What scope magnification do you like for your calling rig?

C

CaliCoyoteCaller

New member
I have been looking for a new scope for a new 243 that I purchased. My sole intent is to use this rifle as a secondary calling rig.

I say secondary, because my primary rig is a 22 250.

I was looking for a scope to mount on this 243 and I settled on a Leupold VX3i. The only quandary I had was what magnification to settle on.
The 2 in question was the 4x14x50 with a 30mm tube or the 6x20x50 with 30mm tube. Obviously, the 4x14 was cheaper than the 6x20.

I chose the 4x14 after much thinking. I felt as though the 14 power was enough for the long range shots that I may take. Very, very seldom to I ever shoot at a coyote at 300 yards or beyond. I felt like that If i had to take a 350 yard shot, that 14 power would be sufficient. Most of my shots are within 200 yards and less.

What do you guys feel? Should I have went with the 20x or you think 14x was enough? What do you guys like to use on your calling rig?
 
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I shoot very similar distances and you made the right choice. I have a 4.5-14 and it's more than enough. I don't think I've ever had my scope up to 14 when hunting. And 6 isn't low enough for those fast and furious close shots where they take you by surprise. I leave my scope on 4.5 unless I see a coyote a ways out then I put it up to 8-9
 
Originally Posted By: IllinoiscoyoteI shoot very similar distances and you made the right choice. I have a 4.5-14 and it's more than enough. I don't think I've ever had my scope up to 14 when hunting. And 6 isn't low enough for those fast and furious close shots where they take you by surprise. I leave my scope on 4.5 unless I see a coyote a ways out then I put it up to 8-9

Yes, I had one this weekend come in on a dead run, could not stop him. He dropped into a lil gulley below me, and when he come back into view, he was less than 10 yards. My buddy was with me, and could not find him in the scope cause it was turned up to high. In 3 seconds, coyote broke and run back down the hill. He popped out again at about 300 yards. Too much magnification caused us to lose that coyote at 10 yards.
 
I'm a big fan of the 1.5-6x40mm scope and have four of them on calling bolt guns,

My combo guns all wear 1-4x20mm scopes because I can mount them very low and there huge FOVs are a real plus on coyotes in the trick stuff with the shotgun barrel and crank them up to 4x and any coyote withing a quarter mile is in serious jeopardy.



My one 22-250 wears an Elite 4200 in 2.5-10x40mm.

On a CALLING rig FOV's is far more important than X's. I expect to see far more called coyotes under 200 yards than over and a majority of them under half that.
 
I'm a 2.5x8x40mm guy. Takes um close and takes um far. I just don't want anything so powerful and can't focus on something running 20ft away from me.
 
I took my advice from Byron South and stayed with a 2.5-10x, since if they are in close, or coming in fast, you don't have time to adjust a high magnification (full of fur) down, but if they hang up out at a reasonable distance, you can take time to move up the power ring...Mine has very seldom been off the 2.5x setting....
 
I run a 4.5-30x50

This day and age, there's little reason to stick with scopes that limit their mag ranges like that.

Leupold vx6 2-12, 3-18, 4-24. March 2.5-25, 3-24... Bushnell 3.5-21, 4.5-30. Vortex 3-18, 4-27, and so on.

I ran a Sightron SIII 8-32X56 prior, shot several coyotes on the move well sub 30yds, closest being within p!$$!Ng distance.

I do have a 1-6x24 on my 44mag though.
 
I'm trying to understand why you would need a high power and very expensive scope on a CALLING rig is just beyond me. If you can't kill a CALLED coyote with a 4 or 6x scope a lot more practice rather than X's in order, they are a pretty big target. Even the 2.5-10 scope on my 22-250 has never been off 2.5 for a kill, I just don't use it that much as it is too much for me most of the time. Now PD's and GS's I can see a bigger scope, I have 6.5-20 and 8-32's on those guns.
 
I used to like 2.5-10, now I prefer at least 12 or 14 on the high end. I always leave it on the lowest setting unless I need more, but when sighting in and target shooting, I crank it up.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSI'm trying to understand why you would need a high power and very expensive scope on a CALLING rig is just beyond me. If you can't kill a CALLED coyote with a 4 or 6x scope a lot more practice rather than X's in order, they are a pretty big target. Even the 2.5-10 scope on my 22-250 has never been off 2.5 for a kill, I just don't use it that much as it is too much for me most of the time. Now PD's and GS's I can see a bigger scope, I have 6.5-20 and 8-32's on those guns.

I run my first Tactical scope on my Coyote Rifle. It's a Nightforce 5.5x22x50mm. I run it on 5.5 until one hangs up and then I dial up to 22.

I wrote about this once before. I bought my Nightforce because they had a testimonial on a scope in for repairs. It had a bullet hole in the tube. The soldier said it never lost it's zero and they finished their mission.

Two years ago my nephew and I had just shot a Coyote. I was packing my gear back to my truck and had the Rifle slung over my shoulder when the quick release came undone and the Rifle fell scope down on a rock. The scope was the cushion.
There was nothing I could do but cuss and shed a tear. It was early in the hunt I looked the scope over for anything broken and went on to kill at least one more Coyote maybe two that day.

I went out the next day to check zero on the scope and it had not moved.

That is why I buy expensive Scopes.
 
I agree spend as much money as you can afford on a scope. I see lots of people spend big money on a gun then cheap out on the scope. I'd love a nightforce but can't afford one. I have a Nikon buck master 4.5-14 on my 22-250 and love it.
 
My preferred scope for calling of the ones I own is a Bushnell 6500 2.5-16. It stays on 2.5 most of the time but I can dial it up if I want to. I also have a 3-12, 4-16, and a 6-18. 6x on the low end is too high in my opinion. I think you made the right choice.
 
You need a low bottom end way more than a high top end.

If I don't shoot paper with a gun, like strictly a calling rifle, then I don't mind a 2-7 one bit.

A couple of my rifles are double-duty, so to speak. They have 4-14 on them.
 
Originally Posted By: CaliCoyoteCaller

Yes, I had one this weekend come in on a dead run, could not stop him. He dropped into a lil gulley below me, and when he come back into view, he was less than 10 yards. My buddy was with me, and could not find him in the scope cause it was turned up to high. In 3 seconds, coyote broke and run back down the hill. He popped out again at about 300 yards. Too much magnification caused us to lose that coyote at 10 yards.

That is exactly why I carry a shotgun and an AR.
 
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