get reduced muzzle blast, longer barrel wear, 20% less powder used, etc. I'd use my 6BR more if it were not so heavy. The .22 Nosler brass is only available from Nosler and under the name of Dogtown, whereas the 6BR brass is somewhat limited in who makes it as well - and most of it is a bit on the expensive side. Buy enough of whatever you get to run your barrel down - then it is not a concern as to availability. I run 55 Blitz Kings at 3,365 FPS from the .22 Nosler, as well as 62 ELDVT's at 3,030 FPS. Inside 400 yards, the 55 Blitz Kings beat the 62 ELD on bullet drop. Note the 62 is moving only about 10% slower than my .243, while shooting a heavier bullet - and recoils no more than a .223.

If I were to have only one coyote gun - it would likely be the .243, or a close variant like the 6 Creedmoor, being able to do double duty on small deer, pigs, etc. I can load it with 58 V-Max for super flat shooting or load up on heavier 100 grain bullets when needed. There really are no clear winners in this varmint game. Your Grendel would be well enough, for sure, with a light bullet to get that velocity up a bit.
 
DLT said:
I have a savage model 10 in 22-250 who’s near the end of its life. Currently it’s sitting scopeless in the safe waiting on a cartridge decision. This will be a dedicated night rifle with a thermal off a tripod with shots ranging anywhere from 50 ? to let’s say 400 absolute max.
I have used ar15s a in 223 and 6.5 grendel, as well as the 22-250 which is preferred and it’s a bolt rifle. I’m looking for a little over kill to hopefully help take up the slack from a not so perfect shot, I have been hunting them for 15 years and I know it’s gonna happen as well as how much of a will to live they have. I don’t care about saving pelts but I do love to be able to find them where they was shot or a very short walk from it.
I’m studying on these rounds as a chambered prefit, 22” varmint contour

1. 243 win with 70-80gr bullets
2. Short throated 6 creed with 70-80gr
3. 22 creedmoor again with 70-80gr
4. Any xc variant as I have dies 22 or 6

Bullet availability needs to be considered as well as Brass availability, shouldn’t be a problem with those chamberings. Anything I’m missing or should be thought of ?
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Go with a .260 Rem (.030 -.045 freebore to allow to reach lands and still fit into short action mag)
Hornady ELD 6.5 bullets have BC's way up there.
Very accurate with a good barrel and quality reamer
Many guys use this caliber to shoot antelope at 600
I used Manson and spec'd out what I wanted such as short freebore, neck dia. etc.
If they have a reamer in stock it is not much to just ask them to conduct 2 more operations to alter the existing reamer.
If you ask for a full on custom reamer Price goes way up there
Berger 153.5's gave me 2 inch groups at 600
Plenty of overkill with not much recoil
Good to 1000 yds also
-------------------
Also very ecenomical cartridge as a .260 is simply a necked down .308
Meaning you can use scrounged 308 range brass and just run it through your sizing die to form 260
Not as much of a step down as if making 243 so no intermediate steps. no trimming to length etc
 
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searcher said:
I have used a lot of different varmint rifles for coyotes, and currently use .243 Win., 6.5 Grendel, .223, .20 Practical, 6br, .22 Nosler and .257 Roberts. They all have merit. Within 400 yards, most anything will work in center fire, though I usually gravitate towards the .243 and 6BR when shots are expected to be longer - and .223 within 275 yards or so and .22 Nosler to 400 or so. Not that they can't hit further - just that they seem to still retain lots of killing speed at those distances. I run 58 V-Maxes in the .243 at 3,300 FPS for best accuracy from that particular rifle.

I think I like the .22 Nosler for the best "all around" gun, in that it is somewhat of a bridge between the .22/250 or .243 and the .223. I don't mind giving up a bit of velocity to the larger cartridges when I get reduced muzzle blast, longer barrel wear, 20% less powder used, etc. I'd use my 6BR more if it were not so heavy. The .22 Nosler brass is only available from Nosler and under the name of Dogtown, whereas the 6BR brass is somewhat limited in who makes it as well - and most of it is a bit on the expensive side. Buy enough of whatever you get to run your barrel down - then it is not a concern as to availability. I run 55 Blitz Kings at 3,365 FPS from the .22 Nosler, as well as 62 ELDVT's at 3,030 FPS. Inside 400 yards, the 55 Blitz Kings beat the 62 ELD on bullet drop. Note the 62 is moving only about 10% slower than my .243, while shooting a heavier bullet - and recoils no more than a .223.

If I were to have only one coyote gun - it would likely be the .243, or a close variant like the 6 Creedmoor, being able to do double duty on small deer, pigs, etc. I can load it with 58 V-Max for super flat shooting or load up on heavier 100 grain bullets when needed. There really are no clear winners in this varmint game. Your Grendel would be well enough, for sure, with a light bullet to get that velocity up a bit.
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I have a couple of 22 Noslers in AR-15'S. I would like to build a 17 Nosler and 20 Nosler. I'm sure there is a lot of speed to be had with them. I killed lots of Coyotes with a 17 Remington but you have to pick your shoots. When shooting the 22-6MM AI I can shoot them at any angle and not worry about run offs.
 
