Looking to get a light weight carry rifle for rabbits and coyotes and need to decide on caliber as well as make. Biggest concern is getting a caliber that will take down coyotes but handy for rabbits as well. I have heard good things about the CZ.

Savage Sierra in 243. The CZ is nice, but sometimes there is feeding problems with the clips. Said 243 because you said coyotes. I've used one on rabbits, too.

Buy a NEF Handi rifle in .223. I put a Bushnell Scopechief 3-9x40 on it. I use Blackhills ammo and it shoots great. I have $300 in this outfit. It is a great carry rifle for coyotes. I LOVE IT !!

model 7 in .223. Every coyote I shot with a .223 ended up on a stretcher. Didn't have to do too much sewing neither.

I too shoot a stainless Model 7 in 223. 55 grain ballistic tips drop them in their tracks. Great light weight carry rifle! Also have a CZ varmint and love it.

I think maybe any .22 centerfire is a bit much for rabbits, but enough for coyote. I've shot the odd rabbit with my .22-250 when they appeared as targets of opportunity when hunting woodchuck. Gawd, it blows them to smithereens. It's okay if you can get head shots on the bunnies, otherwise I might use two diferent rifles for rabbits and coyote, one of which is a .22
rimfire. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

It all depends on what you are going to do with the rabbits and coyotes. If you plan on eating the rabbits then any centerfire is out of the question unless you can make head shots. If you are out to blow up jack rabbits then I think any sporter weight rifle from any of the well reputed gun makers will do nicely. The 223 can be OK on coyote hides if you choose the right bullet and place your shots.

The CZ 527 does sound nice and any feed problems are easily solved by polishing the magazine lips. That new 204 Ruger sounds like a dandy too.
Oh, and the posts about a Model 7 are right on too.

Chris

I think the 223 is a good idea, as long as you don't use the same ammo for both rabbits and coyote. For eating rabbits maybe an FMJ would do the trick and keep it clean. For coyotes the rest of the 223 line-up will serve a wide variety of purposes.

A light 223 would be a joy. I think the CZ is a little heavy, unless there's lighter models I'm not aware of.

Can you say G-2 Carbine? Just load that .223 down for small game. It will work fine. That's one of the joys of single shots like the Contender, Ruger #1 or NEF, changing loads is just a matter of pulling one and putting one in. Easy as pie.

NEF handi, in 22K hornet. Good for bunnies and enough for coyotes.

Mine is a CZ 527 carbine originally in 7.62 X 39 rebbled to 6 mm PPC. 39 inches long and less than six pounds, Leopold compact 3 X 9.

Rem model 7 .223 in stainless synthetic. Blows rabbits up pretty well and is great for yotes. FMJ if you plan to eat the rabbits, good varmint bullet for both if not. Top it with a good 3-9x40 scope (Bushnell Elite 3200. Put a Snipe Pod on it and you have the perfect (if there is such a thing) coyote rifle. It's a pretty damn good bunny thumper as well.

I also looked long and hard at the CZ527 in .223 but before I cam across one I found a really nice Remington 600 mohawk in 222. I have found that to be about perfect for 98% of my predator calling. It shoots great and with my favorite load of 40gr Vmax at 3200fps will shoot 3 into .5-.75" at 100. Out to 300 yards its a coyote killing machine. I have loaded up some reduced loads with bluedot powder and 45gr Speer SP loads at from 1900-2400fps for small game and built up areas. 45gr Speer SP at 1900fps makes a great quiet load for critters around the barn.

I vote for the NEF HANDI-RIFLE as well. Mine will shot 3 different factory loads to the same POA @ 100 yds. I carry some reduced loads for eatin' critters and regular full power for varmints.I had my wife sew an extra row of elastic loops on a regular buttstock holder.
I even filled my buck tag with it last Friday. I was pot meat hunting, since the deer weren't moving much. I sat down on a log to drink a cup of coffee, when a big buck just trotted up 20 yards behind me. I quickly switched to a 55gr.sp. and waited for him to walk past me so I could move. I took a rest on a tree and put one in his right ear at <40 yds.
He didn't even kick, just like cutting the strings on a puppet. The big boy field dressed at over 265 lbs.
All in all a good morning, 3 squirrels, 1 rabbit and a freezer 1/2 full of deer, all with a little $169.00 rifle.

If you are not shooting for the pot or fur my candidate would be an SKS in 7.62X39. Great fun gun & easy to carry.

another answer to your question:
I took my first coyote while deer hunting-
hit him with a 30-06 180gr federal
BIG HOLE

the rest of my collected coyotes I now use
a 22-250

A 55 grain bullet, perhaps the optimum weight for the .22-250 cartridge, can be driven at a MV of 3416 fps by 34.5 grains of H380, and a MV of 3654 fps with a maximum load of 37.0 grains of H380. Hodgdon measured the pressure of the maximum load at 50,400 cop. 32.0 grains of IMR 4064 is good for a MV of 3380 fps, and 34.0 grains of IMR 4064 is good for a MV of 3540 fps, also with a 55 grain bullet. The pressure of the latter load is 50,200 cup.

