I was just wondering who using guns to control predators on larger tracts of land in supplement or instead of trapping.

Whats your thoughts on the right situations to use a firearm.

Also, what firearm/caliber, I am thinking of converting one of my ARs for precision, but was wondering if anyone went with bigger calibers to ensure a knockdown.

If you just want em dead and don't want the hides anything will work, lots of guys I know use ARs out here just to thin em out a bit, lots of times the hides don't look too bad though long as you don't use somethin massive on em

22-250 if your 300yds or less. Over that 6mm or my personal favorite 6mm/.284 that will work for a long ways. Every one likes the AR platform and they are nice, but unless we are jump shooting and I need to take running shots I will just stick to my old bolt gun. You can do lots to an AR but you can't make it as good as a Mauser 98 or Model 70 action.

It's going to vary based on where you are hunting, if you plan on using the hide afterwards, how good of a shot you are, and what ammunition you choose/are limited to.

For small (200 yards or less) feeding areas surrounded by timber, I like the .17 or .22 mag or .223 especially if I'm using the pelt afterwards. If I'd be in more open space (up to 300 yards), then I'd with the .223 or .22-250. If I was going for long range shooting (300+ yards) I'd look at the .243 or the .25-06 (which I've never shot) due to the flat trajectory and heavier bullet weights.

Terrain would most likely be flatland with oak and boulders. I am a decent shot, but a little out of practice. I won't use the pelts. Considering that the coyote means money and customer satisfaction I will keep range of 300. I know very few people going past that who are near good as they think.

Sounds like either a .223, 5.56 or .22-250 is the best choice for you. Check to see what is available in nonlead ammo around you first as you may have to make a rifle and/or twist rate selection based on it. Remember, there is a difference between .223 and 5.56 so you don't want to be mixing ammo unless the gun is made to shoot both and that the higher the twist rate, the lighter the bullet should be. This is why a 1:12 twist works best with a 35-40 grain bullet giving better performance at shorter ranges while a 1:8 twist with a 62 grain bullet works better for longer ranges.

If you find you could use either, determine how much you want to pay. Most AR platforms in .223 and/or 5.56 (1:7, 1:8, 1:10 or 1:12 twist rate) will have a manufacture's starting price around $1,000 just for the rifle while bolt actions can be found around $350.

For .22-250, Olympic Arms has it in the AR platform with a 1:14 twist for around $1,500 while a .22-250 Savage bolt action with a 1:12 twist is around $350.

1:12 will stabilize up to a 55gr bullet well. A 1:8 would handle an 80gr just fine. I'm talking .22cal. Out past 300 gets pretty tricky and I don't shoot much past that with my 250, it just runs out of gas with my load. I developed my load for fur but it's so accurate I never messed with it. I shoot 27.5gr of 4198 55gr vmax and it's only going 3150fps but it shoots 1 hole groups.

In my experience it depends on the bullet and the gun. I had a .223 1:12 that couldn't handle a 55 gr FMJ at 50 yards while my .22-250 with a 1:12 does great with 55 gr soft tip at 200.

Anyone use the .17s? Not the rimfire but the remington, fireball or hornet.

My thinking is to lower the pass through and ricochet risks with the lighter projectiles.

Never had any luck getting a .17 center fire to shoot very well. Have killed many a coyote with my hornet. I shoot a 35gr vmax and 12.5gr of 4198. Shoots as well as a hornet can. Never shot any with the 221 so no input there. I don't even have one anymore. Turned all my old fireball brass into whisper brass.

I have an AR, I will probably just end up getting a new barrel and trigger kit

If you're not using the hides then dead coyotes mean $$$$$
Bigger is better. While my long range rifle is a 257 Roberts, when I want them on the spot dead the 30-06 is my go to rifle. A coyote that runs off is money down the drain not to mention a public relations nightmare when they drop dead in someone's yard etc.

I'm lookin now, I might be getting a 300 win mag in a trade. No such thing as overkill.

