Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,789
- 6,036
Thebear_78":36waihan said:
Dang. I'd like to see that! :mrgreen:
22-250 for wolves?
- Thread starter tecumseh
- Start date
Dang. I'd like to see that! :mrgreen:
Thankful Otter
Handloader
- Oct 8, 2012
- 783
- 97
Our work rifles are 7MMWSM and 45/70, and we use the 7MMWSM for wolves. We also use a larger bullet than you fellows do, preferring the A-Frames and Northfork. We recently received from a member of this forum some Kodiaks that we are anxious to try. If it was a dedicated wolf hunt I would probably use the 275 H & H. I was hell bent on having the 275, 300 and 375 H & H family of rifles, but the 275 gets the least field time, so I would take it. As we have discussed before here, we have a different view of the wolf than most here do. We feel they are an important part of the overall picture and we enjoy seeing and hearing them in the wild ( and even at home in my case) But we do keep their numbers down and are able to eliminate a few each year.
Cheyenne,
Knowing your penchant for the classic line is nice to see someone, you, using the 275.
I suspect we have differing views on the wolf but my comment is for the lower 48. My stance has come about, in part, due to ever changing recovery goals. Once a recovery goal has been met the tree hugging bunny loving granola eating wolf lovers go to court and sue to further their agenda.
I, for one, am tired of it. That's one, of a few reasons, why I take the position I do on the topic.
Take care, God Bless, and it's great to see you here again.
Vince
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Knowing your penchant for the classic line is nice to see someone, you, using the 275.
I suspect we have differing views on the wolf but my comment is for the lower 48. My stance has come about, in part, due to ever changing recovery goals. Once a recovery goal has been met the tree hugging bunny loving granola eating wolf lovers go to court and sue to further their agenda.
I, for one, am tired of it. That's one, of a few reasons, why I take the position I do on the topic.
Take care, God Bless, and it's great to see you here again.
Vince
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Thankful Otter
Handloader
- Oct 8, 2012
- 783
- 97
Vince, the idiots you speak of are not restricted to the lower 48 or even the U.S. Some have ventured this far north and when they do we are nice and guide them into the mountains. On the third or fourth night out we leave in the middle of the night. Some have actually found their way out
Just kidding lol
Just kidding lol
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
Does not surprise me. After having worked in the north in Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba, the tenderfoots have seen enough usually by the time they have seen a couple black bear and heard the wolves howling nearby. They would rather die via a mugging in the city instead of up north!
longrangehunter
Handloader
- Jun 19, 2011
- 1,483
- 7
A few years ago I went with having my 300 WSM Kimber Montana chambered to 6.5/300 when Idaho opened Wolf hunting.
A Wolf is a lot bigger then your average Northern Coyote, and I'd prefer to have them down at the shot due to the hydraulic shock from a larger caliber then the .224 calibers. The combined speed and caliber increase just makes sense on an animal that will bite back in my opinion for whatever that's worth?
A Wolf is a lot bigger then your average Northern Coyote, and I'd prefer to have them down at the shot due to the hydraulic shock from a larger caliber then the .224 calibers. The combined speed and caliber increase just makes sense on an animal that will bite back in my opinion for whatever that's worth?
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,789
- 6,036
What's a typical adult wolf weigh? About 120+ pounds?
Specifically hunting them, I think I'd be happy with any good deer rifle. Dang, I "need" to find a way to hunt wolf...
Guy
Specifically hunting them, I think I'd be happy with any good deer rifle. Dang, I "need" to find a way to hunt wolf...
Guy
Thebear_78
Handloader
- Sep 30, 2004
- 3,098
- 865
A hot stepping 224 cal with tough bullet will easily punch the clock of any wolf that ever walked the earth.
Any good bullet from 224 on up with 60+gr of bullet will work.
If I was angling for a dedicated wolf rifle it would probably be a 6mm of some variety.
Hornady 80gr fmj @ 2800-3000fps was the sweet spot according to the wolf hunter I know. Very little pelt damage and kills well.
Any good bullet from 224 on up with 60+gr of bullet will work.
If I was angling for a dedicated wolf rifle it would probably be a 6mm of some variety.
