Ultimate Eastern Calling Gun?

Personally, I don't have use for one. Fact is, I personally don't have need for the 3 1/2" .12 gauge. 3 1/2" .12 gauge guns are heavier, longer in the critical balance point of the receiver, don't handle as quickly or balance as well, recoil more, cost more to purchase, ammo cost more, and there are fewer ammo options. More so the .10 gauge IMHO. With all that said, if another fellow has one and likes it, good for you. We all must work out our own salvation. In the predator/turkey shotgun world here is mine...

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Thanks GC, I needed that! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif It is nice of that coyote to hold yor gun for you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It is 99 degrees here in Central Virginia right now with a Hurricane threatening up the coast. That snow cover would certainly be welcome right now. Wish I was strollin' through those blue hills of Missouri right now the way I used to as a kid.

Are you using that Dead Coyote stuff in that Benelli of yours? Shot a gobbler this spring with mine and 52 steps. Great predator/turkey gun.
 
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Pruson,
The temps are about the same here too. Our problem is the humidity matches the temperature! Regarding the Hevi-Shot, doggone it I have two boxes of T's and BB's to test but first one thing then another have all kept me from the range. I've got a new Ruger 10/22 Deluxe Sporter to sight-in when I go but can't seem to find the time. Crazy thing is I could do it all right here on the place.

I'm afraid the two gobblers I killed this spring wouldn't have made good test. They were both under 20 yards! Thanks for the compliment on the Benelli, as you know, they are super shotguns!
 
GC and others,

I am a self professed shotgun dummy so go easy on me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

So heres a dumb question. Is it really necessary to have a barrel longer than an 18.5" one? I'm looking at the Benelli M1 Super 90 Riot Guns on Gunbroker and they sure look "handy". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

With the advent of heavy shot it seems that maybe (hopefully?) we can leave those long barrels behind if we have several chokes? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

How much coyote killing range would I lose if I went with an 18.5" instead of a 26"? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

$bob$
 
JimT; I would have to agree. I have an ugly 835 Ulti Mag in factory woodland camo. I just plain love the thing. I mounted a Red Dot sight, and where the dot lies, damage happens. It patterns like a dream with the factory tube, and I don't have $300.00 in it sight and all. I can focus on hunting and not worry about bumping old "Ugly Stick" around now and then. I am fond of the 10 ga. round, but it won't add a noticable amount to my effective range. Not enough to warrant the extra weight. To access good hunting here you have to hike in and out, and a pound or two here or there is a big deal at the end of the day. If I could hunt close to my wheels, I might shoot a 10 ga., but thats not the case. I like to travel light and fast. Just my personal opinion,R.J.
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gifThanks GC! Ammo isn't a real problem as I'll roll my own. In fact I got a box of Hornady #4buck waiting for some airtime. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Plus Win' makes a 3 1/2" #4buck load for the 12ga. I can't say much about it as I haven't got to play w/ it yet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

DC: that weight thing is starting to get to me in my older years. Not that I have that far to travel from the rig.

Has anyone had experience w/ the SP-10?
 
Bob,
I answered your e-mail, but just in case. When turkey specific shotguns first appeared super short barrels were the thing. This and choke tubes was a real revolution and caused a big stir in shotgun circles. Barrels intially were 18" - 21" inches. At first we were told that a modern shotgun shell burned all its powder within that first 18" inches so anything over that was unnecessary. At that time I had two turkey specific guns, a semi-auto 3" inch Magnum Remington 1100 .12 gauge with a 30" fixed factory full choke. And a Remington 870 pump .12 gauge with 2 3/4" inch chambers and 28" modified barrel. I thought the new shotguns were Frankensteins with their stubby barrels, and, everybody knew a long barrel/tube choke was the best. Who could screw a short choke tube in and hope to shoot past 25 yards and kill anything? Crazy stuff that. On a whim because of my experimenter and perfectionist nature I tried one. Yoowza! Hey this thing was easier to handle in the timber and I even managed to kill a few birds with it. A couple at nearly forty yards! After several years and some more development in shotgun shells with the advent of higher and higher velocity shells most authorities seem to have bumped the barrel length up some. Most turkey specific shotguns now come with 22" - 24" inch barrels. I like the mid-length barrels of around 24" inches. You are assured of getting all the best ballistics from the load, blast is somewhat reduced as well as recoil a bit easier to deal with. The slightly longer barrel swings markedly better than the real stubby jobs, yet they handle quickly and easily on quick movers. Brush handling isn't too bad with these 22" - 24" barrels either. With all that said a 26" - 28" inch barrel isn't a throw away. A gozillion guys killed an aweful lot of stuff with the "standard" 28" inch barrel under about all conditions. That was before we became techno/educated discriminating sportsmen. Heck, back then, I just went huntin'! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Victor Varmint; You wouldn't happen to have the item number of the Win. 3 1/2" number 4 buck load would you? I would like to pick up a box or two. Thanks R.J.
 
