Predator hunting is fun, and when you have a rifle chambered in the right predator-killing caliber, you’ll be in for a winter of skinning.
by Jace Bauserman
It’s cold outside, and most big-game seasons have ended. Yikes, there’s nothing like starting an article with some positive energy.
The good news: Don’t fret. Pelts are prime, predators are hungry, and if you’re willing to work and put e-callers or hand calls to work, chances are good you’ll burn plenty of gunpowder over the next few months.
If you’re new to predator hunting, you may need a new rifle caliber in addition to an e-caller, hand calls, and some additional gear. If you’re a seasoned teeth, fur, and claws killer and have some of that Christmas bonus left over, you may be on the prowl for a new pelt-popping caliber.
Either way, here are five of the best predator calibers in no specific order.
.223 Remington
Almost every gunmaker worth their salt offers a .223 Remington. The caliber is long-standing favorite and ammunition is readily available. The caliber is extremely popular with predator goers for these two reasons alone. Add that the .223 Remington is a standard chambering for the AR-15, one of the most popular rifle platforms ever, and you’ve got a go-to caliber.
Developed in 1957 by Fairchild Industries and Remington Arms, the cartridge’s flat, fast trajectory makes it popular with predator hunters around the globe. Ammunition is inexpensive, and the super-mild recoil allows shooters to stay in their optics, make quick follow-up shots, and pull more doubles and triples when more than one song dog runs in.
I’ve killed coyotes to 300 yards with this caliber, and if you know your effective range and select a predator-killing cartridge with 50- or 55-grain varmint bullets, you should pop enough pelts to cover the barn walls. One of my favorite predator cartridges of all-time, and one that has filled my fur stretchers with coyotes, bobcats, and foxes, is Hornady’s 223 Rem 55 gr V-MAX.
.22-250 Remington
If I had to pick one predator caliber for the rest of my days, it would be the .22-250 Remington. Oddly enough, this 3,000-plus muzzle velocity cartridge spent 30 years as a wildcat cartridge before Remington adopted it in 1965.
A flamethrower, muzzle speeds exceed 3,600 fps, depending on bullet design and grain. This allows predator hunters to extend their effective range when a stubborn coyote stops at 400-plus yards and won’t come any closer.
Moving at high speeds, a well-designed .22-250 Remington bullet delivers solid energy on impact without causing excessive pelt damage. In some states, the .22-250 Rem., because of its flat-shooting and low recoil, it is a favored white-tailed deer cartridge for small-framed shooters and youth. I love it when hunting feral hogs. One of my all-time favorite .22-250 Rem. killers is Nosler’s 22-250 Remington 55GR Ballistic Tip Varmint.
Like the .223 Remington, ammunition, though more expensive, is widely available. Another bonus is most gun manufacturers offer at least one if not many, .22-250 Rem. rifles in their arsenal.
6mm Creedmoor
Regarding big game, I refer to the 6mm Creedmoor as the 6mm Needmoor. However, if predators are on the menu, this is one of my go-to calibers.
6.5 Creedmoor ammunition is loaded with long, aerodynamic bullets heavier than most popular predator calibers. I like a 95-grain bullet, which boosts the ballistic coefficient to reduce drag and wind drift. Two seasons ago, I dropped a bobcat at 657 yards with Federal’s Varmint & Predator 6.5 Creedmoor 95 Grain. Tested muzzle velocity from my 24-inch barrel Kimber was 3,236 fps.
Another favorite is Hornady’s 6mm Creedmoor 103 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter. Fired from my Kimber, I get a muzzle velocity of a tick over 3,000 fps in a bullet with a.512 (G1) and .248 (G7) ballistic coefficient. The ELD-X bullet continually expands throughout its penetration path, resulting in maximum downrange energy.
The 6.5 Creedmoor was originally developed for long-range target shooting and competition. However, the .30 Thompson Center case necked down to accept 6.5 bullets with a shortened case length created a bandwagon caliber every hunter seems to covet for one reason or another.
.224 Valkyrie
First, the name is cool. When I grab my .224 Valkyrie and hit the plains for song dogs, I’m secretly, in my mind, surviving a zombie apocalypse. Second, this modern-day cartridge developed by Federal Ammunition is based on the 6.8 SPC case necked down to accept .224 caliber bullets. The design meant a reasonably fast (2,850 fps/Federal Barnes TSX 224 Valkyrie 78 Grain), flat-shooting caliber that reduced recoil and delivered terminal results.
Another win of the .224 Valkyrie is that Federal engineered the cartridge to function well with standard AR-15 platforms, which are popular with predator-hunting masses.
The cartridge is optimized for longer, heavier bullets between 75 and 90 grains to achieve high BCs. Compared to AR-15 favorites like the .223 Remington, the .224 Valkyrie allows for extended-range performance over the .223 Remington.
.220 Swift
One of my closest neighbors (we live in the country) is an older gentleman. I’ve hunted with him multiple times over the years. He loves to hunt predators, and in his mind, there is only one choice when answering the question: What’s the best predator cartridge?
Joe loves his .220 Swift, and he’s ultra-effective with it. Take a cartridge like . The bullet posts a muzzle velocity of 3,680 fps, dropping only 5.1 inches at 300 yards and 15.8 inches at 400 yards. This caliber is a smoker and through the introduction of the .22-250 Rem. overpowered the .220 Swift, this cartridge is more than suitable for long-range predator killing.
The biggest problem I see with the .220 Swift is that it almost kills too effectively. The cartridge possesses that “it” factor, and when Joe shoots a coyote close or far, the damage done is remarkable. If you put a premium on skinning and selling pelts, this cartridge may not be for you. Still, if you want a fast, efficient predator killer that promises maximum downrange accuracy and minimal recoil, this cartridge is for you.
Ammunition can be challenging to find, but if you’re a reloader, this is an excellent cartridge to reload. Joe reloads his own .220 Swift ammo, and his 48-grain bullets leave the barrel at over 4,000 fps. If you’re looking for an excellent factory load, I suggest Hornady’s 220 Swift 55 gr V-MAX.
There you have it. Short, sweet, and to the point. If you’re in the market for a new predator popper, the quintet above will fill the fur stretchers and provide you with years of enjoyable shooting.
