Ideal pair of predator rifles, what would you pick?

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
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I'm curious what everyone likes to shoot coyotes and other predators with. I'll start with my perfect pair with todays options. I might be cheating right off the bat by using an AR with 2 uppers in my list.

1. AR 15 with a 2lb Jard trigger in the lower, stock designed for use with a scope. The rifle and both uppers would be Cerakoted in a camo pattern with a lot of tan/brown to match the dead grass I usually call in.

This rifle would have 2 uppers:

204 Ruger upper with a 1 in 9 twist designed to use the 45gr Hornady SP bullet. I owned a Predator Technologies upper just like this that I recently sold. I loved the upper, just can't afford all the toys I want to own. I never got the chance to take a Bobcat with it, but felt it would have been excellent for that. It shot well under .5" groups when I did my part and never had a feeding issue. It smoked coyotes and usually exited with a tiny exit hole. It did not perform as well in the wind as I expected. My 45gr loads were leaving the barrel at 3325fps from a 21" barrel and the 300yd wind drift on targets was several inches more than the ballistics programs using Hornady's BC showed they should have been. I was very impressed with terminal performance when they hit, but it was a little harder to hit with them than expected. This upper would get my Bushnell 3200 2.5-10x scope in a Burris PEPR mount and only get used when winds were mild, and when cats were an option.

(I sold the upper above because I started using a DPMS Prairie Panther 223 that covered the same niche with less wind drift, if I had the 22 Nosler upper to switch to I'd still own it)

22 Nosler upper. I've never used a 22 Nosler for anything, but have used a 22-250 quite a bit. I think a chambering that imitates the 22-250 and feeds through an AR is a great idea. This would probably be built by Predator Technologies after the accuracy my last upper by them showed, but a White Oaks upper looks to be a great one too. I'd like it to have a 22" barrel and push a 55gr Ballistic tip or Sierra Gameking 1365 at 3400fps+ with great accuracy. I'd put a Burris Eliminator III scope on it with the built in rangefinder and wind holds and learn to use it. This would be used on the majority of my stands where cats might be a remote possibility but coyotes are the main target.

That rifle with both uppers would cover 99% of my coyote calling. I would still want another gun for tournaments in high wind, or if I ever book a guided predator hunt and the weather doesn't cooperate.

The 2nd rifle would be one I already own. I have a custom 243 that shoots 85gr Speer SPBT bullets at 3333fps. It has a Pac Nor #4 8 fluted barrel with a 1 in 10 twist and shoots that bullet great. That bullet has a .380BC and does pretty decent in the wind with that velocity. It has a McMillian Gamescout stock that offers a vertical grip that seems to help me shoot it well from any position. If a coyote hangs up and I have the opportunity to go prone I will every time. I have a Leupold VX-6 3-18x44 with a TMOA reticle on it currently that works awesome when I don't dial elevation. I haven't had great luck with repeatability on dialing the VX-6 but if I zero it, tap the windage and elevation with an empty brass, and leave it alone it takes a beating and stay zeroed. I've beat those scopes around in the feed truck and UTV and as long as I follow those steps they work, they just aren't designed to be a dialing scope like a Huskemaw or Nightforce. The glass in them is amazing to the very last light and the field of view and zoom range are excellent. Those bag me more coyotes than the inability to dial miss me. With my load I have to estimate wind, but I can use the TMOA reticle for elevation effectively to 500yds. I can't shoot off my bipod consistently past 250yds with a stiff wind anyway so the advantage of dialing only comes into play when I can move to prone. A Burris Eliminator III scope would probably end up on this rifle too if I had good luck with it on the other one.

I would have a Primos Rapid Pivot bipod mount on every one of these rifles. I have one of their taller bipods with a FoxPro Foxgrip II on it that I use with any of them on normal stands. I also have one of their short bipods I can use under the front of the gun if the opportunity to go prone arises and put my pack under the back. I have to take a pack predator calling to house my FoxPro PB3. I always use an Eberlestock Team Elk with the hip belt removed now for that. The hip belt isn't needed for the weight I'm packing and it saves time for me setting up a stand not having it. The extra pockets on the sides for a spotter and tripod I can use for my decoy stake (mojo critter with extension) and bipod make it a better choice than the X3 I previously used. Having a pack with a scabbard keeps me from needing a sling on my rifle that can cause issues shooting highly mobile coyotes. They don't always show up where I expect them to.

