Minimum Caliber handgun for coyotes

Camo

Camo

New member
Ive been hunting coyotes for a while with a rifle now and I was thinking about taking my Dan Wesson 357 Mag with me next time I go and try and get one with a pistol. Im not big into saving furs, so will this kill a coyote no problem or do I need to step it up a notch? Also what grain bullet do you recommend?


Thanks
-Curt
 
Anything you fire from your 357 will kill a coyote. If you are not into fur I suggest 125+P JHP for visual effect!
 
The .357 will do it as Todd said the 125gr JHP's are a good choice.I have killed a few with the 38 using 158 grain wad cutters turned upside down.

I hunted everything with pistols for years the main thing I had to learn were my own limitations.
 
Quote:
.I have killed a few with the 38 using 158 grain wad cutters turned upside down.




What do you mean by turned upside down??
 
A .357 is plenty for a coyote. I would say the minimum caliber to use would be something like a .256 Win Mag from a Ruger Hawkeye. A Smith model 53 in 22 Jet would probably work, but would be a bit light in my book.

The optimum caliber would probably be a 30 LMP (Lomont Magnum Pistol) fired from a 10 or 12" scoped Auto Mag.
 
Dont use anything less than a 500 S&W! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

All joking aside,the first and only yote I killed with a pistol was with a 9mm. I called him in and shot him less than 20' away.He only made it about 5 yards.
 
Camo, to answer your question:

.38 Lead wadcutters are typically loaded for target shooting, at low velocity. It used to be popular to load them with the flat portion in the case and hollow base outward (often they are loaded completely flush inside the case mouth) to act as really soft hollow points.
 

Todd is correct I used to use copper plated wad cutters loaded open cavity out over a little 296.I still use that load in my 38 on the night stand by the bed.This load is not accurate over 900fps so is not good out of the 357. Plus there are much better bullets to pick from for the 357 to expand.
 
Holy coincidences BatMan. My neighbor just came over to tell me his storage unit was broken into. While talking about guns he told me that last year while driving along (to bow hunt) a coyote ran by his truck. He pulled over, grabbed his .357, took a solid rest, held up lots of front sight for his estimated 75 yard shot, and drilled the coyote behind the shoulder. Since he had a rangefinder for his bowhunt he triple checked yardage at 103 yards! He said the 357 did quite a job, even at 103 yards
 
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I'm sure the 357 will be enough. I've killed a couple deer with the 130gr Fed Hydro shok & several deer with the
158gr Gold Dot. SO it will be plety for a 30lb yote. I'd say for yotes the 110-130 range would be better.

As far as smallest caliber???? On one of Randy Anderson's tape's (don't crucify me guys... just illustrates it can be
done) they kill one with a .22mag pistol body shot(It did run a pretty good ways after the shot though).
 
The .357 has been great on coyotes for me. IME, the .357 from a Blackhawk or Vaquero incapacitates them on the spot.

Note: The longest kill so far for me was just under 50 yards with a revolver, but I have shot them with a .357 rifle out to 90 yards with same effect.

The 9mm has also worked well. It is the smallest handgun caliber I own other than rimfire, and I do not recommend rimfires for "intentional" coyote hunting.
 

I have shot several yotes with several handguns, the .357 works well with any load. .22 mag works well to about 75yards with good hits. .45 ACP tends to go through and not stop them very fast but that was with a hardball (only once when I was young and dumb) for a real amazing effect try .44 Mag 180 grn JHP
 
I use a Blackhawk in .357 loaded with 15 gr of H110 topped off with hornady xtp's 158 gr hp. Never had one run away! But I would think that 22 mag would be the smallest for the dogs.
 


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