Using a 22-250 for bobcats?

[Sage Dog]

I have a Remmington 788, 22-250, bought for coyotes, but every year I find myself trapping rather than calling. Last year I got a Fox Pro FX3, and still have not tried it. I also replaced the Harris bi-pod with a Stony Point adjustable dual leg.

I want to call when bobcat season opens here. More coyotes than bobcats will answer, so I would need to drop both.

The factory ammo I have would cause excessive damage on the cats. Is there a factory load that would be acceptable? If not, what hand load would? Or should I trade-in the 22-250 for something lighter?

Thanks.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

I put my 22-250 in the gunsafe when I got my Rem. .17 centerfire.

I will do everything to a coyote that you want in a calling situation.

I expect the downside would be on 400+ yard shots or heavy wind but the way I figure it I don't get that many with the 22-250 in those conditions either.

Don't have to sew them up anymore.

Joel

[Sage Dog]

I expect most of my shots to be under 200 yards.

[FWS]

You'll be needing some needles and thread from the taxidermy supply guys. ;D

Joels right, for cats a .17 Remington (or other .17 centerfire) is the best tool. Blow up a few $300+ cats into $50 damaged cats and you'd have paid for a .17. I've seen horrendous pelt damage to cats with the 22-250 and the .223.

They're good for about a 225 yard shot realistically.

[lynxcat]

PERSONALLY...I rather sew up 4...than miss ONE due to an "underpowered" cartridge over 200yds.. FACTS are FACTS....it's like a stock vs modified trap...YES you put a BUNCH of time/effort into the modified ones...but if you'd normally miss 3 cats a season...and only miss 1...that's 2 EXTRA cats...do the math...the 17 is a great CLOSE range varmint gun...the 22-250 is a great mid-long range varmint gun....up close the 250 WILL blow holes...at a distance the .17 lacks at best.
lynx

[cameron2]

Sage:

Since the point of your question was focused on bobcats, I'd listen to what Joel said about the .17 Rem. I love mine. It's more accurate than I am, and unless you're talking about shooting in high winds, its great coyote medicine in realistic field conditions.

Again, your point was bobcats. Don't know about you, but I've been calling coyotes and bobcats for 30 years, and I've never shot a bobcat over 150 yards. I guess it's the terrain, or my eyes, I just don't see them at extreme ranges like I do coyotes.

I have two of the Rem. 788's in .22-250, and they're a great gun. Rugged, accurate, dependable. However, if you were looking for an excuse to go buy another gun, look at the AR-15's. They reach out a good ways, and the little .223 bullet doesn't do quite the damage the .22-250 does, particularly if you can use the solid point bullets. And you'll have a ball shooting at a coyote in the sage with a 30 round magazine. ;D

[mat]

14 grains of hodgen 4759 with a 52 gr barnes triple shock and you can shoot kit fox to mt. lion

[lynxcat]

Bottom line...the .17 is a GREAT gun out to 200 or 250 years...BEYOND that it is NOT...it's a matter of balistics.it does NOT have the bullet mass to achive ANY amount of satisfactory performance at this rance....FACTS...FACTS...FACTS...and YES you could kill an elk at 700 yards with a 52g 22-250....POINT being???
lynx

[edge]

Lynx,you are a crabby kitty.It is what,like 2 weeks til your season opens?.........your racks are welded....so paint them.....tweak iron.......have a set of mounted spares ready........but in the meantime...try to be nice..........and FWIW,I have seen yotes taken wel over 300 with the 17 rem.............no wind.....70 degrees and sunny........if you reload,the 17 is an excellent tweener.

Edge

PS The Maxiflate tire fill for repairing ATV tires and filling them up,has the capacity to fill 2 tires....BUT,it has a check valve that once you stop filling,you cant open it again...........apparently its most effective for dually ATVs,in SERIES..............ironic in its uselessness.Beats the chit out of hobbling down the rocks tho....

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

Lynx do you have any experience with a .17?

I've shot coyotes past 300 yards several times and the only difference I notice is the size of the hole.

As far as coyotes go I'd just as soon miss one at 400 yards than sew up ten at 200.

Your probably a better shot than me but I can count on my two hands the coyotes I've killed past 350 with my 22-250.

Like Tracy says how many bobcats do you see at extreme ranges? Especially if you are calling.

I'd say 10 to 1 under 50 yards, some under 10 yards.

Now what do you want at 50 yards? a 6 inch hole or a 1/2 inch hole on a $500 pelt?

Like I said I put my 22-250 in the safe several years ago. I'm not sure I'll ever take it out again.

Joel

[lb]

In shaking the bushes, and reading the "tea leaves"; I think what he is saying is that the Cult of Seventeen is much the same as Scientology, if you are a believer, anything is possible?

Good hunting. LB

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

I believe what I see.

