Coyote suggestions

[Chukar60]

I am really getting into this coyote calling with an air gun. Three times out and all three have resulted in Coyotes wIthin range and only my ignorance preventing success.
Today it all came together. Called two in at once. One got within 35 yards but stayed behind a sagebrush but the other one came into about 5o yards then backed out to 64 yards next to a bush I had ranged before I started calling. I shot it in the lungs with a 30 cal Hybrid slug. The impact was impressive and it left with tail down and moving slow. Unfortunately just over the finger was a thick brush pocket that I am assuming it made it into. A lot of people don’t spend much time looking for wounded coyotes but I ain’t one of them.
At any rate, I was thinking as Ihiked off the hill I should find a slug that will provide a better chance of a complete pass through with better penetration.
Anyone have any suggestions? I am shooting an M3 and it is tuned to shoot the Hybrids (RMR slap slugs) @ 960 fps. The gun is not working too hard to get there and I can get more velocity out of it with these slugs but I am thinking more velocity is not the answer. A slightly harder slug with a smaller hollow point is what I have in mind.
Could I be looking at this wrong? Any help appreciated

 

[Vetmx]

Your good. There is nothing you can do to that gun or feed that gun that’s going to make a difference with a boiler room shot. Your .30 is lame just like my .30’s are lame for something like a coyote. We might as well be shooting them with an arrow. Our kinetic energy is a complete joke. It’s dead. Good shot. You want to recover them, that’s what a 22-250 is for.

Just like most animals, they have an auto pilot after shot. And that auto pilot takes them directly to some of the most difficult spots to recover them.

 

[BlackICE]

Our kinetic energy is a complete joke. It’s dead. Good shot. You want to recover them, that’s what a 22-250 is for.

Just like most animals, they have an auto pilot after shot. And that auto pilot takes them directly to some of the most difficult spots to recover them.

Unless your hit the brain, most likely it's going to run off a ways and not DRT. Problem with a brain shot is it much more difficult because the head is the most likely to move quickly and unexpectedly, whereas the lungs being much larger and the COM can't move as far as fast.

If use a 60 FPE .25 for coons I go only go for the brain shots, because I want them DRT. But my record is about 90% success, 10% of the time they move as get the shot off so it misses the brain.

A 22/250 will do a dandy job, but even a .223 with varmint bullets will do OK at more than 100 yards.

 

[Chukar60]

Appreciate the input. I will stick with what I am using.

 

[929lad]

Your good. There is nothing you can do to that gun or feed that gun that’s going to make a difference with a boiler room shot. Your .30 is lame just like my .30’s are lame for something like a coyote. We might as well be shooting them with an arrow. Our kinetic energy is a complete joke. It’s dead. Good shot. You want to recover them, that’s what a 22-250 is for.

Just like most animals, they have an auto pilot after shot. And that auto pilot takes them directly to some of the most difficult spots to recover them.

if you think .30 is too weak, what would you suggest a good air gun caliber would be for coyote.

 

[Berserkeley Mike]

Great, I get to play with the ballistics calculator...
So your slug is 44.5 grains, BC of 0.105 starting at 960 fps for 91 ft# at the muzzle and almost 73 ft# at 65 yards. Then it hits and turns into a much larger blob that doesn't pass through.

Pyramyd sells a "Rifle" brand slug (heavier at 60 gr) that lacks the hollow point and would carry at least as much energy as the hybrid slug through a smaller hole. Whether that shoots well from your gun, who knows?

There are several diabolo pellets to choose from in the 50 grain range, and shot at 900 fps they would still have ~60 ft# at 65 yards, but almost the same momentum. They will flatten a little but not like a hollow point and may pass through more, similar momentum in a much smaller blob. Maybe think along those lines?

 

[Cantona256]

Lol .30 cal isn’t enough for coyotes …. Have you shot a coyote with a .30 air rifle yet? 73fpe is more than enough at 64y to drop one no problems…. 50fpe is plenty depending on the dog and shot placement..

Your first problem is the hybrid slugs. They are designed for extreme expansion but they are light for caliber. At that speed it flattened out just a little too quickly. Despite what most people think you DO want it to flatten out and not pass through. That’s the only way to make sure all of the energy is passed onto target.

If you can get them to stop facing you I like a slug right through middle chest the best. That’s also how I shot a fox with a little Umarex complete, he made it 10 yards.

My suggestion would be a traditional airgun slug around the same weight you already have. The mass is distributed differently in a normal slug. You should get more penetration before full expansion. Before anyone comes for me I literally watched my buddy drop a yote with a 75gr boattail out of a Gauntlet .30 cal last month 118yards into the chest. He moved about 5 feet before he met his maker.

I’ve seen plenty of videos of people shooting H&N slugs out of those Fx guns. Air Hunter Gerhard dropped two Barbary sheep with a .25 cal M3 shooting 44gr H&N slugs. My boss at work shot his first hog as kid with a Benjamin break barrel. I’m not suggesting you do that, just pointing out that not all FPE is created equal.

