Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Coyote rifle- Semi-auto or bolt ?

Say you want a coyote gun for tagging yote #2 (you drop the lead yote and would like to pickup the second one who's obviously hauling butt and headed out of the county).

Bolt or Semi-auto?

I'm finding I take more time with the bolt than I do the semi, so I'm now leaning to the bolt. Shooting fast is just way too much fun.

Spot

I am sure a semi auto rifle can be shot well. As for me I hunt with the type of rifle that I admire. However it seems that for many my 'type of rifle' is in the past.

When I shot competitive the match rifle was a bolt from four positions. Later Garands were seen but the primary course was slow fire, one minute allowed for a shot.

Now 'my' match is gone and they shoot auto rifles with a rapid fire course included.

I don't have to change. I am a single shot kind of rifleman.

I'd go bolt, years back I bought a BAR in 243 and it worked well and shot well but the bolt handled better to me and I found I can do just fine racking the bolt so the BAR went down the road.

Dober

The guys around here use both, but on the running dogs they're using the various ARs.. A good one, with a good trigger man, will do wonders on running yotes..

Redneck, I just don't seem to have caught on to the AR-rifle thing for hunting yet! I suppose I am old school with those model 70 Winchester's for mine.

However, I have seen a few of those AR's from Rock River Arms that were shot at our gunclub and they don't take take a backseat to anything as far as tight groups goes.

The fellow yesterday (nice day too!) was shooting his and it printed groups of less than .700-MOA and his buddy managed a .560-MOA for a 100 yards. They can also shoot em fast too! This young fellow popped off 3 shots and kept them inside 1.6 inches at 100 yards. Now is this luck or what I don't know?

I could shoot the BAR fast, but I still had to reaquire the target so the bolt to me plenty quick enough..

Dober

At the moment I've got a 243 bar, and it's just as you said I can shoot it fast, and that sucker is accurate.

But I've got a tikka t3 243 that shoots cloverleafs on a bad day, so I'm thinking about getting a 25-06 for longer reach varmints.

I really don't need to move it, but I thought being a bit more open minded I might get some good ideas by sharing the question.

Spot

I like both the 243 and the 25/06 and both to me are excellent long range rigs.

B4 I bought a 25/06 to help reach things out I'd consider my scopes on my 243's and make sure they were giving me all they could to go long.

Poing being, if you're running a LRF and dotz or turrets you're set up about as good as you can be with a 243 or a 25/06.

Dober

If I was thinking in terms of multiple shots at an animal as small as a coyote, I'd be thinking AR15 with the appropriate bullet loaded.

What we could have done to the jacks back in the day in NM with an M4gery...

How 'bout a pump?


I'm about ready to do something really different for a change, and that damn 760 Skane posted pics of (from Hillbilly rifles) is still renting space in my head.

So we're way past "Gun Infatuation" at this point

Oh... I use a Parts Gun, on a DPMS lower ACE skeleton buttstock, and a M1Sales Ultralight upper 1:9 chrome lined barrel and RRA 2 stage on an A2 upper.

I'm thinking I'll pick up a stripped flat-top at the gunshow this next weekend and probably put a 2-7 Loopy on it.

The AR idea is a good one, I know they work on running stuff..

A AR-10 might be OK ...

the only problem with the BAR is it likes heavier bullets than I'd like on yotes / PD's...

then again a 6.5 might be the way to go - aka a 260 AR-10

Well if I was going to do Dedacated rifle for Coyote shooting, I think I would go with a tricked out AR-15 for the purpose. You can get them now that shoot very very well. And you are talking about multiple Coyote's, a Semi Auto will give you that very fast second shot.

I've got a 20" bull barrel flat top AR .223 cal. It will shoot with any bolt gun .223 and recoil is negligible. An upgraded trigger is a must for accurate shooting, especially on followup shots. In my case a Rock River National Match fits the bill.
Having said all that, last time I went yote hunting I took my 7mm mag Rem 700. What ever floats your boat.
Beautiful pic by the way, Savage99!

I prefer a bolt action rifle for all forms of hunting requiring a centerfire rifle. I like traditional stock angles and never got into pistol gripped anything.

Wonder what scenarshooter has to say on this topic? I've seen lots of pics of him with a bolt and non with an AR. Heard he's killed a few coyotes...

For calling rifles the AR rules in the Semi-Auto's. You can build them as light or heavy as you want , no recoil, accuracy that will rival some bench rifles and they are just plain fun to shoot. They are addictive.

I was told once and I agree that "Unless you are pelt hunting there is no such thing as to much coyote rifle." My .223 VTR is a great gun and have no problem with follow up shots. However an AR would be fun, I am trying to put one together for varmints. Think the AR would be a better choice but that's just an opinion.

I have yet to kill a coyote, but I have called a few in. They can come in so fast and so close I have felt silly holding a bolt gun. Now I will only take an AR or a long range shotgun, basically a turkey gun.

Of course my hunting grounds may be a tighter than yours.