Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Coyotes/Deer. Your thoughts?

This has been hashed out before I know but my searching isn’t turning up much, this post may not either. We will see.

If you were putting togther the most perfect rifle that was ever put together for coyotes and deer only,
a rifle that was gonna be carried more than shot. How would you go about it? A 243 or a 25-06 would make a lot of sense and be easy but this is the fire afterall. Would you go with one of the fast twist 22 centerfires? Bump
Up to 6mm? What stock and optics setup would you go with? Barrel contour? Etc etc

This is pretty broad and has lots of gaps I know. I’m just looking for anything at this point. Be as specific or as vague as you’d like

25/06 or 240 weatherby

243, or 6 creed, 8 twist barrel, fiberglass stock, good scope, 105 bullets. Can't beat it. I have the 243.

For the traveling hunter or a Kentucky "homebody"....?

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Gary...a fast twist ( 1 in 8) in a .22-250...your choice of maker, but Tikka is high on my list...

25-06!!!!

Verminator. Let’s say the Kentucky homebody. I don’t see a trip for predators or deer outside of my home state anytime soon.

Tom- I had a tikka, was a nice rifle, shot really well. It was a 243. Probably should have kept it.

.338 WIn Mag- what was the question again?

If you run all the numbers -ballistics, component costs etc for deer and varmints-the 243 wins hands down. It's not even a contest.

And while a 1-8" twist is great ,its not needed.. A Sierra 95g TMK will stabilize just fine in most 1-10 rifles and at 3,000FPS + with a .500 BC it will do anything you need done at longer ranges.

^^^^This^^^^

I've got one of those now!


I gotta go shoot it!

Growing up in western KY, 300 yards was a long shot. You really had to try to find a shot further than that.

If that is still the case, the .243 is more than you need. But, what does need have to do with anything.....


I would say Remington M-7 Predator in .243, or Kimber Montana.
Top it with a 3-9x or 3.5-10x in whatever flavor of scope that you prefer.

Considering shots are not likely to be very long where you live, I'd be inclined to agree with Ingwe. A fast twist 22-250 or AI is a monster on deer and coyotes. An 8 twist 22 Creedmoor would be cool also, if ever standardized. Fast twist .224's are all my family uses these days on our Missouri farm and nobody has any complaints.

For deer the 62gr TTSX @3400fps (SAAMI) or 3600fps (Ackley) is incredibly handy, pretty much point and click out to 300yds when sighted properly. I will mention that when using that bullet, we make sure to always break at least one shoulder. Bloodtrails generally suck with monos and with .224's even more so. They don't run far when rib shot but can be tricky to find in heavy cover....

For coyotes we like the 75gr or ELD-M or A-Max and used to be all we shot from our fast twist .224's. They kill deer with authority using the traditional lung shot and mangle coyotes from any angle. It really is a do-all bullet and I could happily run it for everything but for deer I've come to prefer the non existent meat damage yielded by the Barnes...

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My primary .224" is an 8" twist .22-250 AI. It is built on a SA Rem 700, Brux #2 @22", McMillan Mountain Rifle Pattern, Talley LW's, Timney trigger and a 6x42 Leupold with a M1 turret and windplex reticle. To me it's perfection for the coyote and deer hunting I do around the house.

Daughter is also shooting an 8" twist 22-250 AI, SA Rem 700, Pac-Nor #2 @22", McMillan Mountain Rifle Pattern, Talley LW's, and a 6x42 Leupold with Custom Shop dots to match the 75gr A-Max at 3250fps (fireform). The dot's also match the 62gr TTSX @3400fps (fireform) pretty closely out to 400yds, though we try to keep our shots on deer to within 350 with that bullet....

I had both of these rifles chambered with the same reamer so every time she pulls the trigger she is fireforming a Lapua case for my rifle and I don't have to over work the brass. Works out great for me and she is none the wiser.....grin!

The boy is right handed but left eye dominate, so I turned him around to shoot lefty at a very young age. For him I had Pac-Nor true up a LH Rem700 SA and screw on a 22" 8" twist #2, again chambered in .22-250AI. His stock is McMillan Compact pattern and the scope is a Leupold 3x9x40 VX-II with a M1 turret, Talley LW's and a tuned factory trigger. He does all his own fireforming using the A-Max's and like the rest of us, uses the Barnes for deer.

Wifey is a fair weather hunter but likes to contribute to the freezer when she can. For her, I bought one of the Wittaker special run 8" twist Ruger Americans in 22-250. I tuned the trigger down to 2.5lbs using the spring swap trick and put the barreled action into a Boyds laminate and mounted an old M8 6x42 with duplex reticle. This rifle has never seen anything but 62gr TTSX's around 3400fps. She is smitten and does quite well with it.

Pretty hard to beat a 7 to 8lb fast twist, high steppin' .224" if you ask me.............


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Creedmoor, 25-05, 257 Weatherby.

How about a 6mm-284? Currently getting 3495 fps with 95 gr classic hunter. AND 4100 fps with a 55 gr nosler ballistic tip. All from a 24" barrel.

I cannot believe the 25-06 isn't extinct by now. 6mm's and 6.5's do everything and more.

This is where I'd lean as well.
But I'd caution that I've yet to land on the perfect anything – far too many chamberings that I need to get out of my system, so take my opining with a grain of salt.

Lot of good suggestions here........

As much sense as the 6mils make I’m really leaning toward a fast twist 22-250AI

Nothing wrong with that choice!