What's your go to Predator Rifle?

My rifle started out as a Remington 700 ADL 223. With a 24in barrel. I had it cut to 18.5", Duracoted (before cerakote was cool) and added a LVSF take off stock.



Here is a video of a 212 pound boar hog I shot at 236yards, with the same rifle.

https://youtu.be/ir9V2xClFEg

Cooper model 21 Classic in 223 - never met a coyote or badger it didn't like

drover

Lately it has been an RAR-P in 204 with a Weaver V16 installed with Warne rings on the factory base. Before that it was a Remington 700 parts gun, 700 ADL action, McM Sako Hunter stock, 700 LVSF bsrrel in 223 with a VX-II 4-12x40 in Warne bases and rings.

Most shots are within 100 yards, some as close as 10 yards, and a very few, usually 'cats, that hang up over 100 yards away due to bad karma or something.

Rem 700 "build" in .222

3x9 SIG Whisky scope with illum reticle

25-06, Rem 700 CDL, 6x Leupold.

Usually 115 gr Berger VLD or 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. It's convenient using the same rifle as I use for mule deer & pronghorn antelope. Kinda rough on coyote hides sometimes.

Guy

One of my big .22’s.. a 22-250, 22-250AI, or a Swift.. Try to rotate through them.. For gophers and volume p. Dog shooting, a .223 and .222..

The vast majority of the time it's a Remington AR-15 topped with an 80's Simmons 2.5x10 Aetech scope with 50 gr hollow points. Most my shots are under 200 yards and this has worked well so far.

Longer shots are handled by a DPMS LR-260 with a 2.5x10 Burris firing 120 gr Ballistic Tips or 123 gr SST.

Little 20" barreled CZ 527 chambered in .17 mach4, has killed a truck load of coyotes over the years.

.223 remington model 7 predator

700BDL in 17Rem with a T10 Weaver occasionally, love the rifle and cartridge but need to put some different glass on it for calling.

Most likely it’ll be my 18” PSA 223AR with a 1.25-4 Firedot Leupold. I might be shooting 40gr Varmeggedons or Vmax, 50 or 55 Btips, 53Vmax, 75gr HPBT Hornadys, or 77TMKs or something else just depending on the day. They all kill coyotes and more often than not pigs, I like them all and use whatever I have loaded up.

LVSF in .17 Remington. McMillan Compact. Shilen Trigger.

There ain't nothin' more better.

It depends on the country I'm hunting and the mood I'm in.

OPEN COUNTRY

Sako Vixen 222 Rem Leupold Compact 2-7x32mm(not shown)



Savage 11 22-204 Sightron 1.5-6x40mm



THICK COVER

Brno Combo 12ga/22 Sav. Highpower Monarch 1.5-4.5x20mm



Wilkes Drilling 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer Leupold 1-4x20mm



I've had this one for awhile and it was my goto combo rig until I got the Brno

Bernardelli 12ga/5.6x50R Mag. Leupold 1-4x20mm(Weaver V-3 in pic) Now that I'm in the SW I might load it down for cats and fox.

i always have my Ruger #1 220 swift in my truck ,but many times for callin in Minnesota i use a 204 Ruger /Savage rifle,when i go out west i take my AR-10 custom 243 Winchester with 24 inch barrel 4-14.5x56 Nightforce scope, Pete Noreen built the AR-10.when callin i always bring a single shot 12 gauge with 3 in BB`s too.

My three...

Tikka T3SL 223


T/C 17Rem


T/C 17Hornet

marlin 22 mag bolt action tube fed wears a 3-9 leupold rimfire

22x47 Lapua last winter, 17 Hornet last week.

My .22/6mm built on a Interterms Mark X action. It has a Leupold 3-x on and the stock is a thumbhole B&C.

Rem 700 stainless short action, BDL
Action trued
26” Lilja #4 contour barrel
Chambered in 220 swift
Mcmillan Sako hunter stock
Leupold 4.5-14x scope
Ammo is hand loaded 50 grain ballistic tips at about 3980 FPS

Most of the time it's my Tikka SL 223 8 twist.

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But this upcoming winter I think I'll be running this RAR ranch rifle more.

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Depending on the mood that strikes me on that particular day....current favorite has been a Remington Model 7 Predator in 22-250, sometimes it's a Model 7 Predator in 223, sometimes an LVSF in 243, and sometimes a Model 7 stainless in 223.

