I was going to use a FX3 6x42 on my .223 for coyotes but am wondering if I should goto a variable with more power?

The 6x will be fine.

All the time. Good choice.



Travis

Good choice. The best wolfer I ever knew, a long time pro, used a fixed 4 power. FWIW I'd be more concerned about wanting less power once in awhile than needing more.

Yep, 6x36 w/fine tapered crosswire on my Ruger #3 Swift, shot lots! One day I got 3 in about 10 seconds, Mom and kids, she got it first then the youngin's ran straight away, bad move.-Muddy

I use a 3-10x40 and 98% of the time it sits on 6X.

Should be darn near perfect for most calling situations.

You are asking a question on if a 6x will be good for you, not giving information as to your type of calling terrain. If you are hunting in thick brush were 50-65 yard shots are long shots, then 6x may be too much. If you hunt in terrain with scattered brush and 125 yds is a long shot, you are border line good with 6x.

If you are hunting in open terrain, with scattered trees and brush, you are probably good to go.

6x trying to pick up a coyote coming in on a hard run at 35 yards will be on top of you in 2 seconds and the shot will be taken at 15-5 yards. Chances are you will be taking this shot after he has seen or winded you on his way back out with his after burners on...difficult indeed.

I would take a 2-8, 3x9, 3.5-10, 3-12 over a fixed 6x anyday. It is always great to have options.

I hunted coyotes all over the West and Mexico for years. I tried every type of scope on the market for flexibility. We hunted in all kinds of terrain from close in brush to the wide open areas of N. Nevada and farm areas in S. Arizona.

My favorite scopes for all applications are the old Burris signature 3x-12x, 4-14 Leupold, and the 4x16 Bushnell.

Coyote rifles are also crow, jackrabbit, and rock chuck rifles.

I tried the 1-4,1-5, in close quarters, but in those situations, I was better served by a 12ga with 3" mag #4 buck. When the coyotes get in real close, they are hauling azz from seeing/smelling you or your partner or your tracks. When a coyote has the afterburners on at ranges of 45 yards and less, a full choke 12ga with #4 buck is a hands down winner every time.

In the mid 80's, we had some terrific number of coyote hunters in the S. Ca. area. On a State Hunt, there were as many as 300 hunters or more leaving check out to go and hunt. The Leupold 3.5x10 was the scope that dominated in the teams. In those days hunting in Mexico, we would get as many as 56 animials on a weekend competition hunt, with many teams getting 30-50 animals, all kinds of distances an terrains were encountered.

I knew all the top contenders that would represent the top 20 teams and you would not ever catch a fixed power anything on one of their rifles. We all met at the rifle ranges(few as they were), talked of guns, loads, etc. In all teams that were in the top 20, the Leupold 3.5x10's and some form of 3x-9x were on most all the guns, and when Leupold came out with the 4x14, about 40-50% of the teams switched to it, or at least on their back up rifle.

Terrain has a huge impact on the scope that you choose, along with your particular ability to pick up moving targets.

It is just a hobby, so enjoying playing around with what could be right for you and your hunting terrain.

Good luck

I think keith is spot on.

Your hunting style and terrain dictate your scope selection, if you hunt open country a 6x will work well. Mixed terrain will change things a lot. Waist high sage, manzanitas and greasewood can have coyotes at your shoelaces before you see them, sitting on a mound 300yrds away, sneaking across an opening or coming down a hillside out there a ways.

I like a 1.5x6 scope on a bolt gun and most of my shots are on 1.5x. On a combo gun I use a 1x4. I always keep them on the lowest power, it's hard to dial them down on a close shot but you have plenty of time to dial them up when a coyote is out there a ways.

A coyotes kill zone is fairly large and it isn't that hard to make long shots even on 1x or 1.5x.

It will be mainly open country...so it sounds like the 6x will work just fine

Dang right it will Rob, good luck!

Keith,

Nice post explaining why the contest hunters used variable scopes in your area.

One question about those hunts you mentioned back in the mid 80's, were they hunting all night too? I was just wondering if the higher magnification might really help when you have eyeballs in the light at 200 yards.

Thanks Keith!

Keith for 90%of use intended the 6x will be great.You would be amased at just how far 6x will let you shoot in hunting situations...ScottyO

I like a variable. When I hunt the corn fields and such I take my rifle topped with a Leupold VXII in 4-12x40. My woods is real thick where 60-70 yards is all I can see. There I take my AR15 topped with a Trijicon 1 1/4-4 power scope.

I doubt that a 6x scope would be the limiting factor in how far you can shoot a coyote in a hunting situation.

