Long Range Coyote Shotgun

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jacob489

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I'm interested in making my 12 gauge chambered for 3" shells as accurate as I can at the longest possible ranges. Any suggestions on choke/shot size combinations that will give me the best possible range while still providing a clean kill on a coyote. Thanks in advance, any info helps.
 
I would start with 3 inch Magnum #4 Buckshot, several different brands especially the premium loads with the copper plated pellets, and I would start with a Modified Choke and then try Full and Extra Full.

Patterning the various loads with the various chokes is the key. Once you find a load/choke combination your shotgun likes, you should be able to trainwreck a yote out to about 50 yards.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
Right on Leon. I doubt you'd have to go more than full choke with copper plated #4 buck. A Flite Control type wad would help alot. The T hevi shot or tungsten works well too, but don't look for more than 75 yards at best to really roll them,as you should.I use a varmint rifle over 50 yards from the 70s on.I shot two coyotes 10 years ago after my goats at 125 feet and 250 feet from a 3" Remington 1100 former 3 gun rig equipted with a Yukon Sibir 1+ NV scope using Hornady #4 buckshot .The 41 pellet Remington 3" load was a much more scanty pattern with the Mod tube in the 26" barrel. The event was one of the thrilling moments of my life as it was prepared for and executed well with a good outcome. The one coyote who got away must have told the others as I did not have any more problems for 5 years.:evil:
http://www.hornady.com/store/12-Ga-VX-4-Buckshot/
 
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I have read a few articles recommending #4 Buck for coyote. From what I've read, modified chokes typically pattern best with buckshot and I have a NEF 12 gauge pump with a modified choke, so I'll definitely start with modified and move up. I was aslo interested in Carlson's hevi-shot dead coyote choke tube, which is supposed to throw out denser patterns than extra full turkey chokes, but they don't pattern well with anything above T shot and there designed to fire hevi-shot. What's your opinion on using T size shot or hevi-shot for coyote?
 
T size shot - Hard to find in lead shot, and expensive when you find it in steel or non-toxic.

Hevi-Shot - Just plain expensive. I have not shot enough of it to be able to make any opinions on it because I am too cheap :).

For economy and performance, unless you hunt in a "Condor Zone" or non-lead zone, I would stick with Lead #4 Buckshot for the Coyotes.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
All valid points. At around $5 a shot for hevi-shot t shot, I'll definitely stick with lead for coyote. I do live in a county with lead restrictions but I do most of my hunting in neighboring counties anyway. Thanks for all your help Leon, it's much appreciated.
 
For truly long range DRT coyotes with a shotgun??

I'd see how far you can keep rifled slugs on a paper plate.

rc
 
What RC said, if you want humane kills at long distance the rifled slug is the way to go with a shotgun, some are accurate out to 100 yards, with the right barrel and a good shooter.
 
I'll have to pattern some rifled slugs as well when I do my testing. Thanks again guys. Any particular rifled slug/choke combinations to get the best range out of my firearm?
 
Thanks RC. I was just reading reviews for truball slugs and they seem like a good buy. The general concensus seemed to be around 3" groups out to 75 yards, which is as far as I would shoot in a hunting situation.
 
Rem and Fed make (made?) 3" #2 lead shot and Fed had the same with lead BB Shot which I'd prefer with a Coyote choke, but I'd be hesitant to try a 70 yard shot -- I dunno. You probably shouldn't use such a tight choke with #4 Buckshot but even with that pellet size and a Modified choke I almost certainly wouldn't try that distance a shot. 5 foot pattern with 27 pellets that have lost most of their energy...
 
I would definitely like to try BB shot with a coyote choke, I'd imagine that's the tightest group I could get with lead and still drop a coyote. Even then 50 yards is the farthest I'd shoot with shot, then go up to 75 yards with rifled slugs.
 
That is a pretty far shot mariachi, but the kill zone on a coyote is 10" which is at least four times smaller than the target. From a proper sitting position, I could probably make the shot out to that distance. I think I'd rather stick with shot over slugs for coyote though because I'll have a rifle with me anyway.
 
El;
Hitting your target and having an effect on it are two very different things at 75+ yards with shot. Buckshot, BUCKSHOT, have lost about 75% of their energy by 35 meters...
 
jacob489 said:
I'm interested in making my 12 gauge chambered for 3" shells as accurate as I can at the longest possible ranges. Any suggestions on choke/shot size combinations that will give me the best possible range while still providing a clean kill on a coyote. Thanks in advance, any info helps.
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I would look at what long-range goose hunters like with different choke. It is rumored that
over-bored 12ga 3&1/2" throws better long-range patterns then big 10.
 
I took a shotgun class a few years ago and we were hitting a full size steel coyote target at 180 yards. First two shots were to dial it in and then I hit the next three in a row. The load I used was a Winchester Super X (X12RS15) rifled 1oz slug from a 22" modified choke Benelli M1S90.

I would much rather use my AR for the role but the shotgun did well.
 
Actually the 3rd coyote in the pack I decimated as mentioned above got a rifle slug aimed at him at about 150 yards and I missed. Now I am real good at lobbing Remington reduced recoil slugs at 110 yards and under, but I must say in general I learned my lesson 35 years ago when I patrolled a LARGE Big Sur ranch by jeep that a rifle is the only way to go, generally for coyotes. I used to shoot some XM Federal #4 Buck my boss got from gubbimint sources, with my help,:evil:, out of a 28" barrel Ithaca 37 with a modified choke out of the jeep per his request. With too many cripples for my taste, I switched to a Winchester 94 25-35 or a 2xpower scoped XP-100 I had rechambered to the free 5.56 ammo and life was good. I have NEVER lost a coyote shot with a centerfire rifle, I can't say that of the SG. SG sometimes really excell at called coyotes when they get real close.
 
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I have some Remington ultimate home defense rounds. They're #4 x #2 duplexed tungsten/iron (hevi shot) at 1250 FPS. I think they might be pretty darned good predator rounds.

For actual home defense I load nothing but 00 buck. I'm sure they would do the number too.
 
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