Hornady 80gr fmj @ 2800-3000fps was the sweet spot according to the wolf hunter I know. Very little pelt damage and kills well.
baltz526
Handloader
- Sep 25, 2005
- 1,074
- 8
Was it Montana or Wyoming that just Ok'd .22 cenerfires for Wolf. But with the 60gr minimum bullet weight restriction?
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,789
- 6,036
I was thinking those 64 grain BSB Noslers would likely be good. From my little AR-15... :grin:
But somehow I'd rather .25-06 'em.
But somehow I'd rather .25-06 'em.
Thebear_78
Handloader
- Sep 30, 2004
- 3,098
- 865
I think they would be impressed either way [emoji6]
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,397
- 1,056
Guy Miner":16xiqi4k said:
You can add Minnesota to that list. 257 Ackley (Joel) has some experience in this area. Don't know what he was using though. CL
longrangehunter
Handloader
- Jun 19, 2011
- 1,483
- 7
As much as I love my Remington 700 223 throwing 73 gr. Bergers @ 2750 it hardly a lot of gun at anything beyond 300 yards other then maybe for woodchucks, not my idea of perfection when the other few perfectly good wolves are around wondering what just happened?
And if it's up close and personal I'd rather use a 12 ga. slug gun with 000 buck or a 45/70 then any 22 cal. on a Wolf in that situation.
It's kinda like a 224 for Deer, yes it can be done if you pick your shots, better not be too far off though, and in the head, but not a perfect deer caliber in my opinion.
It's kind of like a knife in a gun fight?
And if it's up close and personal I'd rather use a 12 ga. slug gun with 000 buck or a 45/70 then any 22 cal. on a Wolf in that situation.
It's kinda like a 224 for Deer, yes it can be done if you pick your shots, better not be too far off though, and in the head, but not a perfect deer caliber in my opinion.
It's kind of like a knife in a gun fight?
Thebear_78
Handloader
- Sep 30, 2004
- 3,098
- 865
I think your over stating the toughness of these animals. I promise they are not bulletproof. Hell, I know a guy who has killed 3 polar bears with a 22-250. He used green and yellow boxed 55gr varmint loads too. The natives love small rifles and use them to great effect.
No animal is going to shrug off one of those 73gr burgers if placed in the vitals.
No animal is going to shrug off one of those 73gr burgers if placed in the vitals.
- Thread starter
- #37
longrangehunter
Handloader
- Jun 19, 2011
- 1,483
- 7
It's not about being bulletproof, but a margin of error on the shooters part and as long as it gets there in the first place? Shooting an animal out in open tundra is one thing and completely different then in heavy timber. Like some parts of AK, the dense brush and timber here in Northern Idaho can prevent you from getting a perfect shot. Which is my point. You'll be calling them in, and they don't always come in from the spot you'd hope to see them in? No they come in from the side or swing around on you only to be seen when you realize something caught your eye and you move to see it but guess what it saw you first!Thebear_78":ieqfvyom said:
If the .224 is such a prefect round for Polar Bears, why is everyone else using calibers that are five times as powerful on Deer? Most States wont allow a 224 caliber for Deer hunting in the first place, and why would they?
I'll share a story with you..... way way back when I was a kid I shot a deer using a 30-30 that ran off after being hit in the lungs. I tracked it in the snow only to hear another shot and find another hunter standing over my deer that had not expired close enough to me and the other hunter claimed it as his for putting it down. Lesson learned on my part so I got a 30-06.
Fast forward a few years later while out deer hunting with a friend I heard a shot and then a few more and thought maybe I'll see this deer that John had been shooting at? I knew he only had three rounds on him and that meant he was out of ammo! I saw a Coyote running way out in front of me through all the trees whenever the timber opened up enough. Sure as heck here comes this Coyote running full speed right out in front of me, I held on him and swung right to left of him and the gun went off! He was down but not dead, not wanting to blow another hugh hole in his hide I whacked him over the head with the end of my hatchet.
