Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Shotgun for coyotes

What is the lowest load you would use for coyotes. Our shots are on coyotes that are being run with hounds.

Specifically, would you be undergunned if you were using 2 3/4" shells? If not undergunned, what shot would you use in the 2 3/4 shell.

Or do you think 3" is the minimum requirement.

Reason being I want to get a new shotgun for hunting coyotes and my buddy swears by his 12 guage with 3.5 inch shells.

I would rather use some of the shotguns I've been looking at but they only chamber the 2.75 inch shell.

So, opinions?

My son shot one last April when he was turkey hunting. I think he was using 2 3/4" #4's. Dead dog, no problem.

I use the Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote rounds, and they only come in 3" and 3 1/2".

Were I you, I'd buy something with a 3" chamber, at least.

I ran coyotes with hounds for 30 years and loved the 2 3/4 #4 buck load. If you can afford it you cannot beat the dead coyote T shot by Hevi Shot. But if your hounds will bay a cripple you can get by with the #4 buck load and keep shots to 75 yards and closer. Before the deer hunters made me quit I was seriously thinking about reloading some #5 tungsten loads. You would have $5 or more a round but from guys that I have talked that shoot turkeys and coyotes and deer with them your range will lengthen considerably.

#4 buckshot 2 3/4" will do the job, 3" and 3 1/2" will beat you up if you shoot much.

I regularly shoot 2 3/4" loads in my shotguns for coyotes BUT they are combo guns and the shotgun covers the close in stuff and I have the rifle barrel for the longer stuff, my goto load is 1 1/4oz of NP BB's in 2 3/4" 12's and 1oz of NP BB's in the 2 1/2" 16. If I were in a dedicated shotgun area I'd look at shooting a load of TSS 3's out of whatever shotgun I was using, it is harder to find a 2 3/4" only shotgun nowdays. If cost is the determining factor the Stoeger 3000 with a 24" barrel and choke tubes would be a real candidate for a predator shotgun. I do have a dedicated pred shotgun, a Rem 870 Express turkey gun 21" barrel and have a stock of Dead Coyote and Rem HD BB's but haven't taken it out in 20 yrs.

It's nice to have the choice of 2 3/4" or 3" the picture of the M4 I posted above has killed the hell out of coyotes and cats at 65 yrds. past that I use a rifle. Rio7

Rio, what range you shooting those at?

websterparish47, Most of my shots are from 25 to about 45 yrds, but I have killed coyotes at 70 yrds with my M4 but it was pure luck, didn't have time to grab my rifle. Rio7

Quite frankly, the 3 1/2" loads on average pattern like crap IME. Let alone want to dislocate your shoulder.....

I recommend buying 10-20 rounds of the Remington yellow box #4 Buck, in 2 3/4 and what I shoot the 3". You might have to experiment with a couple of choke tubes to figure out what tube patterns the best for your gun. Just like working a load up in a rifle.

IME absolutely no need for the big honking 3 1/2" shells or the Hevishot stuff (which is excellent BTW if you like spending $). Those who expell the 3 1/2" virtues generally have other recompensation problems. The shotgun sweet spot is no more than 3". YMMV...

I hammer coyotes with yellow box 3" and I mean tumble them head over heels out to 60. Past that usually require a finisher but that's damn good for shotgunning coyotes which is about all I've done for the past 8 years or so. My load will put 4-6 #4 buck pellets on a 12" plate out to 65 or so.

Great information everyone, I appreciate the input.
Personally, I was hoping you would say the 2.75 is good enough. I was looking to be able to use a lightweight semiauto and buy used. Looks like I now have some great ammo options to look into as well!

3" shotguns will shoot 2.75" shells also. All in all the 3" is the most versatile, reliable and easiest to feed. There is some excellent information available on shotgunning coyotes. There is also a lot of pure bullchit out there. GregW, erich, Rio7 and a few others know what they're talking about.

I'm a huge fan of 3" 4buck

It all about the range, shot size and how your gun patterns it. You don't get many pellets of #4 buck in a 2 3/4" shell. You should have 2 or 3 pellets in a paper plate at 40 - 45 yards. A tight choke usually helps, but you have to pattern it to know.

Dad always used Super-X #4 buck out of his old bolt-action shotgun, and he would roll coyotes at 65 yards, sometimes further. The coyotes never stood a chance.

Get yourself a 870 with a modified or full and use copper plated 4Buck running with dogs just getting a few pellets in em will have them bay up.

I have hunted with a lot of different shotguns, all over the West and Mexico years ago.

Couple of things, gun fit. Pattern your shotgun to see if the pattern goes where you aim, many shotguns do not print where they aim. For instance, my 1100, 11/87, and 870 all print 1' low and 1' to the left. I use a Burris speede beade on these shotguns to hit where I aim.

