600 Yard Coyote Gun

[Huntmaster143]

OK Guys,

I have the ability to shoot up to 600 yards behind my house and have had 5 shots at coyote's this year with 2 kills at 315 yards and 275 yards. It is an open crop field with a woods backdrop. I really don't expect to get a closer shot than the 275 yards. I am shooting a Ruger .243 with a 2.5-10 x 40 mm Simmons that I have borrowed from my father because he really doesn't have a use for it. I want to either get my own gun/scope combo or dial this gun in the rest of the way and practice with it. This gun would mostly just be used at my house and for coyotes.

I'm looking to see if the gun I have would be sufficient or should I look at other gun/scope combos. I have looked at the Savage Model 12 and like it. I also have looked at the Bushnell Elite 4200 Tac for a scope.

Any suggestions? If I went with a new gun and scope, I would like to keep the total cost under $1,500.00.

 

[Miller Outdoors]

Your .243 will do a fine job out to 600 yards if you can do your part. If it can shoot 1moa or under with a bullet over 70 grains then I'd keep it and put the money into a good scope.

Don't let anyone tell you that the .243 isn't sufficient coyote medicine at that range.

 

[bigbuck]

Your .243 will do a fine job out to 600 yards if you can do your part. If it can shoot 1moa or under with a bullet over 70 grains then I'd keep it and put the money into a good scope.

Don't let anyone tell you that the .243 isn't sufficient coyote medicine at that range.

+1 My dad has killed white tail deer @ 4 to 500 yrds more than once with his .243 Icon ! He has also taken coyotes in this same field but closer to the 150 to 250 range .

BigBuck

 

[midwesthunter]

would get new gun/scope. Reason being then you have one. I would look at savage model 10 predator in .243. Then good scope. Or just replace scope on ur dads. .243 awsome yote gun. Have killed em with .223 at 500+

 

[silvertip-co]

just zero your .243 for 300 or 400 yards and keep your wallet in your pocket. groups are fine i suppose, but ive never killed anything with a group, nor has anyone else here. so go for the one shot one kill, cold bore, or two shot sightin. and good luck.

 

[liltank]

I'm all for the using of the .243, but I can tell you that the Mod.12 with the 4200 Elite Tac will be an awsome combo. I own a Mod.12 VLP w/DBM and have shot a Mod 12 FV with the 4200 Tac. Personally I feel this would be a great starter gun.

Tank

 

[roninflag]

THE 243 is able to kill a coyote at 600 yards . hitting one is another matter. the gun has to be capable of a 6" group at 600 yards. i have a full blown f-class rifle with a krieger barrel in 6.5-284. i have killed over 250 coyotes. longest 492 yards. a remington sendero with a bushell elite 6-24 is one possibilty. better to sell the ruger and add 500 to your pot . get remington 700 with a krieger barrel. you pick the caliber. it has to shoot LESS than a 6 inch group at 600. few guns can do that

 

[justgoto]

Blasphemy! Don't listen to the people that tell you not to buy a new rifle! Blasphemy I tell you, blasphemy!!

 

[Huntmaster143]

Boy, lots of good advise here. Maybe I start out with a different scope and then if the gun needs changing out I go that route as well.

What would be a good scope to start with? Would the 4200 tac do everything I need it to? Is it overkill?

Haven't been into long range shooting and trying to figure out what I need to get started. The best thing is I will be able to use this area as my range as well. Nothing like having live targets on your practice range...

 

[roninflag]

Your .243 will do a fine job out to 600 yards if you can do your part. If it can shoot 1moa or under with a bullet over 70 grains then I'd keep it and put the money into a good scope.

Don't let anyone tell you that the .243 isn't sufficient coyote medicine at that range.

the .243 has the power . shooting 1moa at 600 yards is a LOT different than shooting 1 moa at 100 yards. i shot in a match last week 66 rounds at 500 yards how many of the 39 shooters do you think kept all their shoots inside 5"??? or a better question- how many can a ruger .243 keep in a 5" circle at 500 yards . i would hope for most shooters the rifle would be the limiting factor. it would be for me.

 

[roninflag]

just zero your .243 for 300 or 400 yards and keep your wallet in your pocket. groups are fine i suppose, but ive never killed anything with a group, nor has anyone else here. so go for the one shot one kill, cold bore, or two shot sightin. and good luck.

groups represent the rifles potential under those contolled conditions. they are not intended to kill anything

 

[RMulhern]

THE 243 is able to kill a coyote at 600 yards . hitting one is another matter. the gun has to be capable of a 6" group at 600 yards. i have a full blown f-class rifle with a krieger barrel in 6.5-284. i have killed over 250 coyotes. longest 492 yards. a remington sendero with a bushell elite 6-24 is one possibilty. better to sell the ruger and add 500 to your pot . get remington 700 with a krieger barrel. you pick the caliber. it has to shoot LESS than a 6 inch group at 600. few guns can do that

It'll take ya a year to get a Krieger barrel! Opt for a Douglas....and you'll have it in 2 weeks! They shoot....and shoot **** well!!lightbulb

 

[sscoyote]

Here's what i'd do (if u want to use the same gun and optic). Have somebody take a coin and run the turrets back and forth on that optic, then back to the zero setting again. If it's repeatable and holds zero, and gives u good range of vertical travel (as u watch the reticle while it's being turned), then get a Stoney Point Target turret, and check the zero settings at the range. See how bad parallax is with that optic also. Sometimes the cheaper optics work OK--they have for me.

I'd load the 87 V-Max if it shoots accurate as that BC will get u to 600 better than about anything else using std. 24 cal. twist rates. Chances are that optic is the plex-style reticle. Find out where the lower post tip's zero is (@ 10x), and then just use the reticle out to that range (as a 1-stadia ballistic reticle) and turret for longer.

Have a buddy that's shooting a 243 AR-10 for coyotes and he made every 1st shot connection attempted this year on coyotes (except 1) beyond 400-785 yds. with the 87 V-Max.

 

[rdsii64]

OK Guys,

I have the ability to shoot up to 600 yards behind my house and have had 5 shots at coyote's this year with 2 kills at 315 yards and 275 yards. It is an open crop field with a woods backdrop. I really don't expect to get a closer shot than the 275 yards. I am shooting a Ruger .243 with a 2.5-10 x 40 mm Simmons that I have borrowed from my father because he really doesn't have a use for it. I want to either get my own gun/scope combo or dial this gun in the rest of the way and practice with it. This gun would mostly just be used at my house and for coyotes.

I'm looking to see if the gun I have would be sufficient or should I look at other gun/scope combos. I have looked at the Savage Model 12 and like it. I also have looked at the Bushnell Elite 4200 Tac for a scope.

Any suggestions? If I went with a new gun and scope, I would like to keep the total cost under $1,500.00.

What you have is perfect as is. spend that money on ammo and practice time. a 2.5-10x scope is perfect for what you want to do with it. your money would be better spent with rounds down range.

With that being said, if you just want another gun then go get one. I am trying to fill up my safe so I can get another gun safe.