Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires 22 Mags for coyotes

Been using 22 mags since 1976 for hunting small game . At that time i used my dads Anshultz.. Back in 1991 i got interested in hunting coyotes and in Tennessee you can't use centerfires during bow season so i bought a Marlin 25MN in 22 Mag. I put a Tasco 4x on it and "Wammo" i had a coyote gun. I did pretty good and ultimatly bought a BRNO ZKM611 22 mag auto. In 2007 I picked up a Cz552 Varmint and last year i bought a Ruger American Predator. I have settled on the Federal 50 grain load as the best for me but i have had good success with the Winchester 40 Hp. I haven't tried some of the newer loads but i will get around to it. I read threads about huntin yotes with the 22 mag all the time and it usually causes a lot of emotional responses. I think they work well if you hunt ethically and know your gun.

For me yote season starts about the first of October when we get that first cool weekend. Had the BRNO out the other day checkin zero . . It's only 6 months......

Welcome to the 'Fire...Couldn't agree with you more!


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'buster, you are going to get along fabulously with member Ranting.......

Anschultz and a CZ 552. Way to go on your first post. Ranting’s brother I take it. Is Pete53 your guys father?

Well i had great luck with my Marlin but sold it to buy the BRNO IN THE LATE 90'S. Had 4 kids and two were in collage .Marlins are simple , reliable, and great shooters at a very reasonable price. Really , selling the old Marlin was stupid. Someday I will replace it. Thinking about the tube fed version.

I inherited dad's Anshults but it has had a lot of hard miles put on it. This summer i am going to have it rebarreled and refinish the stock. Then i am going to put on a nice scope and give it to my boy.
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Welcome jambuster. Hope you have thick skin. Some of these guys are a little rough on the new ones...

At one time my 611 was my Jeep gun of choice. Eventually went to a S&w 48 with a 8 inch barrel. Like the option of 3 snake shot and 3 hp’s. Hasbeen

I always enjoy hearing stories about people getting it done with what they have!

Welcome to the fire, jambuster!

Jambuster, welcome to the fire!

I have killed a LOT of coyotes with the 22 Mag in several rifles, one of them being a Marlin 25 MN, and another Marlin tube feed. In the 25 Mn, you can replace the spring with an inkpen spring, and lighten the trigger considerably. There are two different sizes of ink pen springs, you will want the smaller spring. Cut to length.

Concerning coyotes, you need two things, penetration and acceptable trajectory. Trajectory of the 50g is MUCH different than than the 40g Winchester. So, for the distances you shoot, I suggest that you consider this fact.

I shot a considerable number of coyotes in Az, ranges to 125, and killed some further but I shot my rifle a LOT and knew the trajectory.

I sight in at 100 yards, then put out targets to see the drop at 50,125, and 150 yards, this is a real eyeopener to say the least.

Contrary to popular belief, you need to clean your 22 mag as the barrel will have accumulations of fouling start to build up and will Seriously degrade accuracy.

DO NOT shoot plated lead bullets in your barrel or degradation of accuracy will happen quickly.

good luck!

22 mag is my killer gun and i use Winchester 40 grain H.P. too does the job just fine ,even on prarie dogs if you can stay within 150 yards. i use mostly my Marlin bolt S.S. with a medium priced scope its just gets -er -done !

Kieth and Pete53 sounds like you guys have a lot of wide open spaces . Over in West Tennessee where I come from i hunt mostly in heavy hardwood forests and smaller fields and most of my shots are 50 or 60 yards . Later in the winter I will go to a 22 Hornet or a 223 for a little extra range. I hunt down in the Mississippi Delta with my son-in-law in January and February ( deer , hogs , and yotes) . I usually carry my 25-06 for that cause you can get on a really big field. My son-in-law has a Ruger American 22 mag ( just the standard one and he kills some smaller hogs with it occasionally. I usually carry my 223 when I am down there during the spring cause there are always hogs around. The 223 is not my preferred gun for heavy game but I have a hand load using a 65 gr Sierra Game King that seems to work well.

I also usually carry a 22 mag pistol . I have both a Taurus 941 and a single six. I haven't killed anything big with them but every now and then I pop a squirrel.

Hey, I just found out that .22 mag is specifically legal for deer in Maine. Never would have guessed, but there it is....

For me, I have a hard time grabbing the concept of having a season on coyotes.

This is good advise.

I have shot at least a dozen coyotes with the .22 Magnum when calling in heavy creek-bottom cover in IA, KS, and NE with the 50 grain Federals at ranges under 100 yards. The velocity drops off pretty quickly, as does the expansion, so I wouldn't feel comfortable using them on coyotes that were beyond 100 yards. I'd like to try the Hornady 45 grain FTX on coyotes, but the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet.

I would avoid using the 45 grain Winchester/Olin Dynapoint ammo in Marlins with micro-groove rifling, as the bullets are copper wash lead and tend to fill in the rifling such that the accuracy drops off sharply if you don't scrub the barrel frequently, real frequently.

[quote=jambuster]Been using 22 mags since 1976 for hunting small game . At that time i used my dads Anshultz.. Back in 1991 i got interested in hunting coyotes and in Tennessee you can't use centerfires during bow season so i bought a Marlin 25MN in 22 Mag. I put a Tasco 4x on it and "Wammo" i had a coyote gun. I did pretty good and ultimatly bought a BRNO ZKM611 22 mag auto. In 2007 I picked up a Cz552 Varmint and last year i bought a Ruger American Predator. I have settled on the Federal 50 grain load as the best for me but i have had good success with the Winchester 40 Hp. I haven't tried some of the newer loads but i will get around to it. I read threads about huntin yotes with the 22 mag all the time and it usually causes a lot of emotional responses. I think they work well if you hunt ethically and know your gun.

I sure agree the HP's work well on coyotes. I try to not shoot much past 125 yards with one though. A .22 WMR is my woods bumming gun. I use solids on grouse and hares. I carry snake shot too.

I sight in 1" high at 100 yards and it works well to 125 yards or so. In more open country I go to a .223/.243.

I started using the .22 WMR in the 70's. A .22 WMR over 20 gauge Savage 24 and a Single Six for starters. I later got a 1979 Marlin 783 I use quite a bit. It likes the Winchester Super X loads in 40 grain HP and solids. I have another rifle and two more pistols in .22 WMR so I must like it.