The Beretta 391 with the kick off system on the butt stock is a very soft recoiling shotgun, to say the least. Point of aim for me is good on the Beretta's.

Next big concern is pattern density. People say they love this and that kind of shell, but it is hard to believe how barrels of the same maker can differ in how they pattern. So, pattern your shotgun.

I have found on Remingtons that the extra Full choke is best, and a Carlson's Turkey choke patterns 100% pattern of Remington 3"#4 Buckshot in a 20" pattern at 40 yards. The same choke patterns 00 and 000 buck in 15" patterns at 40 yards.

Chokes matter, more than you could ever imagine.

Different kinds of ammo pattern much different, so assume nothing if you are wanting to connect on coyotes at 40-65 yards and 65 yards is a heck of a long shot.

I can't say that 27Pellet of #4 buck will not work, as my own special hand loads are in 32 Pellets of #4 buck doing 1350 fps. I use Ballistic Products wads, their hard buckshot, with buffer.

I have had exceptional luck with Remington 3" buffered #4 Buck, Federal Premium buffered #4 Buck, and Wichester 3", #4 buck. Balance between Choke choice and factory load is absolutely critical.
It really does not pay to hand load buckshot, I do it for the fun of it.

When your pattern is tight, and I consider 100% pattern in a 30" circle at 40 yards, you will probably not need TSS shot for anything other than the longer distance shooting. So, spend some money on chokes, various brands of shells, and pattern boards. I shot a piece of newspaper at 40 yards, with a white circle that was a paper plate in the middle.

Wade with Bubba Round tree outdoors on You Tube has a vast amount of information on Shotguns loads and chokes. Wade likes a Kicks Butt Kicker Extra Full choke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=688KkPzDXrU

I have patterned a lot of shotguns over the years. I have never seen a Modified pattern better than Full or extra full in Remington Shotguns of any kind, Nor Beretta, Nor Benelli. When using a Flite Control wad factory load, perhaps a Modified is about as tight as you can go.

For the new guys shooting shotguns with Buckshot, recoil horrendous for pumps and Benelli's. Gas operated Remington shotguns and even better the Beretta's take a lot of the punishment out of the recoil.

I don't know much about running coyotes with dogs but I have killed more than a few Coyotes with lead #2's and 4's when calling them in reasonably thick brush. Shots no longer than 35 yards. I have absolutely no use for 3" and 3 1/2 inch shells unless I am duck hunting and forced to shoot steel shot, even then 3' shells are all I have ever used for that. However my load of choice is # 4 buck from a 2 3/4" shell usually Remington. I like a Primos tight wad choke tube with a .660 diameter. I would use this out to 45 yards or as far as your gun would put 4 buckshot into a paper plate. Personally I am just too old school to be shooting at things 65 yards away with a shotgun.

This might save someone the hassle on experimenting with buckshot chokes in Reming 870’s. We sent some 870 barrels off to Barnhills Gunsmith Shop in Ashland Virginia and requested some chokes that shot Remington 3 inch #4 buck. We didn’t want the forcing cones lengthened or polished. He started at .660 and kept shooting and opening the chokes until he seen the pattern go south. He found that .675 +- .002 was about as good as we were going to get. We had around $100 a choke in them and that was 25 years ago.

As a general starting point I've found a sweet spot for No. Four Buck to be about .055" constriction from the bore size. Sometimes a bit less, maybe a bit more and you have a very usable pattern. Not all bore sizes are the same. The old standard American bore size for 12 gauge was .729" . The Italian guns were tighter at .723". But then the over bore fad became common and now bores run all the way up to .775" in the case of some Mossberg 12 gauge shotguns. You have to know your bore size and think in terms of constriction, not just an overall number. The .675" that works in the old Remington bores would be .100" of constriction in the overbore Mossberg 835. That would be a safety issue. So a general number as in ". xxx" chokes work for No.Four Buck in shotguns" is impossible to state. There are some general rules of thumb, shorter barrels trend toward tighter constriction. A 21" barrel might like about .005" more constriction than a 26" or 28" barrel. Longer barrels tend to be more forgiving and pattern more uniformly. Clean barrels pattern tighter than dirty bores. Cold weather seems to hurt patterns. Shotguns are considerably more finicky than many folks think.

That’s why I specifically said Remington 870’s. 3 inch 4buck.

Sorry, not meant for you in particular. Just trying to add information to the discussion.

Benelli's full choke patterns #4 buck really well. I have patterned it out quite a ways, and found good pattern density out to 60 yds. 2. 3/4" shells.

What does good pattern density at 60 yards look like to you?

I have hunted coyotes with shotguns since the late 70's.

