I am from North MS and have no idea about varmit hunting (I just know we have a lot of coyotes). I have been interested in tying to bag a few as we have virtually no restrictions in the pursuit of them (night,no caliber limits,etc.). Also if you mention coyote hunting people generally look at you like you ar stupid, as duck and deer are the main targets (so no one is hunting them). Coyotes are just an out the window prize. This all started as me wanting to become a better rifle shot, and every summer in between school I work two jobs and so I usally buy a new hunting toy. So this summer I decided on a new rifle.

The only rifle I have is a 30-06 and I know that it's fine for killing a yote, but I was wanting something that I could shoot a lot (and futher), and not wear out my shoulder or pocketbook.

I can't stress enough my ignorance of ballistics/loads/scopes, so I seek help. I really just would LOVE to be able to fire and hit something consistently at around 500yds.(which I know may not be possible with limited experience, but I want the equipment to do so).

I am thinking a .223 b/c of the cheaper shells vs. something like a 22-250, a .243 would be nice too b/c I could kill a deer easier with it, but I am leaning towards the .223.(although i don't know why)

This is were all the good people of AR come to my aid. I have looked at a few rifles, the remington model 700 tactical editon leads the pack right now, and I have saved enough this summer to buy it... my only hold-back is I saw the remingtion model R-15 and the new R-25(this would a 243 choice). I could buy either one of these with a little more dough, I am just unsure.

Any suggestions would be nice, although just any knowledge to share would be great.

I also would like to know about scopes for the gun I have yet to buy (for longer range(400yds.+) shots).

Thanks a bunch

500 yards is a long ways, doesn't much matter what cartridge you use, its a long ways to shoot at game.

The .223 is fine, but you're going to want a fast twist barrel 1:8 or 1:7 and use heavy for caliber bullets (69-77gr), this pretty much takes out the cheap-plentifull ammo argument for the .223. Once you learn the trajectory, the drop on the heavies won't be a handicap. The cost of factory ammo to learn that drop is what will handicap you.

i have done quite a bit of varmint hunting for the past 45 years. coyoties, groundhogs and prairie dogs. while you might be able to learn to hit at 500 yds. eventually, the .223 is lacking in killing power on large coyoties or even groundhogs past 250 or 300 for sure with bullets of 55 grs. or so. as you don't do high volume shooting on coyoties i would lean toward the .243. or a fast twist 22-250. they are much easier to hit with past 300 yds. and have more long range killing power. i currently shoot a .223ai, .204, and .243 for varmints and have worn out several .22-250's. the rem. 700 is a good choice but i would take a hard look at the savage 110-112,s in a heavy bbl. in my experience they are currently making, on average, the most accurate production varmint rifles in the moderate price range. a 6.5-20x scope would serve you well. buy the best one you can afford, side parrelax adjustments are very fast and convenient. good luck with whatever you decide to buy.

p.s. i am currently shooting 6.5x20x leupold scopes 40mm with the varmint hunters reticule and side parallax adjustments and don't believe it could be improved on. the varmint hunters reticule has upped my percentage of 1st round hits at ranges past 300 yds. by about 35 to50% compared to 6.5x50 with duplex reticule.

ps. ps. correction, last reference should read 6.5-20x with duplex reticule

I think the .243 might make more sense as I would like to maybe try a deer with it, plus as you said they are much easier to hit with out past 300yds.

So what about the AR (assault rifle is what I guess this stands for) market guns?? Are they as accurate as say the savage you mentioned? I picked one up (R-25) and loved the feel of it.

Oh and I shot a savage .17 and truly it was so fun to shoot(and I could acually hit crows at 200 yds. which was amazing to me) that it was what first convinced me to try a small caliber gun.

i am not aware of a black rifle (ar-15)type made in .243. an ar-10 in .308 could easily be re-barreled though. the black rifles can be very accurate. having hunted in ms for deer i don't know how many 500 yd. opportunities you will get hunting coyote. an ar type rifle with a good 3x-9x scope would make a good gun out to 300 yds. or maybe a little more and certainly much easier on the pocket book. there are loads available that some say are adequate for deer. i wouldn't know about that though. if you like the r-15 then by all means get what you like. don't honestly think i would expect an off the shelf black rifle to make a good 500 yd. varmint rifle though. 500 yds. is a long ways. with 1 in 9 twist or faster and reloading the most accurate bullets you could sure make life hazardous for them though. I'm speaking of a .223 with a 1in9 or 1in8 twist with heavy 22 or 24 inch barrel with a 6-18 or 61/2-20 scope.this would be handloading proposition as i don't think any factory ammo is up to it. black hills might have something pretty good though.

p.s. a black rifle will not be as accurate as a good heavy barreled bolt gun, but a good one might come close. groups under 1" are definitely possible. the other problem is the caliber restrictions. for most people a .243 or 22-250 will be easier to hit with at long range and have more killing power.

shanklez,

You probably have heard the anecdote about making assumptions (ie: the word assume makes an ass out of you and me). I am going to assume that you are serious about coyote hunting and not just trolling. Risking that, I will try to string a couple of thoughts together.

Since you have access to a computer and internet, I would do a web search of varmint hunting sites and companies that sell videos and varmint hunting equipment (hand and electronic calls, decoys).

Start educating yourself about how to call and hunt predators. For under $100 you most likely could pick up a couple of "how to" videos and either an inexpensive electronic call or a couple of mouth calls.

Buy a used bolt rifle in 223 or 22-250. Savage rifles can usually be purchased relatively inexpensively at pawn shops or off gun broker or through on line classifieds and though utilitarian, generally are very accurate out of the box.
Mossberg is now marketing an inexpensive bolt gun with an adjustable trigger. Remington 700's are plentiful and are easy to work on. If you have a little more money to spend, Weatherby sub-moas are also an option.