Big fan of the Leupold 6X36mmAO.


DMc

Thats what I use 90% of the time, Leupold 6x36. Doesn't stop me from shooting waaay out there. Don't always hit, but a 12x wouldn't help me with that!

These threads always crack me up.

Why?

For a few years, I killed called Coyotes with a Ruger #1 and a 6.5X20 Leupold. 6.5 power was too much in a lot of my situations; but I made it work because that's what I had. I prefer something like a 3X9 or 3.5X10.

Point blank. It's because everybody here knows JB reads these forums, and in trying to emulate him or somehow get in what they think is his ring of approved posters, they try to use what they feel is his opinion to shout down other posters, thereby gaining his approval. It's just comical.

Oh, so you're FOS.

No. I happen to have a mind of my own. I don't have to recite others opinions to have one.

Ha! Apparently none of us using fixed power scopes have actually used them in the field.

I was shooting coyotes with 6x scopes long before I knew who JB even was.

But don't let facts get in the way of your conspiracy theory.

This whole thread could have ended after Keith's first post, as he said it all. Yet, people just have to force their opinions down others throats.

What about all the fixed powers proponents just trying to impress Mule Deer? Abandon your theory so soon?

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

Good comeback.

You can spot these people easily. The first word in the phrase "case head separation" is always "incipient".

Amazing what people see in a discussion.. I guess they read into it what they want..
I like a 6x, but prefer a bit more power.. One of the most deadly
coyote shooters I had the pleasure of hunting with preferred a 6x on his 243AI and .22-250.. Still have three, and they work fine..

FC363,

Apparently you're one of those guys who likes to leap to assumptions and go on rants. I wondered who you were a while back on a thread about handloading to velocity, when you didn't read anything beyond the headline of the thread, then started ranting without the slightest understanding of what was being discussed.

You did it again here. I can't remember ever suggesting a straight 6x is perfect for ANY varmint rifle, and in fact don't have one on any of my varmint rifles, or even any of my rimfires, though have had them on a few in the past. I do like 6x's on big game rifles between .25 and .30 caliber, but also have several variables on rifles from .257 Roberts to .308 Winchester.

Guess you'll have to find some other thread to make assumptions about and get yourself heated up.

I just don't care for people who have to recite everything you say as if it were there own ideas, which is commonly done by people who read more about what they do, than doing it.

So who were the guys on this thread that recited JB's info as if it were there own ideas?

As a response (My birthday is tomorrow and I have better things to do than argue on the internet)...For one, I don't rembember JB mentioning a 6x as a perfect coyote scope. For two, at least several of the guys who have posted here I know, and am quite assured they have seen 6x work fine on coyotes from their own experience.

As an aside, there's a funny thing about JB's data......when I run my own independent tests, they tend to agree with the info he has already compiled.

JB is a good man, and it pisses me off when someone talks bad about him, especially when they have absolutely no data to back up their theory against him.

I didn't say one thing bad about JB, and i'm tired of hearing you prattle on. GFY

Your attack has nothing to do with you being an independent thinker but has everything to do with going after who you see as a "top dog" to make yourself feel better. Independent thinkers don't act like that but only those who are insecure.

The main reason a 6X works for me is because I don't see the dog until he's about to fall in my lap.



Travis

I have variable power scopes on my calling rifles but find myself leaving the scope on 6 power and never turning it up or down while calling.

6x's are awesome until they aren't. But most times they are.



Travis

I didn't think my question was going to lead to such a debate. Thought is was pretty straight forward.

You forgot where you are

There is no debate whether a 6X will work for calling coyotes. It will just come down to whether you prefer some more magnification, or not.


Travis

I had a 6X M8 with 3MOA dot on an old 788 years ago.
I shot Coyotes with that baby for years and never felt lacking in the power dept.
The dot was pretty nice too as long as you weren't shooting 1" targets at 100yrds.

I use a 6x42 on several different rifles that I hunt coyotes with. They work well for me and most of my hunting is woods and broken field/wood lines. I've shot a lot of hard charging dogs but wait on them to stop before I shoot...I usually won't pull the trigger with a rifle until one stops. Most of the time they will stop for a split second before they reverse course and that's the time to nail them...but you do need to be able to pick them up and follow them ready for the stop. They are what I'm used to and I've not had a problem with them yet...all the below are with fixed 6's:

Nice pics. I was going to post something about how a good fitting stock helps acquire the target faster and is more noticeable on higher powered scopes, especially on moving targets-- but I need to go read some more JB so I have something to say.

Mule Deer, no offense intended.

None taken!

