What caliber rifle for varmint, coyote, and *possibly* deer in future

[Hookeye]

Infraction or ban, I don't care.
Doing stupid sh*t when info and $ are there to avoid it just doesn't cut it.
You're not some kid with a .22 rf..............you got the toys.
This is the information age.

Varmint bullets for varmints.

If you and your ilk can't figure that out God forbid we let everybody else run around with "regular rifles" come deer season. Hell if a match bullet is good enough for varmints, FMJ's ought to be just peachy for Bambi.

 

[Hookeye]

Sorry folks, I expected supposed gun people to be a little more up on what's what.
And to have enough decency to not post when they do really stupid stunts (unless they are doing so as an admission of error- even then, leaving out the gory details that would fuel the antis).

Yup, I expected better.

Thanks INGO, for bringing me back down to reality.

 

[patience0830]

I'm sorry, for your convenience an animal should needlessly suffer?
It's pretty much common knowledge why we use varmint bullets........on varmints.

If it really took minutes then you should have had enough shame to not post it, or post some excuse.

Dead coyote is a good coyote. You play the game how you want. If a coyote is in range of the weapon I'm carrying, he's getting whatever lead poisoning I have in the chamber.
Last two I killed were with .17HM2 while squirrel hunting.
There's no shame in knocking down an invasive varmint like coyotes with whatever you've got in my book.

 

[patience0830]

Back to the op's question.

Thinkin about a 6.5 creedmoor myself. Have a Rem 700 in .308 that may get a Sako extractor mod and a new bbl in the near future.

 

[Hookeye]

Considering other posts, I bet it was a purposeful hunt, not opportunistic.

Sure an opportunity might present itself when one has less than ideal gear. Either hold fire or pour it on- hammer them to the great beyond.

It's an animal. Kill it fast.

We have enough anti hunting BS to deal with, no need to go around adding fuel to their fires.

 

[patience0830]

Considering other posts, I bet it was a purposeful hunt, not opportunistic.

Sure an opportunity might present itself when one has less than ideal gear. Either hold fire or pour it on- hammer them to the great beyond.

It's an animal. Kill it fast.

We have enough anti hunting BS to deal with, no need to go around adding fuel to their fires.

Your point is made. You're way off the op's original theme. Wanna continue to make your point, I would respectfully request that you get your own thread.

 

[phylodog]

Infraction or ban, I don't care.
Doing stupid sh*t when info and $ are there to avoid it just doesn't cut it.
You're not some kid with a .22 rf..............you got the toys.
This is the information age.

Varmint bullets for varmints.

If you and your ilk can't figure that out God forbid we let everybody else run around with "regular rifles" come deer season. Hell if a match bullet is good enough for varmints, FMJ's ought to be just peachy for Bambi.

Again, how many of the deer you've shot have dropped dead where they stood? Thanks.

You can speculate all you want but it was an opportunity and I took it. I didn't have a dedicated coyote rifle last year so I used what I had available. I've spent a considerable amount of money putting a rifle together this year for this purpose. The shot absolutely destroyed that coyotes heart, why he didn't die immediately is beyond me but is what led me to the statement that they are tough critters.

 

[augdog]

243 hard to beat! Low recoil,accurate,Easy to find ammo.

 

[Hookeye]

They won't live minutes with a destroyed heart.
Seconds maybe. Is it possible the time wasn't recorded correctly?

I did drop my deer this yr, by bow.....died in seconds, shot by recurve. It dropped in its tracks too. Good enough?

I mean, my bow might not shoot as accurately with BHs as it does FPs...............

( do understand that arrows kill by hemorrhage, and that while it can be slower, there's less shock..........you put them to sleep by blood loss ).

Gun? If it isn't gone in seconds I hit it again. Good laugh at check in yrs ago, when I brought in deer with mult hits on them......in the right places.

Did have one that took a tracking job and coup de grace, went maybe 125 yards. I didn't wait for it to "stiffen up". By sound and blood I knew where I hit it. Down but not dead yet, I went in and sped things up.

Again, bowhunting is different, you don't want to immediately track 'em, and maybe not do so in gun either. Depends on where the projectiles go.

Stuff happens afield.............lots of variables.

Going to the sticks with the wrong ammo is never justified.

It's not good fodder even for an internet p*ssing match.

 

[Hookeye]

I switched to Bismuth shot $$$$$ on geese years ago because I found the effects of regular steel not good enough (pre Black Cloud/Blindside/Hevi metal).
Think I changed guns and load after 2 days.

