What is the best coyote gun?

[Bwillsonhunter4]

I am wanting to get into the sport of coyote hunting but I need help deciding what gun and caliber to get. I am looking at a Remington 760 pump in 30-06 or an AR in 223 but I can't decide what one. I would like to keep it somewhat cheap though. I am only looking to maybe shoot 400 yards and I don't want to spend a lot of money on the gun but I'm not going to do a lot of range shooting or other hunting with it so the price of ammo isn't a big concern. Any recommendations would be great and I am open to ideas of other calibers and guns. Also I should say I don't really care about the pelt and I would l can take the recoil of the 30-06.

[Greg500sw]

Whatever you hit with, it's really an even toss up. Both will do the job.
A 30-06 can double as a great big game caliber as well as a good coyote round, with ammo at any store with ammo, and you never have to worry about a ban on a pump 30-06.
An AR will give you quick follow up shots, very minimal recoil, and will do the job on a deer in states that allow it. Only concern with an AR style rifle is they aren't liked by some politicians and that can be problematic down the road.

Heck, if you aren't concerned about ammo price or shooting it much outside of hunting get yourself a nice new Ruger American 22-250 or used Remington 700 or savage and call it good.


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[TXAZ]

+1 on .30-06, good for anything on this continent.

[Pahoo]

My experience is that it really doesn't take too much to kill a Yote. I have killed them with .22LR but only when I can place a good shot. I have also taken them with .22WMR. However, my dedicated round is .223 Remington. I mostly hunt closed in woods and woods to field fence rows. We call them in and most shots are around 100yds. They are a lot of fun to shoot. .....

Of the two mentioned, I'd go with the AR .....

Be Safe !!!

[mete]

Are you talking about a small 40lb TX sized coyote ? or a NY/PA coyoteXwolf cross that weighs 80-90 lbs ??

[taylorce1]

AR in .223 would be my first choice, then just about any rifle in .223 would be my second choice. While I have no problem using a .30-06 for a target of opportunity coyote, it would be way down my list for dedicated coyote medicine. Even if you don't care about pelts the .30-06 or any .308 caliber cartridge above the .300 BLK wouldn't be on my radar.

[603Country]

Ruger American in 223 or 243. Otherwise, the AR.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

30-06 having a good selection of bullets will cover the distance you asked about and more but may not have the accuracy you wanting. After all at 400 yrds a Yote is a pretty small target that's rather close to the ground.
223 is well though by many's Yote shooters to be the best cartridge for the purpose. Many think the 22-250 is the Top Gun.
Regardless what is used for the taking of a yote. In the heat of the moment hold one thought in mind > One shot one kill. You'll do just fine with either firearm in hand.

[jmr40]

The 30-06 is bigger than needed for anything smaller than moose. You can coyote hunt with it, but you could also drive a Peterbuilt to run errands around town, drop the kids off at school and buy groceries. I wouldn't recommend either.

Something in 223, or 22-250 would be ideal. AR's are VERY popular right now since they make excellent coyote rifles as well as serving as personal defense rifles and inexpensive to shoot range toys.

If you don't want an AR there are plenty of bolt guns that will do just fine. On a budget I really like the Ruger American rifles. Especially the Predator version.

[Scorch]

FWIW, I hunted coyotes for pelts from 1981-1985, until the price of pelts collapsed. I used my 22-250, good for clean shots out to 450 yds, and I thought it was the best thing ever. Until I got my 223. The 223 is lighter, handier to pack around, and cheaper to load for and shoot. And it's all you need for coyotes, no matter where you live. So, of the 2 options presented, I would get an AR. Actually, I would recommend a bolt action 223, but since you want an AR, go ahead and get one.

[Ricklin]

I too would lean toward.a.caliber that starts with a 2. .223 is ideal and available.
30-06 is a great big game caliber. Coyotes are not big game.

Dead is dead 30-06 is overkill for yotes literally and figuratively. Recoil is no fun and follow up shots are needed. Heavy recoil does not make for quick follow up shots.

[Art Eatman]

I've never had a problem ruining Wily's day with a .223. Bolt, semi-, no big deal. Hardly ever had to reach out to 200 yards; usually could call them in closer.

However, there are handloads for an '06 which, when used on a poor innocent coyote, would please any lover of blood, guts and gore.

