.270 Varmint gun?

6.5's have always been kind of the BC sweet spot. Again, I'm just not up on current factory offerings. What is the current most over bore factory 6.5?

@OKRattler I apologize if I'm taking your thread off into the weeds. But it has me wondering, just what is the flattest baddest factory chambered coyote death laser these days?

I honestly don't know.

- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: DAA6.5's have always been kind of the BC sweet spot. Again, I'm just not up on current factory offerings. What is the current most over bore factory 6.5?

@OKRattler I apologize if I'm taking your thread off into the weeds. But it has me wondering, just what is the flattest baddest factory chambered coyote death laser these days?

I honestly don't know.

- DAA
No need to apologize. You're very knowledgeable and I like to know this stuff. I would like to figure out as well. Anything that can help me and others who are looking for the same thing, which there's probably quite a few enjoy the conversation. I appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge and thoughts on the subject.

You know, what got me to thinking I needed something that is a step above what I have aquired already is one scenario that has played out numerous times throughout my time predator hunting. Out here where I live you may call an area that's very flat and you can see for days. Other places there are hills and things of that nature. And every now and then you'll have a coyote come over a distant hill and hang up. Or you'll have multiple and down one and the coyotes that got away will appear on the hills as they're leaving. As we all know, coyotes don't sit still for long. They're not like a prairie dog. You have time to range them and twist turrets and this and that. If you can on a coyote that's all good and dandy. I'm a "there he is, kill him." kind of dude. I want something that I can know "okay that hill is 350 yards away. Put the crosshairs on fur and dump that sucker."

I've predator hunted with dudes that have gotten Night Force scopes with the fancy bells and whistles for windage and elevation and all this. Where we live and under normal predator calling scenarios they've never used those scopes the way they were intended to be used. You generally just ain't got time for all that.

But of course you'll sacrifice one thing. Fur friendliness, which as we all know is hard to achieve on all aspects. For the contest hunters they just need that coyote dead. I've been hunting contest with good fur cartridges for years and it has costed me some coyotes that I wouldn't have lost otherwise had I been shooting something with more oomph behind it. I'm a "call them in close guy." But that's also got me limited to what I can do outside of that 350 yard range. To be a good predator hunter I feel that we have to adapt and change to what we're doing at the time. I want to be that guy that can dump coyotes past that 350 yard range consistently. As of now, I am not that guy.

 
Last edited:
I was reading awhile back on the 6.5-300 Weatherby. Don’t know anybody shooting one, but it would be a nasty round.
 
Originally Posted By: DAAIf we're talking factory offerings, for the stated purpose, since there isn't a factory 6-06, I'd lean .25-06 too. The 6's have a lot more high quality bullet choices, biggest reason I'd lean 6mm over .25 caliber if custom is the route.

But, yeah, factory rifle for coyotes, between .270 and .25-06, I like the .25. Or, even, the .257 Wby as already suggested.

You know, I'm not up on all the latest and greatest. Just what is the current factory 6mm hot rod?

- DAA

I know the 6 Creedmoor is very popular among predator hunters right now factory wise. But reviewing ballistics I'm not so sure that reloading and putting a 75 grain bullet in a .243 would put you at a disadvantage to guys shooting the 6 Creedmoor.

I've also kicked around the idea of a 6x47 Lapua. I really like the ballistics even with heavier bullets out of that cartridge. Of course I don't think it's very common factory wise but I think with a bullet that's lighter than most guys are shooting would hammer coyotes out to 400-450 yards.
 
Agreed. Handloading changes the rules on how you compare them. And I think there are quite a few to choose from that will all get it done.

- DAA
 
When I started I used my 30-06 for a few years because it was the best rifle I had for the job. Handloaded 125gr BT's in it but also used by 180gr BT deer loads as well. Made one of the most spectacular shots of my life on a coyote with that load one evening
wink.gif


But if I was picking a rifle for the purpose it's not what I would choose. As others have mentioned, a 250-06 would be nice. Many use a 243 & I'm thinking a 6.5 Creed could be a good option as well.

