coyote hunting with 308 win.

I have not in years, there was a time when I only could afford one rifle it was a 308. That seemed to be at the time a more versatile option, but since then I have gone back to the opinion that one should choose the best tool for the job at hand, in my opinion that job is better done with a 243 or a 223 not a 308, and the nitch the 308 is used for is better served by the 30-06 or 300 win mag
 
What specificly are you wanting to know? Will it kill coyotes? You bet, and humainly. Is it fur friendly? There are better choices out there, but you can get by with what you have for the time being.
 
I'll often shoot my deer rifle or elk rifle for coyotes prior to the big game season just to get acquainted with it before the season, but with any big game rifle vs a varmint rifle you've got to be more careful about your background. Big game bullets will not self destruct like most fragile varmint bullets. There are some fragile 110 and 125 grain .308 caliber bullets available.

Fur friendly won't be in your vocabulary though.
 
There is an old saying, "Beware of the man that only shoots one rifle".

I hunted yotes with a 308 Rem 700 BDL for a season loaded with 51.5g of 748 with 125g Nosler Ballistic tip. This load produced 3150 fps out of my rifle and would shoot less than 1/2" groups day in and day out.

I developed so much confidence with it, that I substituted the 125g NOsler for the 125g Sierra and killed two big 10 point bucks that weighed over 200 lbs with that bullet. I went on to kill 12 more deer with that load, and numerous predators, and several pick ups full of jackrabbits before I got bored with the rifle and sold it.

Most people live on a budget, and if you don't have the extra cash for another rifle, then use the 308 for everything. The load that I mentioned shoots extremely well in most 308's, but if you try it, start off at 49.0g and work up to 52.0g. You should get clover leaf groups at some point.

Good luck!
 
I have a BAR Stalker, in 308 Win, that is my favorite brush
country deer rifle. It is a sweet little carbine, with a
2-7x Bushnell 3200 Elite scope, and heaven forbid, those
horrible look under scope mounts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif In the winter, when I
have to ski, or snowshoe, in to the deep woods, where the
coyotes hide from the dog boys, I sling up my BAR. I also
shoot 125 gr. Nosler BTs, and they anchor coyotes. Not fur
friendly, but that far back in the woods, I won't be
hauling them out for fur, anyway. My effort is to reduce
the whitetail fawn losses in the spring.

So if you are not saving fur, yes, the 308 Win makes a
great coyote rifle.


Squeeze
 
The 308 is a great coyote gun, I use one regularly.

I killed these two dogs one day this past Feb. Both were taken with my DPMS 308 carbine using 110gr V-Max at 400 plus yards. Minimal pelt damage at that distance and both were bang flops. The 110gr V-Max and the Speer 125gr TNT HP's do an great job stopping the target. I now use mostly the 125 TNT with 49gr of Varget. I get 5 shot 1" groups from my DPMS carbine.

TwoDogs-1.jpg
 
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I use the 308 exclusively. Put 110 VMax bullets in it and you are set.



I am hearing this more and more from folks.
 
jamesd it is the same light tactical with the green stock and 20" barrel with the 40x trigger. Guys let me back up I have the same problem a lot of you do and that is I like to buy new guns. I have a bushmaster predator 223, a Sako 25-06, and a Remington vssf in 22-250 that I know would be a better coyote rifle. I bought this gun for trips for deer size game out of state. But since I have it I would like to use it some and here in Indiana. You can us high powered rifles on predators and varmints. What I wanted is to get feed back on is some ammo that some of you use. Like, Bullet grain and brand I do not reload I figured that many of the western hunters would have used the 308. And yes I kind of figured it would kill a coyote and I know a 30-06 and a 300 win. mag out performs it but then again a 220 swift out performs a 223 and a 22 hornet but lots of people have 223`s and hornets. If they only made one round in each caliber many of us would be sad. Thanks everyone
 
I like to use my Rem 788 (.308) for coyotes. I use factory Hornady TAP 110 grain loads. Last time I was sighting-in at the range, I got honest 2.5 inch groups off the bench and was very happy with that.

Not fur saving but it sure does anchor the predators. By the way, at a little over a dollar a shot, I am careful to make my hits.
 
Im pretty sure that I read somewhere about the accuracy about the .308, The Govmt kept the 308 over the 30-06 due to the fact that the accuracy was better. Im probably wrong, But I also read that the .308 has won numerous 1000 yd matches. As time goes by Im sure that more caliberes will shine and out perform those of the Past.. But I'd shoot what ever gun I have.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif Good luck with the Coyotes !
 
Im new to predator hunting and am saving up for a .204 . How will a .308 do with accuracy and how bad will damage the fur of coyotes.
 
The .308 can be very accurate. Of course any individual rifle will prefer one loading a bit more than another, so you will have to do some experimenting. If you handload for a good rifle one minute of angle should be easy to get and maybe less.

On the fur damage topic, the word 'damage' may be a bit mild.
 

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On the fur damage topic, the word 'damage' may be a bit mild.




More like football sized exit depending on the load. But, I will admit, thats fun sometimes too on manged dogs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Our Coyotes are so mangey the fur buyers won't give you anything for the pelts, and since nobody wants to eat the critters, it makes little difference what you shoot them with.

I have used the 125 grain Sierra SPT on coyotes and jackrabbits. It's fun to see if you can connect at very long ranges. In the winter, I take the spotting scope, rangefinder, and ballistic charts out for a day of long range varminting with my .308 Howa heavy varminter. I still struggle with figuring the bad wind we have here in South Dakota but I'm learning. Sometimes, I just use the Matchkings since they shoot the best for me.

Modified Howa 1500 Supreme Thumbhole Varminter
Howa1500STHV308WIN-2.jpg
 
308 works fine for coyotes. Use IMR 4064 with matchking bullets. The matchking will just blow right thru the animal leaving a reasonably small exit wound. If you use the light weight bullets, you will see plenty of damage.
 
Karl,

I was going to just let this post slide, but I just can't let it do. and believe me I am not trying to be mean.

The 788 Remington is (usually) one of the most accurate off the shelf rifles ever made, and the .308 is one of the most inherently accurate cartridges ever developed.

I really doubt that there are many shooters here that would be (Very Happy) with 2 1/2" groups unless they were shot at 300 yds or more.

I would suggest that you clean the barrel vigorously to remove any copper fouling, Check the bedding, check the scope and mounting system, and Change ammo.

If it still shoots 2 1/2" groups, Tape a hundred dollar bill to the stock, and try to sell it for 50 bucks.

Please do not take offense at this post, I just don't think you should be happy with those groups.

Dave
 
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I like to use my Rem 788 (.308) for coyotes. I use factory Hornady TAP 110 grain loads. Last time I was sighting-in at the range, I got honest 2.5 inch groups off the bench and was very happy with that.

Not fur saving but it sure does anchor the predators. By the way, at a little over a dollar a shot, I am careful to make my hits.



I read your post and have shot 1" groups from 300 yds with my DPMS. groups at 100 that are one ragged hole are common. I would never be happy with 2 1/2 groups especially from a bolt gun.
 
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