Good all around caliber for pred. hunting...
- Thread starter schneid
- Start date
NM Leon
New member
Welcome to Predator Masters, schneid.
It kind of depends on what kind of predator hunting you will be doing and whether you are just wanting to kill them, or if you plan on saving fur.
A 22-250 will kill anything you want up to mtn lion (a little light for bear), but is going to be pretty radical on a fox. A 22mag works great on fox, but will leave a lot of wounded coyotes.
A .204 will (reportedly) work well on either fox or coyotes, but using different bullets.
If coyotes is your primary game, I'd probably stick to a 22-250, especially if you can get a 1:10 or 1:12 twist barrel, though that's pretty much just an old guy's prejudice talking as much as logic.
It kind of depends on what kind of predator hunting you will be doing and whether you are just wanting to kill them, or if you plan on saving fur.
A 22-250 will kill anything you want up to mtn lion (a little light for bear), but is going to be pretty radical on a fox. A 22mag works great on fox, but will leave a lot of wounded coyotes.
A .204 will (reportedly) work well on either fox or coyotes, but using different bullets.
If coyotes is your primary game, I'd probably stick to a 22-250, especially if you can get a 1:10 or 1:12 twist barrel, though that's pretty much just an old guy's prejudice talking as much as logic.
Depends a little bit on what you plan on doing with the animals. Are you trying to save pelts? If so, then I would stick to .204 and .223. If not hunting fox much, then .22-250 will be an even better bet. If planning on large cats and yotes, then you can even go as high as .243, but would not recomment the .243 if you're after pelt. I have seen the damage, first hand, what a .243 can do and unless you hand load, you probably won't find a pelt friendly round from a factory load.
White Eagle
New member
223
IDBob
New member
Most folks that are really into saving the fur like the 17's. I've never been a fur hunter and over the years have mostly used the 22-250 simply because of the long range potential. Long range for yotes for me means about a 500 yard limit and my percentage of kills goes down after about 350 yards. Getting old is the dickens.
A few years ago I moved up to a 243 and used both a Ruger #1 and a Remington 700 heavy bbl VLS. This with 55 grain Noslers at 3950 fps shoots a little flatter than the 22-250 and really busts coyotes. A plus is I can load 95 grain Barnes for deer and it does them well also. Once in a while we'll run into a couger and the 243 does well on them to.
A few months ago I picked up a CZ Varmit in 204 Ruger and I really like this gun. I've got a friend in town that is a fur buyer and he keeps telling me to bring him hides so if the 204 leaves them without big holes I might start doing that.
I've always felt the 223 was a 300 yard gun, the 22-250, 243 and now the 204 Ruger were 400 yard guns, well at least in my hands so there is my 2 cents worth.
A few years ago I moved up to a 243 and used both a Ruger #1 and a Remington 700 heavy bbl VLS. This with 55 grain Noslers at 3950 fps shoots a little flatter than the 22-250 and really busts coyotes. A plus is I can load 95 grain Barnes for deer and it does them well also. Once in a while we'll run into a couger and the 243 does well on them to.
A few months ago I picked up a CZ Varmit in 204 Ruger and I really like this gun. I've got a friend in town that is a fur buyer and he keeps telling me to bring him hides so if the 204 leaves them without big holes I might start doing that.
I've always felt the 223 was a 300 yard gun, the 22-250, 243 and now the 204 Ruger were 400 yard guns, well at least in my hands so there is my 2 cents worth.
Wingman26
New member
Personally the 204 or 223 are the best overall rounds, and there are several advantages for the 223 over the 204. If you only use factory ammo 223 can be found everywhere, in tremendous variety, if you are a reloader once fired brass is cheap, and there is no shortage of supply or variety of .224 bullets, while bullets and brass for 204 aren't going to be as easily available, you are pretty much stuck with new brass for the 204, and new brass can be expensive.
I know how expensive new brass is for my 22-250, at least it uses the common .224 bullet, but also consider the 22-250 makes a lot of noise, and while recoil isn't excessive, if I was shooting 500 or more rounds a day, I'd rather be shooting the 223!
I know how expensive new brass is for my 22-250, at least it uses the common .224 bullet, but also consider the 22-250 makes a lot of noise, and while recoil isn't excessive, if I was shooting 500 or more rounds a day, I'd rather be shooting the 223!
Critr Gitr
New member
"all around" means compromise, too much for some and a little light for some...........
I prefer a 243 for coyotes......... but love to shoot my AR (223)..........., but "all around"?
I'd have to go with my 22-250 for the best single gun for all predator hunting.
I prefer a 243 for coyotes......... but love to shoot my AR (223)..........., but "all around"?
I'd have to go with my 22-250 for the best single gun for all predator hunting.
Brianmidwest
New member
Get a .223, 22-250 or 243. I went with a 22-250 myself.
ncyotecaller
New member
I live in the east so I call in alot of fox, so I went with a 17REM! Even though I don't keep the fur I don't want to blow them in half. I do want to mout a big pretty red fox one day.
spiraleyes
New member
I chose a .223 for the cheap and easy to find ammo and good all around varmint/predator capability.
SC Predator Hunter
New member
I would say that I would go for a 243
I am no expert but a 75-80 grain bullet in the hollowpoint will have a great deal of impact but you will not get a lot of exit holes due to the bullets expaction.
Hey like I said... I am no expert however I thought that I would share what worke for me.
Good luck,
I am no expert but a 75-80 grain bullet in the hollowpoint will have a great deal of impact but you will not get a lot of exit holes due to the bullets expaction.
Hey like I said... I am no expert however I thought that I would share what worke for me.
Good luck,
Shakey Yankee
New member
Personally I think it's all about shot placement and distance to target. We don't save pelts tho. Just population control. My neighbor smokes just about everything with either his .223 or his new 22-250. To include deer, yotes, crows, dillers and turtles.
coydogslayer
New member
In my opinion, the .223 is the best "fur friendly" cartridge for predator hunting due to the desired velocity and the availability of factory cartridges. They can pretty much be used for everything out to respectable distances. Just like everything else, it has its limitations.
Phantom223
New member
I am another 223 guy. Yes I know there are bigger guns,smaller guns and faster shooting guns, but the 223 just keeps getting the job done year after year. Big choice of bullets and factory loaded ammo.You can buy a box at walmart if you are in a jam and need it fast. Not the newest coolest kid on the block but has beening killing varmints for years.
jlindholm70
New member
22-250, hands down. A little more powder, but to me it's worth the extra oomph to get out there and touch those dirty vermits.
Hornady makes some really nice bullets for the 22 cal centers. I use the 40 and 50 grain V-Max, depending on what I'm shooting. I really wish they would make a 45 grain V-Max. I've tried both moly's and regular, can't really tell any difference in performance or grouping.
Hornady makes some really nice bullets for the 22 cal centers. I use the 40 and 50 grain V-Max, depending on what I'm shooting. I really wish they would make a 45 grain V-Max. I've tried both moly's and regular, can't really tell any difference in performance or grouping.