I am looking at getting a new rifle for predator hunting. I would mainly be using it for coyote hunting but I would like something that would possibly work for praire dog hunting down the road. What calibers are prefered .22-250, .223??? I don’t want to spend a ton of money.
What are best scope options? I’m guessing the higher power are the best options.
Any input is appreciated. Thanks.
I like the .243 but will be too much gun for prairie dogs. Its a awesome round for yotes though. I have a Savage American Classic in .243. It has accutrigger and a detachable magazine. Mine is scoped with a Weaver Classic 4×16 with 1/8 moa dot. Its lite and VERY accurate. I carry 2 magazines with me. I have about $750 in the whole rig. It’s sweet! 
The group I hunt with in SD all are shooting the 204 Ruger. Screaming fast and very little pelt damage. Most of the time with a 32 grain V Max there is no exit hole.
the 204 would be my go to choice…..
Does the 204 have plenty of down range knock down power on coyotes?
What ever you buy definitely get something with detachable mag, saves a lot of time. would highly recommend leupold vxII 3x9x40 can’t go wrong with Tikka T3 lite. good luck
To me, you really can’t go wrong with they .223 or .22-250, each has it’s benefits. The .223 is cheap to shoot, not much recoil and plenty for coyotes. The .22-250 knocks the snot out of coyotes and is a heck of a flat shooting round, but you also get a bit more recoil. I’ve been real happy with my Remington R-15 in .223. The thing is scary accurate and super reliable. If you want to pick up a reasonably priced gun that’s a shooter with a sporter profile barrel the Stevens (Savage) model 200 is a great choice. I’ve owned one in .223 that was an incredible shooter and heard many other great reviews on this model.
As for scopes, for coyotes a 3-9×40 is plenty. If you’re looking for dual purpose, (coyotes and prairie dogs) you’ll probably want to go with a heavier barrel profile and maybe a scope that runs 4.5-14 power or something close. Good luck with your choice.
the 204 ruger is a little lite when you get into the long range shooting.
I own a tika t3 lite 22-250 and love it. Heavy barrel with a nikon monarch 4x16x50.
4x16x50 or 4x16x44 just like Hook said. On a budget the Alpen Apex rifle scopes are really nice. Just remember when choosing the rifle you check the weight. Bull barrels are great but heavy. Lots of options. For your shotty (if you are going to bring one with) I would recommend a Carlson’s Dead coyote choke. Ive been using it with #4 buck and its pretty hard hitting and good range.
I have a DPMS AR-15 with the 204 upper. I am very happy with my selection so far. I have a Ruger M77 in 204 also. Farthest shot so far was 296yds on the range finder. 40gr Horaday SST dropped him without a kick… Right now you can get the Nikon Prostaff 4x12x40 for $149. Great choice in my opinion.
I know this post is from 2010, but I’m looking for current information on calibers, make/model and scope as I’m wanting to do the same thing. Or a link if there was something I missed? I have a Browning mountain TI in 270 WSM with a coyote predator scope that I’m thinking of trading in on a varmint rifle. I do have a Savage in 17 HMR already and will be using that too.
I really want a 22 creedmoor for this, but no one is chambering in 22 creed from the factory that I know of, so you would have to do a custom gun.
Sure seems like most of the main rifle manufacturers are still only chambering in 22-250 and 223 if you’re going with a centerfire cartridge in something such as a tikka or bergera.
22-250 is obviously a faster round and will perform a little better at longer ranges. 223 is cheaper to shoot. Both should be able to shoot reliably out to 500 or so.
I personally would go 223, but the 22-250 might have a little larger “fun factor” when dispatching varmints.
Any reason to not consider a 220 swift, 204 roberts or 224 valkyrie? I’m watching allot of videos, but there is soooo much information! FYI, I don’t want spend a ton on this as I’m not sure how much I will be doing yet, I’m thinking a $1000 budget for the rifle and scope..
.204 Ruger is another one to look at. Brother has one in a Remington 700 base model and has no problem with predators and is a sweet prairie dog round. Not sure about ammo availability nowadays though. So, unless you load your own, you would want check on that.
Any reason to not consider a 220 swift, 204 roberts or 224 valkyrie? I’m watching allot of videos, but there is soooo much information! FYI, I don’t want spend a ton on this as I’m not sure how much I will be doing yet, I’m thinking a $1000 budget for the rifle and scope..
I don’t have any experience with any of those rounds. I do have a Vortex 4-16×44 FFP Diamondback Tactical scope that is insanely nice for $350. I would check them out for a potential scope.
.204 Ruger is another one to look at. Brother has one in a Remington 700 base model and has no problem with predators and is a sweet prairie dog round. Not sure about ammo availability nowadays though. So, unless you load your own, you would want check on that.
After not being able to find 22-250 rounds for about a year and a half now I sure wish I had a 204 Ruger. It seems like those rounds have remained in stock throughout the ammo shortage. I do love my rifle which is a Rem 700 22-250 with the heavier barrel(not sure on exact model). It’s an absolute tack driver!
204 is my choice. Its great on varmints. I use 40gr V max and kill coyotes over 400yrds no problem.
