rebuilding process

[carolina_outlaw]

Hello everyone, i'm back thank goodness, the past year of my life has been absolute hell!!!!! I've been dealing with a woman that i have been in love with only to find out that i got played, PLAYED BADLY, recently found out for fact that i have been lied to cheated on and used! One of those learn the hard way, disregard what friends and family were telling me, and trust me i learned the hard way. I was stupid enough to sell most of my hunting arsenal to assist in supporting her and her children. Hence the reason for this post. I'm looking at a couple of options for a predator rifle, i still have ammo for the 223, that i sold, but i am also looking at 22-250, and 243. At this point i'm not quite sure what direction i'm going to take, I know what ever it is will be a bolt action rifle. An AR would be nice but it is way to pricey right now in my financial rebuilding process. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Once again its great to be back, and i hope all of you have been doing well.

[carolina_outlaw]

i'm kinda leaning toward the 243, but im curious about pelt damage, the 22-250 may be the best of both worlds, between the 223, 22-250,and the 243. I'm kinda thinking about using this as a multi purpose rifle for pronghorn/predator hunting outwest, and the smaller frame deer and predators here in North Carolina, as well as a predator rifle to take to the midwest on my bowhunts for whitetails/predator hunts. Any insights will be extremely helpfull.

[lyonch]

.243 will be your gun for a better all around gun that is legal pretty much everywhere! welcome back and sorry to hear about your situation!!!

[carolina_outlaw]

Thanks Chris, I used to hunt with a 243 my dad had when i was a kid, we shot 100gr Corelokt's out of it. What bullet would do less damage on pelts? Are 100gr's ok or do i need to step down to the 75-80 gr stuff? I dont want baseball size holes on exit if i can avoid it.
'

[Coyotehunter]

I have a model 70 that I have had for just about 30 years and have been shooting the 100 gr sierra BTSP for years. 20 years maybe. does fine on coyote, bullet never opens up. bone sometimes can tear things up but it is a dead coyote and usually a manageable repair.

[lyonch]

You can't skin a coyote that walked off. Levi from the site i think is going to be trying some 85 grain pills this fall and im sure he will be posting on how they perform on fur. It might take a while for the post, because its nice to get shots from front, side, quartering and at different distances. There are several good bullets out there that will do the job. jamie has a lot of experience with this gun and load that he mentioned. I would stick with what you have and see how it works. I take it you reload your own loads??

[LeviM]

I am trying 85 grains bthp, averaging 3210fps.

[Prairie Ghost]

For YOUR needs i would lean toward the 243. Sounds like a bad deal with your woman man hang in there.

[bucksnbears]

your story mimics one of mine 20 years ago. overall she took me for about 12,000 $$$. .i agree with what the others have said for a rifle. look ahead, not back!!! good luck

[carolina_outlaw]

Thanks guys for all the input, no i dont reload yet, i've been thinking about it i've got tons of brass from over the years. The local gunshop here has just about every factory load known to mankind in stock. That is no exageration, he has over 5000 guns on display, and rows on top of rows of ammo. I'm like a kid in a candy store when i walk in there!!!!!! So for now i'm shoot the factory stuff and find out what the new gun likes to eat.

[carolina_outlaw]

your story mimics one of mine 20 years ago. overall she took me for about 12,000 $$$. .i agree with what the others have said for a rifle. look ahead, not back!!! good luck

I wish thats all i got took for!!!!!! I know that 20 years ago that was a lot and hell it still is today! Mine was between 75-80 thousand if you consider everything!!!! No i'm not looking back anymore i'm moving forward and focusing my attention back to the outdoors.

[The Outdoorsman]

Sorry to hear of your bad news, hope you can get back on your feet and moving forward happily.

As for the rifle, I would go with the .243

[carolina_outlaw]

Well fellas i appreciate it, i think i will go with the 243. I just hope it doesnt blow to big of a hole in bobcats and foxes. If you guys say it will be fine on coyotes, i will take you word on it, I know what it will do with 100gr pills on whitetails, and my largest black bear to date ( 408 #'s), i've yet to kill coyote, i'm hoping to this year.

[Coyotehunter]

cool, glad we could help.

[bucksnbears]

if your going to shoot fox and bobcat with the 243 be prepared for a mess. .i suggjested the .243 as a good allaround coyote gun. . a .22 hornet is my idea of a great fox-bobcat rifle.