Shot a 22-250 for 30 years.

.17 for about 5.

Joel

[cameron2]

LB:

I'm a bit confused about the Cult of Seventeen thing. I can't speak for Joel, but I've been real pleased with my .17 on coyotes, cats, and even kit fox. It's not a gun for all folks or all conditions. If I was shooting coyotes beyond 250 yards on a regular basis, the .17 wouldn't be my first choice, but frankly, neither would the .22-250 (that would fall to my .240 Weatherby, loaded with 55 grain Ballistic Tip bullets and shooting a muzzle velocity of 4,200 fps -- Hhhooooyyyaaaa!!! --, but that's another story).

I thought the question was about shooting bobcats, and like I said, IN MY EXPERIENCE, my shots on bobcats are pretty close. In fact, I'd rather shoot them with the 10 gauge than a rifle. But having said that, consider this.

Let's just say that the average mule deer weighs about 250 pounds on the hoof. I know, I know, I know -- some weigh more, and some weigh less, but just humor me and accept my premise that the average mulie buck weighs 250 pounds. Now, nobody would question you shooting a mule deer buck with a .270 Winchester, or even a .243. The .270 usually shoots a 130 grain bullet, and the .243 usually shoots about a 100 grain bullet. Neither of these bullets leave the muzzle at much more than about 3,300-3,600 fps.

Now a coyote weighs what? 25 pounds, or if you live in Indiana, they all weigh 50 pounds. Now if you have no qualms about shooting a 250 pound deer with a 100 grain bullet (a 2.5-to-1 body weight to bullet weight ratio), why do you question shooting a 25 pound critter with a 25 grain bullet (a 1-to-1 body to bullet ratio)?

Especially when that bullet is travelling much faster, and therefore, developing much more energy? The bullet-weight to body-weight ratio is still WWWWWWAAAAAAYYYYY in favor of the .17. Roy Weatherby proved long ago that it's energy, not bullet weight, that stops a critter. I have to confess, I doubted the little .17's stopping ability, but I've just seen too many coyote carcasses to do that much anymore. As an example, I remember calling in 5 coyotes at one time, and shooting 4 of them. Several were right on top of me, several were running at long distances, but they all tipped over.

I say, shoot a .17 a few times and see for yourself. Once you stop flinching because there's no recoil, and there isn't the same loud report, you'll see what I mean. I have three different .22-250's, and I shoot much more accurately with my .17 than I do with any of the .22-250s -- and I dearly love my .22-250s.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

The recoil thing is pretty cool.

Watch the coyote go down in the scope.

My .17 shoots almost the same place on paper at 200 yards as it does at 100 yards.

Just straight as a string.

It's so accurate you could call it surgical.

Joel

[lb]

Fellas, your argument is with the other peep.

(proceed with a sense of humor)

This is always a hot button topic.

But, if you force me out.......I know what a seventeen will/can do, just as I know what a 22-250 will do, and I know what a 243 will do and I also know what a 25'06 will do....etc.

You will never convince this kid that seventeen caliber is superior to all others, for all applications, so save your breath. Just keep trying to convince yourself.

No offense intended...at all.

However, in my view, most of the seventeen "advocates" seldom tolerate opposing opinions, which (are/can be) just as valid, and should be accorded respect, but seldom are.

So, please don't vilify this humble and misguided idiot, too enthusiastically.

In return, I'll crawl back in my hole, and keep my mouth shut, something I have difficulty with, from time to time.

Good hunting. LB

[cameron2]

LB:

Nobody trying to villify anybody here. Just spouting off what experience has shown. No offense taken or intended.

You said:

"You will never convince this kid that seventeen caliber is superior to all others, for all applications, so save your breath. Just keep trying to convince yourself."

If you go back and read my last response, I specifically said the .17 wasn't for everyone, and certainly wasn't for all applications -- but, if the question is: On bobcats, which do you prefer, the .17 or the .22-250, particularly where pelt damage is the primary concern, the .17 wins going away.

[FWS]

that seventeen caliber is superior to all others

For our purpose the .17 is superior, and the purpose is to have an undamaged bobcat pelt. It's the best tool for that specific job.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

Tracy I caught another big tom in the backyard this morning.

I'm gonna have to start taking a camera, I wasn't all that confident.

Joel

[cameron2]

Joel:

That's great. So are you going to change your definition of long lining? Longlining is now defined as a trapline that is no longer visible from your bedroom window. Life is rough, huh?

[edge]

**However, in my view, most of the seventeen "advocates" seldom tolerate opposing opinions, which (are/can be) just as valid, and should be accorded respect, but seldom are.**

Danged if that aint a fact.I remember posting on a different forum that I didnt consider the 17 a big country yote gun......whoodoggies,youd a thunk I slapped their Momma........

Edge