# Best Predator Rifle?



## HunterTanner (Feb 4, 2012)

I'm looking at getting a nice predator rifle, and I don't know exactly what caliber I should get. I am currently considering .204, .223, and .22-250. If you have/had any predator guns I'd really like to know what you thought about the gun, and what your preference is. If it can "ethically" double as a deer gun that's just a bonus. 
thanks in advance guys


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

HunterTanner said:


> I'm looking at getting a nice predator rifle, and I don't know exactly what caliber I should get. I am currently considering .204, .223, and .22-250. If you have/had any predator guns I'd really like to know what you thought about the gun, and what your preference is. If it can "ethically" double as a deer gun that's just a bonus.
> thanks in advance guys


I love .22-250, but there is the "they go through barrels faster" which comes into play when doing a lot of shooting. Depends on your habits, you may never have an issue. Awesome for predators and perfect lope gun.

.223 has also treated me awesome. No experience with the .204 but I am not sure you could go wrong with any. Gun matters more at that point.

.223 and .22-250 have ethically killed deer in my experience. Like i said, never used the .204


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

You can read MIke Wilder's experience on here with a 204, he has since gone back to 223, is it? If the hybrid idea is your focus, I don't think anything will work as well as the 243 as the two uses are fairly distinct. Sounds like a good reason to get two different rifles to me. The seminar quoted here http://utahwildlife.net/forum/29-other-kinds-animals/25541-cabelas-predator-calling-seminar.html was hosted by a pro who used an AR15 and a 12 gauge shotgun to be ready for a close up shot and the rifle for backup when they won't come in. 
http://utahwildlife.net/forum/29-other-kinds-animals/25541-cabelas-predator-calling-seminar.html


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

The one you can shoot the best. All of the calibers you mention are great for predators.

For use on deer - .243 all day long!

.


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

You want to keep hides?


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

I own a .204 Ruger and it is more accurate than any other gun I have ever shot. The only time that I miss with that gun is when I am not focused. Other than catching my breath and huge doses of adrenalin pretty much every wish of mine is the .204 Rugers comand. I cannot recall ever missing anything at any distance with a proper rest. Golf balls out to 200 yards just explode at the bark of my .204 Ruger. It has done wonders on prairie dogs out to 300 yards. Shooting side by side with my buddies .223 I will say that the .204 produces better acrobatics on varmints. It is more explosive and traumatic. Availability of .223 rounds is really nice so if you are on a budget the .223 would keep you with rounds in your pocket. 

If predators is your main goal the 22-250 is the best all around predator cartridge in existence. If I could do it all over again I would probably pick the 22-250 over the .204 Ruger just for a little bit more versatility in that it barely meets the criteria for hunting deer ethically. I would probably not never use my .204 Ruger for deer. That being said the recoil in my .204 ruger is noticeably lighter than either the .223 or the 22-250 so it is neat to observe bullet impacts through the scope. 

In summary from my personal experience. 

-.204 Ruger is the most accurate round and definitely the fastest with light recoil 
-.223 Is a good budget round and still drives tacks and has high availability
-22-250 is more authoritative when it comes to killing power and it out runs the .223 still creating good varmint explosions.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

RandomElk16 said:


> I love .22-250, but there is the "they go through barrels faster" which comes into play when doing a lot of shooting. Depends on your habits, you may never have an issue. Awesome for predators and perfect lope gun


Anybody truely ever met someone who burned out a barrel and had to have to it replaced? I'm between 3100 and 3400 rounds through my .22-250 and it still shoots sub-1" groups.

If someone really does shoot out a barrel, I congratulate them on having had one heck of alot of fun.

-DallanC


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## HunterTanner (Feb 4, 2012)

gdog, ya I'm hoping to salvage hides.


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## fishreaper (Jan 2, 2014)

If you're not reloading, a .243 with winchster powermax bonded's are probably perfect for you. relatively cheap rounds, common, and do damage to deer. Shame you can't reload them to my knowledge. I sure would. Also, the browning BLR's look pretty spiffy, and come in several "varmint" calibers if you're putting the money down.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Dallan, Yes, I have burned out a couple of barrels. One was a 270 Winchester that I shot at least 10,000 rounds through before it was replaced. The other was a 243 that I managed to kill in a single afternoon. That one was on a rabbit hunt that I will never forget. It only took 100 rounds as fast as I could load and shoot to fry the throat on that one.


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## RandomElk16 (Sep 17, 2013)

DallanC said:


> Anybody truely ever met someone who burned out a barrel and had to have to it replaced? I'm between 3100 and 3400 rounds through my .22-250 and it still shoots sub-1" groups.
> 
> If someone really does shoot out a barrel, I congratulate them on having had one heck of alot of fun.
> 
> -DallanC


I absolutely agree with this. I just had to put it in quotations because that's what always comes up around that caliber. Didn't stop me and i don't foresee any future issue.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

10k through a 270... thats amazing! Well done sir, and it indeed sounds fun.


-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

If I were wanting a predator rifle id get a semi auto black gun of any brand with a flat top in .223

Its nice to have follow up shots on the runners.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

DallanC said:


> Anybody truely ever met someone who burned out a barrel and had to have to it replaced? I'm between 3100 and 3400 rounds through my .22-250 and it still shoots sub-1" groups.
> 
> If someone really does shoot out a barrel, I congratulate them on having had one heck of alot of fun.
> 
> -DallanC


I have burned through a few in my day. They average about 2-3 years around my place. But I am a sick individual. My current 7MM Dakota has been a 7MM Mag twice before. When you like shooting as much as I do, buying barrels is no problem. I laugh when people respond that one of my rifles is a barrel burner. Then I think to myself..."PERFECT"!


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

swbuckmaster said:


> If I were wanting a predator rifle id get a semi auto black gun of any brand


Now now, lets not be racial. You'll get suspended from the forum;-)


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I went with a 22-250 Huge. And that is what I would recommend to anyone that wants to go after coyotes. Or a bigger caliber.
The 204 is awesome on Prairie dogs and rabbits that sort of thing. Even up to Foxes. 
 But I have had a ton of experience with coyotes and a 204 and yes it will kill them a lot of the time the just run off never to be seen again.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

I have a Cooper model 22 in 243win that launches 70 gr Blitz King bullets. Coyotes never know what hits them.------SS


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

mikevanwilder said:


> But I have had a ton of experience with coyotes and a 204 and yes it will kill them a lot of the time the just run off never to be seen again.


Sounds like shot placement issues more then caliber choice. I really like my .17 cal center fire rifles for coyote hunting. All time favorite is the 17 Predator. Loaded with 30 gr bullets, it drops coyotes in their tracks without blowing them up. Also use my 17 Mach IV on occasion. Dave Affleck from RMVH turned me onto the 17 predator and he's taken literally 100's of coyotes with his without issue. Do you buy insurance with some larger calibers...sure...but I have fun with the smaller stuff. Lots of good choices out there.


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