223 with 40 gr Nosler BT's. A great bullet that doesn't generally leave an exit hole in coyotes. I can't speak for how it does on fox since I have never shot any with it.
As someone one posted earlier - define "predator".
drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
gentlemen....you are absolutely right. I should of stated ...predators of rabitts and such.... not predators of ME ...lol
I thought for sure that it would be about the .22-250 and .223 I didn't realize the .204 has become so popular.
Why is that???
Because it was pimped hard by gunwriters and manufacturers for a few years as "the next big thing", in order to sell more rifles.
I have yet to see anything the 204 will do that a 223 loaded with 40s won't do just as well, except cost more money for a new sub-caliber cleaning rod & accessories.
Have to agree with prairie goat on his assessment of the 204.
One way to gauge a cartridges popularity is to see where it sets on the amount of loading dies being sold for it. It takes a little searching on google but there is a listing of the most popular RCBS dies and the 204 is way down on the list whereas the 223 is still near the top. A few years ago when it was the latest fad it was nearer the top but now it has fallen way down the list.
drover
223 Rem, my favorite cartridge - you can't argue with truckloads of dead PD's and gophers.
24hourcampfire.com - The site where there is a problem for every solution.
I'm also with prairie goat. A 223 can be used with a wide range of bullet weights, with the lightest ones as fast as the 204 and heavy bullets the 204 can't use.
That said, the caliber need varies with the size of the varmint. I used a 220 for years, but then the hogs showed up on our place. The 55 gr BT didn't put them down firmly enough. I'm trying out the new 64 gr Nosler BSB, which stabilized in my 220 (so far).
For front yard use (front pasture, actually), I use the 223 with the 40 gr Nosler BT. Kind of an amazing bullet, with the way it'll knock a coyote FLAT. If hunting small varmints (coyote and smaller) that's a great bullet.
One way to gauge a cartridges popularity is to see where it sets on the amount of loading dies being sold for it. It takes a little searching on google but there is a listing of the most popular RCBS dies and the 204 is way down on the list whereas the 223 is still near the top. A few years ago when it was the latest fad it was nearer the top but now it has fallen way down the list.
I'm going to go out on a limb with a guess that this little factoid has something to do with the current administration, and the latest "the sky is falling" mentality of people who thought AR's were going to be banned. Which caliber is most popular to the 'Zombies" are coming crowd, the .223....just a SWAG on my part though. Has more to do with that than which caliber is most popular in the predator hunting world, for sure.
Laws aren't preventative measures. In other words, more laws won't prevent gun crime from happening.
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
Chronographs, bore scopes and pattern boards have broke a lot of hearts.
Too bad nobody necks it down to .17. That'd be kinda cool.
Travis
Travis,
years ago, Jim Carmichel built a .17-222 magnum on a Sako action, which i'm sure was mighty fine medicine on pasture poodles.
i believe he went the other way too--a 6x47 for paper punching...
all learning is like a funnel: however, contrary to popular thought, one begins with the the narrow end. the more you progress, the more it expands into greater discovery--and the less of an audience you will have...
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.
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