My 223 26" SS Encore is my favorite right now. (I can't stay away from the VV encore barrel page. http://webpages.charter.net/strat/Files/Inventory%20barrel%20list%20100703.htm ).
The 6.5x20 Leupold I have on it now is a bit too much for Coyote hunting, but since I have a spare VX-II 3X9 I should be OK for close fast work. I am planning a trip to Christmas Valley in Eastern Oregon in the spring. If anyone is interested I will post a report here when I return. It will be my first trip here in Oregon. I understand from talking to people at the range that Coyote, bunnies, ground squirrels, and crows are all over the place out there. It is sure to be a blast!

My favorite is a shotgun, but at rifle ranges Bob gets the nod with 85 gr BT's. I don't care about hides.

Rick, I really liked your favorite Coyote Rifle....Very well done....I have three .223 AI rifles.One is on a Rem 700, S/A, Jewell Trigger, w/ Pac-nor SS/ Super Match #3 contour barrel, whacked off at 22"....It is resting in a McMillian Mountain Rifle stock,,Pillar Bedded. Leupold Dual Dovetail mounts hold a Leupold 4.5x14x40 matte finished VX 111 scope......I have been using 29.1 grains of H-335 to get about 3625 fps w/ molly coated bullets. When hunting in South Dakota a few years ago, I found that the velocity dropped down when the temprature was in the teens or below and sincet the best coyote hunting I have ever had has been in Alberta Canada, I started looking for a stable Powder...I found that 28.5grs. of Benchmark shot wonderful, is very stable and velocity is about the same...However, My very all time favorite coyote rifle is a 6mm BR using a 58 gr. V-MAX at 3650 fps in a rifle just like the one described above. I always have my own reamers made so that I can have the chamber and throat "set up" just like I want them. The 6mm BR is pleasant to shoot, very accurate, feeds perfectly, a joy to carry and kills coyotes like a "thunderbolt" ......Try it, you 'll like it too....

My deer and coyote rifle is the 243 Win on a 42+ year old Sako Forester action with a Shilen stainless steel barrel and a "tight neck" chamber, shown below. The scope is a Tasco TR 4-16xAO mounted with Warne rings directly to the grooves on the action. This is as solid a scope mount as I have seen. Shooting the 95 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips at 2900 fps is a bit tough on hides.

The hides in my area aren't worth anything anyhow. Most of my hunting is on cattle ranches to prevent the coyotes from killing the livestock and the ranchers want the coyotes dead. The 243 Win is a very effective caliber for that.

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

For a while I really got into coyote hunting and planning on rifles. Then I found out that there are just not many coyotes where I hunt. The fact that I was shooting them must have had an effect. And good ridance to them.

Since that flurry of strick coyote hunting I found that if I carried a rifle that restricted my ability to shoot other vermin then I just got less shooting. That said I still like to carry a big game rifle once in a while for pests.

So I am back to the 220 Swift as richocets concern me a lot and it takes time to use the rangefinder. The Swift solves all these problems. Other similar cartridges are of course very good also.

M Jager: When I am Hunting Coyotes with a hide saver partner I have become partial to my custom Remington 700 in 17 MachIV. No hide ruination with this super accurate and lethal cartridge. I have killed Coyotes at 300 yards with it several times. I use the wonderful Berger 25 gr. MEF bullets in this Rifle.
But when I am in the mood to put some fur on the ground and calling conditions are so-so or difficult (I.E. - late in the season, Hunting areas with lots of Hunting pressure, or in the wind etc.) I take along my Remington 40XB-KS in 220 Swift. This is a single shot Rifle but deadly accurate in the field with its Leupold 6.5X20 scope and tall Harris Bi-Pod attached! I use 55 gr. bullets in this rig and Coyotes have been taken by me with it beyond 350 yards many times.
By the way I want to thank M700, Rick F and Varmint Al for posting the great pictures of their Coyote Rifles! I wish I was smart enough to take advantage of that kind of technology. The pictures included with postings sure adds to my enjoyment of this forum and the internet!
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy