Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Scope Power For A 223 Coyote Gun

3-9 X40

I shoot 4 different 223's for coyote hunting, 2 bolt guns, and 2 AR's. One bolt rifle has a 3X9X40, the other a 5X15. The AR's both have 4X12's. I also use a couple of 243's, and both have 5X15's. Sometimes, if I don't have to walk very far, I'll lug a heavy 22-250 that wears a 4X16. I also coyote hunt some with a 204 that has a 3X12. I like the option of the higher magnification on my scopes, even though I rarely have them cranked up that high.

My 223 has 3-9 as well as my AR.
2.5-10 is best of both worlds In my opinion.

Another vote for 3x9...Ive got a couple of them and another with a 4x12 on it...the upper end of that hardly ever gets used.

Thanks for all the replies.

I have a number of coyote rifles, three combo guns wear 1-4x20mm Leupolds, two bolt guns and one AR have 1.5-6x40mm(my favorite coyote calling scope) of various make and one boltaction wears a 2.5-10x40mm. I built the last one for open country and have never taken it off 2.5x, I never seem to get long shots they just keep running to the call and get shot under a hundred yards.

Early 3-9x40 ZA3 Minox on mine. Pretty versatile scope.
On another I have a 1.5-5x20 Vari X III and it works well too.

The guys that call seem to like a 1-2x low end, and a .223 runs out of steam around 300 yards with the lighter bullets. 6-7x seems to be plenty for 300 yd shots on them, so I have a 2-7 on mine.

Honestly, you could run a straight 4x on called coyotes, and never have a problem.