Regret not having more magnification?

[NEMTHunter]

Another thing to think about is the better the glass. The lower the power you need.

I at one point had a scope that started @ 7x then I went to one that started @ 3x I will not be going back to a scope that start @ 7x. To many times I have close range low light conditions shooting coyotes. The lower power it be far nicer IMHO.

Good glass and a good reticle help A lot the better these two are the less power you need. My coyote gun now has a 2.5-10 power scope on it. I would like to find a good clear dependable 2-16x50 or 56 SFP scope for it with a MOA reticle. Am I asking to much?

 

[ronstone09]

Hey guys - just picked up a new rifle which will be a dedicated coyote gun. I have traditionally had something in the 6-24x50 range on my coyote rifles. I have a brand new Leupold VX5HD 3-15x56 in the safe and am thinking it will be a good fit for the rifle. Any of you guys running scopes with 12-15x on the top end regret not having more magnification for coyote hunting?

I also have a Sig whiskey5 5-25x52 that I could put on it...thinking I would prefer 3 on the low end and the bigger objective for low light.

I think you're right on with those optics ! I've hunted coyotes for many years and only jack the power up when I have a long shot ! The usual shots are 200 yards and in if you're using a caller !

 

[del2les]

I had some long opportunities last year that I passed up because I was shooting a 40gr vmax too. This rifle is a 6mm creedmoor - planning on running the 108eldms so I can take some longer shots.

That is one of the reasons I run the 75/80 Amax and now ELD in my 5.56/223 AI and 22/250AI's. They hit harder at long range and buck our winds much better, and so far, they give adequate expansion for quick kills.

 

[laker]

Dumped coyotes to 650 with a 14x. I think you will be alright

 

[Greyfox]

While I have always had a strong passion for calling/hunting coyotes, for the past several years my coyote hunting has evolved to mostly long range shooting. Mych of my coyote hunting is done when I'm lucky enough to be tagged out and time remains to get some additional hunting in. I find it to be far less restricted to my distance requirements and conditions established for LR game shooting, providing excellent practice for broad skill development with an unpredictable target. Given the target size that is low to the ground, with typical interferences encountered, I find that my scopes in the 5x20 magnification range used for my LR game hunting serve me best. I use the same rifles used for game hunting for familiarity and continuity.

 

[zr600]

I have a vx5hd on my coyote hinting rig it's the 3-15x44 windplex and I don't fell handi capped at all because of magnification. They have great glass if you are able to make the shot or not make it the scope won't be at fault.

 

[laker]

I have a vx5hd on my coyote hinting rig it's the 3-15x44 windplex and I don't fell handi capped at all because of magnification. They have great glass if you are able to make the shot or not make it the scope won't be at fault.

My favorite all around scope

 

[Three44s]

An old timer steered me to 6x back when I was a kid for open country and it has been my staple for coyotes.

Mind you range finders were something a ship had back then but one thing that not futzing with a variable power gives you over time is that coyotes can be better judged for ranging if you are not jacking the power around all the time.

The medium power gives me less jitters as well.

Most of my scopes are variable power 3-9 or 4-12 and my favorite scope that has been used on the majority of coyotes I have killed is a fixed 6x Burris. Variable or not I strive to let them sit on 6 power unless there is a specific need for something else.

Now a varmint rig for squirrels etc is another matter. My Liberty M77V 243 wears a 6-18 power Burris. But when it's coyote game on, the ring goes back to 6x.

Three44s

 

[engineer40]

An old timer steered me to 6x back when I was a kid for open country and it has been my staple for coyotes.

Three44s

It has also seemed to be true whenever I've compared, that a fixed 6x power has a better FOV than a variable power scope does when set at 6x. Or most fixed power scopes for that matter compared to a variable power at the same magnification. It may have just been the scopes I've compared over the years. I cannot say this is categorically true.

Fixed power scopes are usually tougher, lighter, and cheaper for the quality. And you don't need to worry about SFP ranging inconsistencies or FFP reticle getting incredibly girthy at higher magnification.

Obviously fixed power scopes have downsides too. But it's not all downsides.

 

[SMK1000plus]

I've kinda been itching for a 6 creed for long shots too. Think I'd go with the Sig for that gun and keep a shotgun in my lap for surprise dogs.

Just my experience but, my Ruger American Predator 6mm Creedmoor, which uses a 1 in 7.7" twist, shoots dime size 5 round groups at 100 yards with everything I've put through it. I have only used 100gr bullets and up though. I have no idea how it will do with the lighter bulllets. The 103gr ELD-X with its G1 BC of 0.512 hammers the yotes out to 400+ yards but, leaves big holes in the off-side fur. Not a problem in my case; I'm simply trying to completely eradicate their species!

My 6mm Creedmoor wears a Leupold VX-5 HD 2-10x42mm CDS ZL2. The 2-10X variable power range works great out to 600 yards. I believe that a high quality 2-12X HD variable power would be the perfect magnification range scope for my coyote hunting needs though.

 

[okie man]

I've been using a 3x12 scope on my coyote rig for about 20 years with no problems

 

[lancetkenyon]

My longest kills to date on coyotes are at 1327 & two @ 1365 yards. 1327 was with a 4-16×50 and the two @ 1365 were with a 5-25×56 set on 17x.
I regularly shoot from 545 to 1500+ with 3-15×50 scopes on several rifles.
I would take a 3-15×50 on a coyote rifle any day over a 6-24×56. And for most big game hunting rifles as well. A 3-18, 3-20, or 3-24 would be awesome too.

 

[SMK1000plus]

My longest kills to date on coyotes are at 1327 & two @ 1365 yards. 1327 was with a 4-16×50 and the two @ 1365 were with a 5-25×56 set on 17x.
I regularly shoot from 545 to 1500+ with 3-15×50 scopes on several rifles.
I would take a 3-15×50 on a coyote rifle any day over a 6-24×56. And for most big game hunting rifles as well. A 3-18, 3-20, or 3-24 would be awesome too.

Nice! What cartridge are you using?

 

[lancetkenyon]

Nice! What cartridge are you using?

The 1327 was with a .250AI pushing a 100 SMK @ 3150.
The two @ 1365 was on an elk hunt. I used my .300RUM pushing a 230 Hybrid @ 3117. Because that is what I had at the truck after I dropped two hunters off to still hunt a canyon.