I’ve been shooting an APF.204 Ruger for a few years now. It’s been awesome for coyotes. I’ve got a 24″ heavy barrel, suppressed. Zero recoil, so I get to watch dogs die through my Viper PST. I shoot 35 grain berger hollow points. Never an exit. They’re DRT or else they spin for a couple seconds and tip over.
My dad shoots a Savage 110 22-250, and he’ll tell you that it’s the best there is. So….
I like the CZ 527 rifles. I have shot them in both .223 and .204 Ruger and found them to be very accurate and fun to shoot.
A friend has a CZ 455 American in .17 HMR. Not really coyote medicine but amazingly accurate and a blast to shoot.
I like the CZ 527 rifles. I have shot them in both .223 and .204 Ruger and found them to be very accurate and fun to shoot.
I have a friend that swears by these as well. If they still made them in a .204 I would probably buy one.
Just comes down to what you want to achieve. 223, 204 will do awesome out a few hundred yards. Wind will push it around more.
I specifically built two rifles for being tack drivers in the 400-600 yrd range. I have a Howa M1500 in 22-250 and a Tikka in 22-250 for reaching out and blowing crap to hell. If I’m just popping 100-300 with little wind, I have my 223.
Just in case you need to see some rats fly
One consideration I would have is . Can I buy ammo. Lots of .380s sold in the last 18 months. I’ve yet to see a bullet for sale, exc. with a gun purchase or expensive home defense ammo. My varmint gun is a Rock river Varmint carbine .223. Ammo is fairly available, for the times. For me it shoots as well as my bolt rifles out to 200 yards. Never messed with it beyond that. Lots of factory load ammo choices. It has a 3×9 Leopold AR scope. Beyond 200 in open country. Maybe step up to a 22.250. I like the AR platform. Hunting in brush and hills. Unusually carry a shotgun, and sling the rifle. Often jump yotes walking from spot to spot. Hunting mine spoils the lighter gun is a blessing. Have always compared the AR, to a Swiss Army knife of guns.
I don’t hand load and don’t want to go look too hard for some ammo,223 for me and I shoot the Savage Axis. Close up my 22mag, or my LC Smith double.
What ever you buy definitely get something with detachable mag, saves a lot of time. would highly recommend leupold vxII 3x9x40 can’t go wrong with Tikka T3 lite. good luck
This in 223.
Thanks everyone for the input, I’ve got some research to do now. I do like the cost of 223 ammo and I like my savage 17 hmr, I might start with a savage 223 and add a 22-250 or something later?
I have a Savage 12FLVSS in .223 that is a tack driver. Also a bit much to haul around coyote hunting. It’s a bench gun with Accutrigger, flat bottom stock, aluminum pillar beds, fluted barrel and is left-handed. Savage makes good rifles even if they don’t have custom shop looks.
Just comes down to what you want to achieve. 223, 204 will do awesome out a few hundred yards. Wind will push it around more.
I specifically built two rifles for being tack drivers in the 400-600 yrd range. I have a Howa M1500 in 22-250 and a Tikka in 22-250 for reaching out and blowing crap to hell. If I’m just popping 100-300 with little wind, I have my 223.
Just in case you need to see some rats fly
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Good shootin! I shot prairie dogs for the first time earlier this spring while scouting for elk. The long range shooting was probably the most fun, but I really enjoyed shooting them with a semi auto 223 as well!
When it comes to predator hunting, you need to first be honest about your walking distance to stand, shot distance, and the animal you’re hunting. Are you concerned with simply putting lead on body, or do you plan on maximizing caliber/bullet for least amount of hide damage? What shot distances do the properties you hunt actually allow? are the yotes pressured and prone to hanging up? How far can you practice shooting? Here in SD, It’s nothing to take a 400 yard shot if a dog hangs up.
Personally, I don’t hunt for fur anymore, and maybe hunt 1 tournament a year, so I just shoot which ever gun feels like the one to take that day. Might be anything from an 11.5″ AR, a shotgun, or my 6.5cm or .270 depending on the style of hunting. I’ve sold off my dedicated predator bolt guns. Select the wrong bullet for a .22-250 and you can peel half the hide off on a runner inside 300 yards, so why not just shoot them with a 143gr ELDX out of the 6.5 then? Don’t need a .223 bolt gun when I’ve got two ARs that provide the same accuracy in the same caliber.
I’ve shot fox and yotes with 9mm, .410, 20 gauge, 16 gauge, 12 gauge, .22lr, .17hmr, .220 swift, .223, .224 valk, .22-250, .243, .243 wssm, 6.5cm, .270, 7.62×39, & .303 british. I’ve had great and marginal hits with all of them, and you’ll see odd things happen if you shoot enough regardless of the caliber, from a DRT shot to the neck with a .22 lr CCI stinger at 100 yards, to a dog that runs 200 yards after getting center punched with a .270 at 250 yards.
The guys I occasionally hunt with in MN are all shooting .224 Valk. They sold somewhere between 80-100 yotes to fur buyers last winter, and left lay probably another 20-340 with mange.
It does not show a edit option for my first question for some reason, but I want to clarify I only want to do varmint shooting, not predator.
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