Looking for a bolt action

[ford_stud2004 0]

Hey all i'm considering buying a bolt action rifle. Budget is around $350. I had a Remington 710 a while ago in 270 cal. but got rid of it because it didn't feel right for me..Soooo...I'll be using it mostly for coyotes at ranges from 100-300 possibly if not longer if i'm in the mood to throw some artillery at them. I got a T38 Mauser and Mosin Nagant that i could use but they are pretty shot out and don't hold groups at all. So give me some options if ya would. Savage? Rem? Win? and so on. 06? 223? 7mm? 243? and so on.. has to stay in budget.

 

FORD

[KySoldier 2]

Savage or Weatherby in maybe a 22-250? That's the caliber I here about most for coyote. Not as hard hitting as your Mauser or Mosin but can get out there pretty far.

[Rusty 0]

I'm partial to the Winchester action. As for calibers... I've used 22-250, 25-06, and 270 on critters and they all produce a nice mist at 200 yards.

 

22-250 seems to be "THE" varment cartridge with some people, but it has a habbit of burning out barrels prarrie doggin (Long sessions of fairly rapid fire). 223 is a great varment cartridge (not so good on the 2 legged kind...) but you have to be careful using 5.56x45 NATO rounds (223 is not 5.56)

 

For longer ranges, you want either a heavier bullet or higher velocity (Both and your shoulder will hate you). You have a couple of options:

 

In the "Major Overkill" catagory, you've got the 30'06 or 308, as they can be loaded anywhere from a 110 Grain HP to a 200 Grain SPT goblin whacker. Good long range accuracy in a good firearm, ammo is available everywhere.

 

In the "Barrel Burner" catagory you've got the dedicated varment rounds, the stupidly high velocity 22s: The 22-250, the 220 Swift, and the sub caliber rounds like the 204 Ruger, the 17 Remington. Proven varment smiters, ammo for some of the rounds may be difficult to come by. Barrel wear can become a factor if you are shooting alot.

 

In the "About Right" catagory, you've got lower powered rounds like the 222 Magnum, the 223 Remington, and the 243, and 25-06. All are great varment rounds, and not nearly as notorious for killing barrels as the 250 and 220. I'm partial to the 25-06 though the 243 is based on the same concept: Neck a 30 caliber round to a quarter inch caliber. The 30-06 for the 25-06, and the 308 for the 243. The 25 is a flat shooting, stupidly accurate round that'll kill most anything with proper bullet selection. The 222 Mag is the forunner to the 223 Remington, both of which are good for smiting critters.

 

Now that I've given me (and possibly you) a migrain, I'll sum it up thus:

If you want a long range dedicated critter killer, go with a round designed for it like the 22-250 or 220 Swift.

If you're looking for more of a general purpose gun that you'll occationally use for smiting, get a 223 (222Mag is getting hard to come by around here) or a quarter incher (243, 25-06) for the top end.

If you want the offending coyote's kids a mile away to feel the pain, something near the 30 caliber.

If you're like my roommate, grab a 45-70 :blink:

 

Damn... Looking back, I didn't think I wrote that much.

Edited December 24, 2005 by Rusty

[KySoldier 2]

produce a nice mist at 200 yards

 

prarrie doggin

 

200 Grain SPT goblin whacker.

 

stupidly high velocity

 

stupidly accurate good for smiting critters.

 

I like your terminology, well said

[G O B 3,516]

For cheap and accurate, Sarco has a bunch of Huskies for $300 or there abouts. If you re-load .22cal saboted (accelerator) rounds for the 30-06 or .308 make a devistating varmint round! (Even if you use factory rounds, $300 for a very good used turnbolt vs $700+ for a new one or a AR type leaves a lot of $$ for ammo!)

 

G O B

[Rusty 0]

Forgot about those accelerators. I've got a box of 30-30 stuff laying around I'd like to try out (Single loading of course).

[pistonring8 1]

Wow, this is interesting. I'm planning on hunting coyote here in PA. I've never heard of a rifle for the job. The guys I'm going with, toss out an electronic distress caller and wait nearby with shotguns. They hunt them at night along with fox. They also use a spotlight with a red lense, but nothing that will put them out past 50 yards or so. A shotty is always the tool for the job.

 

Im interested to know if theres a better way to bag a coyote with a rifle. That sounds like alot more fun! I have a nice 7.5x55mm Swiss outfitted with an illuminated scope. I can swap the scope out with a night vision rig if needed. I just never heard of anyone around here hunting coyotes with a rifle. Mine might be a little overpowered for the job, but PffffT! what the hell, its my groundhawg gun!

[Bvamp 604]

buy a closet gun. wait, 350? buy ten....shoot the best two and give the rest away....

[IndyArms 10,186]

[shotgun_lobotomy 0]

i know a few ppl who use 17hmr for coyotes here, with good shot placement its a evil lil round and cheap, now if i had to have a centerfire id go with the 17rem, its a bit of a brrl burner but its devistating and very accurate,

 

pistonring8, where are you at in PA? theres a good bit of coyotes down in greene co. where i have 85acres to play on

[Bvamp 604]

I know several rednecks and indians up in my parts that take deer regularly with get this...22 hornet.

 

anyway, I myself have been looking into a small single shot gun, and Ive been looking at that starter gun that rossi makes for like 100 bucks. I was going to buy one in 12 gauge and get a 223 or 3006 barrel for it. the two that I have shot shoot pretty straight once they are sighted in. not a bad little gun for low $$$'s.

 

you can get good savage or other american made bolt guns used for low $ amounts if you look around. I see savages in 22-250 all the time for 200 or less in my parts. 7mm mag is a tad much for dogs I think. thats one LOUD round too.

 

oh yeh, I got another 40 dollar gun guys! and it aint even got a serial # on it oh, and it is in like new condition. for those who dont know the story, my ar15 and sar1 I both got for 40 dollars new, too. granted the new 40 dollar gun is only a 22, but its a tack driver. any scope I put on it will cost me more than the damn gun. gotta love that.

[Rusty 0]

Harrington and Richardson make a real nice single shot break action rifle. The nifty thing is that you can mail the receiver in and have it rebarreled to damn near any major rifle caliber you want, shotgun gauges (excluding 10 I believe) and even an inline 50cal muzzleloader. The trick is to start off with a rifle receiver.

 

I've got a 410 shotgun and a muzzleloader from them and they are both great. They can usually be found for around ~$150 or less.

 

www.hr1871.com

[Bvamp 604]

yeh, brother has an H+R 30-06 thats ported. I think he said he got it for 200 with the "shoot from a mile away" scope thats on it from a friend of his.

 

forgot about that gun, rusty. good pointing that one out.

[pistonring8 1]

i know a few ppl who use 17hmr for coyotes here, with good shot placement its a evil lil round and cheap, now if i had to have a centerfire id go with the 17rem, its a bit of a brrl burner but its devistating and very accurate,

 

pistonring8, where are you at in PA? theres a good bit of coyotes down in greene co. where i have 85acres to play on

 

I'm in Perry county, about 20 minutes from Carlisle, 30 min. from Harrisburg. 85 acres huh?! Thats a very nice sized piece of playground man! I would love to hang out some time, but I think your far away, because I never heard of Greene Co. So you guys are hitting coyotes with rifles huh? Thats gotta be a neat trick. The guys I've been talking to, say they usually come in after the distress caller low and fast. Dont stand still long enough to aim at. IIRC a 12 guage magnum game shot was recomended to me. I'll know for sure after I get a chance to actually hunt them. Useing a rifle sounds like so much more fun, and less destruction to the hide.