Rifle Hunting · Caliber Guide
Best coyote hunting calibers
Researched by James · Updated September 26, 2026 · Editorial policy
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Every velocity and energy figure below is copied directly from Hornady's published factory ballistics tables, and the pelt-damage guidance comes from Outdoor Life's own reporting on fur-friendly cartridges, all linked in Sources. I hunt small game and predators with air rifles, not centerfire rifles — see the airgun-side version of this same question in coyote hunting with an airgun. Full methodology & editorial policy →
What is the best caliber for coyote hunting?
There's no single right answer, but .223 Remington wins by default for most hunters: ammunition is everywhere, recoil is negligible, trajectory is flat to 300 yards, and a well-chosen bullet does the least damage to a pelt worth selling or mounting. The three alternatives below trade some of that convenience for more energy, more range, or both.
| Cartridge | Example load | Muzzle velocity | Muzzle energy | Energy at 300 yd | Pelt damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .223 Remington | 55gr V-MAX | 3,240 fps | 1,282 ft-lb | 578 ft-lb | Least of the four, especially with a lighter hollowpoint |
| .22-250 Remington | 50gr V-MAX Superformance | 4,000 fps | 1,776 ft-lb | 807 ft-lb | Most — Outdoor Life calls it "too much gun" for fur |
| .243 Winchester | 75gr V-MAX Superformance Varmint | 3,580 fps | 2,134 ft-lb | 1,189 ft-lb | Moderate-to-high; more bullet than a coyote needs up close |
| 6.5 Creedmoor | 143gr ELD-X Precision Hunter | 2,700 fps | 2,315 ft-lb | 1,654 ft-lb | High; built for deer, not fur preservation |
Manufacturer-published figures, 24-inch test barrel, muzzle and 300-yard columns only; see each cartridge's full drop and velocity table in Sources.
Is .223 Remington enough to kill a coyote?
Yes, easily, at any range a called coyote is realistically going to give you a shot. A coyote weighs 20-45 lbs and isn't built to soak up energy the way a hog or a deer is — the .223's reputation problem was never killing power, it's wind drift at long range and, for hunters who sell or tan hides, how much of a hole the bullet leaves. Outdoor Life specifically recommends a 52-grain Speer hollowpoint in .223 as "least damaging yet still effective," which is the load to reach for if fur condition matters to you.
What caliber does the least damage to a coyote's pelt?
Smaller and faster generally beats bigger and slower, counterintuitive as that sounds. A lighter, more frangible bullet moving fast tends to dump its energy and stop inside the animal rather than blowing a large exit wound, while a heavier bullet carrying much more energy than the target needs does the opposite. Outdoor Life's own ranking puts specialized fur cartridges like .17 Hornet and .204 Ruger ahead of standard .22-caliber rounds for hide preservation, with .223 Rem next, and flatly calls .22-250 Remington "too much gun" for anyone who cares about the pelt. Among the four cartridges in the table above, that makes .223 the fur hunter's pick and 6.5 Creedmoor the one to leave home unless you're also hunting deer that same trip.
What about .22-250 Remington for coyotes?
It's the range-and-flatness option. Hornady's 50gr V-MAX Superformance load leaves the muzzle at a blistering 4,000 fps and still carries 807 ft-lb at 300 yards — noticeably more retained energy than .223 Rem's 578 ft-lb at the same distance, and a flatter trajectory that forgives a misjudged range. That extra speed is exactly what does more damage to a pelt at typical calling distances, so treat .22-250 as the pick for open-country shooters who prioritize reach over fur condition.
Is 6.5 Creedmoor good for coyote hunting?
It kills coyotes without any trouble — 2,315 ft-lb at the muzzle and 1,654 ft-lb still on tap at 300 yards is far beyond what a 30-lb animal requires — but that's the whole problem for a dedicated predator rig. All that surplus energy has to go somewhere, and on an animal this light it usually means more hide damage than a purpose-built varmint round. Where 6.5 Creedmoor earns its keep is the hunter who's already carrying it for deer (see best deer hunting calibers) and doesn't want to own a second rifle just for coyotes that show up on the same trip.
Where do you aim on a coyote with a rifle?
A broadside heart-lung shot is the standard, reliable target — the same shot placement used for coyote hunting with an airgun, just with far more energy margin from a centerfire rifle. A head or neck shot leaves the least pelt damage if hide condition is the priority, but it's a smaller target that deserves a solid rest and a confirmed range rather than a rushed offhand shot at a coyote that's about to bolt.
