# Perfect Predator Pouncers



## Cliffy (Mar 7, 2010)

Love alliteration since it garners attention. What is a perfect predator bullet? What is the predator's weight and muscle stature? Is pelt preservation important? Is the predator's primary malfunction killing livestock? If it's a lamb killer, who cares about pelt damage? Some varmint bullets explode violently on contact, so are designed for two to four pound critters. Most four pounders don't kill sheep. Most coyotes love the taste of foal as they hit the ground. Coyotes can weigh-in at twenty to forty pounds of muscled body weight. Those in the East can mate with Timber Wolves and gain some weight, like up to fifty-five pounds. Whatever the 'Yote's origin, any .22 Centerfire from .222 Remington Magnum, through .223 Remington, and beyond into .22/250 Rem, and the monster-killer .220 Swift, using a FIFTY-FIVE grain is extremely adequate for quelling any and all COYOTES. I favor the .223 Remington, yet that's just my personal opinion. I load 55 grainers to 3500 fps muzzle velocity @ 75 degrees ambient temperature. Hotter weather creates speedier velocities and cooler weather slows bullets proportionally. Cold air is denser than warm air, so also affects speed as the bullet ventures downrange. No "temperature stable" powders exist. Beyond ambient temperature, other factors affect bullet performance: altitude is a biggy, as does windage. Rifling twist is a major factor regarding stability of accuracy. You've probably heard all this stuff before, but it never hurts to repeat it! What is my favorite powder: Alliant ReLoder 10x, period! If you feel compelled to use heavier bullet, Alliant ReLoder 15 is the slowest-burning powder that works well in .223 Remington applications, but do not exceed 60 grain bullets in 1-in-12" twist barrels, as accuracy will suffer. Questions? I'll attempt to answer to the best of my experience. I don't tend to repeat what I've read in reloading manuals, so some may disagree with my findings. Such is our sport when pressing the limits of performance. Cliffy


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## Cur Dog (Feb 15, 2010)

That is the most outstanding selection of words compelling us to kill coyotes that I have ever read!!


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

OK , in your own words what is a predator? I would think that would delegate the size of weapon and the grain of bullet and the nesscessary powder charge to make the ethical kill a sportsman would wish to achieve. What would be the distance of the exspected shot and what type of terrain would this predator live in. Would it be in the mountains or the valleys,above sea level or below. When would you be persuing this predator winter, summer or fall. These are questions that would need to be answered to make the right decision would they not? Me I like to hunt for sport, for meat, fur and for the ability to meet on a level that most of civilization does not does not compete. It is the grass roots from which all hunters come. If it were not for hunting would we all be here now ? I am not a veg or would I every want to be. I am a hunter and will die a hunter.


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## Cliffy (Mar 7, 2010)

Bigdrowdy1, you open my mind to wide-openess regarding predators. Chipmunks require very little horsepower-wise, yet I actually feed chippers in my back-yard. I love those little critters. I don't consider them predators: Raccoons, Foxes, Bears, Minks, Otters, Coyotes, Wolves, Badgers, Carp, Wolves, and Cougars are the real predators commonly found in the lower fourty-eight of America. Wolves, Cougars, and Coyotes being the worst, since they kill Elk, Deer, Sheep, Cattle, and other noble animals. Most ranchers and farmers are not plaqued by Chipmunks. The newest menaces, of course, are the Feral Hog and Snakehead influx. Since a .243 Winchester can, under the right influence of load selection, take-down in-style any afforementioned "Varmint-Type-Predator," recommending any other caliber seems moot. YET, many other dandy calibers are highly suitable, if loaded correctly. I still think my .223 Remington can do major damage, along with all the other super .22 centerfires. 6mm Remington through .25 caliber potent fare, if a bit of overkill, work wonders when pelt salvage is no worry. Each bullet offered by each American Bullet manufacturer has a nich'e regarding perfection of purpose. Learning what each bullet has to offer becomes a learning skill within itself. Take the Barnes .224" 36 grain in .223 Remington usage driven at 3960 fps muzzle velocity at 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a correct powder charge from a 22" barrel of 1-in-12" twist, is difficult to beat at 300 yards regarding CHIPMUNK destruction, yet sucks as a Coyote load at 200 yards. A 60 grain Nosler Partition bullet in .22 caliber can and will take-down a whitetail at 150 yards, yet will drill straight through a CHIPMUNK, possibly without killing it. The right bullet and velocity charge for the right application: priceless. Cliffy


