Once the big bears are hibernating and you guys can safely put away the big rifles, what is a good rifle to carry for wolves. For instance, in a 270, would the 90 grain h.p. varmit type bullet be good, or would you stick with the common 130 grain deer type bullet?

. 130 gr . the 6mm seem to have a big following for wolf rifles .But I,ve watched them run off when fairly well hit from a very good 06 168 gr load .. It was a back of the lung hit @ 300 yards or a bit more , but the wolf , not a huge one ran over 200 yards into the brush ..,.,. When we found it it was dead .. I know a guy here who has shot quite a few I think and he told me about loosing one he knows he hit well with of all things a 300 Weatherby .... It didn,t go far he found out 3 years later when they found it's skull .. But he didn,t recover anything execpt an old skull . I have also seen bang flops from 30/06 , and know of other friends doing same ..... Another friend got 3 in a row from one pack with the 257 Weatherby . Bang ,Bang , Bang . 3 dead wolves ......I think a 270 would be a great wolf rifle , 25-06 even better maybe ... I,m going to use my 223 with either 65 gr Gamekings or 53 gr or 62 gr TSX ....... Use what ya got ...........

i used a mini 14 in 223 - wolf died

I've never really understood hunting wolves with varmint calibers. They work but you know a wolf is as big as a deer and probably tougher. Why would you not hunt them with 270, '06 etc with big game bullets?

Mark

Originally posted by Mark Young

quote:

I've never really understood hunting wolves with varmint calibers. They work but you know a wolf is as big as a deer and probably tougher. Why would you not hunt them with 270, '06 etc with big game bullets?

Mark

Thats a good point Mark but most of the time in winter months guy's who are out hunting and trapping don't hunt only wolf. They need a rifle appropreate for smaller fur as well.

I use a .223 when winter huning. I might see a wolf but also may see a coyote,fox,lynx,wolverine,etc.

Back when it was leagle to use a airplane for land and shoot wolf the idea was not to get the wolf but to get the whole pack. Mini 14's were very popular for this. I'm going back to the 70's and 80's when I worked for a fur buyer and new most of the wolf hunters in S.C. Alaska.

Many wolves are taken incedentally in the fall. These guys are using big game rifles they work just fine. I had a client take one a few years ago with a .300. Somehow he ran out of ammo and the wolf was down but not dead. My .454 finnished that one off.
About 25 years ago I had a client take a wolverine with a .300 Weatherby. That one took some stitching by the taxidermist.
Not to wear out an old phrase but the best wolf rifle is the one you have in your hand when you see the wolf because that won't come very often.

I shot a coyote one winter near Mendeltna. The only thing I had handy was a 9mm beretta in a shoulder holster. It worked.

. Model 1 sales lists a 6mm PPC complete upper for the AR 15 .. If it was available and accurate it would be very good I bet .... But I have a 223 which will work much better on coyote than this Even tho when where it lay it looked like this .. One thing I will say , a 416 Remington kills a coyote FAST .

Wolves are a tough snimsl. The mistake I see people make is using ammo like the barnes TSX. I am a firm believer in using soft point bullets that will fragment some on impact. My buddy shot a wolf with his 300 short mag using 165 tsx, he hit the wolf just above the lungs. He never recovered the wolf , but 2 weeks later his nieghbour killed the same wolf, although sick looking it was still living after 2 weeks.A softer point bullet would have caught some lung.

I've only had 1 shot at a wolf & missed with my .45-70 Sharps. We were on a moose hunt at the time & to be honest, I thought I was looking at a German Shepard. I then said to myself - "Geez, there's no German Shepards in here - that's a wolf". Anyway, I took a shot & missed.
My opinion on a rifle to use almost exclusively for wolves would be something with a relatively light bullet & maybe even a hollow point, with a relatively high velocity. You want it to basicall blow up as soon as it penetrates. I'd say something like a .243, .270 Win. with light bullets, etc. I think if I were going strictly after a wolf, I'd use my .257 Imp. with a 75 gr. V-max. Just my opinions on what I'd do.
Bear in Fairbanks

FWIW, my Sauer 202 270 and 130s will be my primary wolf set up.

Last fall I used my 270 roy with 150 gr NP's. It worked pretty good. We later ranged the Wolf at 337 yds. Not too much damage to the fur at all, and we had a very dead wolf on our hands. If I was only wolf hunting I'd carry my 25-06 with 100 gr nbt's cause thats what she shoots.

Jake

Sako 243 w/Nosler 70 gr. Ballistic tips @3400 fps. have yet to lose one. Mostly running shots after chase by snowmachine. 100 yds give or take. Good wolf rifle. Like the man said... the best wolf gun is the one you have with you when the opportunity presents itself which won't come very often, even when you're hunting them.
Cheers

I've never shot a wolf, although I've listened in awe when I heard a pack howling in AK. I've never had much use for a .243, but that would seem, to me, to be about the perfect wolf caliber. Of course, I've been wrong before.

I'd feel very confident with the 270 and 130 grain bullets.

I don't live in Alaska but here in Idaho, for the wolf season I am using my .280 Remington with my handloads. 139 grains Hornady Interlock in front of 56.0 grains of IMR 4350.

It'll do just fine if I can get my 'scope on one.

L.W.

Thanks for all the replys, folks. I had wondered if there was at last a use for the lighter varmit bullets in the larger calibers. I guess there would be if the wolves would stand around obligeingly broadside. If the most common shot is from the rear at one hauling ass away, I certainly would think a deer bullet would be needed.

243 winchester with 85gr Sierra HPBT. Pretty much anything from the 243 on up will work and I totally agree with highly frabmentable bullets, the Nosler Ballistic tip woudl be a good one.

I'd personally use nothing less than one of my 7mm rifles. The very last thing I'd want on my concience is knowing I wounded a Wolf, and couldn't find it to finish it off.

I've only shot two wolves, both with a .338 win mag. What's that you guys say about 'the rifle you have in your hands?' Yeah, they both died upon impact! NOT the ideal wolf rifle, for sure.

If I were to specifically hunt them (and I want to in Montana or Idaho next year), I think I'll shoot my .270 with 130 grain nosler accubonds, or sierra gamekings. I think either of those bullets would do a great job.

quote:

Originally posted by CAelknuts:
I've only shot two wolves, both with a .338 win mag. What's that you guys say about 'the rifle you have in your hands?' Yeah, they both died upon impact! NOT the ideal wolf rifle, for sure.

If I were to specifically hunt them (and I want to in Montana or Idaho next year), I think I'll shoot my .270 with 130 grain nosler accubonds, or sierra gamekings. I think either of those bullets would do a great job.

The 270 and those bullets would be excellent!!!!

i shot a big one like the one on cover of 09 AK hunting regs, down near the roaring hole in george inlet, with an 06,knocked it flat.
but statistically most are under 100lbs
but then again
some of the tracks ive seen near ketchikan in fresh firm mud were as big as my hand, from wrist to fingertip
i wear xl

I've always had great luck with a 180gr Nosler Partition in a 300WM. But, that's Idaho; they might be a bit bigger up in Alaska.

Rich

Stick with the ole standby 130 grain.