What do you consider to be the best cartridge for predators?
Since you are in Upstate NY. I would think a .22 win mag to be perfect! No reloading, very easy on pelts, no long shots, and no wind bucking challenges.
I grew up in northern New York. Lots of agriculture and open fields with plenty of opportunity to put a center fire varmint round to work.
I started my calling career there with a 22 magnum. It worked but it was far from ideal for that area. Had to pass on more than few critters that hung up out there beyond the reach of the 22 mag but well within range of a 17, 204 or 222/223.
Under 150 yards the 22 WRFM is a wonderful round. Much of upstate and northern NY offer far longer shooting than that.
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
Back when I fur hunted and trapped for a living I used my 220 Swift at first. It did a good job but bullet selection was critical. The Speer 52 grain HP (the old one with the huge hp) and the Sierra 55 grain Game King were the only two I came to depend on for not tearing things up to badly on coyotes. The Speer rarely exited and the Sierra almost always did but with a reasonable exit wound (1.5" or less generally).
Then along came my first 17 Remington. After that, the Swift, and the rest of my 22 centerfires languished in the safe, only to come out during the off season when saving fur was not a concern.
I'm with Travis on this one. No better fur cartridge exists than the 17 Remington.
Mart
I'm there, too...
And if I still hunted for fur, it'd be the runaway choice. Otherwise for coyotes, the faster .22s are better, and the faster 6mms are about optimum...
Where I hunt there is often a lot of wind, and the ranges get long. For that reason, when I am not using an AR, I reach for my 6mm Remington.
An 85 grain pill at 3430 does not get blown around nearly as hard and really puts the smack down on coyotes.
Best is subjective. Best for close cover hunting, where 50 yard shots are most common, or best when you have a 12mph crosswind and dogs hold up at 500 yards..
Heck I even like the .260 for dropping dogs way out across the sagebrush.
THE CHAIR IS AGAINST THE WALL.
The Tikka T3 in .308 Winchester is the Glock 19 of the rifle world.
222 mag would be at the top of the list for me. But I find its more the rifle in its particular situation. If I had to choose only one rifle I would have to think real hard between the ruger boat paddle in 223 or the rem tactical with a faster twist.. Someday that tactical will get reamed to 222 mag..
What distances are you shooting at ? A good old 12 guage with some #4 buck or dead coyote works pretty good too.
James Pepper: There's no law west of Dodge and no God west of the Pecos. Right, Mr. Chisum? John Chisum: Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there.