Living in western Ky many situations exist. Lbl and out in the counties. For in the brush and other thick stuff Bailai MP153 12 ga. 28" barrel synthetic with extended chokes shooting 3-1/2" or 3" BB for LBL (largest shot allowed for anything) and 000 or 00 for in the counties. When hunting alittle less cover the Olympic K16 with 1-8 twist ss barrel (new this year) with Bushnell 3X9X40 matte firefly, shooting Hornady 75 gr. bthp moly .75 groups at 100 yds. Longest shot is about 150 yds. so far, boy this one is real fun to shoot and light to carry (alittle over 5lbs.). For the county with real live long shots (for around here) of 300 yds. plus I am using Savage 112BVSS 25-06 with accutriger scoped with ZOS 6X24X42 matte mil dot using power to 8, fun to shoot not light to carry. Shooting Federal 100 gr. Nosler Balistic Tip factory loads. (1-1/2" groups at 100 yds) Longest shot so far was 250yds. according to laser rangefinder. During February when they are crazy and anything works on LBL I shot one with the Glock 19 last yr. fun to shoot very light to carry. Just started hunting yotes on purpose last summer and have been tought many lessons by the wily critter. It is still fun to out smart one every once and a while.
 
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What do you think of this set up ? I tried to pick it as an ideal set up but, this will be my first year really targeting coyotes(can't hunt & fish everything...grin). I did grow up hunting,fishing & trapping also shot rifle competitively for 6 years but not a yote hunter. It's a Tikka T3 Varmint in 22-250 / 8 1/2 #'s, it shoots 55 grain Hornady V-Max molly's at .5 / 100 off bags not rest. My thought process was first enough grains to smack Northeastern yotes hard ( I have tried the lighter grain shot placement thing on woodchucks and had mixed results). I also enjoy long range woodchuck hunting and 300 yard bench at the R&G club and the rifle has worked well for both. With coyotes in mind I went with a pod that I can shoot from a sitting position as I am planning on hand calling for enjoyment. Or I can put a bag under my elbow for longshot woodchucks prone which I am doing now........"tiss the season". The scope I took off another rifle and it's a Bushnell 6 - 24 X 40 milldot. I am sighted at 20 power currently for woodchucks it will move approx. 1/4" on 12 power at 200 yards (less than I thought for a $140.00 scope). I will probably resight at 12 power this winter for yotes. I sighted in for 250 (hunting purpose) flat enough to 300 for chucks and yotes. I practice with the milldot allot at the range and feel confidant enough to use it for holdover in quick hunting situations on still coyotes plate sized target to 400 yards sitting. Obviously tighter if prone but, I expect that to be a rare opportunity for Coyotes .......? I have a Howler and a distress call so far. For me I wanted some smack(at least 50 grains) and it came down to .243, 22-250, & .223 with coyotes in mind, along with long distance woodchucks not making it 5' back to the hole. I must have been on the right track because that's what is posted the most on this thread.

Looking forward to hunting coyotes more after the fall Steelhead & Salmon season (grin). Best of all my 15 year wants to hunt coyotes too.

I appreciate any feedback.
 
My suggestion is that very rarely will you need the 12x as most coyotes won't be lured into an the same big open fields you pop groundhogs out of. They may step out on the edge for a bit but it's a dumb dog that will run across that area once hunting pressure starts. The 6x will be your best bet or better yet top off that pretty rifle with a 2x10 or a 3x9 for the calling season. This is coming from a voice of experience.
BTW, that is pretty country you traverse.
 
Christopher, good to hear from you. I hope everything is good around the house there.

IMHO, too much scope for called coyotes. A common misperception is that coyotes require long range shooting. That might be true if all you plan to do is snipe at them from a stand of some sort as they cross a ridgeline or field a far piece off. Or hit a baitsite. Calling coyotes is different. Remember the purpose of calling? To get them to come to you. I've venture that even in the western states wide open spaces most called coyotes are shot under 150 yards. A large percentage will be well under 100 yards. Many much closer than that, thus all the conversation about shotguns for calling. Called critters are moving, weaving in and out looking for the prey critter, usually in cover of some sort, and seldom hold still for much longer than about 3 seconds. 12X will be a mighty big handicap on 90%+ of genuine called critters. It's great for shooting over bags at groundhogs, crows, ect... But try to catch up with a fast mover at 70 yards through cover and you'll have your hands full.
 
GC
Is absolutely right it's a up close game to me also.
I go for light guns to carry and to handle.
I like small gun big objective & low power scopes and light triggers
Fast and wither I am in my high rack at night or sitting on the edge of a clear cut .
I do have a REM223VS for sitting over baits and at long distances

for PA i use a small 243 and every were ells i use my AR'S
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bait gun
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night gun
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Fox gun, in and around the city you can only use a 22cal or smaller or a shot gun and i am not a shot gun kind of guy
so here my 22mag i use for calling fox that i only hunt at night
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i like them lite and Maneuverable
and to blend in when i need them to

But I have bin known to take the 300 laser mark for a walk or 2 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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I like the 18-20" ll-87 with Dead Yote and a nice tight choke for 50 yds and in. Everything else a .17 Rem or .221 Fireball.

Man you must have some hellashish yotes in Utah that require a .358!! LOL
 
Well I put the SP-10 on layaway. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif Would have brought it home, but we had to buy college books for one of the girls. Dadburnit! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif That was the price of a gun right there, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif but doing the right thing isn't always easy, but it's always right. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I had a buddy on another site that he & some friends are SP-10 owners & they love 'em! Said that he killed a coyote at 80yds w/ it using #4buck. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
The thing does weigh 11# & has the 24" barrel. I can hardly wait to get it home & play w/ it. Maybe after showing you guys the results ol' GC will be getting himself one too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif lol
 
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