Thinking of picking up a Bushnell 10x40 or SWFA 10x42 fixed scope to put on my Howa Mini Action for a coyote gun. I've been looking to start learning to dial and have heard that the Bushnell is pretty good and the SWFA is excellent. I've read some on here say that 6x is a more practical magnification but I am leaning towards the 10x just for kicks. Not sure if it would be a bad choice, though.

Depends on the expected range of your shot opportunities.

I mostly call in varied terrain, shots can be short or long. My main coyote rifle has a 3-12x illuminated dot on it. I'd feel handcuffed with a straight 10x.

YMMV.

I used a straight Ziess 10 X 36 on my Sako 220 Swift and 22-250 for many years from 400+ yards day or night and if they came in close sure it was a little blurry but you could still see where to place the cross hairs and kill.

If I was calling I would go with less power because you don't know where they'll pop out of, if I was just covering fields 10 would work for me.

SDblackhills;
Good afternoon, I trust the first week of June treated you acceptably and you're well.

For coyote calling, we started out back in the ancient days - when nobody believed we could actually call coyotes - in the late '80's.

Buddy was running a Leupold Vari? 2.5-10 on a B78 in .25-06 and I know he never, ever moved it off 10X. The closest I saw him shoot coyotes with it was about 20yds give or take.

I started with a straight 6 on my main hunting rifle calling coyotes, then in the early '90's when I put together a specialized coyote rifle - .22-.250AI - it had a 4-12 El Paso Weaver on it - jammed on12.

With that I shot a few at under 50yds but I do recall hitting some sagebrush in front of a coyote once close in - would less power have helped me see it? I can't really say for sure.

That rifle runs an old very clear 3-9 Leupold now - and yes it's jammed on 9 power.

The other coyote calling rifle I've been fooling with is a Ruger American in .223 and it's running a 10x40 Bushnell - I want to say it was called a 3200 then? Sorry I'd have to go drag it out of the safe to be sure.

They're reasonably priced used up here across the medicine line, usually going for $200 -$250 CDN. It's not super clear out to the very edge, but to me it's been reliable as far as not losing zero. I don't feel it was a bad scope for the money.



When I got it, I was going to give dialing a try, but honestly haven't got around to it as yet. It's got dots too and so far shooting rocks I've just used them.

While we are able to import some SWFA scopes up here, I've personally not looked through one, but my friend from across the Rockies - Jordan Smith - spoke favorably of the ones he'd tried and he does much more long range shooting than I do for sure.

Hopefully that's useful to you or someone out there.

Good luck whichever way you decide and all the best.

Dwayne

I shot coyotes with a Burris 12x for a few years when I first got started - it was my load development scope then, and all I had available when I bought my Kimber 223. It can be done, especially in relatively open country like I have here in ND. Ideal? Probably not. Doable? Yes. I'd say your terrain will dictate whether it is a good choice for you......

Kaiser Norton

fixed 10 power would be my last choice. Just way too many times that a lower magnification is much better. Always start a stand with scope set on lower power, turn it up as necessary.

In the early 80s I used a 10X Weaver on a 788 Rem in 223 for two winters, shooting 'yotes to supplement a meager income. A Circe medium screaming bunny call and Night Blaster light were the rest of my gear.



I shot more coyotes at dawn and dusk than at night, and the 10X worked great.

Agree 100%, my most used coyote calling rifle wears a 2.5-8x36 and is always on 2.5 when I start to call, if one pops up farther out very easy to switch to 8x.
With a fixed 10x if one pops up close you will be saying schit !!!!!!!!! that wasn't it

not fixed power but i always have it on 10x hunting coyotes and fox callin

You must be in some wide open terrain, I would never do that where I hunt

No,but it could be done...

I think scenarshooter has spent a bit of time behind a 10x PMII.

No way would I go with just a fixed 10 power scope. I really think it depends on the country you hunt.
Just because a fixed does not work for me does not mean it will not for you. We each have our preferences.

i have a 4-14 x56 i can see plenty good close at 10 power and yes we call fields

I use a fixed Leupold 12X on my .17Rem for Foxes and it works a treat.

I do a little coyote hunting and scope choice has alot to do with your terrain, calling style or not calling. I'd say 90 % of my coyotes are killed under 100 yard and most of those under 50. I regularly hunt, NM, AZ, NV, WA and some in CO. Even in open country I just get to watch them come in farther. I have a couple rifles with 2-12's and 2.5-10's on them basically set up for open country and have yet to have to take them off the lowest power to kill coyotes. My goto scopes for most of my coyote hunting are 1-4x20mm on combo guns and 1.5-6x40's on bolt and AR's 20P(AR), 222 Rem, 223, 22-204, 6X45 and 6mm-204. My 20P bolt and 22-250 bolt wear the 2-12 and 2.5-10. I do have a 2-7 Leupold compact on a Sako Fullstock Vixen but that is just because everything else looks odd on it, still kills coyotes. 4x or 6x easily takes me to 300 yards.

22-204 1.5-6 Burris


223 1.5-6 Konus


222 Rem 1.5-6 Meopta


6.5 G 1.5-6 Meopta


22 Mag 1.5-6 Burris 4X


Forgot about a old Balvar8 I put on a 22-250 last year killed this one at 20 yards on 2.5x


20 Practical 2-12 Athlon


Then there are time we call them in close enough to kill with out a scope. The rancher asked me to kill a coyote that was harassing his calves I didn't have a rifle along but had a couple rounds of Nickle Plated BB's.


I Think that while a straight 10x will work it does put you at a disadvantage if your calling coyotes.

I did mention combo guns

12ga/5.6x52R 1-4 Nikon

A fixed 10x would not be my first choice, but it could work. I call coyotes a lot in very open country. Most of the time I have my variable scope set at 8-10x when I start a call. I can almost always see coyotes approaching from 100 plus yards and can “get on them” at a distance, and kill them as soon as they stop or slow down.
I’d not use a fixed 10x in tight cover.

Some of the country I like to hunt for coyotes.

Palo Verde thickets in southern AZ sometimes it can be a circus in them.


Thick mesquite patches with some open space NM


Mesquite dunes NM


Rolling sage NV


Thick grasslands WA


A lot of the places I like to hunt are bypassed by a lot of coyote hunters because you can't see for miles, but in the same context you only get glimpses of coyotes coming in and have to take the shot when they step into an opening.

I do.

Variables are pegged at 10x or as close as can be. I also use a swfa 10x quite often.

I used to be a 4-6x guy but have gotten used more magnification over the years and don't believe it has been a hindrance at all. I am in open country the majority of the time.

Had three coyotes in the yard one morning last fall. Grabbed the wife’s Kimber .223, which has a 10x SWFA SS on it, out of the safe and proceeded to smoke all three of them. 1st one was at about 20 yards and the last one was about 200 by the time I got him. I don’t feel even a little encumbered by a fixed 10x.

John

This