Anyway that's a really longwinded description of my perfect predator rifles. I have a predator modified 870 shotgun and a 264WM rifle with a 5-30x Huskemaw and Harris Bipod that get taken on occasion if a stand calls for extreme long or close range but I honestly haven't taken a coyote with either in the last couple years. This area and especially my 90% solo hunting just don't lend themselves to specialized weapons to the exception of versatile ones.

Let me know your ideal, I'd like to learn from you. I have ideals in my head that haven't been tested in reality, but that will cost real money.

Thanks for your help.
 
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Joined
May 17, 2017
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Mount Airy, NC
Working on load development with 120 NBTs in my 7-08 Tikka to use until my 25-06 is all put together. Considering 80gr TTSX in that for a do-all .25 cal load. Eventually I want a 204 AR but it's not in the cards RN. I need to keep practicing my hand calling and not worry about the gun.
 
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
89
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Southern California
DPMS GII hunter in .308 shooting DRT 150grain. no exits, and completely jellies the innards at all ranges
SWFA 3-15 FFP, Burris Fastfire 3 on 45degree mount
harris bipod 6-9

Bergara HMR 6.5 CM, Hornady ELD/X, soon to switch to DRT when they come out with their load this year.
SWFA 5-20 FFP, Burris Fastfire 3 on 45 degree mount
Atlas PRS bipod

both primarily shot off a Kopfjager Reaper grip /Slik tripod combo
 

KurtR

WKR
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Sep 11, 2015
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3,533
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South Dakota
my custom 6.5 creedmoor as i have 100% confidence in the gun.

second would be a 22-250 in the longrifles inc cr mod-0 and if money is no issue i would run the new tangent theata 3-15 i have been hearing about.

atlass bipods on every thing and plain ol shooting sticks if i will be sitting. I need a suppressor more than anything.
 
Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Messages
529
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Sabinal, TX
I kill more predators with a shotgun than a rifle, by a factor of 3 or 4. For a small caliber, fur-friendly caliber I like my Ruger 17 Hornet or my CZ 527 .204 Ruger. Otherwise I’ll shoot a AR in .223 that I built or my custom 6.5cm. Really, I don’t much care. Lol! I use AR SBRs, other ARs I own, Winchester M70 25wssm or any other rifle I haven’t shot in a while. I use predators as my excuse for just about any one of my rifles. My wife sees me using them all (including hers) and I never hear, “why don’t you sell some?” or “Why do you need another rifle?” Lol!

Here in South Texas there’s not much call for shots over 200yds. It happens occasionally but only when I’m at work on the ranch and I happen to see one out in a big field that’s freshly plowed or recently planted. Otherwise, they’re too tall to let you see predators in them. Otherwise, our coyotes have so much brush to hunt in that they have to be on the verge of starvation to come out in the wide open, even to a call. I envy the guys that can see them for hundreds of yards. When 2 or 3 come charging I to a 30-50yd clearing with smaller bushes scattered about, a rifle is all but useless: unless it’s a suppressed SBR with a micro red dot. *Big Grin*


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sneaky

"DADDY"
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I'm thinking of picking up a 224 Valkyrie. Should be pure murder on any predator

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MTSabo

WKR
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Aug 22, 2017
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Ohio
I currently use a browning x-bolt 223 and a shotgun for all my predator hunting.

I have been considering lately to sell the 223 for a 6ppc. From what I gather the 6ppc is perfect for fur of all sizes fox to wolf with the same load.
 

i count eye guards

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
151
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Oregon
you're over thinking this.

If you're using an AR - a 5.56 with a can will cover anything out to 500 reliably. If you're going to be doing lots of sub-100 uard engagements, a 300 blackout with a can sounds pretty ideal.
 

SoDaky

WKR
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Apr 6, 2018
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sd
220 improved custom bolt using 50gr BTs at 4300.
JP 204 AR running 35 gr bergers at about 3900.
If 'fur' is valuable and the object,would use a custom bolt 17-204 running 30 gr Nagels at 4000 instead of the 220 Imp.Paralyzes m with usually only one small entrance hole.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
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Alaska
I like my combo guns. I know the ones here in the states dont have such a good rep. But if you can find a blaser or brunno heck any european brand they are perfect. Something along the lines of 5.6x50r over a 12ga. Is just about perfect for any predator situation!