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

Yes I remember well, the morning I was set up to start calling, when throughout the woods came a distress call never before heard by me. The pain and anguish was like nothing I had heard before. I slowly and methodically eased my way through the woods. With each step the pain and excitement of the sound echoed through the woods. I slowly but stealthily eased my way closer. I had a large hickory tree between me and the sounds of death of a living thing dying the most agonizing death possible. I wondered if the 410 with 3 in magnum with #6 shot with IMR 4227 TRAVELING @1140 FPS would protect me from the same such pain as that that was coming from the other side of the tree. I was wishing I had a large caliber rifle like that used to drop a charging dug-a-boy at 10 yards using a 400 gr partition spitzer with RL-22 Powder with a 117 grains using a 400gr bullet travelling @2725 fps to protect me from the predator instilling this death to an unsuspecting victim. As my hands and every nerve within my body shook with fear I eased around the tree to witness another attack upon a defenseless critter of gods creation. I leveled my 410 upon this critter impaling his defenseless victim with its bared teeth inflicting pain with every bite. I could see the different colored lines running down it sides with different shades of brown allowing it to blend into its surrounding. There is no wonder its prey did not see it coming. As i squezzed the trigger I wish I had atleast a 223 loaded with 55 gr bullet traveling @ 3236 fps loaded with 26.0 grains of TAC powder shooting 2 in high @100 yards through my 1 x 9 twist remington varmit special 788 for killing purposses. The sound echoed throughout the woods as my 410 went off. The woods grew deathly silent following my shot. I almost could here a sight of relief from the beechnut trees around me as another chipmunk had fallen to a new breed of predator hunter. These days are a fond memory gone buy, but I in my aging years must wonder how many beechnuts are growing today because I stood up too the fear and stepped forward to protect the trees of today. I wonder do tree huggers of today look up to me or am I another one of those blood thirst vivlans they fear. I must ask is it not a tangled web we weave? Does FPS matter,or a sub moa at 200 yards mean anything, does an ethical kill matter to those who do not care to relate to what I pride myself on? I will be a hunter till the day I die and will pride myself on the ability to bring my game down with the most of respect and dignity as I can. Enjoy LIFE today as we know not what tomorrow holds and let us share our yesterdays with tomorrows hunters so they too can enjoy and exsperince that which we have tried to leave for them. THE ONCE GREAT CHIPMUNK HUNTER OF YESTERDAY


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## RoughNeck (Mar 16, 2010)

As I have tried to read all I can about the best bullets and what grain is better to use I have a question for you if you dont mind cause you seem to know alot about bullets and guns so here it is can you explain to me what M.O.A is and how it effects your shot ?


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

RoughNeck said:


> As I have tried to read all I can about the best bullets and what grain is better to use I have a question for you if you dont mind cause you seem to know alot about bullets and guns so here it is can you explain to me what M.O.A is and how it effects your shot ?


This article from Wikipedia does a better job than I could ever do:



> Minute of angle (MOA) is the measurement (in fractions of degrees) of a ballistic round's deviation from its initial heading due to gravity and/or the effect of air resistance on velocity. Informally known as a "Bullet's Trajectory" or "the rainbow effect". Long range weapons must account for this effect because a fired round falls at a quadratic rate. Weapons such as large caliber rifles use scopes with adjustments for elevation and windage.
> 
> The exact measure of MOA is 1.0471996" at 100 yards of distance. MOA is a quadratic effect so 1" of MOA at 100 yards would equate to .5235998" at 50 yards, 2.0943992" at 200 yards, 3.1415988" at 300 yards and so on. Most high-end rifle scopes used by military snipers, law enforcement snipers, and hunters are equipped with MOA adjustment knobs which provide the shooter with MOA adjustment. Depending on the scope, the adjustments are measured in "clicks" of the knob which equate to a manufacturer set adjustment. For example, one click may be 1/2 MOA for every click while another scope may have 1/4 MOA adjustments, which is considered to be a finer MOA adjustment.


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## tjc1230 (Mar 3, 2010)

Man you guys can type some. My 2 fingers would have blisters if i typed like that. Heck then it would take me a day to correct the typeO"s lol .Besides i have to back to work now !


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