30 caliber coyote rifle

[Bowhunter57]

I want to purchase a 30 caliber rifle for coyote hunting. Accuracy and speed are the main criteria that I want in a rifle...in that order. Accuracy out to 400 yards and speed for light weight bullets with good fragmentation. Brand-wise, I prefer Savage rifles...however, I may have to choose another brand due to available calibers.

A few caliber thoughts are .308, 300 Weatherby, 300 H&H, .30-06 and 300 SAUM.
Bullet availability is good in 30 caliber, which is another reason for this caliber choice.

If you have another caliber with good bullet availability and selection, please suggest your caliber. :smiley_bril:

Thank you, Bowhunter57

 

[hickslawns]

Out of my league of knowledge but wish you a fun adventure in your search!

I might add I was in Findlay today. I stopped in at The Buffalo Trading Company. In your search I would recommend checking them out. They make any Lima gun store look like a joke. They have an indoor range and great antique decorations. They have a Gattling on display and an amazing collection. Might be worth stopping im even if you don't buy anything there.

 

[5Cent]

I'm a .30-06 man!

 

[yotehunter]

Bow hunter why may I ask a 30 Cal round for coyotes. If only wanting a coyote gun the 22 250 or 220 swift in the 55 grain bullet is hard
Too beat. You can run them around 3800 to 4000 feet a second and don't have to worry about a ricochet especially up here in flat land. Unless ur thinking of using it for large game I swear by my 250 I own 3 and would take all three too the grave with me jmo.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I'd second the 22-250 as well. That's what I bought and she's a shooter. Still haven't killed anything with it, but I've seen what she'll do to a watermelon at 200 yards and ain't nothing surviving that!

 

[Hedgelj]

I would look at the .204 if you want fast tiny bullets that have good fragmentation. The 22-250 and 220 Swift don't do that much forme because they are basically varmint only calibers. I like the .243 or 6.5 Creedmor for a fast accurate and still reasonable long range gun out to 600 plus. The .243 can go 3000+ fps with the light 50ish grain bullets and can still fire up to 100ish grains if you want bigger game. The 80 grainershave helped me go out to 400+yards on groundhogs a few times. The 6.5 is a sweet cartridge especially if you reload for it.

If you really want 40 cal I would go .308 just because there is sooo much info on it. If you are not recoil adverse them perhaps the 300win mag because it can do screaming fast or big bullet for anything that walks on earth. But it does kick a good bit.

 

[Bowhunter57]

You guys have twisted my arm enough about the 22-250s and I believe all that you have said about them. I've owned a couple, over the years and they were both accurate and deadly. My most recent one was a Savage, which was extremely accurate, but I sold it to a Marine Corps friend of mine to purchase a Rock River Arms A4. The A4 was accurate, but lacked the killing power of the 22-250. :smiley_armscrossed:

The 30 caliber thought was DRT killing power for coyotes, but the lay of the land and residential housing around here prevents me from taking shots over 300 or 400 yards. More often than not it's the housing issue that forces me to NOT take the shot. This is another feature of the high speed 22 calibers that shine for rapid expansion.

My next decision is whether to get a 22" sporter barrel or a 26" varmint barrel. The last Savage that I owned had a 26" varmint barrel and it was silly accurate. Using a 55gr. Hornady V-Max (moly coated) it would shoot a 3-shot average of 3855 f.p.s. and it could put 5 out of 5 inside a penny at 200 yards. I just don't know if a shorter sporter barrel would produce that kind of accuracy. :smiley_confused_vra

Bowhunter57

 

[Milo]

You guys have twisted my arm enough about the 22-250s and I believe all that you have said about them. I've owned a couple, over the years and they were both accurate and deadly. My most recent one was a Savage, which was extremely accurate, but I sold it to a Marine Corps friend of mine to purchase a Rock River Arms A4. The A4 was accurate, but lacked the killing power of the 22-250. :smiley_armscrossed:

The 30 caliber thought was DRT killing power for coyotes, but the lay of the land and residential housing around here prevents me from taking shots over 300 or 400 yards. More often than not it's the housing issue that forces me to NOT take the shot. This is another feature of the high speed 22 calibers that shine for rapid expansion.

