Best Coyote Airgun ? Also Mixed Feelings ?

[Shooting Targets]

So if you had to choose a coyote airgun which one would it be ?

I have mixed feeling on airgunning with accuracy and power at long distance. 

As noted I have had the Cricket 357 9mm, Airforce texan 308, Benjamin Bulldog 357 as well. 

I now have access to more coyote country but am mixed on trying to use any air rifle instead of a powder burner. So the shots could range from 50 to 500 yards. That being said my experiences with the above air rifles have been so so at best. My summary goes like this 
1. Cricket great accuracy, but pellet drop or looping was crazy. To me too much risk at 100+ yards. 
2. Benjamin bulldog was better and more power but sometimes the gun would just POI move on me, I heard it was hold sensitive thus getting better groups with the gun past 80 yards was difficult. Thou I should of spent more time with it. Again not sure about over 100 yards with the gun. 

3. Air Force texan 308 seem accurate up to about 70 to 80 yards. It had power but for some reason I alway felt like I was chasing the bell curve for accuracy vs Air Consumption. After 80 yards things got weird.

So is there a coyote airgun flat shooting enough for a 100 to 200 yards shot ?

I really like using air riles for hunting but using them on Coyote seems very difficult.

I will be calling to corn fields an open pastures. Not sure if they make an accurate enough air rifle flat shooting enough for a longer shot than 100 yards ?

Your thoughts? Suggestions and experiences ?

Jay

 

[T3PRanch]

The Texan 308 was recently used on a 100 yard plus Whitetail Deer Hunt in Texas by a TPWD member to evaluate allowing air guns for deer hunting. It was extremely accurate in that hunt. The gun belonged to Eric Henderson of Adventures Afield (YouTube). The trick to a Texan is the right projectile sized for the bore of "your" gun and with a proper length projectile for the barrel twist rate.
I was told by one avid 308 Texan shooter that removing the valve return spring will make the most power from the gun (more than heavier hammers, hammer springs and bottles running excess of 3K psi).

My Bulldog tethered at 2900 psi shooting a Nielsen 95 grain swaged hollow point is accurate to 2" at 100 yards time and time again. Problem with the Bulldogs is barrel consistency batch to batch. 

Having said all that .. my preferred long range AF gun is the Condor running a 32" R&L .257 barrel with an Extreme Valve at 3600 PSI with a 100 gr cast projectile but I am in the testing phase currently so I have little useful data yet.

Lately I don't have to call the coyotes as they have developed a love for my pecans that fall on the ground. The pecans are pulling in deer, raccoons, coyotes and hogs too so my longest recent shot is less than 50 yards from my back door.

Thurmond

 

[Shooting Targets]

t3ranch thanks for the reply. Yes, the texan .308 seem like a great gun it had its moments and probably with the right tunner and time id have a winner. I spent close to 4 monthw with it using various bullets. The consistent shot to shot was just not there FOR ME. I say for me because I see other guys getting some good groups. Heck at 50 yards I was crushing the targets. The problem I have is the money spent on getting something to perform well at 100+ yards without wasting money and time. I do have fun tuning and playing with airguns but at some point you have to finish the project or move on.

At 50 yards Id probably stick to my fx .25 or 30 cal head shot should do the trick on coyotes. Heck at 50 yards Id have no problem with the texan or bulldog. 

I guess the dynamic nature of coyotes moving so much in wide open fields has its problems that powder burners solve. The bullet drop on these airguns seems huge maybe I will never really feel comfortable with a 100+ shot on something that is not just sitting there like a target on a gun range.. hmmmm ahh well.

thanks for the input thou ! 
jay

 

[Imold]

I’m going with my HMx .357 for yotes under 100 yards and anything farther I’ll break out the 22-250...I’m sure my Texan 45 would be just fine but I want to save the pelts and I don’t think the 45 is fur friendly..30/308/357 in my book are all good yote caliber’s for under 100yards but I’m sure with enough practice a person could stretch it out a bit farther....