Ithaca 10ga auto mags using 2 1/4 oz of Copper plate buffered BB and 54 Pellets of #4 Buck, both federal
Ithaca 12ga model 37-HURTS
Rem 870 with extra full choke-HURTS
Rem 1100 with extra full choke- ok
Rem 1187 with extra full choke-ok
Benelli Super black eagle-extra full choke-kicks like a pump-OUCH

Beretta 390-lighter recoil than 1100 & 1187
Beretta 391 with kick off recoil pad(shock absorber)-extra full choke-the mack daddy of all shotguns I own for reducing recoil and great patterns
Beretta 300 with black plastic stock-fantastic shotgun, mine will never be sold
None of the beretta's ever jam, never...

Federal Premium 3" #4 buck I rate as #1 in patterns, copper plated buffered extra hard shot
Winchester Super X #4 Buck both buffered

Remington 3" #4 Buck

Any kind of buckshot now is hard to find, buy it when you see it for sale.

I would not shoot 3 1/2" unless I had no other choice.

Got a Basspro or Cabela's nearby? You can have it ship to store for free. Get the 4 buck 3 inch load. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/federal-premium-vital-shok-buckshot-shotshells

27 pellets in a shell. An 8" spray painted dot on a large plastic garbage bag 60 yds. 6 or 7 pellets in the dot with 10 or 12 more pellets in a 20" -24" circle around the painted dot. 8 to 1 0 pellets outside that. 15 pellets in a 20" circle will get your coyote. Have shot this several times, and this has been the rough average.

I really like the Hornady coyote heavy mag 3" BB with Carlson's dead coyote choke just shot one at 80 yArds on Sunday and dogs bayed it and finished with 22 pistol I just use Mossberg 835 under fifty yards it's bang flop if you do your part

That's a hell of a good pattern at 60 yards. Especially so with the 2.75" shell. You have an unusually good patterning combo, hang on to it! And, yep that pattern will do a good job, even at 60 yards.

Turkey loads work on the occasional target of opportunity.

Rem, 870 12 ga Express Magnum, Undertake choke .665, 3" Winchester Supreme, #5 shot.

I'd be pleased with that.

It's a benelli super 90. Had it about 20 years. Use it for gunning coyote and wolves out of the helicopter. And ya the gun does shoot a pretty tight pattern.

You need to pattern the load to know. The average mod. or even some full chokes will shoot a 3 foot or bigger pattern at 45 yards. With 27 pellets in the load, due the math. Coyote sized holes in the pattern are common. The vital areas on a coyote are not very big. Coyotes are tough and fringe hits won't count for much.

Rem. Express 870 pistol grip stock - 21'' barrel loves Win. black box 3'' #4 buck , .675'' HS Strut Undertaker tube . .

MOGC ,
Very true that a clean barrel makes a difference in pattern . My gun patterns are easy to see them going dowhhill after 4 shots , pellets start having gaps on paper , flyers show themselves around 8-9-10 round mark .

Don't remember the exact pattern measurement but i always related it to a blow up beach ball - quite a bit bigger than a basketball . Shot at 45 lasered yards from the muzzle of the gun . Myself I wouldn't want a smaller pattern than that . It's a coyote smashing machine .

Curious about what combo gun?

My buddy and I killed 69 off snowmobiles in 3 days this winter. All of them killed with #4 buck 2 3/4" 12 gauge shells. I can't imagine a better coyote round for under 60 yards.

That would way high on the fun scale ! !

Plastic wadding in the barrel destroys patterns.

I love shotgunning predators, and have taken coyote, coons, fox, and bobcat with them. Here is the reality. They all work. It depends on what range you are comfortable with and what your hunting conditions are like. I have shot them with 20, 12, and my Browning Gold 10, and there are no shortage of stories of guys killing them with #4 or #5 turkey loads.

That being said, I prefer a 12 or 10 gauge to do the work. 12 is lighter and cheaper, both to buy and shoot lol! But nothing patterns like a 10! Buy at least a 3" chamber. I like turkey guns because of their shorter barrels and they are usually camo. You go for a Benelli or Browning on the high end, or a Mossberg 835 on the economical side. Have both, and both work very well! You can always step down and shoot 2 3/4, but at least you have the option to shoot 3" as well. 3 1/2" shells work fairly well, but are expensive and punishing to shoot. I like #4 buck for the wet work, and have used T and BBB as well in steel. I also like #2 steel on fox. All seem to do the deed when the range is right. Dead Coyote, or any tungsten load is awesome on predators, but crazy expensive.
I would really suggest you take the time to pattern your shotgun. Believe it or not, you can miss with a shotgun, or at least wound enough that the critter gets away.
I cant suggest a good choke tube enough as well. I have used several different brands, but have had extremely good success with Pattermaster chokes. I have taken dogs off all four paws at ranges I wont print here, because it wouldn't be believed. But they are tight, and dont work well with some of the factory flight control wads out there. Again, test some loads and patterns in your gun.
Get a good shotgun, go find some thick stuff to hide in, and call those predators in.....and dont shoot your caller!!!

