400 to 600 yard coyote rig???
- Thread starter skeetlee
- Start date
Jack Roberts
Moderator - Deceased
600 yards is impractical on a moving target like a coyote. By the time you range them, figure the wind and mirage, consult your ballistic tables and adjust the scope, they have moved. 400 yards is doable under good conditions.
Jack
Jack
Quote:
Most of the calibers the others have mention would all work, but I have to ask.. have you ever shot at 400 to 600 yards? That is a very long range to be hitting a coyote. It is one thing to shoot that far off of a bench and hit your target, and another to shoot from a truck or even shooting sticks. So I would say stalk closer, but it is a good reason to buy another rifle!
Pretty accurate as are the other comments here.
Find a place where u can shoot to 600 yds. or so. Get a couple cheap steel tgts. paint them white, then paint another red 6" circle in the center (approximate size of coyote's vital area). Get 3 pieces of rebar pound 2 into the ground. Place 2 copper or galvanized plumbing T's on top, and slide another rebar thru them parallel to the ground. Then hang steel from them with S-hooks or wire, whatever. Now take you're best long-range, high-BC handloads, "tactical" system, and Harris bipod from prone, and see how often u can hit the red spot at that range.
I'd also start at the BR case with high BC bullets and go up from there.
There was an article couple years ago in Fur, Fish, Game about a guy that had gone thru a number of cartridges for LR coyote shooting, and he finally went back to a Police Model Savage 308/3.5-10X Leupold with tgt. turrets. Factory loads too, believe it or not. Good article i thought.
Like Jack says coyotes won't give u that many opportunites at that range, but u will get some.
This LR shooting isn't something u can pick up and just start doing--it's a discipline unto itself for sure.
Most of the calibers the others have mention would all work, but I have to ask.. have you ever shot at 400 to 600 yards? That is a very long range to be hitting a coyote. It is one thing to shoot that far off of a bench and hit your target, and another to shoot from a truck or even shooting sticks. So I would say stalk closer, but it is a good reason to buy another rifle!
Pretty accurate as are the other comments here.
Find a place where u can shoot to 600 yds. or so. Get a couple cheap steel tgts. paint them white, then paint another red 6" circle in the center (approximate size of coyote's vital area). Get 3 pieces of rebar pound 2 into the ground. Place 2 copper or galvanized plumbing T's on top, and slide another rebar thru them parallel to the ground. Then hang steel from them with S-hooks or wire, whatever. Now take you're best long-range, high-BC handloads, "tactical" system, and Harris bipod from prone, and see how often u can hit the red spot at that range.
I'd also start at the BR case with high BC bullets and go up from there.
There was an article couple years ago in Fur, Fish, Game about a guy that had gone thru a number of cartridges for LR coyote shooting, and he finally went back to a Police Model Savage 308/3.5-10X Leupold with tgt. turrets. Factory loads too, believe it or not. Good article i thought.
Like Jack says coyotes won't give u that many opportunites at that range, but u will get some.
This LR shooting isn't something u can pick up and just start doing--it's a discipline unto itself for sure.
I found shooting groundhogs out to about 400 yards pretty easy, providing there was little wind. Between 400 and 500 it became more difficult and between 500 and 600, a lot of "sighting" shots were required to determine the exact range. I think I figured one time that for my gun, between 500 and 600 yards, there was 1" more bullet drop for every 10 yards increase in range. That made accurate range estimation extremely important, and that's much easier to do with an animal like a groundhog who will run to his burrow and hang out there, than on a coyote who will leave the section after the first or second shot is fired at him.
As was said before, a 400 yard shot is doable. A 600 yard hit on the first or second shot is more a matter of luck than skill ...... his bad luck and your good luck.
As was said before, a 400 yard shot is doable. A 600 yard hit on the first or second shot is more a matter of luck than skill ...... his bad luck and your good luck.
Quote:
...than on a coyote who will leave the section after the first or second shot is fired at him.
Exactly!! Referring to my 1st posting, after you have the "system" down well, go out on a different day with 1 round (well, maybe a couple rounds...but i think u'll get the picture), and have your buddy set up the steel tgt. at between 500 and 600 yds. Now u have to range it accurately, and apply a firing solution as accurately as possible to get that 1st shot into the 6" vital area-- this means the most precise form of horizontal and vertical trajectory zeroing possible--good luck, and have fun.
Better yet, look around in your local area for any tactical long-range matches. Some places r doing these kind of shoots these days that are roving field courses where tgts. are engaged at any distance out to very long-range. This is the best practice u will ever get for LR coyote shooting, and a helluva lotta fun.
...than on a coyote who will leave the section after the first or second shot is fired at him.
Exactly!! Referring to my 1st posting, after you have the "system" down well, go out on a different day with 1 round (well, maybe a couple rounds...but i think u'll get the picture), and have your buddy set up the steel tgt. at between 500 and 600 yds. Now u have to range it accurately, and apply a firing solution as accurately as possible to get that 1st shot into the 6" vital area-- this means the most precise form of horizontal and vertical trajectory zeroing possible--good luck, and have fun.
