I recently bought a savage model 10fpLE .308 winchester with a 6-32x50 varmint scope for deer hunting,target and just for a toy. Im now interested in using it for coyotes. I have been reading alot about coyote hunters using 22-250, 17HMR and 22's for coyotes. Is my .308 overkill or are there some advantages to the mentioned guns I should know about? Maybe Im just looking for an excuse to buy another rifle....lol...please give me a reason to buy another.

The .308 is definitely overkill, and the .17 HMR is most definitely UNDERkill.  
 
The only real reason for the lighter calibers, however, is the recoil and saving the hides.  The .308 will ruin the hide many (most?) times.
 
A 22-250 is almost as bad on the hide though.  A .223 is better, and kills them just as dead.
 
Personally, I use a .17 REM (not to be confused with the .17 HMR, since it's a centerfire round that WAY out-performs the rimfire version).  A tiny entrance hole and no exit most of the time.
 
It just depends on what end result you prefer, and I won't go into the rights and wrongs of whatever someone might decide to do.
 
Good luck!
 
Daryl

If you just want a coyote dead, then WHAT is overkill.........it just all depends on if you want the hide....if not fire away with your .30 cal, just as Daryl said.....

Gmoney you are wright, If you won't them dead  let'm have it, I shot some with a 300 savage down by a lake, They was good size ones to, I done the hides in, I did skin the animal's, the rest was catfish food.

I had good luck with a .22 Hornet loaded with bullets designed for the Swift or Varminter. They behaved much like expanding big game bullets, seldom exitin' at Hornet velocities.
 Has the hide market recovered yet? If you want to do hide huntin' the .17 Rem is the way to go.

Thanks for the great tips . I guess it still leaves me undecided but interested in looking for another rifle now.

Reload the .308 Win. with a 110 grain bullet and Win 748 powder. kills yotes dead. Easy recoil and not too bad hide damage either.
 
Regards
 
BRT

Quote from: Big Red TrikeReload the .308 Win. with a 110 grain bullet and Win 748 powder. kills yotes dead. Easy recoil and not too bad hide damage either.
 
Regards
 
BRT

That'll work as long as you have a needle and a lot of thread!
 
For saving hides, I'll stick with the .17 Rem.  A BB sized entrance and no exit = Leave sewing to my wife!
 

 
Daryl

im not sure about the 110s on coyotes but they smoke a groundhog prett good, im prety sure youll have some serious pass through unless you shoot real light loads

If you're looking to save hides, I'd say if the distance isn't too great, the 22 Hornet is a great choice. If they're a little farther, can't go wrong with the 17 Rem or maybe the 204 but I haven't shot one with mine yet, maybe Gmoney can fill you in on how it is on the hides.  If you don't want the hides, fire away with your .308...I've also heard from some hunters who use what they would on deer and it doesn't tear them up as a varmint bullet would.