Building a coyote gun on a budget!

[dan belisle]

I don't see a need for heavy barrels for coyote rifles. You aren't going to be doing high-volume rapid-fire shooting; a heavy barrel makes sense for prairie dogs or ground squirrels, where you are going through hundreds of rounds in a short period and are likely not moving around much. I sure don't want to carry around a heavy-barrel gun going from one calling spot to the next to the next.

Kind of the same for barrel life; you could burn out a barrel pretty fast on small varmints in quantity, but a great coyote hunting day is still likely less than 10 shots fired. Your barrel will outlive you.

Agree for walking around varminting. My favorite rifle for that is a Rem 600 in 222. Beat to hell, but still accurate, light, easy to carry. Great little rifle. - dan

 

[a j cave]

I had a Ruger 77 with a light barrel, shot very well. Many 400 yd coyotes. Also had a Rem 700 also shot well and did it share of fur. Both guns were 243. I’ve used most of 22 cf and they work but the 243 worked better for me.

 

[Smokinyotes]

I shot coyotes all last fall and winter with a little semi 223 topped with a 3-10 NF SHV. Worked great, especially on doubles and triples. As for buying or building a gun for a grand I’d look for a used Tikka 22-250 or 223. You don’t need a Varmint barrel for coyote hunting.

 

[waldo54]

I can't count the number of coyotes I have shot over the years, I shoot a CZ 527 in .223 with a Leupold 3 x 9 x 40 mm 52gr HPBT @ 3300 flattens them dead, sight it in 1.5" high at 100 yards and giver.

 

[Meroh]

Well depending on the MDT sale you might do well! That chassis can eat half your budget right away.

For a coyote rig I’d be looking at something with a heavy barrel. Not sure the American had that option ? (Been a while since I looked at them.)

I’d almost be looking for a varmint rifle and change the stock/chassis later. My choice is always a Tikka T3X varmint. 1600 ish new you could maybe get into one for 1k. Either a good deal or used. I’ve never had a bad varmint barrel from tikka.

Are you going to buy the chassis first? Or wait till you have an action?

B

Back in the early 80's I got a .22-250 built on a 98 Mauser; heavy McGowan Barrel, double set triggers and a very nice Fajen thumb hole stock. I kept it for a couple years, but it was too damn heavy to be lugging around. I took a bath and traded it for a Remington in .223 which was the epitome of feeding problems; even when converted to a BDL Magazine. My solution for a varmint rifle: I bought a new Zastava in 6.5 x 55; easy to carry, shoots amazingly accurate, legal in southern Ontario, and is very useful for things such as ground hogs and moose depending on loadings.

Regarding the Oryx; I have one on a precision bench rest .22 with a 20" bull barrel I built; I love it for that application, however, IMO it is too heavy to use for a varmint rifle (unless you plan on sitting in one spot all day). Also, in the winter, the aluminum will suck the heat out of your hands fairly quickly. I would go with composite or wood.

 

[Meroh]

I'd suggest comparing apples to apples rather than oranges. The same fast twist rate on a .22-250 with heavier bullets will maintain its position as superior to the .223 with the same bullets and rates of spin.

Or did you really mean what you actually wrote, i.e. that you want a slow twist rate for a heavy bullet? If you did, then, once again...sorry, but no.

Fast twist in a .22-250 is still hard to find. That puts you into a custom barrel situation for the used rifle you by; over budget before firing a shot.

 

[astuart44]

I had a Stevens 200 in 22-250 that was a tack driver and dirt cheap.

 

[Clay00019]

You're not snagging a T3X Varmint off the EE for that money unless the seller is drunk.

yes, a good scope and hardware starts around a $1000. (Leupold)

 

[scruffee]

Any gun is a coyote gun if you shoot it at coyotes!

 

[valczer]

Any gun is a coyote gun if you shoot it at coyotes!

Underrated comment in the entire thread!

Very simple yet right to the point.

 

[JJ-65]

Any gun is a coyote gun if you shoot it at coyotes!

Not really. The neighbour has a run away Hutterite working for him. Was talking to the Hutterite today, said he had seen 8 coyote this morning and had shot at every one with a 17 HMR that he doesn’t even know is sighted in or not.

 

[valczer]

Not really. The neighbour has a run away Hutterite working for him. Was talking to the Hutterite today, said he had seen 8 coyote this morning and had shot at every one with a 17 HMR that he doesn’t even know is sighted in or not.

It seems there is an accuracy problem and not the gun/caliber issue, no?

 

[Meroh]

Not really. The neighbour has a run away Hutterite working for him. Was talking to the Hutterite today, said he had seen 8 coyote this morning and had shot at every one with a 17 HMR that he doesn’t even know is sighted in or not.

An Ill sighted coyote rifle. LOL

 

[stubblejumper]

With that budget, I wouldn't even consider a chassis, I would look for a used Tikka or Vanguard.

 

[coyoteking]

Well depending on the MDT sale you might do well! That chassis can eat half your budget right away.

For a coyote rig I’d be looking at something with a heavy barrel. Not sure the American had that option ? (Been a while since I looked at them.)

I’d almost be looking for a varmint rifle and change the stock/chassis later. My choice is always a Tikka T3X varmint. 1600 ish new you could maybe get into one for 1k. Either a good deal or used. I’ve never had a bad varmint barrel from tikka.

Are you going to buy the chassis first? Or wait till you have an action?

B

Why would you want a heavy barrel for coyotes? At most, you might shoot 5 rounds in quick succession, certainly not enough to be concerned about barrel heat. Heavy barrels are cumbersome and, well, heavy. Some of my stands are 1-2 mile walks through rolling hills, the lighter the rifle the better.

 

[coyoteking]

My favorite coyote rig is a Ruger American predator in 22-250. I swapped in a Timney trigger and stiffened the forend with some epoxy and carbon arrow shafts. I found a guy who 3-d prints magazines for these rifles and his design solved the famous feeding problem. This rifle is a consistent 1/2 moa rifle.

I topped it with a leupold vx3 4.5-14 with the cdx dial. This rifle fits me well and is incredibly easy to shoot from any position.

 

[scruffee]

Not really. The neighbour has a run away Hutterite working for him. Was talking to the Hutterite today, said he had seen 8 coyote this morning and had shot at every one with a 17 HMR that he doesn’t even know is sighted in or not.

Plenty of hunters don't kill anything, they are hunters nonetheless.

I stand by my original statement. Any gun is a coyote gun if you shoot it at coyotes!

 

[vmax204]

With a $1000 budget, don't build... buy used.

I don't know what type of coyote hunting you are planning but a short, light stalking rifle is much handier to pack than a bench gun. Coyotes don't usually give you time to set up, dial in your scope, and range your shot. There are more than plenty used riles for less than your budget.

 

[bdb.hunting]

Why would you want a heavy barrel for coyotes? At most, you might shoot 5 rounds in quick succession, certainly not enough to be concerned about barrel heat. Heavy barrels are cumbersome and, well, heavy. Some of my stands are 1-2 mile walks through rolling hills, the lighter the rifle the better.

Personal preference I guess. I like a heavy barrel for added balance, recoil management and my luck with pencil barrels has never been as good so I stick to what has always worked for me.

B

 

[JJ-65]

An Ill sighted coyote rifle. LOL

Yesterday on my range, I gave him a lesson on how to hit out to 400yds with a borrowed 223. This morning I heard a shot a couple of miles away. A moment later he sends me a picture of a dead coyote.