I love the 22-250 but I might be convinced to shoot a 58gr 243 if I didnt care so much about pelt damage.

17 hmr great for up to 100 yads

AR-15 with some Winchester ballistic tip 50gr ammo with a 5.6 drop at 300yds

How often or when would you choose a firearm over trapping. I haven't had a coyote call yet, but collarums are about $75 a piece, bullets about 50 cents.

I've heard that before but usually in the same breath there is something like "as long as you don't hit a rib" or "just don't take a head on shot" etc.

I agree, might be a good idea for fur, but why risk it for ADC.

For under 300 yards, anything .223 and up will do well. Take your pick.

.17 HMR, I think not. Ive shot enough prairie dogs at 100 yards to know it doesnt even belong in the same sentence as coyotes.

Why under 300yds? Pretty sure my 223 has made marks further out than that...

that's because there is range, then there is effective range. I know few people who can consistently hit 400 shots well enough for me yo bet customer satisfaction on. A missed dog while hunting is no big deal, but while doing ADC is. Then the customer isnt happy.

Not to mention energy.

.223 is running out of terminal gas at 300-400 yards.

I shoot a LOT of coyotes with a .22-250 (tad more muscle than the .223), and at 400 yards, youre shot had better be well placed.

The .22 centerfires are really 400 yard guns. External and terminal ballistics just get real touchy at those ranges and beyond.

Exactly, effective range! I've made plenty of long range shots but I have missed even more. Yes you can't make ridiculous shots if you don't try them and you can't test terminal ballistics either. But you don't do that stuff on a paying job either.

Rifles are usually my first and last choice.

Get a call, check it out. If theres a LOT of sign, go right to traps and start taking em down a few pegs. Probably do some calling just because I love calling.

If its a place ive already trapped/called/snared extensively not long ago, I know its probably only a coyote or two causing the problem. Ill go in and call, if I kill em im done. If not, set some traps and wait it out.

If its a place im currently or recently trapped, and I know I got a few hold outs that are on to my game, go to the rifles.

Just another tool.

The main reason for trapping, of course, is that of all the coyote calls we've had this year, I doubt that I could have legally used

a firearm at any one of them.

Oh I didn't know it had to be legal. ...best off to disregard anything I have said lol!

I like this guy^^

I hope you're taking notes winkleman

I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me.

243 58gr V-max DRT no saving the hide, but you do have a kill to show the property owner. when I call at night I bring one 223 and the 243 or 308 for the long shots 300+.

I think bullet over caliber for the most part, hit a big one the other night with 223 150 yards double lung (my oops had grabbed the wrong mag and hit him with practice 55 gr ball) he ran 250 yards and had to track him with the dog the next day

coyotes I like 53-60gr V-max, in 223 and consider for ADC work 223 min on coyotes, killed lots with less but when getting paid a bounty by the property owner I go 223 to 243

this is 4 out of 5 hits with 223 60gr V-max from 50-200 yards on a deer farm, never found the 5th one but spun him at 200

Phil,

Is that a POF P-415 AR? Is it suppressed?

I just ordered one and it looks very similar to the one in your photo.

Thanks for the post.

Jake

yes it is, hunter town arms suppressor works very well, really need a piston running a can they get mags dirty if not

If you already have the AR15 your longest ranging caliber conversion that can you do without getting into handloading and specialty ammos would be a 6.5 Grendel. You are looking at a around $1 a round for that. Next up would be a 6.8SPC II factory loads are readily available, $.80 a round and then of course there are some nice rounds that you could just shoot from your 5.56. It is likely a 1:8 or 1:9 twist making it a good canidate for something like a 75 grain Hornady Softpoint which holds a bit more energy when you get out there a ways.


By the time you buy a quality barrel for those longer shots and a new bolt, you could be well into a bolt gun like a Thompson Venture. $400 out the door and I own three of them, one .223, a .243 and a .243 compact/youth model. They are all able to shoot 1/2" groups at 100yds with a lead sled and multiple brands of factory ammo.