Any thoughts, which is a better choice and why? Coyotes, bobcats, ect.....

I have had both and finally settled on the 243 it can do all the 22-250 can do with a heavier bullet of course I use mine on deer also I guess it just depends on your intentions

I would go with a 243. You would have pretty much the same bullet path but more energy and less wind drift. Anyone that has shot a lot of coyotes knows that they can take some lead and keep going. I have seen quite a few shot with a 223 that needed two shots. Granted, the first one wasn't perfect, but sometimes that happens...especially when they are running. The 243 will make a cleaner kill because the bullet will penetrate deeper and do more damage. The 243 is noted for being very accurate and has won some championships. The recoil is light (you didn't say that you were going to be shooting 100's of rounds at prairie dogs) and you would even have flexibility to shoot antelope or deer at medium ranges. Overall, I think it is a somewhat better long range coyote gun than a 22-250.

I ran a quick comparision, check it out. Comparison

I was thinking about the best long range coyote gun too a while back. I chose the 25-06 Rem. It shoots a little flatter than the 243 because of the very high ballistic coefficient (.453 for a 115 gr. Nosler BT). It has more recoil and more noise, though. And if you save pelts...forget it.

On a very personal note, I don't like the 22 cal centerfire. Maybe I would if I shot colony varmits or saved pelts, but I don't. A 22 rimfire magnum and a 243 or 25-06 complement each other well for everything from squirrels to long range coyotes.

Good shooting!

I would have to agree with Fixed Power on this one. The 243 has more versatility than the 22-250, wildcat variant or factory cartrige.

Another question, I have a .243 in a Ruger M77 II, with a 22" barrel, it shoots alright at 100-200 yards, at 300 its stringing the shots horizontally one dead center and one on either side about an 1 3/4", anyone have any ideas? Thanks

I have noticed that if I have a bad bench rest I will shoot horizontal groups. It is the way I put my cheek to the stock or something. Since my gun is sandbagged in, it really can't move much up or down--any movement at all it tends to go left or right.

Also, make sure you are looking right through the center of the scope to eliminate parallax. Looking through the scope just slightly left or right will make as much difference as you are experiencing at 300 yards. Sandbag your gun real tight, then without touching your gun look through the scope while moving your head around. If the center of the reticle seems to shift around the target, this could be your problem. Your scope is not bad, but if you want to prevent this you need to have the mfg set it to be parallax free at 300 yards...but then if you shoot at other ranges...the problem comes up again. However, if you look right through the center there will be no parallax at any range.

Your total group is only about 1 MOA. That is not bad. To shoot better than that at 300 yards you need a high power scope (like 15x +) and a really solid bench rest and shooting bags, IMO.

I will be the odd ball here.I would choose the 22-250 over the 243.I have both of them but I would grab the 22-250 for predators.Also the 22-250 is much better on the fur.For cats you can also down load the 22-250 so you don`t blow them up.

I am a yote calling fiend-- a few years back when I decided to get serious about it I chatted with amn old yote caller about the very same thing. A big 6 or a big 22-he said 6 all the way.

After quite a few years of taking 50-60 dogs a year I have to wholeheartedly agree.

The big 6's are better... if things do not go quite right the dogs still go down quickly! I've not found that to be true of the 22's.

I built a 6/06 with a 10 twist and it works great!!!

55=4400 fps
70= 4000 fps
95= 3500 fps

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

.243 or better yet one of the 1/4 bores. I don't mind fur carnage.

I have a had several of each caliber and to me it all boils down to whether you want to save pelts. With the 243, you will not be saving many pelts but with the 22.250, you have a chance.

Greg

berneticg@shaw.ca

I have a .223 in a Rem 700 PSS LTR that I use for night calling bobcats to save the hides. As far as saveing hides with a 22-250, I hunt coyotes with a brother-in-law that shoots one and it makes a mess of the hides. Of course he's shooting BT's also which I'm sure doesn't help. I think a great coyote gun would be a .257 Weatherby Mag. except for the noise and....well.....noise issue.

[ 12-05-2003, 05:51: Message edited by: bearcat ]

With the big 6's I've found the flyweight's (55's) to be quite kind to the pelts-especially on the called in close dogs.

Now the 70's (Nozler bt's) will put a hole in a yote that you can pull a cat or football thru......

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

ps that is why I call my 6/06 Wilson (get it footballs......)

For a few shots a day at varying ranges the 243.
For many 100's of shots a day at long ranges the 22/250.
For many 100's of shots at varying ranges the 223.

Why not shoot both ? I happen to be lucky enough to have a 6mmREM & a 22-250REM . I pretty much grab the 22-250 for coyotes , although I have shot a couple of hogs in the 200 -240lbs class with it . Three shots two hogs , not bad . The 6mm on the other hand , I've shot most everything with around here , just one of thoses guns that loves to hunt . For animals larger than coyotes the 6mm , the bullet options are better . My wife shoot a 243WIN , sure punches nice holes in paper so far . All in all there are some really good things that both the 243 & 22-250 have to offer . Cant really go wrong with either .

I would tend to go with the 243, but would advise the 22/250 as I feel it is more efficient choice for others. Less recoil etc., so people shoot it better after a long period in the field that day.

I agree with CLL, I have a 6mm Rem, a batch of 243s and 3 different 22/250s.

Out of the batch, my favorite cartridge is the 6mm Rem.

Well, I'm going to suggest something that is right in the middle....the 6mm/250.

My wifes Rem 700 was rebarreled to this when she shot out the 243 barrel. It provides most of the performance of the 243, with 22/250 loads. Most common load is a 65gr Vmax or 70 Nosler BT at around 3500/3400 fps. Mild to shoot, and easy to load for.

Cases are made by just necking up 22/250. Chamber was cut using a 22/250 reamer, and then a 6mm neck reamer. Dies are Redding 22/250 type 's' with a .261 bushing.

gawd, how I love experts! I'm certainly not one, but find plenty on the forums to deliver me from my blissful state of ignorance.

Dead is dead, makes no difference whether the hole going in is .224 or .243 in diameter. I have whacked more than a 'few' coyotes...not piles like some of these fellows have, but more than I can remember...and everyone of them died, on the spot and taken with the lowly .223 using simple WW bulk 50 grain spitzers. At ranges from 20 feet to 300+ yards. Expert shot? Hardley.

.243, I have one, a Sako, it is the second .243 I have owned. 25-06, had one of those too, made too damned much noise....I called it the 'Vaporizer'. If you're into sadism, get a big 25 for varmints.

My first varmint rifle was a remington 788 in 22-250 and I have lost count as to how many 22-250's I have owned. I miss the first two especially because they were exceptionally accurate.

Shot one yesterday with my 243 Mod 7 using a 100gr.Win.Power Point straight throught the heart and out the other side.Could not believe he ran 50yds spraying blood like a garden hose till he discovered he was dead.Must say in and out holes were acceptable.
My favorite however is my 17Rem.I have them all and like you say their all good.Its just how you want to play the game.Just my Opinion.

Plainsdrifter, I have a 17 rem that I generally use for ground squirrels and rabbits. Using the 17, what do you consider the maximum range for coyotes? (I usually use my 25-06 for coyotes) What loads do you use for your 17? Lou