If you are reading this article, you are probably trying to get the best coyote gun for your hunting expedition. Whether your chosen tool of trade is a shotgun, a rimfire or a rifle, you would want to pick a gun whose performance improves your kill rate. Tell you what; we will list the top 10 coyote guns and bring out the best characteristics in each. You can then pick your gun from a point of knowledge. Read on.
1. The Winchester Coyote Light Bolt Bell Carlson
This gun is your ultimate coyote hunter. Its enthusiasts fondly refer to it as the ‘down and dirty’ coyote killer. The Winchester Coyote Light Bolt comes with Bell & Carlson stock and an aluminum pre-64 claw-style extractor. To enhance its performance, the gun features a controlled feed action.
The stock on this gun gives you precise accuracy with its heavy-target-grade barrels and super-calibrated triggers. If you are in a coyote tourney, then the recommended gun is the .22-250. However, if you are looking for a bigger target, perhaps the .308, .270 and .243 are better options.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | United States Marine Corps |
| Manufacturer | Winchester Repeating Arms Company |
| Weight | 6 to 8 lbs. |
| Barrel Length | You can get a 22- or a 24- or a 26-inch barrel. |
| Action | Bolt Action |
| Feed System | Fed with floor plate with an internal spring. There is a 3-round capacity for magnum calibers, a 4-round capacity for large calibers and a 5- round capacity for standard calibers |
| Sights | The gun may feature iron sights or scoped sights which are both tapped for mounts |
2. The Tikka T3 Tactical Rifle
If you are looking for a rifle that is not too cumbersome to carry around but one that will give you superb accuracy most probably take down any type of prey, perhaps you should consider the Tikka T3 Tactical Rifle.
One of the most prominent features of this coyote gun is the out–sized bolt handle on a short action which makes it accurate and versatile. The gun comes with loads of .308 and the Hornady Performance. The load hits like a truck.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | Finland |
| Manufacturer | SAKO (Suojeluskuntain Ase- ja Konepaja Oy) |
| Weight | 6.0 lbs. to 11.2 lbs. |
| Barrel Length | 15.98 inches, 20.08 inches, 22.44 inches, 23.62 inches and 24.41 inches. |
| Cartridge | .204 Ruger, .222 Remington, .223 Remington, .22-250 Remington, .243 Winchester, .25-06 Remington, .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5×55mm, .270 Winchester, .270 Winchester Short Magnum, 7mm-08 Remington, 7×64mm, 7mm Remington Magnum, .308 Winchester, .30-06 Springfield, .300 Winchester Short Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum, 8×57 IS, .338 Federal, .338 Winchester Magnum and 9.3×62mm. |
| Action | Bolt action with 2 locking lugs. |
| Feed System | You can have 3 to 6 rounds of single stack or a 10 round of double stack. |
| Sights | Both day and night optics either as aperture or open. |
3. The .26 Nosler
Nicknamed the ‘death laser’, the 26 Nosler is the flattest dog hunting caliber. People worry about its overbore trajectory – but, well, it’s a freak show when it is shot and you will just love it. The death laser will have your kill clearly in sight at 400 yards. As if that is not cool enough, you will use .26 ballistics that are efficient for long range shooting. At 200 touch high, you experience no holdover. It is a dead on hold…one that you cannot get with most other coyote guns.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Nosler |
| Cartridge | 6.5mm |
| Velocity | 3,400 feet per second |
| Barrel Length | 26 -inches |
| Weight | 12 lbs. |
| Action | M48 Action |
4. The 6.8mm Remington Special Purpose Cartridge (SPC)
This gun features a hammer forged barrel with a tack driver. The gun is in a league of its own. Nothing about it is simple. For example, it has a bow-to-stern, uses .27 caliber bullets and can do as much as 2,600 feet per second. The gun has an 18-20 inch barrel and a 120-grain bullet made with Hornady’s load. It comes in .308 and .270
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Remington Arms |
| Barrel Length | 16-, 20-, and 24-inch |
| Action | Bolt Action |
| Sights | Both day and night optics either as aperture or open. |
5. The Kimber Adirondack
Enthusiasts of this gun love to think of it as an extension of themselves, sort of like a bighorn sheep with its antlers. It is the choice tool of trade for the hunters that trek long distances in snowy woods looking for coyotes. The gun has a silent loading process and deadly accuracy. Take the gun in 7mm – 08 for best results when hunting.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | USA |
| Manufacturer | Kimber America |
| Weight | 4 pounds |
| Barrel Length | 18 inches |
| Action | 84 M stainless steel |
| Feed System | N/A |
| Sights | N/A |
6. The Rock River X-Series
Get the semi-automatic .308 Rock River X-Series for the best wolf killing results. Note that this must be legal in the area you are out hunting. It features half recoil and even faster follow up shots. The gun is especially suitable when you encounter a pack of wolfs and you do not want to reveal your position by reloading.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | USA |
| Manufacturer | Rock River Arms |
| Weight | 9.5 pounds |
| Barrel Length | 18 inches |
| Action | RRA Two-Stage Trigger |
7. The Ruger American Predator
The Ruger American Predator has been aptly named. It is the apex no frills, non-sexy, predator hunting gun. It is as cheap as any gun can be, and yet, its accuracy matches the custom gun. Its low price means that you can rough it up in the jungles without worrying about cost. If you live in the country where you have to keep shooting, this gun is a good alternative to the 6.5 Creedmoor. It is a .26 caliber gun that is suitable for both deer and predator hunting.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Ruger |