Better yet, look around in your local area for any tactical long-range matches. Some places r doing these kind of shoots these days that are roving field courses where tgts. are engaged at any distance out to very long-range. This is the best practice u will ever get for LR coyote shooting, and a helluva lotta fun.
CatShooter
New member
Quote:
Most of the calibers the others have mention would all work, but I have to ask.. have you ever shot at 400 to 600 yards? That is a very long range to be hitting a coyote. It is one thing to shoot that far off of a bench and hit your target, and another to shoot from a truck or even shooting sticks.
Shooting coyote sized targets at 600 is not hard for a seasoned woodchuck/PD shooter, with skill and the right bag of toys. Most of the calibers mentioned here, in a halfway decent rifle will do it all day long.
It is doable on a regular basis IF you put in the time getting your skills up to speed.
The limits will be the shooter's skills (or lack thereof).
Some folks think if you get the right rifle, you are automatically a long range hunter, like you can buy your way into it - unfortunately, not so.
'yotes are larger than woodchucks, and so they are larger targets, but unlike woodchucks, they are rarely standing still for you like a chuck, unless they are chompin' on a kill.
You will need a scope with target turrets, and have those turrets marked up in yards so you don't have to count turns and clicks. You'll need a laser rangefinder, "X" sticks, bins, and preferably a partner.
When you spot the coyote, you need to be able to range, dial in the range, get set up, and fire in maybe 10 seconds, unless you use a caller to stop him in his tracks. A partner is real helpful.
And you should spend a lot of time ringing steel plates at 600-700 before you go out for a 'yote.
You also might spend some time over on www.longrangehunting.com/ It will be humbling if you haven't done it before. Skilled shooters try for deer sized animals and miss at 600 yds.
Quote:
... but it is a good reason to buy another rifle!
We need REASONS??? Damn, I'm in trouble - I thought all you needed is more checks in the checkbook /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Most of the calibers the others have mention would all work, but I have to ask.. have you ever shot at 400 to 600 yards? That is a very long range to be hitting a coyote. It is one thing to shoot that far off of a bench and hit your target, and another to shoot from a truck or even shooting sticks.
Shooting coyote sized targets at 600 is not hard for a seasoned woodchuck/PD shooter, with skill and the right bag of toys. Most of the calibers mentioned here, in a halfway decent rifle will do it all day long.
It is doable on a regular basis IF you put in the time getting your skills up to speed.
The limits will be the shooter's skills (or lack thereof).
Some folks think if you get the right rifle, you are automatically a long range hunter, like you can buy your way into it - unfortunately, not so.
'yotes are larger than woodchucks, and so they are larger targets, but unlike woodchucks, they are rarely standing still for you like a chuck, unless they are chompin' on a kill.
You will need a scope with target turrets, and have those turrets marked up in yards so you don't have to count turns and clicks. You'll need a laser rangefinder, "X" sticks, bins, and preferably a partner.
When you spot the coyote, you need to be able to range, dial in the range, get set up, and fire in maybe 10 seconds, unless you use a caller to stop him in his tracks. A partner is real helpful.
And you should spend a lot of time ringing steel plates at 600-700 before you go out for a 'yote.
You also might spend some time over on www.longrangehunting.com/ It will be humbling if you haven't done it before. Skilled shooters try for deer sized animals and miss at 600 yds.
Quote:
... but it is a good reason to buy another rifle!
We need REASONS??? Damn, I'm in trouble - I thought all you needed is more checks in the checkbook /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
kansascoyote
New member
Around my area anybody with a rifle thinks that they just have to shoot at coyotes, if they are at 10 yrds or 1000. When people tell me they shot at a coyote at the half mile line just to see if they could hit it that tends to rub me the wrong way.
I love calling coyotes, there is nothing better than to get a coyote running in at 10 yards, it is a bigger rush than anything I have ever found. But when everyone starts shooting at coyotes (weather they can hit them or not) it makes them that much harder to call in.
They now know trucks coming down the road means danger and are long gone when they hear one coming. That is why they are in the middle of the field far away from roads, when people start shooting at them from 600yrds, the coyote will just move further away and guys will be looking for the best 1000yrd coyote rifle!!
Most of us here are predator hunters and the idea is to get the coyote in close, not be a long range sniper, leave that long distance stuff for praire dogs and woodchucks.
I love calling coyotes, there is nothing better than to get a coyote running in at 10 yards, it is a bigger rush than anything I have ever found. But when everyone starts shooting at coyotes (weather they can hit them or not) it makes them that much harder to call in.
They now know trucks coming down the road means danger and are long gone when they hear one coming. That is why they are in the middle of the field far away from roads, when people start shooting at them from 600yrds, the coyote will just move further away and guys will be looking for the best 1000yrd coyote rifle!!
Most of us here are predator hunters and the idea is to get the coyote in close, not be a long range sniper, leave that long distance stuff for praire dogs and woodchucks.
WNYstalker
Member
I'm shocked and appaled that noone brought the .50 BMG to the table on this question.....600 is a chip shot....lol
I did like the idea of a call for fire Nahuatl brought up. I think we could combine these two tactics, and the farmer wouldn't even need to plow or disk off that section of field.....nearly instant cultivation!!!
