You’ve got the caliber chosen, now you need to decide on the platform. Contrary to what anti-gunners claim…there IS a valid use for an AR…it does great on predators. Now maybe you don’t like the AR or you can’t afford one. Nothing wrong with that. When I first started hunting in the desert when I was in college, I started with a .410 Stevens break open, single shot, shotgun and a left handed 30-06, both of which I borrowed from a friend. I had no idea what I was doing. I just would drive until I hit sand, then started walking. I shot a LOT of jackrabbits and that helped me to develop my skills as a hunter.
When I got my first tax return, I landed in a pawn shop and became the proud owner of a Marlin 336 lever action 30-30, that I still have to this day. I would go out and hunt all day but I always fired off a box of shells at a variety of targets at varying distances. I learned that gun like it was an extension of my arm.
marlin by Jason Mosler, on Flickr
The first rifle I used on a predator hunt was my M4 that I used in tactical competitions before I finally built my first purpose built predator gun. But I have helped new hunters take coyotes with everything from a single shot .223 handi rifle on up. I have bolt actions, lever guns, pump guns and semi-autos. I have shot coyotes with 9mm carbines and 9mm pistols. When people pose that inevitable “what if” question…what is the ONE gun that I would have if I could only have one…I’d say it’d be a 12 gauge pump shotgun.
Each of these has it’s benefits and drawbacks. AR’s are nice because they are accurate and I can get quick follow up shots. This was important in my early days since something always seemed to go wrong and I needed follow up shots on running coyotes. Not by my choice of course. These days I use my quick follow up shots to knock down multiple coyotes that come in together, of course a suppressor sure helps too, something that a new hunter shouldn’t even think about, yet.
But when I go to Commiefornia I don’t even SAY the word AR. Pretty sure it’s illegal. I run a bolt action rifle for states like that and for my 50-state compliant gun. Every now and again when I am feeling nostalgic, I will break out my Marlin and go knock down a coyote for old time’s sake.
I also have a bunch of guns to choose from so that I can help outfit prospective new hunters. I assess their capabilities and outfit them accordingly.
Single shot rifles tend to be inexpensive and easy to use. I happened to be walking the used gun racks at a big chain retailer and overheard two guys discussing a particular gun one of them was considering for a coyote rifle. His buddy, who was obviously a coyote expert, made the comment that you needed to have a gun that could shoot at least 300 yards to shoot coyotes. I struggled to swallow my tongue. I do that a lot near gun counters. I have shot competitively since I was 10 years old. I have net a lot of so called “experts” who you could tell knew nothing about what they were going on about. This guy was one of them.
I have a .223 single shot Handi Rifle that I load out to new predator hunters on a regular basis. It is a tried and true killer. It is accurate, light and easy to operate. Now before people start throwing stones, NO, follow up shots are not quick. NO, this rifle may not be able to cut a clover leaf pattern at 1,000 yards. But is easily “minute of coyote” accurate and it has knocked down it’s fair share of fur. It is a great rifle for beginners. Of course when I take out beginners, I am there for them. I am ready to back them up in case they make a less than ideal shot and I have to bat clean up. Then again, I do that on most of my hunts even for my more experienced hunters. I became a guide many years ago with the intent of sharing predator hunting with others. My state hunting laws restricted me to only carrying a pistol while guiding. I witnessed several hunters get coyote, fox or bobcat “fever” when they got eyes on the predator and make a less that lethal shot. Knowing that I might have to back them up but limited to a pistol, I chose to interpret the law in plain black and white and I invested in a T/C Encore pistol chambered in .204 with a variety of interchangeable barrels. I still have it and will carry it in areas where I may want to carry 2 guns but have no desire to lug around 2 FULL SIZED guns.
image000001 (1) by Jason Mosler, on Flickr
As I said above, I have used my lever action Marlin on coyote hunts. Again, easy to use, and more than “minute of coyote” accurate. My lever gun is a 30-30 and I have shot a lot of different animals with it. My criticism of the caliber is the rainbow trajectory. Can you learn it, I did. But it might not be my first choice for an inexperienced hunter. But the lever action offers that follow up that a hunter might need. Even experienced hunters have seen a coyote take a solid hit and get back up, so follow ups are a part of every hunt.