Capt. Oblivious said:
I doubt most people commenting realizes the difference a bullet at 4000fps makes vs one at 3500fps at night while predator hunting.
Click to expand...
I agree ... at night and under a light its high velocity and light projectiles that win. Rifles that you can hold fur to 300yards and simply point and shoot come into their own. During daylight, with time to range, dial etc... then a high BC heavier projectile can be useful ... but I find it such a specialised area that I dont bother preferring to set up for the 95% which are within 250yards.
 
Lefty2506 said:
Just to be ornery, how about a 20 sploder just for something new. I'd think a 40gr vmax would still do okay on a yote at 400 yds. If you wanted a flatter trajectory, you could bump it up to some kind of 20 ARC variant (20BR, 20 PPC, 20 Valkery/SPC, ect). They would all make for a fun project to develop, and I suspect you could set it up to run both 40gr and 55gr pills.

If you're not looking for a project to tinker with, then I'd go with a 22XC or 22CM and call it done. You could run 53gr vmax if you're a speed freak, or 64gr eld-vt if you want more consistency in the wind at 400 yds. 6mm rounds are a lot more versatile, but at 400 yds, I don't see a practical advantage. If you really want the bigger hole from the 6mm, I don't see why you wouldn't do a 6xc since you already have dies.
Click to expand...

Texted to me yesterday.

Screenshot_20250201_073346_Messages.jpgScreenshot_20250201_073414_Messages.jpg
 
Fire Dog said:
My “Dog Gun” is a Tikka T3 chambered for 6BR, shoots those 103s and up just fine and capable of those 600 yd + shots…
So far none have run off and a well placed shot keeps those “Spinners” away…
Lots of barrel life, way ahead of a .243, less powder and easy to tune a load for whatever bullet you decide to shoot.
Click to expand...
twist in your 6br?
 
Clancy said:
I don’t shoot hornady bullets at all. I have in the past, including the 65, 75 and 87 vmax. No more.

I’d suggest you don’t either.
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Clancy , what's up with hornady bullets, I don't like hornady brass , its soft in the primer area, the necks. I wish they get their head out of their
below the belt area. I cleaned that up
catalytic converter. I have had good luck with their bullets. Somebody that's hell on coyotes as your are would kno. I wanna kno. I have a 204 ruger , I have heard
that the 20 vartarg or 20 tactical is better cartridge than 204 ruger, you hit coyotes with those. The bullets stays Inside but does more damage than 204 ruger, something about the 32 and the 39 sierra works better with 20 vartarg and 20 tactical . The coyotes in some cases come back to life. The 243 Ackley is a hammer. I want one hole , no sewing. I am getting sleepy again. I have one that's very accurate in a 788 ,with a leupold
6 power a.o. Buck talk later Clancy.
 
DLT said:
I have a savage model 10 in 22-250 who’s near the end of its life. Currently it’s sitting scopeless in the safe waiting on a cartridge decision. This will be a dedicated night rifle with a thermal off a tripod with shots ranging anywhere from 50 ? to let’s say 400 absolute max.
I have used ar15s a in 223 and 6.5 grendel, as well as the 22-250 which is preferred and it’s a bolt rifle. I’m looking for a little over kill to hopefully help take up the slack from a not so perfect shot, I have been hunting them for 15 years and I know it’s gonna happen as well as how much of a will to live they have. I don’t care about saving pelts but I do love to be able to find them where they was shot or a very short walk from it.
I’m studying on these rounds as a chambered prefit, 22” varmint contour

1. 243 win with 70-80gr bullets
2. Short throated 6 creed with 70-80gr
3. 22 creedmoor again with 70-80gr
4. Any xc variant as I have dies 22 or 6

Bullet availability needs to be considered as well as Brass availability, shouldn’t be a problem with those chamberings. Anything I’m missing or should be thought of ?
Click to expand...
22-250AI shooting 68gr Hammer HHT at 3,680fps.

 
I'm taking the full dive thermal calling set up. I love running lights, and still will from time to time, but the tubular thermals with modern rings and a precision bolt action, is just more efficient. Shooting 1-2 of a quad turns in to terminating the entire pack.

I've decided to do a 1-12 6X47L. I have a PILE of 70 grain Varmegeddons and I already have 1-7.5 X47 so it makes sense. But any of the mentioned in a 12T with a 55-80 would be devastating. 10T for 87's.

22" and I'm gonna stand on it.

Will get a good tripod for on the ground night sets (full moon), but I am building a rack that will be conducive to running thermals, with a spot for a scanner-man.
 
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