WNYS
I did like the idea of a call for fire Nahuatl brought up. I think we could combine these two tactics, and the farmer wouldn't even need to plow or disk off that section of field.....nearly instant cultivation!!!
WNYS
Quote:
Around my area anybody with a rifle thinks that they just have to shoot at coyotes, if they are at 10 yrds or 1000. When people tell me they shot at a coyote at the half mile line just to see if they could hit it that tends to rub me the wrong way.
I love calling coyotes, there is nothing better than to get a coyote running in at 10 yards, it is a bigger rush than anything I have ever found. But when everyone starts shooting at coyotes (weather they can hit them or not) it makes them that much harder to call in.
They now know trucks coming down the road means danger and are long gone when they hear one coming. That is why they are in the middle of the field far away from roads, when people start shooting at them from 600yrds, the coyote will just move further away and guys will be looking for the best 1000yrd coyote rifle!!
Most of us here are predator hunters and the idea is to get the coyote in close, not be a long range sniper, leave that long distance stuff for praire dogs and woodchucks.
There's a lot of different ways to hunt coyotes. The most popular in my area is to either drive sections (our roads normally divide up the farm ground into 1 mile square sections, often with woodlots of 10 - 40 acres inside them) or to hunt them with dogs. Both methods often require taking longer ranged shots. And, you have to be prepared for that eventuality in choosing your equipment.
Around my area anybody with a rifle thinks that they just have to shoot at coyotes, if they are at 10 yrds or 1000. When people tell me they shot at a coyote at the half mile line just to see if they could hit it that tends to rub me the wrong way.
I love calling coyotes, there is nothing better than to get a coyote running in at 10 yards, it is a bigger rush than anything I have ever found. But when everyone starts shooting at coyotes (weather they can hit them or not) it makes them that much harder to call in.
They now know trucks coming down the road means danger and are long gone when they hear one coming. That is why they are in the middle of the field far away from roads, when people start shooting at them from 600yrds, the coyote will just move further away and guys will be looking for the best 1000yrd coyote rifle!!
Most of us here are predator hunters and the idea is to get the coyote in close, not be a long range sniper, leave that long distance stuff for praire dogs and woodchucks.
There's a lot of different ways to hunt coyotes. The most popular in my area is to either drive sections (our roads normally divide up the farm ground into 1 mile square sections, often with woodlots of 10 - 40 acres inside them) or to hunt them with dogs. Both methods often require taking longer ranged shots. And, you have to be prepared for that eventuality in choosing your equipment.
MPFD
Well-known member
@ 600 yards a .243 with a 87 g. bullet, has 594 ft/lbs. Which is easily enough to kill a coyote, but it better be right in the boiler room. If you have a marginal shot the coyote will run for miles. Which all kidding aside is not uncommon on 600 yard shot's, unless your some kind of competition match shooter. I would want enough gun to make sure he's dead even with a less then perfect shot. Thats why I say a pretty large round is needed, a 308 with a light bullet wouldn't cut the mustard, you need something heavy with a good B.C. My co-worker shoots coyotes with with a 7mm rem mag using a 139 g. bullet, and his exit wounds aren't much bigger then my .243 with 75 g. V-max's.
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Curt Barrett
Active member
Quote:
I'd try something radical... like getting closer, or, calling them closer.
Took the words right out of my mouth GC. lol!
I'd try something radical... like getting closer, or, calling them closer.
Took the words right out of my mouth GC. lol!
Dave Allen
New member
hello...i don't have the skill's to shoot long range coyote's..."nor" do i have the time & energy to develop the skill's...& loading technique's to go with it...if a fella...want's to go for it...what the heck...if all else fail's i would try the ol'e sneak mehtod....you know drive down the road a bit ?? & sneak back ?? i have no doubt there are guy's right here on this furom that can & know how to shoot long range..."however" i think it's a very short list....
yotehunter74
New member
well just my .02 I like shooting long range... and practice it all summer on targets like groundhogs but when they are not around i keep milk jugs throughout the year, fill them up with water and practice... I am shooting a wood stock, Savage 223, Burris Ballistic-plex reticule with black hills 50g ballistic tips and my longest shot to date is 527 yrds... most of my shots are 100-250... that shot was on a sitting yote and he took it right in the chest... bang-flop If you do not have the time or will not practice these shots they are not an ethical choice.. I am sure that some will slam me for doing it as well... but in aa case to case basis you can take those shots.
I also like having them slip right in on me at 30 yrds each way has a skill level required ... if you know you will make a clean kill then you are the only one who can judge.
I also like having them slip right in on me at 30 yrds each way has a skill level required ... if you know you will make a clean kill then you are the only one who can judge.
TheDogHunter2
New member
I shoot a ton of coyotes at that range. I use a 22-250AI, 243wssm, 25-06, 308, 30-06,243AI, but when I have to put them in the dirt I use a Rem 40x in 300 win mag. Anad yes you need to shoot at that range on paper to know what your gun and you can do.