# Tool of the trade



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

*Just curious what everyone shoots for their predators. Everything: caliber, brand, scope, camo, rest, sling, the works. I'll start:*

I shoot a Ruger M77 Mark II bolt action .243 in the walnut stock with a blued barrell. Sitting on top of that is a Scheels brand 3.5-10 x 42 scope. I lug it around with a Padded Super Sling and shoot while calling from a pair of Predator Snyper Styx (spelling?). To keep it conceled from reflection I use Camo Form self adhesion wrap. I use Mossy Oak Brush in the fall and Snow Camo in the winter. I also have a shell carrier on the stock and a mouse squeaker attached to my scope. The only thing I'm lacking is a go to factory shell. I am in the process of picking the one that works the best for me. If I would just get out more and shoot more coyotes that problem would be solved!


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## Schming21 (Jan 25, 2005)

I shoot a custom Rem. 788 chambered in .22-250. For optics I have a Cabela's Alaskan Guide scope 50mm, 4.5-18. Also have a Harris bi-pod mounted on my rifle. This thing is a absoute tack driver. Love it! Can't wait for the Dec. full moon. Passed up 'yotes during deer season, just so I could call 'em in this winter!!

Schming


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

Rem 788 in .243 with a Simmons 4.5-14X40 AO. 13" and also a 23" harris bipod. I also head out with a Tasco 8X22 pair of binos and a Nikon 600 rangefinder.

Have you tried the 58 gr hornady loads? I have had really good luck with it.

For camo I use a bunch of suplus german snow camo and extra bdu's I got from the guard.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

farmerj,

I have looked into those 58 grain hornady, but I heard bad things about the Moly coating from somebody. Can you get them without Moly coating. Something about the cleaning of the gun after you shoot Moly through the barrel. Also, when I meant camo I meant for the gun not for your body. Thanks for sharing though. I have heard those BDU's are some of the best camos for calling coyotes! A buddy of mine got too fat after his military years and just recently gave me a set of desert BDU's that he had grown out of. Can't wait to try them out next fall.


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

if you reload, yes you can.

I guess I have never had a problem with them. Once a year I use an electric bore cleaner and never have any extra build up since I started to use the moly hornady loads.

I used extra camo I had to make camo coats for the gun too.

I will have to wait until we get all moved, but around Christmas time I should be able to get pictures of the winter set-up.


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## Jaybic (Sep 8, 2005)

Hey everyone, I have two predator guns. The first is a match-grade dpms ar-15 with 40 gr vmax bullets, 3.5x10 vari-x 3 leopold glass. The rounds are handloaded with 26.6gr h335, a browning sling and 10 rd mag. My other one is a heavy barrell Rem 22-250 varmint gun with 26 inch barrel loaded with 55gr Nosler ballistic tips loaded with Varget and vari-x 2 leopold in 3x9 power and a browning sling. Both guns will shoot better than I am capable of shooting them but under and inch is about normal as long as I do my part :roll: No bipods just stoney point shooting stix and both have stoney point target turrets on the elevation knob and both are painted camo. I use prairie ghost camo and also Natural Gear snow camo and Leopold 10x 50 mesa binos and a Nikon range finder and after all that I still only get lucky about 10-15 times a year.

jaybic


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## .17remman (Dec 7, 2004)

I use a few different calibers. For most coyote hunting, I like my .220 Swift in a Ruger Mk II VSS, topped with a Leupold Vari-X 3 6.5-20 power scope. Loaded with a 55 grain Nostler Ballistic Tip at 4150 fps, it shoots extremely flat. If I do my part, it will consistently shoot 1/4 inch groups at 100 yards. I like using the 55 grain bullet because it seems to leave smaller holes than the 40 grain Nosler BT. It also does not deflect in the wind nearly as bad.

My favorite though is my .17 Remington. It is a Cooper Custom Varmint with a 26" barrel, and a Leupold 8X with a quarter dot. Shooting a 20 grain V-max at 4480 fps, it will land any coyote in it's tracks out to 350 yards. It shoots flatter than the Swift to this range, and as long as the wind is not howling to fast, it will shoot just as accurately. The hole in the coyote is usually extremely hard to find, and I have only had 2 coyotes that required more than one shot. One was running away (bad shot on my part), and the other was a shot through some Canary reed grass. Needless to say, the bullet deflected into the rear end of the coyote.

I have been working on purchasing a .257 STW, and I will let you all know how it does in the varmint realm.

Happy hunting.


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## ND_RC (Jan 6, 2005)

A buddy and I just started coyote hunting this January. We went out about 3 times between then and the end of March. I haven't had a chance to shoot at anything yet. My buddy shot at and missed the only one we were able to call in close enough.

Here is what I will use:

Tikka T3 Hunter in 270 Win with the trigger at 2-1/2 pounds. Wood stock with Limbsaver Recoil Pad and blued barrel. I also have the Scheels 3.5-10 X 42 scope and padded Super Sling. Winchester 270 Win 130 grain Power-Point shells X2705.

Or I will use a 1960's Remington Model 700bdl in 222. Wood stock with blued barrel. Leupold Vari-X II 3-9 X 40 scope with Butler Creek Flip Open covers and a plain old leather sling. Remington 222 Rem 50 grain PSP shells R222R1.

Other supplies are:
Bushnell Trophy 2 Binoculars (10X42) Realtree with Scheels Bino strap
Leupold Wind River Sequoia 15-45 X 60 Spotting Scope on a Promaster Digital 1 Tripod
Cass Creek Predator electronic call with a Johnny Stewart Power Pro Convert-a-Caller
Lohman Real Sound Call
Homemade Oak shooting sticks
Heat-A-Seat Butt pad
Warm clothes and heat packs


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## ndfellow (Nov 27, 2005)

Love these guns!