[Boogershooter]

Yotes are not hard to kill. Anything .22 or bigger is great. My favorite dog buster is the 220 swift. Pick the rifle that you like best in any caliber you like and get to hunting. A good scope is maybe more important than caliber.

[Rmart30]

For a coyote starter Id pick this Savage... 243 heavy barrel $204 shipped after rebate.
Not as cheap of ammo as 223, but cheaper than 30-06.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Item/562171720

[lefteye]

I have taken coyotes with a .270 and .243, but I've always used a .223 when I was actually hunting coyotes. A .223 is definitely adequate and easy to shoot from almost any position.

[T. O'Heir]

"...coyoteXwolf cross..." No such thing. Wolves instinctively kill Wiley on sight.
"...I don't really care about the pelt..." This is important. Mind you, hides are poor this time of year anyway. Different thing in January.
A .30-06 will be a great deal more versatile and less expensive to buy, initially than an AR. Rethink the 760 though.

[hogcowboy]

Seems like a 760 would be overkill. I like a 22-250 but you can get a .223 just about any way you want one so I'd go that route. So why not get what's easily available, a .223. But if a deal in 22-250 popped up I wouldn't hesitate getting it either. Either one will take yotes all day long.

[TimSr]

I'm kind of curious as to how you arrived at choosing between these two very different guns and rounds with so many choices in between?

[mete]

O'Heir - do some research !! There is a great report on the subject covering NY/PA coyoteXwolf .Photos of skulls, DNA etc .I don't remember the numbers but I think they must be increasing as I hear about more sightings .
I've seen one and it will get your attention.

For your information -- It was coyotes from northern NY mating with
CANADIAN wolves ! Those nasty Canadians !

Start here . http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...als-science/:p

[Panfisher]

Those 2 rifles are quite a bit different. If I already owned an AR I would certainly use it on a coyote if it were accurate enough, if I were trying to buy a cheap coyote whacked I would look to the Ruger American or Savage rifles in .223 and never look back. Says the guy who does have an AR and a .22-250 both.

[Mobuck]

If you're expecting a reasonable chance of killing any coyote under any condition you might encounter out to 400 yards, the 22/250 is going to be hard to beat.
I started shooting coyotes with a 30/06 and quickly switched to a 243. The 243 was an improvement but still not quite there. Over 300 yards and range estimation/hold over gets tricky so the next step was 22/250. Less worries about guessing the correct range and less lead on running shots= equals more DRT or at least wounded enough for the dogs to catch them.
I killed a fair number of yoties across 40 acre fields (that's 1/4 mile)as they sneaked down the opposite fence row and the ones that show up at the 400 yard bait pile better have their life insurance paid up-I don't miss unless I misjudge the wind.
I do have a 220 Swift but simply haven't found a load that gives me the confidence I have with the 22/250.

[979Texas]

Either round will work just fine. Coyotes are very easy to kill. My top pick would just about have to be a .22-250 then a .243. Every coyote I have ever killed has been with a .243. The longest of those shots was on a coyote at a dead run at 285 yards and it was a drt clean kill. But for a gun just for coyotes I would go caliber wise with the .22-250. But an AR does sound like it could be a fun yote gun and in that case a .223 would do just fine.
The closest thing to a coyote that I ever shot with my AR, which is a .300 Blackout, was a feral dog that was getting after one of our newborn calves and its mama that was still recovering from the birth because she had only had the calf less than 30 minutes before. So needless to say that feral dog had to go. But the dog was three hundred yards away and I popped him right through the neck with a 130 grain Remington Hog Hammer. Needless to say that wild dog didn't cost us a new calf.

[gyvel]

In this neck of the woods, 7.62x39 is probably one of the most frequently used rounds to bag coyotes.

[Worc]

Good coyote cartridges would be the .204, .223, & .22-250. They are pretty popular and easy to find ammo. The .223 is the least inexpensive to shoot and the .204 will have the least recoil. The .220 Swift is very good as well but not as popular today and tends to be favored more by hand loaders.

If you plan on longer shots with more wind, the .243 is tough to beat.

The AR platform is vastly popular for this type of hunting as are bolt guns.

The mentioned Ruger American is a good choice as is the TC Venture in the $500.00 range. In that range for a used gun, the Browning A-Bolt or Tikka T3.

[Pahoo]

The .223 is the least inexpensive to shoot

Do you mean the least expensive to shoot ? .....

Be Safe !!!