Ar-type rifles are much more expensive than used bolt guns, but generally have a faster twist rate 1-9 or 1-8, and will stabilize heavier bullets, making them more viable for larger game.

Buy the best optics you can afford lower end leupolds, nikon, burris, sightron optics can also be found used at gunshops, pawnshops and gunshows.

I've hunted for 49 of my 56 years and have made one shot over 500 yds. I call varmints year round and most of my shots are under 100 yds. I have heavy barrelled rifles but these days my typical "calling" rifle is 17 rem fireball, a 22 hornet or 221 fireball, 22" medium coutour barrell and a 2.5 x 8 leupold vx3 scope.

If you want to go heavier, a 243 is not a bad choice. A 55 gr or 70 gr 6mm bullet will handle any coyote and you can move up to 85 gr to 100 gr bullets for deer and hogs. A 240 weatherby will cover just about any scenario but ammo is expensive.
Once you get your rig togather, start shooting. If you have a public range, go to it and do some shooting. Make yourself some sandbags out of a legs off a pair of jeans or buy a rest. Start shooting at 50 to 300 yds. Consult ballistic tables, know how much your rifle drops at 100 150, 200 etc yds based on your zero. Make up an index card and tape it to your stock. Concentrate on squeezing the trigger rather that jerking it.
What is the old saying, Rome wasn't built in a day. Don't get discouraged. Plan your work and work your plan.


Good Luck,
GWB

GWB has given you a ton of good info. The only thing I'll add to that is once you are comfortable shooting your rig and know the trajectories from actual bench shooting, start practicing from various field positions. Go out and set up targets at various ranges (making certain of a safe backstop) and try your skill at those tsrgets. Ballistic tables will tell you the logical limits of your cartridge, but actual field shooting will bring to light your own limitations.

I, too, have done a good bit of calling over the years, and I can assure you that the long shots are quite rare.

Shanklez, "ol buddy ol pal", GW and Bobby Tomek have chimed in and they are "dead nuts" on their info. From a gun-nut and a rifle nut in general, I'd go to a SAVAGE in a minute!! Cheaper to get in the game, accurracy is built in(free-floated and pillar bedded at the factory, not to mention "button rifled barrels" rather than having a hammer forging MACHINE beat the hell out of a piece of metal).
And I'm going to insert something here that may get me flamed and I don't care..........................................................................a light barreled rifle can be JUST AS ACCURATE ON THE FIRST SHOT as a heavy barreled rifle!!!! It's the repeated firings of the rifle that lend to poor groupings at 200, 300,400, 500 yards!! The heavy barrels are great for repeated firings! I own a lot of them!! .224-.308, but the bottom line is, when Mr. Coyote is 257 yards or 328 yards or 49 yards, you better have confidence in the rifle when you pull the trigger the first time!! And SAVAGE affords you this luxury when you buy one without spending a gonad and an rectum to get it!! I'm an FFL with a gunshop, a reloader, and a rifle builder, take it for what it's worth! As far as glass goes, NIKON AND BURRIS seem to have cornered the market on AFFORDABLE, USABLE, WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK, optics!! Nikon BUCKMASTERS or Burris FULLFIELD II with BP are as good as it gets within reason as to affordability! Hope this helps! Charlie (GHD) PS.......a lot of my VARMINT RIFLES are of the Remington persuasion but they were all "kit rifles" as none were floated, none were bedded (pillar or otherwise)and they all had triggers from hell!!

Now as to chamberings.............204, .223, .243 whatever....The .204 is a marvelous little beast! BTDT and seen the results! The .223 is affordable, pretty much anywhere available and sick a "9" twist barrel on it and it is amazing(SAVAGE OFFERS THAT OPTION also!). The .243........my first really good rifle, some 35 years ago! But not equal to the 6MM Remington in handloading and building off of! Not to mention that case life sucks with that one(.243) for some reason! Sad part is, no major suppliers of rifles today is chambering factory rifles in 6MM REM!! I think GOD chose the 25-06 as "HIS CHOSEN CHAMBERING" but that point is open for discussion among my brethren! His second choice was probably the 22-250 REM and his only reason for the 25-06 over the 22-250 was the antiquated state laws in some states requiring ".230" diameter or larger for shooting "deer"(VERMIN).........................so that leaves the tremendously overrated, totally useless other than wounding stuff(that was actually a fact looked at........"if you ""Wound one"" it takes two people to care for him") 30 caliber Carbine as an accepted deer caliber!! Go figure!! GHD

For your FIRST varmint rifle I thing the Remington 700 in 223 would be a great choice.
Get a good quality variable scope with at least 10 power on the high end. Look as some Leupolds with "target knobs".

Most of your shots on coyotes should be under 300 yards.

If you do not reload try some Black Hills ammo.
It is very good stuff.

My brother recently bought one of the Remington R-15's. We tested it pretty extensively for our prairie dog hunt. It shoot good, but not as good as our bolt actions, which was to be expected.

I have never seen a Remington Heavy Barreled Mod 700 that did not shoot good, 223, 308, or 300 Win Mag.

And I have seen a several hundred of them shot.

WOW!!!

I really learned more from reading these replies than from HOURS of reading on the internet!! I sincerly appreciate it.

This is great... Keep it coming!!

Oh and I bought a coyote caller and tape... and have been giving it hell(ha)! It's a Quaker boy predator plus call. I don't know if it's a good one, but My dad and friends tell me I sound "kinda" like a yote, from a distance.