 

[Deja]

if your allowed to use pb for hunting i dont see a reason not to. Just using is air because its a fun challenge but worse imo isnt 100% ethical. I can see using air inside city limits being a thing but in the open outside, nah, just hit them hard with something that will allow for some error and ez of use.

 

[fpgt72]

"Deja"if your allowed to use pb for hunting i dont see a reason not to. Just using is air because its a fun challenge but worse imo isnt 100% ethical. I can see using air inside city limits being a thing but in the open outside, nah, just hit them hard with something that will allow for some error and ez of use.

I agree with this....just because you can does not make it ok.....I want a clean and ethical kill, I don't care if it is a starling or a doe, no animal deserves to crawl off in a hole and die a long slow death coughing up blood. And this may get me in the dog house but those that use airguns on some of these animals deserve a death like that. Yes it can, but you really REALLY need to be 110% sure just where that pellet/bullet is going to go. It goes for some firearms hunters as well. You see talk on head shots and the like....well if you have to be that good (and it aint hard) you need more gun....a nice lung shot on a deer is the only way to go in my book, others are ________ __________. And save your band width you are not going to change my mind.....same goes with hog hunting....I found a hog with a 308 in its shoulder....it had been there a LONG time....and this animal was still up and going.....same with a lowly tree rat or squirrel.....I have seen them walk away from a 177 to the gut....no you have to remember with a pellet gun....ANY PELLET GUN they kill by hitting something that will kill it right then and there. And if you can't hit that area 10 out of 10 times you have no business taking that shot.

Sorry this is one subject that gets my hackles up like no other.

Use a firearm if you can....and if you can't for one reason or another.....learn field craft, you can get close.....and that is hunting, taking a shot at 200 yards is just shooting.

 

[Imold]

It’s called practice practice practice and practice some more until you feel confident in your weapon/tool of choice and if you have doubts keep on practicing or find a different weapon/tool, I’ve been a avid bow hunter for over 34 years and I can stack arrows at 50 yards all day but when it comes to hunting deer I keep my shots under 25 yards and I’ve done just fine, I’ve let a lot of deer walk that we’re pushing 30 yards because I will not risk it but that’s how I hunt and as far as head shots go with rifles it will never happen in my book,40 years I’ve done fine with heart and lung shots...
i live in a area where 98% of rifle/handgun shots are under 100 yards and closer but then there are places where 100 yard plus shots are normal and that’s where Powder comes into play in my book, will I ever shoot a deer at 100yards with a Airgun.......Nope but I would at 50/60 yards....
Its all comes down to how ethical the hunter is and there are unfortunately quite a few unethical folks out there(just about called them hunters), will I ever shoot a yote at 100 yards with my 357? Sure if I’ve practiced enough that I’m comfortable enough to do it but if there is ever a doubt the shot doesn’t and won’t get made....
I could go on and on but I digress and will always be happy with the hunting choices I’ve made. It’s called being a ethical hunter and Sportsman.

 

[Shooting Targets]

To ALL, thanks for the confirmation. With most of the big bores I would feel comfortable at about 80 yards and within. The bullet drop for many of these big bores is just too big. My area of hunting is mixed with short and long shots. Mostly longer shots in open fields. I bet some of these will be 500 yards even not that id take it. That said, I just wanted to make sure I am not missing anything with the state of the big bores. You will see guys shooting deer at 200 yards with the texan or some other animal. I have a hard time with my skills coming close at 100 yards and that is knowing EXACTLY the yardage. I use to bow hunt and have had good and bad experiences with that and I think we all have ! 

So the consensus I am getting from this thread is if it is less than 100 yards then use whatever Airgun works with the power needed. The consensus is over 100 yards go for a powder burner. Seems like common sense. I know the lines are really getting blurry between big bores and powder burners with all the marketing hype on the internet ect. 


Thanks, 

Jay