Bernardelli 12ga/5.6x50R Mag(lengthened 222 Rem Mag with a rim) Weaver V-3 1-3x20mm



Brno 305 12ga/5.6x52R(22 Savage Highpower) Nikkon 1.5-4.5x20mm



Pre war drilling 16ga/6.5x58R Sauer Leupold 1-4x20mm



All three will stay sub MOA with the rifle to 200 yards and the two O/U will do it at 300 plus they are very well regulated to point of impact with both the rifle and shotgun.

I had a full camo Mossberg 500 Turkey model with 3" chambered 24" barrel, screw in chokes, plastic stock and added a slip on limbsaver that was really ideal as a cheap beater do it all go anywhere lightweight shotgun. Think I gave about $165 for it. But I didn't like the extra noise of the built in muzzle brake. And the slide rattled a bit. Probably shoulda just wrapped a crapload of camo ducktape around a metal sleave of some sort to cover the holes. And there's probably a simple remedy for the slide rattle somewhere on the interwebs.
But a semi-auto would be more friendly on the shooters end.
Also I'd like some kind of sights other than a standard bead. Like a big ghost ring and white line post that comes on some of the riot guns. Or a low as possible large diameter 1x red dot scope maybe.

HOly crap.

Damn.

I ended up with a Remington 11-48 semi. It came with a rifled slug barrel which is awesome because I hunt deer in a shotgun only area. I also got a shot barrel with a poly choke for coyotes and a ribbed bird barrel for turkey or waterfowl!.

Pairs nicely with my Remington model 11 that I use for hare hunting.

Thanks for all the comments and info. Now to start patterning with some of the suggestions you listed

All good information. What do you consider the best barrel length for coyotes.

21-24 inches with a pump or semi auto. More than likely your going to be down in the brush with it so something that swings to any direction without hanging up in the brush is a plus. Unlike rifles there is little velocity lost going short nor does a short barrel have much effect on patterns. A good set of sights, red dot, Holo sight or low power scope will help center tight patterns.

I think if I used a pump or semi auto more I'd rig it with a Burris Speed Bead or a mini holo sight. I tried a regular Holo site but it mounts so high you have to lift your head off the stock to use it.

Old Rem 870 Express Turkey gun with 21" barrel we just returned from duck and coyote hunt on Shotgun only land and I had to leave the combo home. This is the one I'd put a Speed Bead on.

I have used 18.5", 24", 26", and 28" barrels over the years. For me, 24" is perfect with a close second place to 26" length.

ERICH
Nice guns!!!

Speaking of shotguns which chock (brand- model) is the best to use on yotes ?

Did you read any of this thread?

Thanks for the input on the barrel lengths.

This one about jumped in my lap.



Some times a shot gun comes in real handy. Rio7

🙄😔🍻🍻

That would get you in deep doodoo in Alberta. Illegal to chase game with a snowmobile.

This is the latest one I got for predator hunting. Rem 870 Tactical model. I love that it has a XS sights rail with a peep sight and a very hi viz front ramp. Easy to aim.

Gas operated semi auto's take a lot of the recoil out. I shoot a load of 1 5/8 oz of #4 Buckshot at 1300 fps...she bucks! I have shot quite a few different pumps over the years, Ithaca 37 hurts the most.

Extra full choke and some versions of turkey chokes can give some exceptional patterns at 40 yards, my Carlson Turkey choke in the 11/87 patterns 100% in a 20" circle at 40 yards with Remington 41 Pellet Factory load...meat grinder.

Of the gas guns, the Beretta 391 with the Shock absorb er in the stock has less felt recoil than any others, they call this recoil reduction system the Kick off system.

is that an 18.5 " barrel ?

I wanted to try a shotgun this spring and came up with a few suggestions as to what to use in the way of payload.... absolutley none of which I could find anywhere.

What I COULD find was 00 Buck, so guess what I went with. Might as well shoot as many as possible, so I bought 3 1/2" 00 Buck which oddly enough they had plenty in stock. Tried several different chokes, found that my Light Modified shot best, would 6-7 pellets in an 8" paper plate consistently at 60 yards.

Now part of me says try #4 buck, try T shot... but I can't fault results of the 3.5" 00 Buck and it will probably ALWAYS be in stock.

Shotgun hits on the animal's body are rarely centered. So, marginal hits with 00 buck means a lot less pellets connect with the animal, this is where $4 buck and Lead BB's have the advantage. Most of us find this out that have hunted predators with shotguns when we first start out. Lead T shot is not available in factory loaded ammo, but we can wish!