I should admit that I've had 6x scopes on varmint rifles in the past, and probably will again. The last one was on a .220 Swift, partly because a 6x36 Leupold was the only appropriate scope lying around loose when the rifle showed up.

Probably have shot 85% of the coyotes I've killed with 6x, whether the scope was a variable or fixed. In fact the last one I killed was with a 6-24x I was "field-testing" set on 6x....

Again, the type of terrain that you hunt will have a lot to do with your likes and dislikes. I wish that guys would say I hunt in xyZ type of terrain and xyz scope power works well for me.

Back in my competition days, we carried a "novice" hunter with us once a month on non competition hunts to introduce them to predator calling. It never ceased to amaze me just how different people are in their hand eye coordination in how they can pick up animals in a scope, no matter what power the scope is set on. Just a general observation that guys that had been involved in shot gun shooting sports seemed to pick up aniamls very quickly in the scope. I carried a 22/250 Rem 700 for the novices and kept the scope power screwed down on 3x(3.5x10 leupold).

Talking about, "I like this, or I like that" kind of scope is worthless conversation unless you mention the application(type of terrain) that the scope is used in. The hunting in S. Dakota And Wyoming is a lot different than the hunting in S. Arizona. Also, East and West Washington State are different types of calling terrain, etc...you get the picture.

I don't meant to step on anyone's toes, but a lot of novices read these threads and take the info to heart. So, help a guy out and tell him the conditions you are hunting in, many will appreciate the information.

Keith, a good point, not only for scopes but for all shooting .. Rifles, calibers, bullets, etc.

For me it will be used in some open terrain with pockets of bush around...fairly flat as well!

I find 6 powers work well on my 17hmr's because if the squril or prarie dog is to small in the scope it is to far away.
Steve

It was easy to infer that the OP was not hunting the thick brush, as he wondered whether a 6x scope or higher powered variable was wanted. If he had mentioned a 6x or 1.5-4, it would have warranted a question as to the terrain hunted. But knowing that a 6x has worked fine for me in open terrain (and even in multiple coyote hunting tournaments), their was no need to complicate the matter with further questioning.

Prairie goat, I am sorry that you might have felt that my comment was directed at you, it was not. When I am hunting in the conditons similar to yours, my scope is usually on anywhere from 4x-7x depending on the gut feeling I get as to how thick the brush is down wind.

Also, I love shooting crows. On blue bird days, I will take shots on crows from 200-350 yards depending on the wind. On these shots, I like to have the magnification.

With the new scopes that are coming out in 2x-16x, these would make awesome predator calling scopes.

If the new variables stay in-line, they will be good scopes. Unfortunately I've seen far, far too many variables that would not.

That's my primary reasoning for the fixed power - reliability. IME, one has to go to one of the heavy duty variables to retain reliability, such as the SWFA or Mark 6 Leupold.

I'm inclined to agree. I have one friend that swears by Burris XTR's but for the money I think I'd go SWFA.

I'd not fret a 6 for distance, but would on close calls.

I prefer a variable, as I only want 2-3 on the low end for the surprises that show up at you feet, but want the extra power of a 10-12 for the distant pokes when you have time to range.

I don't see any problems with having a variable scope on your calling rifle. All of mine do and start at 6X. I like to have the top end at 18X or 20X for the opportunity at a long range coyote. Leave it at 6X on the stand land dial up to what you need depending on distance


If you need to take advice from someone in this, there's no reason to look further than Scenarshooter who is probably the most prolific coyote killer alive.

I've never seen him post a pic of a rifle with a straight 6X scope mounted on it

Rob,

I've killed coyotes using a 6x, but mostly in more wooded country. In really big, open country I'd rather have a 10x. What kind of terrain do you hunt?

If you are calling, IMO, 6x is too much. I missed some opportunities when the coyotes came in from unexpected directions and were so close I could not find them and aim properly when I had a 6x. Unfortunately, they used terrain to get away before I could find them. Field of view can be too small.

I use a 2.5-8x36 for my calling rifle. I keep it at about 4x. I seldom turn it up except at the range testing loads or sighting in. I shoot out to 450 without cranking the scope up.

+1

Have been calling coyotes for many years and have tried just about every scope made, the Leupold 2.5-8x is my favorite

Getcha one of these...

I've never even looked through a fixed 6x but as I've said a bazillion times, I keep all my scopes on their lowest power in case of a close shot. There's plenty of time to crank it up when one hangs up way out there.

Most of my scopes are 3.5-10's but I do have a 1-6 that shows me 6x is plenty for a 400 yard shot but my concern is as I said, up close, regardless of what terrain you're hunting in.