Well John was walking up and said he had shot that Coyote out on the frozen pond ice, spinning it around only to have it get up and run off! Sure enough I looked it over and found a hole in the "dead zone" that went in put not out! The dead zone is an area we refer to along the back line of an animal above the spin and does nothing! My friend John and I were using the same bullets Remington Bronze Points only in different calibers, his was a 130 gr. 270 Win. and I was using a 180 gr. 30-06.
But neither bullet killed the animal because of bad shot placement, which happens more often then not on running game I'd bet? Now a Wolf is four times the size of Coyote, which I suppose you could say is a bigger target to hit but I'd bet has a lot more of a will to survive and fight when confronted, wouldn't you?
That being said, I'd rather have a caliber designed for big game then be marginal at best! There is such a thing as ideal and what I'd recommend and a 223 is a Varmint/Military round period. Sure it can kill, but when a marginal hit happens and that wolf you're after runs off you might have wished you didn't use a 223?
So why would you unless you're an Eskimo shooting Seals out on the pack ice and you just so happen to see a Polar Bear coming your way. For most people any good Deer round would make a better option to use on wolves but hey it's a free World and you can use a sharp stick if that's what pleases you, I just wouldn't recommend it?
Thebear_78
Handloader
- Sep 30, 2004
- 3,098
- 865
You guys must grow your critters tougher down there!! Never said that 22-250 was ideal but I'd can work.
I don't have enough real experience on wolves to say what's ideal, only one shot with a 222. Bang flop with 40gr vmax, equally effective on coyotes by the way. I do know a guy who we have done a lot of smithing for who shoots 10-20 wolves every year and when he says 6mm 80gr@ 2800-3000fps is ideal I listen. Guys who count wolves as part of their yearly income value hides and don't want to blow them apart.
Use as big as you need, honestly if you struggle to kill a whitetail with a 30-30 or coyotes with 180gr 30/06 loads you might look to a hot stepping 30 cal mag for your wolf hunting
I don't have enough real experience on wolves to say what's ideal, only one shot with a 222. Bang flop with 40gr vmax, equally effective on coyotes by the way. I do know a guy who we have done a lot of smithing for who shoots 10-20 wolves every year and when he says 6mm 80gr@ 2800-3000fps is ideal I listen. Guys who count wolves as part of their yearly income value hides and don't want to blow them apart.
Use as big as you need, honestly if you struggle to kill a whitetail with a 30-30 or coyotes with 180gr 30/06 loads you might look to a hot stepping 30 cal mag for your wolf hunting
longrangehunter
Handloader
- Jun 19, 2011
- 1,483
- 7
Well of course they are...... are Moose are tougher, so are our Bears, why not our Wolves too? Some of the African game is well known for being tough too......Thebear_78":1efirj4m said:
It's also true the Karamojo Bell shot Elephants w/his 7x57, but that doesn't mean that's all you need for pachyderms. I dropped a clients Cape Buffalo with a 220 solid from a 30-06 to the head in 2005 but only because that was all I had in my hand at the time. It had been shot with a 375 H&H several times, as well as the PH's 416 Rigby. That doesn't mean the '06 Springfield is a better tool, it boiled down to the shot to the head, something I perfected long ago as a kid, later used on Bears, and then culling animals.
You said it yourself, you don't have any real experience, except for a smith that supplements his income with the pelts he takes. Which is just another reason to use a deer gun and any well constructed big game bullet. They work better then a varmint bullet that's meant to fragment violently which causes severe pelt damage. Besides I don't see a lot of differences in a 243 or a 260 other then the number written on the case head. I just like the 6.5's better, they're in the middle and carry a little more energy, along with starting out bigger in the first place.Thebear_78":1efirj4m said:
If you think I struggle putting down game you're sadly mistaken! But I wont go there with you right now. That was well of 30 years ago and this was about using the 22-250 on Wolves and I suppose anything could be used, but that doesn't mean there are better options.Thebear_78":1efirj4m said:
And do yourself a favor, why do you even go there saying things like us, or them, or "down there"? The only thing that separates US is Canada, which is sandwiched between us. Thank God for that since those guys at least will use a 7mm WSM or the 45/70 Gov't so those wolves don't end up back here when heading North and why I use a 6.5/300 WSM..... I think more like those Canadian's I suppose in part because half of my relatives are from their!