The bolt action rifle offers a different platform. Now, they are going to be faster than a single shot for follow ups but maybe not as fast as a lever action. But here is a myth of bolt actions…they are ALL 1,000 yard laser beam accurate. Not even close to being true. As with many things, you get what you pay for, for the most part. You can get an entry level bolt action for around $300. But it’s going to shoot like a $300 gun. No 1,000 yard shots with it. Maybe if you drive it 900 yards downrange and shoot the last 100 yards. But at the same time, you could go out and spend THOUSANDS of dollars for a top quality custom built and blue printed bolt gun, and you still might not be able to shoot 1,000 yards. It takes a level of skill that not many folks possess to shoot that far. I had a Remington 700 BDL in .308 that I shot competitively. It shot “lights out” but it was beefy, heavy. Wasn’t a whole lot of fun to lug around in the mountains stalking deer and elk. I have owned Remingtons, Savages and others and will again and again.
00172 (1) by Jason Mosler, on Flickr
Now to the “evil black rifle.” Again, politicians and anti-gunners will spout their supposed “expertise” and tell you that there is no place for an “assault rifle” except on the battlefield. I hate to rain on their parade. I use one on MANY MANY occasions. Now I started off with an “off the shelf” Bushmaster M4. Again, you dont need 1,000 yard laser accuracy for a predator gun. Minute of coyote is enough. What’s that mean. Can you get 3 shots inside a 3 in target, you can get a good shot on a coyote or bobcat. Foxes, you might need it a bit tighter, say about 2 inches. You don’t necessarily need to cut the same hole. I have taken many fine target shooters out only to watch these gunpowder surgeons miss a predator by a mile. Putting lead on fur is a bit different than punching a hole on paper.
Nut I did learn some valuable lessons from my M4, which I still have. I ran into parallax error created by the relatively high setting of the optic in relation to the muzzle centerline. At a given distance I could put lead on fur. But up close, not so much. So I then built my first “purpose” built flat top for predator hunting, and it became my killingest gun for YEARS. To this day, the AR flat top platform is my go to in most cases. They are easy to adjust, retrofit, and reconfigure than just about many other platforms. But they are not an end-all be-all, they can take some practice and some experience to use well. I am reluctant to put one in the hand of a new shooter/hunter for a first time predator hunt.
The bottom line, there really is NO “perfect” gun and caliber combination except what you have and/or are good with. Too many new hunters wait for them to amass that “perfect” combination of equipment and before they know it years have passed and they haven’t gone out once.
Stop making excuses. Grab your gun, get to the range, then get out there and swing for the fences.
When I got my first tax return, I landed in a pawn shop and became the proud owner of a Marlin 336 lever action 30-30, that I still have to this day. I would go out and hunt all day but I always fired off a box of shells at a variety of targets at varying distances. I learned that gun like it was an extension of my arm.
marlin by Jason Mosler, on FlickrThe first rifle I used on a predator hunt was my M4 that I used in tactical competitions before I finally built my first purpose built predator gun. But I have helped new hunters take coyotes with everything from a single shot .223 handi rifle on up. I have bolt actions, lever guns, pump guns and semi-autos. I have shot coyotes with 9mm carbines and 9mm pistols. When people pose that inevitable “what if” question…what is the ONE gun that I would have if I could only have one…I’d say it’d be a 12 gauge pump shotgun.
Each of these has it’s benefits and drawbacks. AR’s are nice because they are accurate and I can get quick follow up shots. This was important in my early days since something always seemed to go wrong and I needed follow up shots on running coyotes. Not by my choice of course. These days I use my quick follow up shots to knock down multiple coyotes that come in together, of course a suppressor sure helps too, something that a new hunter shouldn’t even think about, yet.
But when I go to Commiefornia I don’t even SAY the word AR. Pretty sure it’s illegal. I run a bolt action rifle for states like that and for my 50-state compliant gun. Every now and again when I am feeling nostalgic, I will break out my Marlin and go knock down a coyote for old time’s sake.
I also have a bunch of guns to choose from so that I can help outfit prospective new hunters. I assess their capabilities and outfit them accordingly.
Single shot rifles tend to be inexpensive and easy to use. I happened to be walking the used gun racks at a big chain retailer and overheard two guys discussing a particular gun one of them was considering for a coyote rifle. His buddy, who was obviously a coyote expert, made the comment that you needed to have a gun that could shoot at least 300 yards to shoot coyotes. I struggled to swallow my tongue. I do that a lot near gun counters. I have shot competitively since I was 10 years old. I have net a lot of so called “experts” who you could tell knew nothing about what they were going on about. This guy was one of them.