Marlin 917VS
http://justin.highpointnetworks.com/ima ... G_0066.JPG

Bushmaster AR-15
http://justin.highpointnetworks.com/ima ... 5camo1.JPG


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## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

ndfellow said:


> Love these guns!
> 
> Marlin 917VS
> http://justin.highpointnetworks.com/ima ... G_0066.JPG
> ...


Those are some very nice looking guns.

They look pricey, I don't know if I could go hunting with them, I ight scratch one! :lol:


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## ndfellow (Nov 27, 2005)

Still a gun and they work well. I hunt with them both!


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## Brad.T (Mar 29, 2004)

Winchester Model 70 featherweight synthetic dull barrel. Leupold Vari x II 6x18, Both painted by myself camo. Harris 25-S bipod , factory 55 grain soft point bullets.

Took the gunsmiths 204 this weekend and wacked one might have to look into one of those!


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## marcus_rubbo (Dec 11, 2005)

im shooting a ruger #1 .204 varminter with a 26 inch heavy barell with a sightron 3x9x40 with a milldot rectical....... have shot nothing but paper so far i juss sighted it in and cant wait to see what it will do on a coyote


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## cya_coyote (Aug 31, 2005)

remington 700 .223 powder coated matte on a dull synthetic stock, bushnell 4-12x50... 45 gr. hollow points are holding about 5/8" at 100, but am going to sight in with 55 gr. v-max soon... just need to get the re-loader set up...

:sniper:


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## coyote22250 (Jan 20, 2005)

I shoot a Winchester model 70 feather weight chambered in 22-250 55 gr noseler, and a Leupold VX-III 50 obj. 4.5-12. Harris bipods and can punch the same bullet holes at a hundred yards. Kept that bulls eye for anyone who wants to see.

I don't like to camoflage my guns because I hate tape or wraps. I am interested as to what paints you used Brad, and how you did it. Does it flake off or cause the barrel to warm up faster.


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## Brad.T (Mar 29, 2004)

I used a paint for furniture called "make it stone"(spray can) that is a textured paint. I then air brushed the rest. Yes it does come off in the highly used area (pistol grip, forarm) a little bit. Just make sure that you put scope caps on or your going to have a mess.


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## coyote22250 (Jan 20, 2005)

Thanks I'll give it a try. Where can you find it.


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## Brad.T (Mar 29, 2004)

We had some at the shop left over from a project i believe it was bought at Hardware Hank.


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## yooperyotebuster (Dec 13, 2005)

I'm running a Savage model 12fv .22-250 with hornady custom 40 gr v-max moly. It is supported by a harris 25 inch bipod and wears a bushnell high contrast 6 to 18 x 40. For camo bear tooth has a neoprene cammo system that slides on the barrel, fore end , stock and scope. It is available at cabelas and can be removed and put back on. I used to use self adhesive vet tape but it held moisture. Bear tooth can be taken off and dried. They also have it in a snow camo. This gun has the accutrigger which is great at 1 1/2 pounds but is alot heavier than I would like. I already looking for my next shooter but sub moa groups at 100 are hard to part with!


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## yotebuster (Dec 3, 2004)

I shoot a ruger m77 in .220 swift, with a swift 4.5-14x44 AO with a 2.5 inch sunshade. It has harris bipods and a lohman mouse squeaker coaxer taped to the forearm with camo tape. I didnt want to tape the whole gun in the past but i think im gonna try those beartooth camo gun kits. Do they fit nice and snug? :sniper:


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## yotebuster (Dec 3, 2004)

I forgot to mention im shootin factory 40 grain nosler ballistic tips.


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## deathwind (Apr 17, 2005)

220 Swift ,Remington 700 classic, Leupold Vari X -II ,55 gr.Hornady VMax,Varget powder. :sniper:


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

Remington 700 VS 22-250, Tasco 2.5-10x42 varmint/tactical, 50g nosler bt, 34.1g Varget, CCI bench primers. average group size of [email protected]

Or my new one which hasn't seen action yet, but it will, Rem. 700 PSS .308, 4.5-14x50 LR/T M1 TMR, so far i've been shooting Fed. gold Match 168g smk with average groups of .4-.5, haven't started to hand load with it yet, still in breakin.

xdeano


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

These are both Ruger M77 Mark II's - .223's.

The laminate one with the stainless bull barrel is my youngest sons, he saved for quite a few years and I purchased for him used with his saved money when he was 13. He also saved for the 6-18x42 Scheels scope, sling and Rock mount 9-13" adjustable swivel bi-pod. It is a tack driver, the previous owner floated the barrel and adjusted the trigger to 2 1/2 pounds. I wish it was mine..... :roll:

The synthetic and stainless is my yote shooter, pretty basic with a Harris 9-13" adjustable bi-pod and a mediocure Simmons 8-32x44 scope, I would like to replace it, but it does work well; just not the clarity I wish it had.

If this picture posted, thanks Larry. If not, I will try again !!! :beer:


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## kase (Jan 23, 2005)

i shoot a Howa 1500 Lightning Series Varminter in 22-250 caliber. atop it sits a Pentax 4-16x44 scope. it has a target barrel and thumbhole laminite stock. i also have a B-square bipod on it. i love that gun as if it were my child  i also have a remington model 700 .243 that i never shoot. my grandpa gave it to me so i don't take it deer hunting cuz i don't wanna be tramping through brush with it and scratch it up. i think this winter i am gonna pimp it out with hi-powered optics and a bipod to go yote hunting with it...i know that if grandpa was still around he'd want me to kill something with it :sniper: ...you guys have any suggestions for scopes?? (not meaning to change the topic of this convo)

kase


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