I am thinking of getting a small caliber rifle that I can use for coyotes with out fear of destroying pelts. However, I also want a rifle that can be used with faith for antelope and mule deer. Any thoughts?

I was considering the 6mm and the .223.

A 6mm may do the trick if you load it right. Personally, I would go with a .257 cal like the .25-06.

The 6mm is a good deer/antelope cartridge. It is also a good coyote getter, but you will need to excercise some care when reloading because it will be pretty easy to mess a coyote up with a 6mm too.

Either a 6mm or a 243 Win would make you a fine light caliber Deer Rifle when loaded with 100 grain Partitions and will do a good job on Coyotes when loaded with either the 55 grain or 70 grain Ballistic tips.

The 243/6MM is listed as minimun caliber for legal harvesting of big game in Colorado. I have hunted coyote with success and realize a bullet harder than Vmax or BiltzKing is required in 224 caliber so I now pack a 243 in Wby SPM for coyotes/deer/pronghorn.

I have tried all the smaller deer cartridges for double duty on varmints. I ended up with the 25-06 and stuck with it. It is devastaing on deer, antelope and 'yotes at incredible distances. Much more reliable as a deer slayer than the 6mm choices.

That is just what Im building a 257 AI for. Light enough recoil for regular varminting and yet enough gun for long shots at Mule Deer. If you dont want pelt damage Id try something like a Matchking. Im not one who uses them (Matchkings) on big game but it should do a dog easily enough.

they have full metal jacket bullets for the 6mm's don't know how they would work on a coyote but it may be an option.

My 7mm Rem mag doesn't exactly "destroy" coyote pelts but it does slam 'em down!

If you really want the pelts you need a bullet that won't expand too much and penetrate completely. That combo is a sure way to destroy the pelt. I just want to clobber the 'yote, and don't particularly care how big a hole I leave in it, so the 7mm mag is fine with me.

When I'm feeling like saving the hide, I go with a 6mm Rem and 100 grain soft points of one make or another. Doesn't really seem to matter. They penetrate and expand, but leave a relatively small exit wound. At least compared to my alternative! Oh, and the 6mm kills deer just fine. Regards, Guy

The faster 6mm can really do a number on a coyote, too. My father-in-law has a 240 WBY I load for, and even with 55 gr. Ballistic Tips, it blows great big chunks out of the fur.

The only option I can see is to go with something like an "x", which leaves small entry and exit holes in a larger caliber. JMO, Dutch.

If you stay from major bones the Speer 120gr. flat base in the .25/06 works great on coyotes if you want minimum pelt damage. I use the Speer 100gr. flat base on deer and antelope, the 120gr. on larger game.
P.S. Got a larger rifle for larger game.

The only way the half-way insure no pelt damage is going to require shooting something akin to AP bullets. Only problem with them is you may not like the way they kill. Most animals can cover a LOT of ground with a fatal wound which means you will be spending a lot of time and energy chasing and looking for them.

The next best option in my opinion is going to be using heavy premium bullets designed to ensure against bullet desentigration. Expensive and you will still get some damage.

Least appealing option to me would be load your rifles down considerably. Drawbacks are poor trajectory and velocity and you may still get a bullet that "blows" now and then.

I would go with 223 just for the easy access to 55 gr fmj if you're all that concerned about pelts...but as some have suggested, check game laws.

I use the 70 BT's on Coyotes with a 6mm-284, but is not a hide gun for sure. Unless you are doing serious hide hunting, I recommend buying a rifle set up for the Muleys 270, 7 mm, 25-06, ect. and kill coyotes with it. I used a 30-06 for years with 165 gr Sierras (Not Match Kings)before I got addicted to speed. It killed about 6 times as many coyotes as deer. But after 9 months of coyotes, deer looked like elephants in the scope.

Suerte...Frank

How about a 260? Any of the guns listed would work fine in the double duty roll but bullet selection will be key to success. If a hide is wanted then my vote would be go with a match grade bullet since they don't expand much.

How about the good old '06? There are plenty of 150gr military FMJ bullets that should punch through a 'yotte without too much dammage.

Thanks for the comments fellas. Well I think I need to reassess why I would want a double duty rifle. I also own a .270 win and a .300 weatherby so why not just go with a varment rifle.

Thanks -

.25-06!

I would choose the 243 Winchester.It is a great round for Yotes and Deer size animals.

My Choice would be a 257 Robts.AI you can load it down for just shooting and load it up to 25/06 Vel. for Deer and other things. My kids use one for hunt Yotes and Speedgoats.

Just my 2 cents

Doc

Ryan,
Try a .257 Roberts! I have used many things over the years but the Roberts is more than capable of double duty. I tried the 60gr. pills and if they were fast they made a mess. I liked and continued to use Hornady 75gr. hp's and for deer 100gr. and bigger work great. I loaded the 75gr. HPs pretty fast but not pushing max and they didn't exit when put into the chest. I did make a mess of one with a neck shot.
For a real fur gun you should look into the .223 Rem. I used Speer 52gr. HPs loaded up near max and not only does it dump 'em but doesn't exit at all! I have also done quite a bit of shooting with the .22-250 and it works well but again the bullet has to come apart or it blows a big hole if they are close. I usually took a battery along calling so I could use whatever fit the need. The 12ga. in brush with #3 buck, .223 for areas where they come in well, and the .22-250 for the open areas. I think the .223 was the most useful in most situations. Incidently my closest yote was with the .257 and there were bits on my boots, gun barrel, and the tree. They can get pretty close!