Good fit
- .223 Remington for most callers: cheap, flat, and easy on the pelt
- .22-250 Remington if your country runs wide open and shots stretch past 300 yards
- 6.5 Creedmoor or .243 Win if the rifle already does double duty on deer
Look elsewhere
- Any cartridge here if you need true big-bore energy — that's a hog- or bear-class problem, not a coyote one
- .22-250 or larger if a clean, sellable pelt is the actual goal
- Assuming one caliber is legal or in-season for predator hunting everywhere — confirm with your state wildlife agency
Verdict
Start with .223 Remington: it's the cheapest, flattest-shooting, and least destructive option on this list for a coyote-sized animal, and it's the cartridge most predator hunters actually run. Step up to .22-250 only if your shots regularly stretch past 300 yards and pelt condition matters less than reach. Don't reach for 6.5 Creedmoor or a bigger deer round just because it's already in the safe — it works, but it's more gun than the animal needs.
For the full breakdown of rimfire options if you'd rather hunt varmints and small predators with something even cheaper to shoot, see .22LR vs .17 HMR vs .22 WMR. For deer, elk, and the rest of the caliber questions rifle hunters ask, see rifle hunting questions answered.
FAQ
What is the best caliber for coyote hunting?
.223 Remington is the most common choice: cheap, widely available, flat-shooting, and light enough on a coyote's pelt to keep the hide usable. Hornady's 55gr V-MAX load makes 1,282 ft-lb at the muzzle and still carries 578 ft-lb at 300 yards, more than enough for an animal that weighs 20-45 lbs.
Is .223 Remington enough to kill a coyote?
Yes, comfortably, inside typical calling distances. A coyote is a light-boned, thin-skinned animal compared to deer, and .223's problem is never killing power at normal range — it's wind drift and pelt damage from an overly explosive bullet at close range, not a lack of energy.
What caliber does the least damage to a coyote's pelt?
Smaller, faster-but-lighter rounds generally beat larger ones. Outdoor Life recommends .223 loaded with a 52-grain Speer hollowpoint as "least damaging yet still effective," and rates specialized fur cartridges like .17 Hornet and .204 Ruger even gentler on hide. The .22-250 Remington, by contrast, is called "too much gun" for pelt preservation because of the extra velocity and energy dump.
Is 6.5 Creedmoor good for coyote hunting?
It kills coyotes fine but is overkill for the animal itself — Hornady's 143gr ELD-X load carries 2,315 ft-lb at the muzzle and still has 1,654 ft-lb at 300 yards, several times what a coyote needs, and that extra energy means a bigger exit wound and more pelt damage at typical calling range. It earns its place on multi-species rigs that also chase deer, not as a dedicated predator round.
What about .22-250 Remington for coyotes?
It's flat and fast — Hornady's 50gr V-MAX Superformance load leaves the muzzle at 4,000 fps with 1,776 ft-lb and still carries 807 ft-lb at 300 yards — which makes it a favorite for open-country shots past 300 yards. The tradeoff is pelt damage: Outdoor Life specifically flags .22-250 as more gun than a fur hunter wants.
What's the effective range for a coyote rifle?
Most callers take shots inside 300 yards, and a called coyote often hangs up well inside that. All four cartridges here (.223 Rem, .22-250 Rem, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor) carry well over 500 ft-lb of energy at 300 yards from their respective loads above, so range is usually a wind-and-shot-placement problem, not an energy problem.
Where do you aim on a coyote with a rifle?
A broadside heart-lung shot is the standard target, the same placement used for airgun coyote hunting. A head or neck shot does the least pelt damage if hide condition matters to you, but it's a smaller target and better saved for a confirmed, steady rest.
Do you need a big-bore rifle for coyotes?
No. Every cartridge on this page is a standard varmint or deer-class round; coyotes don't need big-bore energy the way hogs or bears do. See the airgun-side version of this same energy question in coyote hunting with an airgun, where a 20-40+ FPE floor covers the same animal with a PCP instead of a centerfire rifle.
Sources
- Hornady — 223 Rem 55 gr V-MAX (ballistics table)
- Hornady — 22-250 Rem 50 gr V-MAX Superformance (ballistics table)
- Hornady — 243 Win 75 gr V-MAX Superformance Varmint (ballistics table)
- Hornady — 6.5 Creedmoor 143 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter (ballistics table)
- Outdoor Life — The Perfect Cartridge for Pelts