Well,
I have no hard and fast answers to most of the questions, as there are mainly a selection of really, really close choices out there so we will use trend analysis.
Weapons of choice.
Rifles. I like a few different brands, if I could only stick to one brand it would be the Browning Abolt. I also own a Ruger 77 All Weather, Cooper 21, Tikka 595. Rem 700 might be in the future, have to wait and see. Weatherby might also be on the way, but we will have to wait and see on that one too, yes it is a "Predator" rifle, but not the kind most think of on this board. (Bears are predators) I am a firm beleiver in the bolt action rifles, with the non-bolt action singleshots being a close second.
I do not use automatics, pumps, levers, or straight pull bolts. I do not like any action type that puts limits on my loading dimensions or bullet choices, or that uses the barrel as a mounting surface for other hardware.
Shotguns
In direct contrast to the rifles, the shotguns must be either pump or automatics, I have found doubles to be too heavy. They must be 12 gauge, with a 3 or 3.5 inch chamber, and choke tubes are a good idea. Favorite Brand? Browning BPS; Auto 5; but I do use a Stevens 67 a lot as well.
Handguns
Ruger Redhawk, 44 mag. I do not use this for coyotes, but it is a nice revolver. I would like to try one of the high performace "rifle-pistols", but that is a while away.
Favorite Caliber.
Well here agian, I have several. I guess a lot of it depends on what I am hunting. Since this is a predator board, my favorite predator round at the moment is my 22-250. Because it is really simple to load for, fast and flat, and because I have loads worked up for it at the present time
. This winter the 17 Rem, 223, and 243 will be developed.
Favorite Bullet.
Here again I have several. For the Record however I will say Hornady, because I support the industry of my home state, and they work really well, Nosler and Sierra also make excellent bullets, would not turn up my nose at either of them, as all three brands shoot well in my rifle, with the slight edge going to Nosler and the 50 grain BTip. (22-250)
But I have noticed a general trend. Every rifle that I have loaded for preferred the polycarbonate tips to other styles, for max accuracy. At this point, I would like to state that a handloader should not have a favorite bullet or powder, but should use the components that his rifle dictates (within the needed specifications for the game pursued), and if the handloader is carefully listening, the rifle will say, usually very clearly, what it likes to eat. I beleive through observation of others, that many firearms do not reach their full potential, not because they are bad firearms, but because the handloaders have predjudices and preconceptions that prevents them from finding that extra margin of performance.
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Safety,Ethics, Accuracy, Velocity, Energy-I am On the Way to the Arizona Predator Hunt!!!!!!
[This message has been edited by Tackdriver (edited 10-13-2001).]