Rem 700 204, rhino camo’d mcmillan hunter, busnell 3200 with firefly reticle

^^^^ Pretty much my answer as well. I shoot a rebarreled 700 in .204. However, now that my Kimber Montana .257 is back from the gunsmith, the .204 might get some competition. 100 grain ballistic tips hit hard.

Tom

Whenever I get to the load development I hope to spend some time with the 17-22/250.

been pretty happy with the .17/204 built on a Rem. 700 with Lilja barrel.for the last few years, And a few truck loads of coyotes shows that it works. This was another successful stand with it.
KIMG0584 by .com/photos/156405073@N02/]Tim Richard, on [bleep]

How fast is that little pill going to fly?

Kampfeld built 22/250...SS Rem, SS fluted Pacnor super match, Micky stock, Vortex diamondback tactical, moa

55vmax, shoots way under 5"

Rem R15, 50btip, very accurate

This one....at least for now;)

22 CM
16" Bart 1-6.5" 5R
88's at 3100.

With the stock compressed, even with the suppressor, it's only 37" long.

Dupes 6 CM ballistics, 105's at 3100, with a barrel that is 8" shorter....

I had to do a double take.....thought you stole my rifle for a minute there.

CZ 527 with Pac-Nor SSM chambered in 17FB......great minds and all that.



I used this 700 Classic 17Rem for years before I built the CZ.

She's on her third barrel and doesn't see much use these days but neither do I.

Truth right there FieldGrade, If your a .17 caliber fan, the .17 FB/Mach4 platform is all the .17 a guy needs for coyotes, at least for calling distances. Ive killed a few pushing the 300 yard mark, but I could count those on one hand. Most all my called coyotes fall in the 30-100 yard range, and the short, handy little CZ is the perfect rifle for my conditions and country.

Agreed.....in my world a "called" Coyote is a 50-150 yard shot.

Another factor is whether you save fur...I do....but for the guys that don't save fur and shoot longer distances the 22's are a good choice too.

Coyotes tend to hang up in the sagebrush around here quite often, but not always- so I like to have something that reaches out if necessary. I used my Rem 700 .17 Rem for many years until I burned out the barrel on it and had ITD put a VSSF barrel on it and punch the .223 chamber out to 223AI. Shoots better than I can and will lay down coyotes for quite a ways. I think the longest opportunity I got was around 450 yards or so and it was quite effective. Hell on rockchucks and other vermin also... 40 grain ballistic tips at 3925 do interesting things to critters....

Bob

I have a CZ 527 in .204 that electrocutes coyotes, it'd easy to shoot, too. I also have a 527 in .17 Hornet that's waiting for it's first chance at one.

I use a Marlin X7 with a cheap Bushnell 3-9x40 in 223. About $300 invested. It kills Coyote and Cougar just as well as most high $ setups. It is light and can shoot under 2" groups at 300 yards. Really likes 64gr Winchester Power points.

22-250AI and 204 Ruger both Kimber Montana's. The 22-250AI is my go to coyote gun, the 204 gets carried during cat season but kills just as dead as any 22 caliber ever did.

They say it'll go 5000 fps, but I will be happy with the mid 3's.

I'd shoot nothing but reduced loads in a cartridge like that .

Nice build for sure.

Tor some reason that little walnut/SS CZ really trips my trigger. Would like to have one in a 20 VarTarg.

I have one in .221 Fireball that might be the finest shooting factory rifle I've ever had. It's no Vartarg, but that's where the Vartarg came from. It shoots well with every bullet I've ever tried in it (nothing over 52gr.), and Reloader Seven. I've got four 527s altogether. Fine little action.

Those small action CZs are the nut, every one Ive owned has been top notch. Had a .19 Calhoon and a .19 badger , both of those were amazingly accurate rifles, James builds a fine product off those CZ actions. My current one in .17 mach4 is a great little rifle, light, handy and puts the hammer on a coyote.

Reloader 26?


X-VERMINATOR

H4350

That's incredible velocity! Thanks!! Looks like I need another 22 Creed ....


X-VERMINATOR

I'm surprised there are so many CZ 527 fans since they have that "backwards safety"....

Kidding aside.....they're real workhorses that are usually pretty accurate. I've had great luck with them.

I had a 221fb the backwards safety caused multiple accidents , shot my house all up - my truck too .
Reminded me of the time I drove a 3 speed on the column truck - I put it in 1st gear smashed into the house - later that day it went backwards into the river .
Anything that's not exactly like everything else - well - I just can't adapt whatsoever .

