Scope for Coyote gun

[johngfoster]

Planning on getting a Remington 700 VSF in 22-250 for coyote hunting, as well as PD and target shooting pretty soon. I'm wondering what power scope would work best on this rifle? I would like to be able to make those 500yd shots when I become proficient at shooting those distances, but I aslo don't want to be "over-powered" for those closer shots when I need to take them. In your opinion, what would work best for this application/compromise?

Thanks.

 

[royinidaho]

Minimum: 4.5-14X50

Optimum: 6.5-20X50

Only just a little better: 6.5-20X56

If you traipse around only during the day about anything else with decent power will do. During sun rise and sun set and into the dark is when the above recommendations will rear their heads and take over.

 

[johngfoster]

Thanks for the reply. I can see the wisdom in the 50mm front objective. I had a 4.5-14x50 on my previous 22-250, but never got to hunt with it. It certaily let in more light and made a HUGE difference around dawn and dusk. I'm just concerned with the higher power ranges of being over-magnified when the yote come in close. Would this be a problem with the 6.5-20x50? What is your preference--to those experienced coyote hunters?

 

[royinidaho]

I'm just concerned with the higher power ranges of being over-magnified when the yote come in close. Would this be a problem with the 6.5-20x50? What is your preference--to those experienced coyote hunters?

Not for me it wouldn't. I've called yotes and got 'em w/a 10X but everything has to fit you perfectly. 6.5 should be about right. My call gun is a 222 Rem w/a Leu. 3X9 V-II. Its as good for as far as the rifle will shoot decently.

My LR rifle sports a 4.5-14 soon to be a 6.5-20X50.

 

[alf]

Varmint scopes

My favorite scope for fox, coyote, and prairie dogs used to be 6.5-20's.

For p.d.'s, I found myself setting the power ring at 16 for a compromise between field of view & power.

For calling varmints, I found 6.5X a bit much sometimes.

So.......
I've settled on 4.5-14 LR with the Varmint Hunters Reticle.
I like them so well I've got over a dozen on different rigs.

Now, if you don't call, and just snipe at them, and/ or your going to do more playing at long range, go to the 6.5-20 or 8.5-25.

I got those, too.

Good shooting,

Al.

 

[cockcroft]

I don't believe there is a scope that will work for calling coyotes and shooting praire dogs. My calling guns have 3x9 with 30mm tubes. Usually set on 4 to 6 power when calling. If you can see way out there then you can up the power but anything over 9 is hard to hold steady and just to big and bulky of a scope. My prairie dog guns have scopes up to 32 power. Rarely set under 16 when shooting dogs and usually higher.
Just my opinion.

 

[uncleB]

I don't believe there is a scope that will work for calling coyotes and shooting praire dogs. My calling guns have 3x9 with 30mm tubes. Usually set on 4 to 6 power when calling. If you can see way out there then you can up the power but anything over 9 is hard to hold steady and just to big and bulky of a scope. My prairie dog guns have scopes up to 32 power. Rarely set under 16 when shooting dogs and usually higher.
Just my opinion.

I completely agree with this, I think a perfect coyote scope is a 2.5x8 or similar and a perfect prairie dog scope is an 8.5x25x50. if you use one of these scopes for both coyote calling and PD's it is a compromise. I used to use a 6.5x20 for calling coyotes NEVER NEVER again. if you need a compromise scope instead of having a seperate rifle for each type of hunting the 4.5x14 would work well.
UB

 

[cockcroft]

You don't shoot prairie dogs during coyote hunting time anyway. If you have one 22-250 get two scopes and change to the higher power scope in May and back to the lower power in Sept.

 

[shiredude]

i've had a 700 VS for about 8 yrs now and it has worn a 6.5 X 20 since i got it. It all depends on what you are used to and how it fits you.
I get along just fine w/ fine with everything I use it for.

 

[Catfish]

From what I`m seeing here you all are proveing what I`ve always felt. You just can`t get by with 1 coyote gun. For close in shooting and when we are running them with dogs I carry an AR with a 3 x 9 Leupold. When I`m expecting long shots I carry a .22-6mm with an 8.5 x 25 Leupold on it. When packing I almost always have the scope on it`s lowest power. That was real handy a week ago Fir. when I saw a coyote runnung acrossed a field. At 300 yrds. it would have been real hard to find him in the scope on 25X, nut with it on 8.5X he ended up at the fur buyers.

 

[sscoyote]

The next coyote scope i'm gonna get is gonna be the Bush. 3200 7-21X mil-dot, due to it's short overall length (12.8"), range of magnification, and the mil-dot's lower than highest power calibration but used at the highest power.

 

[Misfire]

I'm gonna suggest a Leupold Mark 4 3.5X10. I have two, one on my big gun and one on my "coyote" rig. I don't think 10X is too light for 500 yards and the 3.5 is just fine for up close and personal.

.

 

[bigpoppa]

I'm in the Same Boat

Ok so I picked up a Win M70 Coyote in 300WSM yesterday and now am tasked with putting a scope on it. I have a Bush 3200 4-12x40 that I could put on my identical Winnie in 243 and take the Leupy 6.5-20x50 off the 243 and put it on the 300WSM. What do y'all think? I am kinda thinkin a Bush 3200 4-12x40 would be real nice on the 243 but I may just drop the hammer on a Leupy 6.5-20x40 for the 243 and put the bigger objective on the 300WSM...any thoughts?

 

[Ahab]

Like catfish, I have a 3x9 Zeiss on my .243 for calling and a 8.5x25x50 Mueller on my .204Ruger for long range.