.223 V.S. .308 yote hunting.

the noobie

the noobie

New member
i know im comparing watermelons to grapes but im curious on how the .308 would do.

im still not 100% if i want a .223. first and formost with a good hard bullet how hard is the .308 on a coyote pelt? what about bobcats? i know bobcats are thin skinned so im worried it would just tear a poor little kitty to pieces. (even though i will be very lucky to ever see one in my neck of the woods)

heres why i want a .223: smaller so it is easier on fox, coyote and others. it is pretty cheap for my plinking needs. less recoil more shoulder friendly, can be used on praire dogs (even though there are none within 400 miles of me )

why i consider .308: more usable can use it deer hunting and since i live in bushy area it COULD be used on elk if my dad sat down with me and found a good load (but id probably stick with the .30-06 for elk) can be used for predators i know someone on here uses one i saw it in a post a few months ago. it can touch targets at further distances with a little more ease than a .223. and then lastly if i ever get to a point where predator hunting isnt working for me or im in an area that doesnt really have any a .308 would still be useful as far as being able to do more than blow milk jugs up.

we dont really have a good gun in either calibers we have a nice .223 but my dad cut the stock down for my mom so its to short for both of us and we have a .308 but its a remington 700 ADL i think with iron sights and my dad wants to keep iron sigths on it.

what way would you go with... i like both calibers but can only have one for a few years
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I would look at either a 243 or a 7mm-08. I can honestly say that I have shot coyotes with 223 and blown them in half with 55 gr vmax's and have shot yotes with 308 that have dropped them with small entrance and exit holes, although that is more rare with the 308. It usually blows them out good.

At least with a 243 you can buy factory loaded hornady ammo in 58 grs and you can switch to heavier bullets for deer. Hope it helps?
 
I've killed quite a few coyotes with the .308 over the years, but it is not a fur friendly round. I wouldn't begin to think about pulling it down on a bobcat.

A .223 would be a much better choice in a calling rifle. That being said, I've always told guys to use whatever rifle they have that they shoot best. If the .223 of yours shoots well, but too short from being cut down, then buy one of the buttstock slip over buttpads and take it calling. I prefer a nice short rifle, with a short barrel for a calling rifle. Easy to swing, easy to carry, and gets on target quickly.

Experience in the calling field will put far more fur down for you than any rifle purchase/choice. Grab a good shooter, go calling, and modify your tools based on if you find something missing.

Hope this helps...

Tony
 
Ok i do own a .243 and it is my curent deer rifle would it be to big on cats? im not sure why but i felt like a .223 would be a better gun for coyotes than the .243 im just stuck between a rock and a hard place the gun im getting comes in .223 or .308 i just see more uses for the .308 but i see the .223 because its a small caliber and i already have a .30-06 which in a way would be and is a lot better than the .308

honestly between me and my dad we have enough guns but its always fun to have more!

weve got at least one of these calibers .22 .24 .25 .30 .33 and .45 and what ever 7mm fits under i dont know its conversion.
 
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Originally Posted By: the noobiei know im comparing watermelons to grapes but im curious on how the .308 would do.

im still not 100% if i want a .223. first and formost with a good hard bullet how hard is the .308 on a coyote pelt? what about bobcats? i know bobcats are thin skinned so im worried it would just tear a poor little kitty to pieces. (even though i will be very lucky to ever see one in my neck of the woods)

heres why i want a .223: smaller so it is easier on fox, coyote and others. it is pretty cheap for my plinking needs. less recoil more shoulder friendly, can be used on praire dogs (even though there are none within 400 miles of me )

why i consider .308: more usable can use it deer hunting and since i live in bushy area it COULD be used on elk.

we dont really have a good gun in either calibers we have a nice .223 but my dad cut the stock down for my mom so its to short for both of us and we have a .308 but its a remington 700 ADL i think with iron sights and my dad wants to keep iron sigths on it.

what way would you go with... i like both calibers but can only have one for a few years
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I would get a 223rem. for your target and varmint hunting. For deer and elk you could use your dad's 308 and put quick disconnect rings and mounting system for a scope that way if your dad wants to use open sights he can. I have a Remington 700 SPS Varmint 26" heavy barrel 223rem. that I use for target and varmints. It is a fun and accurate gun to shoot. Plus it is cheaper to shoot and can shoot alot more round through the gun at one sitting then the larger caliber rifles. Less barrel heat and recoil. Going price in my area at Wholesale Sports is $569.99 for the Remington 700 SPS Varmint 26" heavey barrel and $549.99 for the Remington SPS 24" standard barrel.
 
.308 on a yote is about like using a .22 on a mouse.
It will get the job done but fur will fly. As well as
other assorted bits and pieces.
 
my .243 will do everything a .223 can do only better

my .30-06 will do everything that a .308 can do only better.

no im right back where i started

I think i just need to get the .223 then in a few years maybe when i turn 18 get myself a .308
 
Originally Posted By: the noobieI think i just need to get the .223 then in a few years maybe when i turn 18 get myself a .308

Change ".308" to ".30-06" and I agree with you.

If I had to boil it down to 3 rifles- and I easily could- they'd be my .22 LR, .223, .280.
 