Don’t go solid ammo. You will just get pass throughs. I agree on not going for headshots. I’ve had too many coyotes and jackrabbits matrix a headshot at the last second…. But yeah the idea you don’t have enough power to drop a coyote with a Impact M3 .30cal is crazy, sorry. Not trying start arguments but it’s just a fact…. Unless you’re in BC or Saskatchewan with those massive coyotes that look like mini wolves your .30 is more than enough. Down here in the desert it’s rare to get a coyote that’s even bigger than 40lbs and they’re skinny. A 20-35 pound dog ain’t a problem for your gun.

 

[Vetmx]

if you think .30 is too weak, what would you suggest a good air gun caliber would be for coyote.

Well let’s look at all the coyote hunters nation wide that are using a .22lr. I can tell you it’s probably zero. And us airgun guys with our .30’s are struggling to match that bottom of the barrel powder burner. We are not going to shock them to the ground. We are not going create massive cavitation and blow out the other side of them creating a good blood trail to aid in recovery. So we figure out our best approach at eliminating them and roll with it. I would like to see how they react to something like a .45 Texan but I’m not lugging something like that around. I’ll just shoot them with my little 6mm Remington.

 

[Cantona256]

Well let’s look at all the coyote hunters nation wide that are using a .22lr. I can tell you it’s probably zero. And us airgun guys with our .30’s are struggling to match that bottom of the barrel powder burner. We are not going to shock them to the ground. We are not going create massive cavitation and blow out the other side of them creating a good blood trail to aid in recovery. So we figure out our best approach at eliminating them and roll with it. I would like to see how they react to something like a .45 Texan but I’m not lugging something like that around. I’ll just shoot them with my little 6mm Remington.

Have you shot one with an air rifle yet?…. And for the record the only powder burner I’ve ever shot a coyote with is a Ruger 10/22 and it’s double digits…to be fair it’s always been at night and my record is like 103yards or something. A typical .22lr is about 120fpe less for for the subsonics…. “Struggling” to get that power in an airgun isn’t accurate in my opinion. Plenty of higher end guns in .25 do that and more. In .30 150-200fpe is not crazy.

Keep in mind not all fpe is the same. Typical 22LR is a 36gr hollow point moving super fast. At 100yards would you rather be hit with that or a 78gr boattail moving slower? Which one is more likely to dump its energy better and create a big wound channel and shockwave in your target?

But anyways you’re entitled to your opinion and arguing on here ain’t gonna change anything. I’ve been kinda half-a$$ing a few stands here and there but life has been complicated. But I’m gonna knuckle down, shoot a coyote with my 65-67fpe barra 250z AND récord it with my DNT Zulus. I have no doubt I’ll be able to drop one with enough authority to satisfy this debate…. If that sounds arrogant or cocky that’s not my intent at all. I’ve just seen enough of what my barra can do to believe I can drop a coyote out to 95-100yards with it.

 

[6gun]

I am really getting into this coyote calling with an air gun. Three times out and all three have resulted in Coyotes wIthin range and only my ignorance preventing success.
Today it all came together. Called two in at once. One got within 35 yards but stayed behind a sagebrush but the other one came into about 5o yards then backed out to 64 yards next to a bush I had ranged before I started calling. I shot it in the lungs with a 30 cal Hybrid slug. The impact was impressive and it left with tail down and moving slow. Unfortunately just over the finger was a thick brush pocket that I am assuming it made it into. A lot of people don’t spend much time looking for wounded coyotes but I ain’t one of them.
At any rate, I was thinking as Ihiked off the hill I should find a slug that will provide a better chance of a complete pass through with better penetration.
Anyone have any suggestions? I am shooting an M3 and it is tuned to shoot the Hybrids (RMR slap slugs) @ 960 fps. The gun is not working too hard to get there and I can get more velocity out of it with these slugs but I am thinking more velocity is not the answer. A slightly harder slug with a smaller hollow point is what I have in mind.
Could I be looking at this wrong? Any help appreciated

I don't think there will be a massive difference except hybrids don't have much in the way of a solid core, they really open up from teacup to saucer and dump energy and stop which is why i choose them for certain uses Some of the old style H&N slugs with hardly a cavity performed in my putty media at point blank like a dangerous game monolithic solid would and nsa slugs tend to be slightly harder than other brands, which will likely be my choice for coyote. Then again I'm in 22 land. So the ethics is your call. In some instances poking a lung leak in a coyote and letting it go elsewhere to expire has been advantageous, although frowned upon by most.

To vet mx point about archery, that's a whole other level of energy retention and pass thru , ive had arrows with broad heads just pass thru 18 guage steel like it was a paper target, except the entire arrow was ruined.

