Perfect Predator rifle?

[BobbyJ]

For those of us that do a lot of walking to get to remote areas what would you choose as your perfect predator rifle and cartridge combination? Coyotes, bob cat, lynx, mountain lion, and wolf could all be on the list of predators to hunt?

You said predator not varmint right? The occasional bear included?

I'm going with a Mauser bolt action 450 Bushmaster or maybe a light .308. Not playing with varmint rounds.

 

[alf]

Glenn musta got et by a bear, as he hasn't been here for almost 8 years.....

 

[RegionRat]

I am sure this is obvious to some of us, but in case there are those reading who have no hunting/killing experience...

Once you put bear, mountain lion, and wolf on the list, the terminal ballistics are based on those heavier class animals, which are a significant step up in terms of their body weight versus caliber requirements for ones like bobcat or coyote.

Sure, there are folks who hunt cougar with rimfire and handguns based on them being treed by hounds, but if we are talking ground stalking the story changes.

There can be a 2X- 3X difference in body weight with bigger cats and wolves compared to the other critters on the list, and bears can go up another notch.

A wolf can be found alone or with a pack depending on circumstances. They are shy at times, and crazy aggressive at others. I would not want to fool around with one in shallow tight cover with a varmint round.

Wolf and cougar are not magical and their flesh and bones are nothing unusual, but the consequences of fooling around with a wounded animal are more severe. Bring enough gun.... YMMV

 

[GT Accuracy]

I have built quite a few of the following for predator hunters

• 700 clone short action of your choice
• 22 cal or 6mm
• 7 or 7.5 twist on the 22, 8 or 12 on the 6
• 22 creed and 6 br are favorites
• Remington varmint contour
• Manners LRH
• m5 bottom metal

What more could you ask for? Build comes in around 7 lbs before optics depending on barrel length.

Personally, cut it down to 22-24” and run a can

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Straight vanilla 243 shooting a 70gr BT

 

[nockhunter]

I built my first wildcat rifle to shoot predators, a 1:12 twist, 6mm-250 on a savage action. I sold the savage action, the barrel is now on a Zermatt Origin action. I used a magnum barrel contour. I'll dig up some pics. I never had a shot at a coyote or fox with it, I let my son shoot first.

Mike

I picked the 1:12 to shoot 55g-85g bullets

 

[Breakshunter]

I really like my 6xc rifles for coyotes. Shot a lot with 70gr bilitzkings and only had a few exit holes. For all the smaller critters and coyotes inside 300 the 204 works very well with hollow point bullets. I am a huge fan of all the 6mm calibers just pick one and go with it.

 

[nockhunter]

I would like to try some 70g TNT's (6mm), I really like them in my .222rem.

Mike

 

[Herzo]

.577 NE

 

[nockhunter]

Here is 1.0 version of the 6mm-250.



Boyds stock and a Redfield 6-18x

Mike

.222, .223, 6mm-250, .243

 

[sscoyote]

The perfect predator rifle is a…Specialty Pistol like my 17 FB fur gun (less the mtn lion and wolf probably)

 

[keysersoza]

AR style, since I got my can out of jail. Well AR pistol with brace 10 inch barrel, 300 Blackout subsonic. With that can they will never know what happened.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

My favorite for walking in is a youth model bell and carlson, a model seven action, and a pencil barrel in 204r cut at around 20”. I have a 17rem and 223rem barrel for it too

 

[RandyD]

This is what I built as a walking varmint rifle.
Stiller Predator short action
Krieger barrel in 6 mmbr, #3 Medium Sporter contour
Jewell Trigger
McMillan Hunter Edge Sporter stock
Harrell's Precision radial ported muzzle brake

 

[doclu60]

Ah heck, mostly a rimfire shooter, but have a decent semi-lightweight rifle that fits the original question. Rifle weighs 10lb 2.3ozs. with glass and rings. Specs below:

Zermatt Origin short action
AG Composites Carbon All Terrain stock bedded
Muller 4g carbon wrapped Sendero profile 6mm Creedmoor barrel 1:8
Trigger Tech Diamond flat blade trigger
Hawkins BDL bottom metal
APA Gen3 Little Bastard brake
Caldwell Pic rail front swivel stud adapter
NF NX8 4-32 X 50 F2 with illuminated reticle
Leupold QRW2 rings

Pics before muzzle brake installed.
Rifle will do 1/2" @ 200yds (3 shots) with certain factory ammo from a bench with SEB X-Pod X and rear bag.
I don't reload, but a good friend of mine is working up some loads for it. Very happy with the rifle so far.
Pederson Precision Argyle, WI build.