I have a .223 single shot Handi Rifle that I load out to new predator hunters on a regular basis. It is a tried and true killer. It is accurate, light and easy to operate. Now before people start throwing stones, NO, follow up shots are not quick. NO, this rifle may not be able to cut a clover leaf pattern at 1,000 yards. But is easily “minute of coyote” accurate and it has knocked down it’s fair share of fur. It is a great rifle for beginners. Of course when I take out beginners, I am there for them. I am ready to back them up in case they make a less than ideal shot and I have to bat clean up. Then again, I do that on most of my hunts even for my more experienced hunters. I became a guide many years ago with the intent of sharing predator hunting with others. My state hunting laws restricted me to only carrying a pistol while guiding. I witnessed several hunters get coyote, fox or bobcat “fever” when they got eyes on the predator and make a less that lethal shot. Knowing that I might have to back them up but limited to a pistol, I chose to interpret the law in plain black and white and I invested in a T/C Encore pistol chambered in .204 with a variety of interchangeable barrels. I still have it and will carry it in areas where I may want to carry 2 guns but have no desire to lug around 2 FULL SIZED guns.
image000001 (1) by Jason Mosler, on FlickrAs I said above, I have used my lever action Marlin on coyote hunts. Again, easy to use, and more than “minute of coyote” accurate. My lever gun is a 30-30 and I have shot a lot of different animals with it. My criticism of the caliber is the rainbow trajectory. Can you learn it, I did. But it might not be my first choice for an inexperienced hunter. But the lever action offers that follow up that a hunter might need. Even experienced hunters have seen a coyote take a solid hit and get back up, so follow ups are a part of every hunt.
The bolt action rifle offers a different platform. Now, they are going to be faster than a single shot for follow ups but maybe not as fast as a lever action. But here is a myth of bolt actions…they are ALL 1,000 yard laser beam accurate. Not even close to being true. As with many things, you get what you pay for, for the most part. You can get an entry level bolt action for around $300. But it’s going to shoot like a $300 gun. No 1,000 yard shots with it. Maybe if you drive it 900 yards downrange and shoot the last 100 yards. But at the same time, you could go out and spend THOUSANDS of dollars for a top quality custom built and blue printed bolt gun, and you still might not be able to shoot 1,000 yards. It takes a level of skill that not many folks possess to shoot that far. I had a Remington 700 BDL in .308 that I shot competitively. It shot “lights out” but it was beefy, heavy. Wasn’t a whole lot of fun to lug around in the mountains stalking deer and elk. I have owned Remingtons, Savages and others and will again and again.
00172 (1) by Jason Mosler, on FlickrNow to the “evil black rifle.” Again, politicians and anti-gunners will spout their supposed “expertise” and tell you that there is no place for an “assault rifle” except on the battlefield. I hate to rain on their parade. I use one on MANY MANY occasions. Now I started off with an “off the shelf” Bushmaster M4. Again, you dont need 1,000 yard laser accuracy for a predator gun. Minute of coyote is enough. What’s that mean. Can you get 3 shots inside a 3 in target, you can get a good shot on a coyote or bobcat. Foxes, you might need it a bit tighter, say about 2 inches. You don’t necessarily need to cut the same hole. I have taken many fine target shooters out only to watch these gunpowder surgeons miss a predator by a mile. Putting lead on fur is a bit different than punching a hole on paper.
Nut I did learn some valuable lessons from my M4, which I still have. I ran into parallax error created by the relatively high setting of the optic in relation to the muzzle centerline. At a given distance I could put lead on fur. But up close, not so much. So I then built my first “purpose” built flat top for predator hunting, and it became my killingest gun for YEARS. To this day, the AR flat top platform is my go to in most cases. They are easy to adjust, retrofit, and reconfigure than just about many other platforms. But they are not an end-all be-all, they can take some practice and some experience to use well. I am reluctant to put one in the hand of a new shooter/hunter for a first time predator hunt.
The bottom line, there really is NO “perfect” gun and caliber combination except what you have and/or are good with. Too many new hunters wait for them to amass that “perfect” combination of equipment and before they know it years have passed and they haven’t gone out once.
Stop making excuses. Grab your gun, get to the range, then get out there and swing for the fences.