What accuracy is acceptable in a yote gun

SneakStalker

SneakStalker

New member
Hello folks I am new to the predator hunting scene and thought I would reach out to you to get your thoughts on accuracy in a yote rifle.

Now before you crucify me know that I have several sub MOA rifles I can use if I decide to however for entertainment/challenge sake I was considering using my single shot 25-06. After a recent trip to the range I was only able to get my average groups down to 1.68" not ideal by any means but certainly not great either. I would be comfortable out to 300 yards but not much further. For someone new to the game how often are you going to take shots out past the 2-300 ish range. Note that my hunting terrain is wide open sage country.
 
While Ive been calling for eons, 99% of my shots are 100yds or less.
I have dropped them to 600 yards, but that's not the norm.
Those ones are smarter or have been educated that just don't fly into a set or something has made them hold up and sit deciding that's its not good to come closer.
 
I agree with 5spd. Almost all my shots are inside 125-yards. I've shot two beyond 300, but for the most part, 125-yards and less is the norm for me. Sounds like your 25-06 would be fine. sub MOA is really cool at the range and to show your friends, but it doesn't mean a whole lot in coyote hunting. If you can hit an apple consistently at 100-yards, you can kill a coyote.
 
Most of my shots are 25-50 yards and in the 75-100 yard range,I did get a shot at a Young Coyote that wouldn't come in that was a good 200-250 yards out.The larger Caliber Rifles are fine but when Coyote Hunting I light a light recoiling Rifle that shoots flat and accurate.....the .204 and .223 being my Favorite 2 to use!
 
ive seen guys take a SUB moa tacticool rifle and turn it into a not even minute of coyote when they coyotes come in the blood gets pupminng and the heat rate goes wild and the adrenaline surges. you don't need to shot tiny groups but its nice to have the confidence that you can make that 200 300 or even 600 yard shot if or when the situation calls for it (and the shooter has experience practice and knowledge of HIS ballistics at those ranges and not just go off what the box says.)
 
1.68"x3=5.04"

I'm sure you were shooting from a bench, with some fashion of a rest. Can you do that freehand? Or from sticks?

Just how big do you think a coyotes vitals are? It's about the size of a soda can or slightly larger. Hit a bobbing weaving soda can at 300 yards with consistency(keyword, once or twice don't count) and then you can be comfortable.


Chupa
 
Thanks for your input and yes with this 25-06 300 would be totally pushing it even with my sticks.I may just see how I do with how far I can call them in and will probably just end up bringing my hunting .223 or 6.8 for back up. I was mainly considering it because honestly it and my 458 socom are my only two guns left in the safe without fur on the ground and lets face it the 458 would be a little over kill and horrible past 200 yards.
 
My intent wasn't to have you second guess the firearm. The firearm is more than acceptable, I've got an 8mm that is going to be used for coyotes this year, just because it hasn't killed a coyote yet. Use that .25-06. I'm just saying to be cognizant of yardages and target size and such, range and field are very different. And not that 300 yards is unattainable, or even uncommon for that matter, but it ain't nothing to sneeze at either.


Chupa
 
Mine is about an inch high at 100 yards.. and i like to get some amazing groups, as recently ive taken to attempting head shots.
 
Where I do most of my coyote hunting in the last three years the coyotes have been using culverts,drain tiles and holes during the day. When we find one out the shots run over 200 yards most of the time, I want my rifles to shoot nice round .75 inch 5 shot group's. With a rangefinder and bipod 400-500 yard shots with 22-250 are not to difficult.
 
Im very guilty of over complicating the accuracy and worrying to much about my group size in my calling rifle. In dream land i want to be able to make that 400yd shot and place it like a laser beam with a good accurate load.
In all reality the first coyote i ever called in anD killed i had to wait til she was 50yds. I was so excited and jacked up on adrenaline i could make a 125yd shot resting off my knees. And i did not "squeeze" the trigger, it got punched! Lol
1.5MOA is just fine for all practical hunting purposes.
 
I'll say one thing for sure....pulling the trigger on a coyote vs pulling it on a target are two different worlds apart. Most of the time I pull the trigger TOO QUICK on a coyote. Once the crosshairs are there... I pull the trigger.... it works.... but it's not the same as following through on a target.

If you really get into coyotes...then that single shot will go down the road, because you will want more bullets quicker... but will be great for starters.
 
I like my calling rifles to be as accurate as possible, generally I feel they need to shoot at least in the 1/2 to 3/4 MOA range. Or better. I want that, because the more accurate they are, the more leeway it gives me out in the field. Sure, most of my shots are fairly close and the accuracy is not that big a deal. But occasionally the range starts stretching out. When it does and I am shooting from field positions at extended ranges I need all the help I can get. The confidence factor starts to play into the equation at some point as well.

You can kill a truckload of predators with just an average rifle. But a finely tuned calling rifle can sure tip the scales in your favor often enough to make a difference. At least that's the way I see it.
 
A case in point for my argument above being the coyote in my avatar. I shot him at a touch over 400 yards wrapped up in a sling, shooting off of sticks. That rifle was my fathers old 25-06 Savage 110 FP, and it is a shooter for sure. Most days it will shoot in the .3's and .4's with a 115 NBT. At 400 yards that translates into under 2" groups. Assuming a 6" kill zone with the 25, that gives me about 4" of "wiggle room" for my shooting ability off sticks. If that same rifle was shooting into 1.5" at 100, then groups at 400 would already be 6", and I have no room left for human errors. That shot would probably not have happened, or even been attempted at that point. That 25-06 is the rifle I use when the wind is blowing pretty good, or when I am calling really open areas where the coyotes have been called before. Those situations can call for extra range and horsepower.

Now that 400 yard shot is not a common thing at all, but having that ability can net a few extra coyotes every year.

The other rifle I use a lot is my little CZ-527 in .223. It is a very accurate little rifle, I like it a lot. Light to carry, very smooth, good accuracy, just overall a dream to shoot. Awesome rifle for night calling or in the brush. But the wind plays havock with it both in bullet drift and bouncing the rifle around on the sticks, and it is not the rifle I choose if the range starts to get long, say 250+. That is where other factors besides just mechanical accuracy come into play.
 
Glad to see you are concerned about your shooting, rifle accuracy, and calling ranges. Have seen some show up here talking bout going out calling without bothering to sight in their guns. Accuracy matters a fair amount, but as has been previously mentioned, it is the accuracy you can achieve under field/calling conditions that really matters. I have always figured being able to hit something the size of a softball should be relatively close to average coyote vital size in my area. If I think that I can hit a softball at the range and in the conditions the coyote offers the shot I should be good to take that shot.
 
Originally Posted By: obaroGlad to see you are concerned about your shooting, rifle accuracy, and calling ranges. Have seen some show up here talking bout going out calling without bothering to sight in their guns. Accuracy matters a fair amount, but as has been previously mentioned, it is the accuracy you can achieve under field/calling conditions that really matters. I have always figured being able to hit something the size of a softball should be relatively close to average coyote vital size in my area. If I think that I can hit a softball at the range and in the conditions the coyote offers the shot I should be good to take that shot.

Now that is common sense talking right there. You need to post more often.


Chupa
 
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