I'm open to a 17HMR. I already have a CZ 452 Lux with a full stock, its fantastic but certainly not getting tossed on my tractor.
22 mag would be OK
I would really like a 38/357
An AR is almost totally out of the equation unless its chambered in a pistol caliber. Again, the quieter, the better.
A used rifle would be ideal, the cheaper the better.
Ruger's new PC carbine would be nice but I would hate to take a new gun straight to rough use.
Anybody here used a 17HMR on coyotes? We have pretty big ones here in eastern KY. A base model Savage might do the trick, as long as it isn't too long.
To set the scene on how this will be deployed: I live in a rural area, surrounded by hundreds of hilly acres of woods and pastures. I have a small homestead and make a dozen walking trips a day between my house, barn, and garden. The chickens also meander about when I let them out while I'm home in the evenings. I walk my dogs about 1/4 mile up down the road. I have a side by side that I also travel about in and also do a lot of bush hogging on the tractor, weed spraying, and haying. The times that I see a coyote, its always on the move (except when it was nose to nose with my dog) and I have just a few seconds to get a gun into service. The gun needs to be with me (instead of propped up in the corner of the kitchen) as much as possible. That means it needs to be easily carried with a sling or mounted on the tractor/side by side, or with me in the garden, the barn, etc. It also means that I wont have ear protection unless I'm on my tractor, so the less noise the better. It needs to be rugged and it needs to be handy.