Kimber 84M Varmint in 22-250. Barrel has been cut to 24". Bedded in a Wildcat synthetic stock. Metal Cerakoted in a tan, stock similar color with black webbing.

Backup is a Remington Model 7 Predator in 17 Fireball. This is the close range rifle, or where less noise is appreciated or when fox or if I'm ever lucky, a bobcat is called in.

Porch gun at the farm is a Stevens 200 .223. It has become known as the groundhog gun.

Just the opposite for me......I broke in with a three on the tree so dad would never let me drive the 3/4 ton four speed for fear I'd put my eye out.

It would be fun to see you guys in an old Freightliner, 250 Cummins, with a 4&4 running 105,500lbs. in the mountains.

Years ago I bought a GMC WT (work truck) before I realized it had a five speed transmission.

Never could figure that dam thing out so I sold it.

I had a 221fb the backwards safety caused multiple accidents , shot my house all up - my truck too .
Reminded me of the time I drove a 3 speed on the column truck - I put it in 1st gear smashed into the house - later that day it went backwards into the river .
Anything that's not exactly like everything else - well - I just can't adapt whatsoever . [/quote]

Even if you can't adapt to the safety Id think for someone familiar w a bolt action rifle, keeping the bolt open when you don't have a target in sight would keep anyone & those in the vicinity safe. Seems Forrest Gump had a message that would be applicable here.

Gearboxes aside......I've always said that anyone that's boggled by a safety probably shouldn't own a gun

Here in Wyoming, "predator" means something a bit different then it does in Florida.

My most used "Varmint Rifle" is an accurate AR15 in 5.56 NATO. It's used for killing critters up to about 60 pounds.

For Mountain Lion, Bears, (both Blacks and Grizzlys) and Wolves I'd use what every big game rifle I have in my hands at the time. In my hands is the key here.
When hunting antelope or deer in some places, any "deer rifle" is as good as any dedicated "predator" rifle. But when hunting in the areas where I see a lot of Grizzlies I have a tendency to carry bigger rifles. I have killed a lot of elk with 270s, but I just feel a bit better when hunting in places where the other hunter is a big bear, having a rifle that fires 200 to 400 grain bullets in my hands. So if I am hunting in the open plains or river bottoms and some of the mountains where no grizzlies are seen I am found with rifles from my 25-06 and up in my hands, but the more big bears are around the more my deer rifles seem to grow.

Around the farm/home place ~ almost always my Ruger 22/77 all weather in 22 Hornet

When I go out calling for coyotes ~ I usually take my Remmy 700 Varmint in .204

Nice old thread. Lots of nice Predator rifles.

A 204 Kimber.......


And a 17 Rem. Kimber........


Every once in a while I'll take out the Ruger Ultralight in 223. It's one of the heaviest rifles I have. Not sure who gave them the name if Ultralight, but they must have smokin' something.............

Heading out on a Predator hunt next week with a new ( to me...) .17 Rem in an LVSF, which I put into a B&C Alaskan stock...

Stone cold shooter...we shall see how the predators like it!

I roll with a Colt carbine fairly often, when I am not using a bolt gun.

This one one is pretty much a dedicated hunting rig, with a White Oak 7 twist, that has been turned down to a pencil barrel profile, and is housed in a carbon fiber free float tube.



Trigger is a Geissele.

Scope is a 2.5-8 Leupold with BDC cam set for MK262, 77 grain SMKs.







The buffer tube is wrapped in vet wrap, so it does not rip out my beard hairs..

LVSF 22-250 and LVSF 223. And I always take the VersaMax.

This morning I killed a coyote with a 223 Australian Outback 55 grain Sierra Blitzking factory load fired from a Savage 24F combination gun, my do anything truck gun. Dumb coyote ran away from the truck, but when I blew on the Crit'R-Call he turned around an ran straight at the truck. When he got to about 20 yards away I poke the barrel around the back and popped him. Made me feel like I was in a Randy Anderson video.

Nice looking rig. I'd bet that that stock makes the LVSF a whole lot handier than it was with the wide, flat, forearm factory stock.

I like that setup too. I've got an LVSF in 243, and hated the factory stock, except when shooting off a bench. So, I swapped it out for an Alaskan T1 and now I love it.

I really like the design of the 700 LVSF barreled action, but don't care for the stock that came on them. Retrofitting the barreled action with a different stock can make them a much nicer package. Dropping the 700 LVSF was another one of those decisions that Remington has made that don't seem to make an sense.