| Weight | 3 to 7.6 pounds |
| Barrel Length | 18- and 22-inches |
8. The Sako 85 Varmint
The Sako 85 Varmint is renowned for its hair splitting precision. If you are looking for a gun that will inspire confidence in you, then this gun and its wolf hunting stocks will do you good.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | Finland |
| Manufacturer | Sako |
| Weight | 8- to 9-pounds |
| Barrel Length | 20- to 23- inches |
| Action | Single stage trigger |
| Sights | No sights |
9. The T/C Venture Predator
Acquire a .308 Win and a 7mm-08 T/C Venture Predator and you will never regret. It offers easy to load ammo, low recoil and flat trajectories. You may want to check out this super performance varmint gun if you want your kill rate to go up.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | USA |
| Manufacturer | TC Arms |
| Weight | 6.75 Pounds |
| Barrel Length | 22 |
| Action | Realtree MAX-1™ Composite w/Hogue Panels |
10. The Savage Weather Warrior
If you are serious about your hunting expedition, then you will probably have in your sights predators such as bears and coyotes. In such cases, you will need enough firepower to cut them in their tracks. The Savage Weather Warrior is a flat shooting .270 compact action gun. It features a stainless composite and hits like a truck.
Specs:
| Type | Rifle |
| Place of Origin | Savage Arms |
| Manufacturer | USA |
| Sights | Drilled & tapped ready for mounting. |
Qualities of a Good Coyote Gun
Now that you know the top 10 coyote guns to choose from, you will need to pick one from the list. Obviously there are few varmint cartridges that do the job just fine, but you would want the cartridge, and by extension the rifle that executes without fail. Below are the qualities to look out for in a gun before you settle on it.
Weight of the Gun
You would want a gun that is easy to carry and maneuver in the field. Most of the good shots are split second decisions that do not allow any hesitation. Once you have your prey on your optics, you want to pull the trigger before your position is revealed. The more cumbersome your hunting rifle the harder it will be to recalibrate your kill shot.
The Coyote Gun’s Accuracy
At just 45 pounds for adult male coyotes, your target will not be all that big. To further complicate matters, it will most likely be on the move. As if that is not hard enough, coyotes have a superior sense of scent and thus you will not be able to get very near to them. Your gun and its optics have to be a) in perfect order and b) properly calibrated to take the shot. Expert Coyote hunters practice with dummies long before they go to the field to ensure their guns are in tiptop conditions.
The Rifle’s Flat Trajectory
No, you do not have time to scope your prey. You will have to take the shot or lose the prey. This where flat trajectory specifications on your gun become important. Your flat trajectory should offer you an upward of 3,400 feet per second in order to drop the target while is still a sitting duck on your scope. It should help you limit the range estimation errors.
The Bullets Kill Performance
Your coyote gun must have projectiles that expand upon impact. What this means is that it will make a very small (almost unnoticeable) opening and a very huge exit. In the process, it will dump high-energy particles inside the prey.
The best projectiles for this sort of impact are the .17 and .20 calibers. Projectiles with a wide diameter often blow large holes in the animals, causing pelt damage.
Minimal Recoil
Most often than not, you will need to make follow-up shots after either missing your target or after being unable to make the kill shot. If you are lucky and get a second shot, you will need a rifle whose recoil mechanism is automatic so that you stay on scope for the second or third shot. Semi-automatic rifles allow fast repeat shots with great accuracy.
Cartridges
Your cartridges must be cheap to acquire. This allows you to experiment with real cartridges before you go to the woods to make the real kill. They must offer the right projectile properties such as low recoil and flat trajectory, and have enough kill power to be effective.
Best Practices When Hunting
Choose Your Hunting Ground Carefully – Don’t waste your cartridges chasing a solitary bear or coyote. You can increase your success by selecting a hunting ground where there are many dogs.
Get Creative with Coyote Calls – Most adult coyotes have heard the common calls. Using calls like a turkey in distress, get creative. Use big game such as a ‘herd of reindeers on a March’. This is likely to attract the coyotes in their packs, sensing a nearby feast.
Set-up Properly – This is perhaps the trickiest part of coyote hunting. Remember, coyotes are predators. They are educated in the ways of hunting and if you are not careful, they will spot you before you spot them. See more ways of setting up here.
Don’t Overdo Your Calls – Overdo it and you will warn off the mature and knowledgeable coyote, do it too softly and you may not attract a distant coyote.
Never Give Up – If you picked your hunting ground well, then there is no reason why you will not be successful. Hunting is a game for the patient. You will need to weight for just the right moment to pull the trigger.
Keep Off Heavily Hunted Areas – In heavily hunted areas, stupid coyotes will have already been shot and thus the remaining will be harder to hunt.
When on a hunt, your coyote gun will be your best partner. Take good care of it and you will get rewarded with more kills than you imagined possible!