Lots of possibilities...
 
Definitely lots of choices. Really good ones. I'll have to do some thinkin on it and keep an eye out for guns for sale. It may just end up being whatever I see first and feel like I can't live without. Y'all have talked up the 25-06 quite a bit but I know how I am. If I see something that seems too good to pass up I'll make a coyote killer out of it. I'm not much of a deer hunter so any cartridge I see I want to shoot lighter,faster bullets in it. It's just in my nature I suppose.
 
I wouldn't choose a long action cartridge if I was choosing a varmint rifle.
If that's what I had, I'd make it work.

If I was choosing, it would be a 6mm/.243 flavor in a short action class of cartridge or maybe a mini action class cartridge.
A non-boomer where I can see the hit (or miss) would be a plus.
 
I have a Tikka 270 SS that shoots VERY accurate. While I primarily bought it for deer and elk, I like the idea of using it more than just the fall of the year. I have had really good accuracy with the 110g SGK and the 110g Barnes TTSX. I load both of these with Hunter powder by Ramshot and have found a nice little accuracy node at 3410 FPS. Sure, it might be overkill for coyotes and I have smaller calibers I could use (22-250, 243, 257 Roy, and 260 Rem) but hey sometimes a mountain lion comes into a predator call and there have been some cats shot here in Oregon that were in excess of 160lbs. I am sure that my 243 could easily handle a large mountain lion, but I like the idea of using my 270 more than just during fall hunting season. We have a son that lives in Northern Idaho and I plan on trying to call a wolf in. I would think the 270 with the 110g TTSX would do quite a number on a wolf. I have killed two Idaho Whitetails with that bullet and the internal damage was beyond CRAZY.
 
I always thought that a 25 WSSM would make a dandy coyote rifle, 25-06 ballistics out of a short action. Heck you could even do a AR-15 in it. I've never had the need as my 22-250 works fine but I really like the 1/4 bore for deer hunting and have used a 25-35, 250-3000, 257R and 25-204 to take deer. The 85gr NBT is a very accurate bullet. All I've used on deer are the 115gr RN and 100gr Partition, 75gr V-max & 75gr Seirra HP for coyotes (not fur friendly). I have the 85's loaded for javelina and antelope if I ever get a tag.

I took a fellow out at the convention in Elko for his first coyote and he used a .270 worked good at about 30 yards, the next day another in camp took him out for his first double.

My EX and I both shot 270 in the 70's, it was a great cartridge but it was all deer hunting, foxes were the fur of choice then and worth a lot of money so 22H, 222R and 223 were the cartridges of choice.
 
Last edited:
Quote:I always thought that a 25 WSSM would make a dandy coyote rifle, 25-06 ballistics out of a short action. Heck you could even do a AR-15 in it. I've never had the need as my 22-250 works fine but I really like the 1/4 bore for deer hunting and have used a 25-35, 250-3000, 257R and 25-204 to take deer. The 85gr NBT is a very accurate bullet.

My pet predator rifle for years was a Dtech 243WSSM w/Mike's pet load using 87 gr. Hornady BTHP. Tack driver and hammered coyotes, hogs and deer.

Regards,
hm
 
I've thought about getting a WSSM cartridge. The only problem I can see is ammo and brass availability. The cost of ammo doesn't scare me because this won't be a rifle I use every time I go out calling. Generally I'll use something that ain't going to hurt the value of the fur. But that doesn't cross over into doing predator hunting contest. When I'm huntin for fun I can pass on a shot if I don't get the one I'm looking for rather than have a coyote run off to die. They don't always present the perfect shot during a contest and there's no letting them go. So I'd just as soon have that extra oomph to hit one at any angle at extended range and be able to walk up to it and carry it back.