I put together a couple of 700 parts guns with 700 ADL matte actions, 700 SPS matte bottom metal, 700 LVSF barrels in 223 and 22-250, and McM Sako/Tikka Hunter stocks. The Sako/Tikka Hunter style stocks aren't a perfect fit for the 700 action, but these rifles were put together before McM designed the McM Hunter to fit the primary actions from Remington, Ruger, Savage, and Winchester.

I did the same and "built" a .223 plus my fave calling rifle...pictured earlier in the thread, took an LVSF .223 barrel, set it back and rechambered for .222

Mine is a spectacular out of the box shooter. Savage 16 Weather Warrior 22-250. Did not have to tweek it except for some camo.



Ok go ahead do your "tsk tsk".

Your rifle would feel at home in my gun room.

Rem Model 7 with a Brux 1-7 twist 6mm...

Bushmaster Predator 8" twist .223 and 69-77gr high end factory loads ( I don't use it enough to load for this rifle.) Prairie dogs to coyotes. I also like to use my dad's old Marlin 783 .22 Magnum for close in coyotes and prairie dogs.

DOH! After a hunt in Texas for a few nights I have a new Favorite! ( At Least if fur friendly is desired...) .17 Remington, previously pictured...)

A triple from one stand...

Cheap arse Rem 700 ADL synth w Leupold.
.243 win.
Had a 4-12X AO when chucking, just yotes now so dropped to a 3-9X.
Factory tupperware stiffened and camo'd.
Gre-Tan pin/shroud.
Bowhunt maybe tomorrow then take it to range to check zero, get ready to smoke yotes.

Lately I’m using a Ruger Hawkeye in 223, with a Vortex Viper PST 4-16. I used to shoot only the 40 gr Ballistic Tip, which does evil to coyotes. The only problem was that every darn time I went coyote hunting, pigs would show up instead. So I switched to the 65 gr Sierra GK, and I have been knocking down those pigs. That Gameking bullet has flat impressed me.

Cooper, >243 A.I. Rio7

20 Vartarg
Stiller Predator
McMillan Classic
Lilja #4 contour 23"
Jewell trigger

I like it!

That's one nice chuck rifle! Would be my favorite too.

It is so accurate I can't leave it home, love shooting it and is usually the one I grab. It shoots 32gr Blitzkings into a ragged hole and they are great woodchuck medicine. Have been using 35gr Bergers for coyotes and fox.

An old heavy barreled 300 win mag, coyotes to hogs at any angle way out there.

Depending on snow conditions and wind or those present when and if I call, I have three ready to go in the truck:

A Stag Arms lefty 223 AR, rattle-canned “Iowa winter” with a Nikon 2-10x. Likes Black Hills 55-gr PSP. (3100 fps)

A CZ lefty 204, also rattle-canned “Iowa winter” with a Leupold 4-14x set-and-forget. Likes Fed 32-gr NBT’s. (3850 fps)

A CA Ridgeline 243 with a Bush LRHS 2-10x. Likes Hornady 58-gr V-Max (3800 fps).

If I can get from 250 yards or in quietly, preferably 225 or in for the AR, either it or the 204 will do. Beyond that the 243. I live in farm country and don’t have to shoot beyond 400 yds.

I don’t hand load for the “micro-bores” any longer and these factory loads work well. Vel’s are chronographed.

LOL K22, I do have a heavy 22-250, but, I don't think those little 52gr AMAXES would have reached the North end of a 220lb wild boar headed North at 588 yards, the 210gr LRAB came out in the crease of the neck where it joins the shoulder, DRT, when I got back in the scope he was peddling those back legs hard in place.

Yeah...but was it "Fur Friendly"?

Folks ,
I didn't read all of the text , but I'm surprised that the majority of respondents do not use rifles on the AR platform .
Very interesting input .
Happy New Year to all .

Soup

LOL, yes, it was equally friendly too, it put a little bit of hair over here, a little bit of hair over there..............................................................................; ]

Remington 257Wby.

Barnes 75gr solids

Remington 700 in 6mm.

gunner500
I'm still laughing about that.

LOL K, it works, plus the 300 Win Mag hit the dirt the same year I did, it's a natural ; ]

Mine's a bit different and is a little shorter shooting. 200 yards is about what it will handle.

Valmet 300 series in 12ga/222Rem with a pretty sharp and clear Japanese Tasco 3-9. Called in close, a load of #4 buck whacks them. Farther out the 222 will do it if I do it right.