Steel might be humane enough for some folks, but it wasn't for me.

Dead on the deck to 50 yards, no neck wringing.

 

[MRP2003]

Died in seconds? Wow only saw a few that truly ever did that and they were head shots. Most hunting shows will show a deer that they had to track for 40-50 yards even double lung shots. Those deer did not die within seconds. Getting the heart every time is tough as if the deer flinches or the bullet hits a bone, you can easily miss the heart.

From the sounds of a fist size hole with the heart gone, it was killed pretty quick and for most humanly. I doubt anyone is trying to make an animal suffer when they hunt/shoot them.

How humane is trapping then. That can be slow and painfull?

 

[phylodog]

They won't live minutes with a destroyed heart.
Seconds maybe. Is it possible the time wasn't recorded correctly?

This one survived at least 2 minutes and there was nothing left of his heart but a hole where it had once been.

I did drop my deer this yr, by bow.....died in seconds, shot by recurve. It dropped in its tracks too. Good enough?

I mean, my bow might not shoot as accurately with BHs as it does FPs...............

( do understand that arrows kill by hemorrhage, and that while it can be slower, there's less shock..........you put them to sleep by blood loss ).

Gun? If it isn't gone in seconds I hit it again. Good laugh at check in yrs ago, when I brought in deer with mult hits on them......in the right places.

Did have one that took a tracking job and coup de grace, went maybe 125 yards. I didn't wait for it to "stiffen up". By sound and blood I knew where I hit it. Down but not dead yet, I went in and sped things up.

Again, bowhunting is different, you don't want to immediately track 'em, and maybe not do so in gun either. Depends on where the projectiles go.

Stuff happens afield.............lots of variables.

Going to the sticks with the wrong ammo is never justified.

It's not good fodder even for an internet p*ssing match.

I've tested the ammo I used in ballistic gelatin and I know what it does in soft tissue, can you say the same with your varmint ammo? If your broadhead vs field point comment was an indication that the SMK will bore a clean little hole through an animal I'd suggest you do some homework.

 

[LINEOFDEFENSE]

So entertaining....hilarious. Anywhooo...which has more kick 243 or 308? And lastly, which caliber will be the most affected by wind conditions and bullet drop over distance? Read something online saying 308 would drop more >500 yards but would be less affected by wind >200 yards. Does that make sense?

 

[Jerry45Acp]

QUOTE=LINEOFDEFENSE;5448897...which has more kick 243 or 308?

The .243 has a lot less recoil. Especially with a 55 grain bullet. Shoot all day!

 

[Jeffrey]

I've got an a-bolt in .243 that I love using for coyotes. It's very accurate, and nice and light to carry. I loaded some Berger varmint grenades for it. Great accuracy, but I've only gotten a couple coyotes with that load. Both left massive holes in the coyotes chest, but one of them still ran fifty yards or so before he dropped. If I were you I'd go with the 700 in a 243 and you'd be well served for coyotes up to deer. Love my .243, and hope I am able to use it for deer next year.

 

[kludge]

Dumb question...

You just want dead varmints, or do you want pelts?

If you just want dead varmints get a deer rifle.

If you want pelts or LOTS of dead varmints get 2 rifles.

For me deer rifles start at .257".

.257, 6.5mm, 7mm will all take care of coyotes too.

ETA: The .308 will recoil much more then the .243. Almost double.

 

[Hookeye]

Still fun to watch.........
[video=youtube;BqolJnFjC50]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqolJnFjC50[/video]

 

[mattyd]

Have you thought of getting a 358...the Indidna deer caliber? It may be a little heavy of a bullet but would do dual purpose. I would do that over a 308 if your hunt deer in IN. Past that...22-250 or a 243 are hard to argue with.

 

[throttletony]

243, 260, 7mm-08, 308.

 

[M4Madness]

Have you thought of getting a 358...the Indidna deer caliber? It may be a little heavy of a bullet but would do dual purpose. I would do that over a 308 if your hunt deer in IN. Past that...22-250 or a 243 are hard to argue with.

The thing with a .358 wildcat is that you have a rifle that will have little resale value, should you ever decide to sell it. No one outside of Indiana cares about them, and once Indiana legalizes high-powered rifles for deer, it'll pretty much be the death knell for them. Even if rifles aren't legalized for deer this time (and I feel they will be), the proposal will keep being introduced until it does pass, just like crossbows.