 

[Vetmx]

Have you shot one with an air rifle yet?…. And for the record the only powder burner I’ve ever shot a coyote with is a Ruger 10/22 and it’s double digits…to be fair it’s always been at night and my record is like 103yards or something. A typical .22lr is about 120fpe less for for the subsonics…. “Struggling” to get that power in an airgun isn’t accurate in my opinion. Plenty of higher end guns in .25 do that and more. In .30 150-200fpe is not crazy.

Keep in mind not all fpe is the same. Typical 22LR is a 36gr hollow point moving super fast. At 100yards would you rather be hit with that or a 78gr boattail moving slower? Which one is more likely to dump its energy better and create a big wound channel and shockwave in your target?

But anyways you’re entitled to your opinion and arguing on here ain’t gonna change anything. I’ve been kinda half-a$$ing a few stands here and there but life has been complicated. But I’m gonna knuckle down, shoot a coyote with my 65-67fpe barra 250z AND récord it with my DNT Zulus. I have no doubt I’ll be able to drop one with enough authority to satisfy this debate…. If that sounds arrogant or cocky that’s not my intent at all. I’ve just seen enough of what my barra can do to believe I can drop a coyote out to 95-100yards with it.

Probably 20+ with an airgun. Using .25 and .30 airguns. All sluggers. Coyotes are just like raccoons and groundhogs. A couple do get planted right there and you have a wow moment. But it doesn’t define what the gun can do all the time. I planted a 50lb male facing straight at me at my camp a couple years ago. Using a .25 going 1,040fps. Never did it again so I just moved to .30 and the muzzleloader approach. Slow moving but a bigger hole. If you believe you have a coyote planter, stick with it. It’s all we can do until you reach for a real gun.

 

[6gun]

Probably 20+ with an airgun. Using .25 and .30 airguns. All sluggers. Coyotes are just like raccoons and groundhogs. A couple do get planted right there and you have a wow moment. But it doesn’t define what the gun can do all the time. I planted a 50lb male facing straight at me at my camp a couple years ago. Using a .25 going 1,040fps. Never did it again so I just moved to .30 and the muzzleloader approach. Slow moving but a bigger hole. If you believe you have a coyote planter, stick with it. It’s all we can do until you reach for a real gun.

I've done plenty with PBS from. 22cb(airgun energy but round nose bullet) up to 7 rem mag, the airgun would let me do it just on the edge of civilization more quietly and safely.

I think I'm just going to need to try and report back.

 

[Chukar60]

I've done plenty with PBS from. 22cb(airgun energy but round nose bullet) up to 7 rem mag, the airgun would let me do it just on the edge of civilization more quietly and safely.

I think I'm just going to need to try and report back.

Try it!!! You may find what I did. I am getting addicted to calling coyotes. Killing them is secondary. They are a serious challenge with an air gun.

 

[6gun]

Try it!!! You may find what I did. I am getting addicted to calling coyotes. Killing them is secondary. They are a serious challenge with an air gun.

We have the same interest in fun. I like tricking them more than shooting them too.

 

[Cranky1]

I’ve had pretty good success with 30 and 357. I’m not big on the fx slugs, I prefer Zans and dead lead. They have enough weight and are solid enough to penetrate but still expand. I’ve used nsa and feel they done expand as well. I’ve even used hades in 30cal at 100fpe.

 

[Florida_Man]

Like already has been said, head shots get the DRT. The biggest animal I target is raccoon. Brain is the way to go

 

[BlackICE]

Like already has been said, head shots get the DRT. The biggest animal I target is raccoon. Brain is the way to go

You didn't show the aftermath that can last over a minute. With them doing a death dance bouncing all over the place.

 

[gendoc]

if i put a 50gr epp slug @ 100fpe from my U-1 .30 into the ear, its going to be DRT everytime if i dont miss...
which has happened before. there head is never still even at 20yrds

 

[Cantona256]

Probably 20+ with an airgun. Using .25 and .30 airguns. All sluggers. Coyotes are just like raccoons and groundhogs. A couple do get planted right there and you have a wow moment. But it doesn’t define what the gun can do all the time. I planted a 50lb male facing straight at me at my camp a couple years ago. Using a .25 going 1,040fps. Never did it again so I just moved to .30 and the muzzleloader approach. Slow moving but a bigger hole. If you believe you have a coyote planter, stick with it. It’s all we can do until you reach for a real gun

Try it!!! You may find what I did. I am getting addicted to calling coyotes. Killing them is secondary. They are a serious challenge with an air gun.

Calling them is 100% the thrill and why I love bringing them in close at night. If I just wanted to kill then I have a few spots where I could bait (it’s legal here) and just set up a blind. That’s its own kind of fun but not what I’m looking for.

 

[Cantona256]

We have the same interest in fun. I like tricking them more than shooting them too.

That makes 3 of us. It’s pretty much the main reason I got into PCP’s and shooting slugs. I didn’t want to be another dude with an AR setup and foxpro. Nothing wrong with any of that but all my previous coyote experience is with a 22LR at night…. Switching everything up would have been a big learning curve in a state where the dogs are super educated.