It may not look very pretty but in most contest around here whoever puts it on keeps the coyotes anyway. They probably prefer they look nice but I ain't worried about it at that point.
 
Last edited:
So, here's an article I wrote years ago, about the very problem you are looking to solve. Flat, flat trajectory, with enough ooomph to get the job done. Hold on fur to 400 yards.

The article is about my .20-250, but in fact, now years later, I've settled on the 6/284 as my solution. Might or might not be any help to you, it's all about custom, but it lays out my thought process on exactly what you are talking about. Just point and shoot, no ranging, no fussing with dials, none of that.

An Extreme Predator Cartridge

- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: DAASo, here's an article I wrote years ago, about the very problem you are looking to solve. Flat, flat trajectory, with enough ooomph to get the job done. Hold on fur to 400 yards.

The article is about my .20-250, but in fact, now years later, I've settled on the 6/284 as my solution. Might or might not be any help to you, it's all about custom, but it lays out my thought process on exactly what you are talking about. Just point and shoot, no ranging, no fussing with dials, none of that.

An Extreme Predator Cartridge

- DAA

I think something like the 6-284 would be an awesome cartridge for what I'm wanting to do. The 20-250 would as well but after thinking about some of the faster smaller bullets I about decided that going with a larger caliber bullet would help buck the wind a little better.

Which I seem to need a lot of the time. That's just the way my luck goes. Seems like I always have to hunt a contest when the wind is howling like a banshee. They always seem to happen on days when it's windy or something else that's less than ideal for calling. Usually something unexpected and I've already paid my entry fee and have to hunt it anyways. Pretty much any type of weather most people with any sense at all would decide wasn't worth calling in I've hunted contest in. I'll never claim to be the smartest guy on the site. I've proved that to myself time and time again. Maybe one of these days I'll wise up, but I wouldn't count on it.
 
Last edited:
Wind bucking is very important to me, more so than a super flat trajectory now. My reasoning is that I started using a Burris Eliminator 3 a few years back. Range, hold where it says, shoot. It's not without flaws, the field of view is limited and it's kind of a dark scope if you're used to looking thru great glass. But once you adjust to those shortcomings, it's a killer. My hunting choice is a regular old 243 with 87 vmax and the Eliminator.
 
Originally Posted By: 204 ARWind bucking is very important to me, more so than a super flat trajectory now. My reasoning is that I started using a Burris Eliminator 3 a few years back. Range, hold where it says, shoot. It's not without flaws, the field of view is limited and it's kind of a dark scope if you're used to looking thru great glass. But once you adjust to those shortcomings, it's a killer. My hunting choice is a regular old 243 with 87 vmax and the Eliminator.

My buddy has the same scope on his 6.5 Creedmoor. I like it a lot. I may get one for a long range rig. I thought about it for sure. They're a little bulky but they sure seem to work good.
 
I’ve used the .25-06 for 45 years and it is a great cartridge. I bought it in 1978 to hunt groundhogs in Ohio. A group of us used to hunt every weekend. That .25-06 made some mighty long shots compared to the guns my friends used.
 
I killed a truck load of coyotes with a 270. It’s all I had. I loaded 90 gr Sierra hp over rl15. 3300-3400 fps iirc. It wasn’t fur friendly but there was never a spinner or runoffs. I have a lot more options now but I take it out every once in a while for fun.
 
I have used the 270 Winchester with 90 grain Sierra's before. Going on 35 years ago, I loaded some up and hammered two coyotes with them. Wow dramatic results, to say the least. Before we had the "new improved" .224 bullets, I used Sierra 55 grain soft nose spitzers alot in my Colt SP-1 and saw plenty of coyotes run 50-80 yards with a fatal wound. The 90 grain .277 was too much of a good thing, and I went back to the 223. Someday I will shoot another with the 270 as it did create memories. When my boys were young, I took a watermelon out to the range and shot it with the 90 grain 270 load. They still talk about that explosion!
 
Back
Top