But my go to right now is my Blaser R8 .243 sworovski z8i 2.3-18x56
And my Ar in 6x6.8spc. Leupold 4-12x44
 
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tuffcity

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Nov 2, 2013
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YT
Kimber varmint pro in 223 topped with a swaro z5... oh wait, that's what I did pick. :)

RC
 
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Front Range, Colorado
After killing piles of the things, losing some, messing with different setups, this is what I'm thinking now.
1. 22 Creedmoor built on a custom action or Q Fix. 22" or 24" barrel, launching 88 ELD-M at ~3300+. Significantly reduced chance of holdover error out to 300 vs the 6.5 I've been running. No runners, unlike the 223. Probably a 3-18 mag range scope, with a Horus H59 or Tremor 3. Locked into an RRS or Leofoto tripod. Great for cleaning up hangers in pressured areas.
2. An evil shotgun setup shooting BB TSS shot. Probably a 3" load. 26" barrel and the biggest mag tube I can reasonably run, with a high end holo sight of some sort. I'd probably spend just as much time setting up the shotgun as the rifle, and kill at least half of my coyotes with it.

Most importantly, high end thermal optics for both. I'm not much of a fur hunter, and hate runners. Especially at night. That's why I avoid the smaller calibers entirely. This is what I'd do if I dedicated more time to it again vs mule deer hunts.
 

minengr

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Sep 7, 2018
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IL
1. Custom built mini-mauser in 17 Remington.
2. AR-17, WOA Varmint upper in 17 Remington
3. Custom Sako Vixen in 223, both it and the mini-mauser were built by Kevin Weaver
4. Pre-64 Mod 70 in 22 Cheetah. Need to swap out the 1-16 barrel so I can shoot some heavies.
 

Zebra312

FNG
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May 30, 2018
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Oklahoma
Ive pretty much got it...

.22 Creed on a 700 for most stuff, .223 Ackley on a CZ527 for short stuff and long hikes
 

Beendare

WKR
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May 6, 2014
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Corripe cervisiam
I think having one rifle thats a bolt...and one on the AR platform is the way to go.

I have a Savage LH bolt rifle and the Rock River SS bull barrel AR15. ....the RR is a keeper.

If I had a do over....I would have spent the add $$ and bought a LH Tikka over the Savage.

That RR with the bull barrel is tough to beat for accuracy...it shoots better than I can shoot it....a true sub MOA rifle....I wouldn't trade that one.

Problem is, its heavy...and awkward..... toting that thing around is a PITA
 

bowtech840

Lil-Rokslider
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Sep 2, 2018
Messages
128
I have a lot of varmint rifles and spend a lot of time hunting them. My favorite caliber is 204, favorite rifle is a savage.


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Beendare

WKR
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Corripe cervisiam
The ballistics on that .204 is excellent.

I stayed with .223 for the cheap practice ammo and many many options.

Edit; Lots of fans of the .204...and 22-250's. They tell me the ballistics are better and I believe them.

I went with .223 for a few reasons. There is cheap options for FMJ .223 practice ammo...or you can shoot the 556 military rounds in many rifles [if they are rated for them]

The options for .223 varmint ammo is incredible....all the way from about 40gr to 75gr.....different ballistic tips, hollow points, etc.

I really like the Hornady Vmax line. Get one of those in a coyote and it blows them up.. I've seen a big hog shot with the 50 gr Vmax and it blew a 1 1/2" hole out the other side- that little bullet is devastating. I'm typically a heavy arrow and heavy bullet guy...but you can't argue with the results of these.
 
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BC
My primary calling rifle is a Kimber Montana .223 with a VX3 2.5-8 w/B&C reticule shooting 70 gr Berger HP. Wolves are around so I run the heavier bullets....the heaviest the 1 in 9" twist will stabilize.

My second predator rifle is a M700 long action chambered for a wildcat, a .22 x 6mm Remington AI, Bartelein 1 in 8 twist barrel, with a Leupold VX3 4.5-14x40 side focus VHR and elevation turret . It is fast...up to 3700 fps with a 75 gr Hornady AMAX (I usually slow it down to 3550 fps though as it is very accurate at the lower velocity).

I have a couple of .204's...a Cooper heavy barrel and a M700 with a PacNor sporter weight barrel. I hunt the M700 once in a while using 39 gr Sierra Blitz Kings. Both are very accurate and a joy to shoot.
 
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