As factory loaded, the Varminter drives a 55 grain spitzer bullet (SD .157, BC about .255) at 3,680 fps with 1,654 ft. lbs. of energy. At 300 yards the velocity is 2,222 fps and the energy is 603 ft. lbs. The free recoil energy in an 8.5 pound varmint rifle is only about 4.7 ft. lbs.

happy hunting
whtailtaker

Losthwy,
So what did you decide on? What do you intend to do with the rabbits?

Chris

The 17 HMR is an option depending on what shots you want to take on coyotes, especially in a semi-auto. I like all the guns mentioned above but also would vote for a Browning Micro Hunter in any caliber you like.

Mine's a CZ and other than the trigger it's great. I use my AR for the purpose you state here.

Still have not decided on what make, I've been hearing good things about the Tikka T-3 Lite SS @ 6.5 lbs. But, am leaning to a .223. The rabbits are for eating, so as some have suggested FMG maybe what I use on them.

Losthwy--the 2 best options I can think of are the Tikka T3 and the CZ Carbine. Both are nice and light rifles and they have the accuracy and the power.

Just my thoughts

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

[ 11-21-2003, 05:24: Message edited by: Mark R Dobrenski ]

Even FMJ 223s are pretty hard on Peter Cotton Tail if you want food.

Losthwy, most of what you've read about so far is excellent for the top end of your desires, but not so much the bottom end. Of those listed so far I'd opt for the .17 HMR. It will kill a 'yote with proper placement and somewhat modest range. It will work on small game with head shots if table fare is the goal.

My preference would lie elswhere however. You did not state what you want to do with the critters after the fact so I'll make a presumption: Sell hides and eat squirrel/bunnies/grouse etc. Look for something of average caliber and mild velocity. Something in a handy repeater, perhaps with a low power scope. If you handload you have a lot of choices insofar as loads and application go, if not you need to find ammo that is factory loaded in broad range of weights and bullet types. I load so I'm thinking maybe a levergun in 25-20 or 32-20. I like the Marlin(don't remember the model) that was chambered a few years back in 25-20. If I didn't I would consider a .357 or .44 Mag. There are a couple of philosophies available to consider. One, find one good load and use careful shot placement. Two, use something from the factory that is of light bullet weight, hollow point and fast for 'yotes, and something slow and pedestrian for small game. Still another theory says use a heavy softpoint for all and don't worry. A .44 Special round fired from a rifle will kill a 'yote, and it won't make puree out of Bugs. You may have to track the dog a ways. Regardless of your choice, shot placement will be key. Good luck.

I've been looking at the new Bushmaster Carbon AR rifles...4 lbs! Bushmaster bought out Pro Ordnance and re-engineered them to fix reliability/funchtioning problems. See my post on the Gunsmithing forum for more detail. CDNN Investments in TX has the new ones for a great price. An aimpoint type sight would be ideal for rabbits but you might need some magnification for yotes?

Losthwy: I own right now what may be THE perfect Rifle for you and your Rabbits to Coyotes walkaround Varminter needs!
It is the recently produced but now discontinued Remington Model 700 Classic in caliber 221 Remington Frieball! My nifty little Rifle is quite accurate and the caliber is splendid for all manner of Varmints! I also have a heavy barreled Kimber Ultra-Varmint in 221 Fireball that I have had for at least 10 years! It has performed flawlessly on ALL types of Varmints and I highly recommend the caliber to you!
Good luck with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The two rifles that have and use as a carry rabbits to coyote are a Sako Vixen 223 and a Anchutz 22 Mag.

My 22-250 is a Rem 700 with varmint weight barrel, B-Square bipod and a Unertl Vulture scope and is a little heavy to call a carry rifle.

I have a couple of friends with the CZ 527 in 223 and swear they are tack drivers right out of the box.

Good luck with you choice.
Steve

.243 & Berger 65gr BT

I think you are right on track with the Tikka T3 lite in 223. I would stear clear of the 17 HMR if you intend to shoot coyotes, a 17 grain highly frangable bullet just isn't enough for coyote.

Most cottontails will sit still at some point for a head shot, and that's what you want even when shooting a 22 rimfire. Get the 223, develope a load or find commercial ammo, Black Hills comes to mind, that shoots good and get to KNOW your rifle. You'll have rabbit in the pot and fur on your stretchers.

Good luck,
Chris

I use a CZ 527 American in .223. It likes 40 gr V-Maxs or Ballistic Tips and 50 gr Speer TNTs over H-335.