Originally Posted By: NM_HighPlains

Change ".308" to ".30-06" and I agree with you.

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nah 1 .30-06 is enough its not even a fun gun it tears my shoulder up i need to get more shoulder fat but i cant so its nice thin recoil pad against bone...
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dude its just way overkill.

1 is you might be able to tolerate hunting without ear protection with .223. it is sure nice to hear the dogs coming in. .308 your ears will be ringing and every person in around will hear the shot.

2 is the ammo is more expensive even if you roll your own its way more powder.

3 between recoil and the cost of shooting you won't get in enough practice. just think a good predator gun weighs about 6lbs with no scope. that is gonna kick!

4 there are tons of inbetween sized that would be reasonable for coyote or elk. There is .243, .257 roberts,25-06, and more of a big game caliber is .270. All these burn less powder, recoil less, and have less muzzle blast.

5 you have a 30-06 that really is a fine big game gun you could use on coyote why change it? you have a big game gun why not get a dedicated coyote rig in .223 or maybe 22-250?

I was dead set on a .243 so it would be more versatile after I looked further into the cost of ammo I ended up with .223 in a tikka t-3 i'm totaly happy I went with .223. Ammo is about half the price or even less meaning I can practice twice as much. .223 you can shoot all day, don't really need ear plugs if just fire 1 or two shots while hunting. super glad i didn't get a .243

REMEMBER MOST DOGS ARE SHOT 100 YARDS OR LESS! Look at what most the pros are useing! .223, 22-250, maybe .243.
 
Just put down a Cabellas ad. DPMS Sportical(?)$699.00 .223 Rem. affordable ammo, lightweight,quick follow up shots, oh and just because every red blooded American should own at least one.besides you got everything else covered with other choices.
 
Originally Posted By: the noobienah 1 .30-06 is enough its not even a fun gun it tears my shoulder up i need to get more shoulder fat but i cant so its nice thin recoil pad against bone...
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I missed the fact that you already have an '06. In that case:

Originally Posted By: CJWYou already have an elk rifle in the 30-06. Buy the .223. Stop thinking about it.

Agree!

I took my first deer with an '06. I'm not out there target shooting, I'm hunting. In 30 years of doing that, I can count the times I've taken more than one shot at game on one hand. I've had my .280 since 1988 and doubt if I've put 100 rounds thru it, sighting and load testing and hunting combined. Also, when hunting big game, I nearly always have a coat or jacket on- automatic recoil pad! But besides that, I put a nice fat cushioned recoil pad on my .280 and cut the stock a little to fit it and me.

You'll have the .223 for target and prairie dog shooting and the lower recoil of that round is exactly why I like it over the .22-250 and .243 (both of which I also have).

So, the '06 recoil doesn't bother me a bit in a hunting rifle, as long as I have some like a .223 for shooting.

 
Either is a fine choice. I have used a .308 on bobcats, and yotes when hog hunting and it was the "gun in hand".
The hard biggame bullets do little damage, but also punch clean thru, so you will have to track alittle.
Decide what you want the "new go for", and weigh the advantage/disadvantage, of each caliber.
 
Originally Posted By: the noobiebut its a remington 700 ADL i think with iron sights and my dad wants to keep iron sigths on it.


What's wrong with a Rem 700 ADL in .308???
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A more versatile cartridge, as previously mentioned, would be the .243. Search the Web and you'll find cases of clean deer kills at over 600 yds. Bullet weights from 55grn to 107grn. I've taken coyotes with my .243 and if not for bad bullet placement would have had a couple of nice pelts.

.308 certainly has the AT&T factor (reach out and touch someone) but will likely destroy coyotes and especially cats (except mountain lions).
 
working with big or fast either one will be hard on a cat. i thing i have found and had some sucess with... i have shot several with a 22/250 aim back on them and pop them right behind the ribs. the bullet is in and out before any fur damage is done, 2 small holes and i have yet to have one run off. they blow up just like a marshmellow and flop over. same gun catch a shoulder blade and you have a mess most fur buyers wont touch.
 
Check out our Web Site below. Almost all our animals are killed with a 308. I do not like 223 it is just too light. All the Coyotes that are spinning on the Videos would be laying there with a 308. Use light bullets. Unless you are selling furs which not a lot do, why not put them down.
 
all those spinning dogs get shot too far back from what I see. If you hit them clean they die clean. .243 will be more then enough punch if you are concerned about needing more power.

people tend to shoot running dogs with the hair on the boiler room. If the dog is running you gotta shoot infront of the dog or its going to spin.

I'm so dang happy with my t-3 I want to get one to match in .243 between price, weight, and accuracy its awesome. Sure i'd like a sako or something but i doubt it will shoot much better. i'd be set to kill anything up to elk size at reasonable distance with the .243. whats the fun of killing stuff from a mile away? I like to get close to things before I kill em. Even with the 22mag the coyote drop like a rock out to 100 if you hit the vitals.

You guys sure pack alot of heat for song dogs! Besides I see a wounded coyote as a good reason to pull out my 10mm glock and send 200 hardcast gr into his head! Always looking for an excuse to draw my sidearm all I do is carry the dang thing around!

like they said stop thinking about it and get the .223!

 
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