My next decision is whether to get a 22" sporter barrel or a 26" varmint barrel. The last Savage that I owned had a 26" varmint barrel and it was silly accurate. Using a 55gr. Hornady V-Max (moly coated) it would shoot a 3-shot average of 3855 f.p.s. and it could put 5 out of 5 inside a penny at 200 yards. I just don't know if a shorter sporter barrel would produce that kind of accuracy. :smiley_confused_vra

Bowhunter57

Longer barrels dont always yield greater accuracy, it will increase your velocity though

 

[yotehunter]

Bow hunter I shoot the savage 112 long action and the 110 short action both deadly accurate. 5 shot group that will be covered by a dime at a hundred yrds . 34 grains of accurate 2460 powder cci magnum rifle primer Remington case and a 55 grain v Max. Not sure of the over all cartridge length but I have it in my bible. Those rounds are running around 3680 fps that is plenty of knock down power for a yote. We run them with hounds and call them with some luck and I have never seen one get up after being hit . The savage out of the box is hard too beat. I own too savages and a Remington 700 bdl. For the money and effort, the savages are the ticket. And up here in the flat lands the 30 Cal is too big you can't get enough out of them too blow up and fragment safely. And again these are just my options.

 

[yotehunter]

And also like Milo said longer barrel usually equal better accuracy, and the faster the twist the heavier the bullet and slower the twist the lighter the bullet .

 

[Bowhunter57]

The barrel difference carries with it, a price tag difference too. On Bud's Gun Shop website, the Savage 12FV 26" Varminter (heavy barrel) is $569, but a Stevens 200 has a sporter barrel for $331. I'd rather pay the difference for the velocity and accuracy. I've not seen a heavier barrel not produce good accuracy...with the proper reloads and a good trigger.

Bowhunter57

 

[rgecko23]

I'd get a .308, just my opinion though. I like my .223, but a .308 sure does pack a wallop

 

[Bowhunter57]

Along with my consideration for the 22-250, I have to consider the .243 too. The bullet selection and ballistics comparison to the 22-250 can't be ignored.

Since I'm looking at Savage rifles, there seems to be 2 barrel types/lengths to choose from, in these calibers.
One is a sporter barrel in 22" length and the other is a 26" heavy varmint barrel.

What would make you choose one over the other?
Thank you, Bowhunter57

 

[hickslawns]

Daniel- I have a Savage 22-250 you can shoot at my range if you want to do some testing before you drop any coin.

 

[yotehunter]

Bow hunter I also have a 243 and take the 250 coyote hunting. As far as the bull barrel vs the sporting, the sporting barrel is the same as the heavy barrel as far as accuracy. If your walking a half mile too call a coyote the sportier is the way too go. If your shooting off a bench at prairie dogs or thistle pigs the heavy barrel is the answer too displace the heat and reduce recoil. I have a Remington 788 in the 250 I carry when calling coyotes or running them with the hounds cuz it has the sporter barrel and the less weight the better. When we go out west prairie dogging I would rather shoot the heavy barrel savages. And again these are just my options. They are like butt holes everybody has one.

 

[Bowhunter57]

Bow hunter I also have a 243 and take the 250 coyote hunting. As far as the bull barrel vs the sporting, the sporting barrel is the same as the heavy barrel as far as accuracy. If your walking a half mile too call a coyote the sportier is the way too go.

yotehunter,
So, you're telling me that your sporter barrel has the same accuracy as your heavy barrel?

Carry weight doesn't concern me. I've lugged a 12 lb. M/L all day, but when I squeezed the trigger, I hit the intended target. Just the same, if the accuracy is the same with both barrel types, I'd purchase the sporter barreled rifle.

Bowhunter57

 

[Jackalope]

yotehunter,
So, you're telling me that your sporter barrel has the same accuracy as your heavy barrel?

Carry weight doesn't concern me. I've lugged a 12 lb. M/L all day, but when I squeezed the trigger, I hit the intended target. Just the same, if the accuracy is the same with both barrel types, I'd purchase the sporter barreled rifle.

Bowhunter57

Cold barrel accuracy will be the same. So 1 shot. Where the heavy barrel starts to shine is after multiple rounds it helps dissipate heat.

 

[yotehunter]

Yep exactly jackalope

 

[MK111]

I have a 22-250 AI (Ackley Improved) Rem. 700 heavy barrel I need to get rid of. It's a reload caliber only and shot very little. It was built up as a PD rifle for out west but don't go anymore.
Same speed as a 220 Swift.

 

[5Cent]

Buy one rifle and be done....30-06. From groundhogs, to coyotes, to deer, to bear, to elk, to moose.

I would love to own a nice small, medium, and large caliber rifle, but I just wont in the near future. I love my Remington 700 and its always comfortable because its all i know.