Hey...don't laugh. It was less than $500.00 all set up.

LH TC Dimension in 204 Ruger. Most butt ugly gun own ,but dang its a shooter and comes to the cheek beautifuly

Hell of a deal L2S, buck or fowl right there, cool piece.

Remington 700 Police SA .223 with 55 gr. TSX, 20" barrel threaded with a big ass can. Getting 3170 fps. Aimed via SWFA 10x40 MIL/MIL. Works.

After seeing more coyotes around my house this last year than in past years, I bought a Ruger Am Ranch in 5.56 and put on a Bushnell Elite 3000 4-12 and bought a Foxpro Inferno call. I've been out several times since the end our deer season and haven't seen anything. I'm not doing it for sport as much as to just knock some of their numbers down.

Yep. Nice.

Mine is a heavy barreled Remington Camo R-15 AR in .556 with a Leupold 4x12 VXR with the lighted reticle and BDC.
Works well on feral hogs at the Ranch too.

That'll definitely work Ready!

Damn right CHLI, a 7.62 REPR chunking 130gr TSX, 150gr NPT's and 155gr Scenars is a hell of a [several] duty utility farm rifle, hell, those 176gr Lehigh AP-WU's alone would disable any vehicle/machinery in a pinch if a whole load of crackheads decided to show up.

When I am calling in wolf/G bear country I lug my Tikka 308 / 168 gr. TTSX and SWFA 3-9 HD scope. Most of the time it is a RAR or an AR in .223 w/ 55gr. VX.

mike r

Dang right Mike, a man doesn't always have to load for just what he's after, he has to load for what ELSE lives out there too. same/same

Today I ordered a Tikka T3x Lite Stainless in 22-250 with 1:8 twist.

We'll see how that works out.

Normally, I grab the Sako L461 in 222 RemMag, with a Kahles 3.5x10x50 on it, and, this year, using 50gr B-tips at full throttle.

You'll be happy...

Tikka T3 in 22-250 with nbt 50 gr. running 3800 fps suppressed, love the meat report!

I'm thinkin' I will!

Hell, I must be living in a cave or something. I just stumbled across an old thread about them and thought how did I miss this? I checked Whittaker's website and they didn't have them. So I ambled over to Eurooptic's site and there they were! I called to confirm they had them, and just ordered it right then and there. 8 twist 22-250's are not a common commodity. I figured I better order right now or I might miss out and regret it forever.

I also have Bass Pro gift cards for a significant amount. I"m kicking around the idea of a Stoeger M3000 for close-in coyotes in wooded areas.

Isn’t the comment about CZs and backwards safety and shooting the house and truck up from the same guy that started the gun range goofs thread?

The irony here is strong

Complaining he can’t zero a rifle in X amount of trips to the range because everyone else is shooting and doing mag dumps .


I bet those 3 pedals in the floorboard really threw ya for a loop.
Seems kinda errrrr....IDK a bit goofy. Hello pot.

Just call it like I see it.

First truck I drove was a 64 Hayes cabover 220 Cummins 4x4. It did put about 18" of flame out of the stack!!! My go to predator rifle Ruger 77 .243 win 6x Leupold.

243

Trued 700, 21" 8 twist Brux, Timney, BC M40, Meopta 6.5x20,

That's a serious looking rifle there. Nice.

6mm Creedmoor. Remington action, 24” Benchmark barrel, Hs stock, Dnz base and rings, Leupold 4-12x50 Vxr scope. Built by Horizon Firearms. Oh yeah Silencerco Omega can.

Thanks

CZ 527 American .221FB and 40g NBTs

I think he meant 4&4 transmission. Ive driven a 5&4. Not real fun...

Went out today with my ruger American rancher in .223.

Old B Code 700bdl 22-250 3-9 leupold with 50 grain ballistic tips as hard as I can push them.

After some years away from coyote calling, re-upped with
Two nib found rifles.
Both Rem 700, one a classic in 221fireball the other a sps vssf 220 swift

AR with a straight 6x

.223 AI AR 26" Hart 9T/60 TMK at ~3500 mv. That bullet and the 69 TMK have been my go-to bullets for sniping coyotes at long range for some time. Here it is--
https://www.tactical-life.com/firearms/insight-shooting-systems-coyote-hunting-ar/

...and my 17 FB XP-100 pistol.

Kenworth - 300 - 4X4X3 - 110K - 8% grade. (D8 tied to the front! )
But a eat-up CZ527 204 rides almost everywhere I go!