Handgun Question

[Ahab]

I'd go with a Savage Model 24 over-and-under, with a .22 on the top barrel and a 20-gauge shotgun on the bottom. Mount it with a 1.5x scope or a red-dot laser sight. A 20-gauge shotgun loaded with #4 buck will take care of big eastern coyotes, no problem, inside 40 yards. At longer distances, a rifled slug would help, but the Savage doesn't have a rifled shotgun barrel so accuracy will be basically in the bushel-basket range at 60 or 70 yards.

I hunted with handguns for years, including deer, but in a predator-execution scenario you typically won't have the time needed to get your handgun on-target, and your effective lethal range will be under 75 yards. For consistent lethality with a handgun, you'll also be shooting something with a lot more recoil than most people will be willing to absorb.

Handguns are basically for specialists. Or movies.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

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I agree, a .223 is one nice varmit gun with plenty power to efficiently take down a coydog. As others have stated, your property lay-out and local regulation determine if allowed long range gun or shot gun shooting.

If your in a shot gun only zone, inexpensive single shots (under $100) with moderate or full choke. The only difference of .410 to .20 Ga. is the amount of shot it can propel. So .20 gague has more buckshot propelling at your target hence you can use a moderate choke for a wider pattern. Excellent all round gun for bird hunting and varmit control, simply use different shot type, and high or low brass depending on what your shooting at.

 

[woodmort]

A shotgun, especially a .410 or .20 has the advantage of less recoil for someone not used to it--a .12 can knock a small adult back a bit--as well as a very limited range. Keep in mind that in many parts of NYS a 300 yd range will go through a neighbor's front door. While you many not take a big, adult eastern coyote down with one you could sure change his mind about bothering your flock, if nothing else, it will scare the bejeepers out of him. One of the reasons coyotes are a problem in the downstate area is the lack of hunting has made them fearless around humans, pop a few and they will learn.

BTW, here the weapon of choice is my .22 but I've been shooting it since the early 50's and back in the day I won a few contest with it using open sights. But I wouldn't recommend it for just anyone--if for no other reason than the distance a missed shot can carry. Incidentally that is also the gun of choice for most local coyote hunters but they usually call in the animals and know their background.

Here is a good article on coyote hunting that appeared in our paper recently. http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201012220344

 

[ColbyNTX]

I would go with a pump 12 ga! Reasons being, it is a bigger gun and the shells are cheaper than 20ga & 410ga. If this is close quaters, it has much more knock down power. Even a 12ga doesn't kick that bad. My kids al started with a 410 at 5 years old. By the time they were 9 they were shooting 12ga. Even my stick figure cheerleader daughter. I took my 11 yr son and 13 yr daughter duck hunting on the 26th and they were both using 12ga pumps with heavy 3" mags and then we shot geese with 3 1/2" mags. My kids are tall but skinny with no padding on their shoulders. Anybody under 70 can shoot a 12ga with regular 2 3/4" shells! A 12ga is also great for home defence especially in a pump. If an intruder hears that distenctive rack of the pump, he is out the door! Plus, if you miss, the shotgun pellets won't go too far. A pistol or rifle cand go a mile or more. I am 39 years old and have been using guns all my life and have over 40 different guns in the house and know how to use them all inside and out but when I am in the woods and you have a charging wild boar, it is tough to hit with a pistol until he is right on you! That's why I suggest a shotgun. When we call coytes at night, we always have a 12ga for the ones who sneak up from behind and you don't see them until they are almost in your lap.

 

[Jarheadred]

NYboy, I'm gonna assume you're in town since you said your yard has a four foot fence around it, so your backstop is more than likely someone elses property or house. A shotgun would be my first consideration and like others stated a .410 would fit your needs. But just for fun look at the Taurus Judge handgun models, they are chambered for .410 and .45 or .454 Casull. This way you are using a revolver for safety reasons and the gun isnt so cumbersome that you can go outside with it and have it available at a moments notice when needed, the long guns tend to be left leaning on something or put somewhere while you're busy doin whatever it is you're doin.
But if this is just something that you're gonna have by the backdoor and shoot at the occasional coyote than a traditional shotgun would do, a New England Arms breech load single shot would be an economical choice. IMO.
Guns are kinda like chickens, you think you're just gonna get one and next thing you know you have a safe in the bedroom and a rack on the wall and............

 

[patman75]

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Ain't that the truth.

 

[Q9]

Quote:
Ain't that the truth.

Ditto. I've been trying to limit myself to saving up for a single gun (some form of AK), but then I noticed the M1A... then I fired an AR-15... and a K-98 Mauser... and a Mosin-Nagant... Dang. That's gonna take some saving.

As far as handguns go, you can't do any better than a .357 revolver. Loaded with .38 Special rounds, it has very little recoil, but somewhat more killing power than the 9mm. Loaded with .357 Magnum rounds, it kicks a lot harder, but you can stop just about anything. It's an INCREDIBLY simple weapon, and easy to maintain, not to mention very accurate at short ranges.

HOWEVER, if you're wanting to deal with coyotes, I agree with others - a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun will do the job nicely. A .22 rifle will also get it done, but something a little larger, maybe a .223, would do better.

 

[yotehunter]

go with the remington 870 in 20 guage pretty reasonably priced and a great shotgun, .22 will only injure the coyote and it will die later you want to humanely kill with one shot, anything over 50 yard shot i use .223 0r .22-250 either is accurate out to 300-500 yards with enough practice.

 

[Junkmanme]

squirt gun. (water pistol)

at least until experience is gained around SAFE SHOOTERS. (AND MUCH discipline AND Common Sense is learned.)

-Junkmanme-

 

[Tenneesse]

I've bought and sold a lot of firearms through the years and it always boils down to choosing the right tool/tools for the job. Nothing wrong with the idea of a handgun, a rifle, and a shotgun in the cabinet. Only until you have had some experience with each is the choice of which is the right one will choosing become easier.

Your obviously not a shooter who spends a lot of time in the field or on the range and you could probably meet all your shooting needs with one gun. If your considering pest control off your back porch or in your back yard and you have the legal rights to discharge firearms without endangering your neighbors your most effective gun is going to be a shorter barreled pump shotgun like the 870 Remington and the very good and very affordable Mossburg 500. They are easy to shoot and barrels are changeable if you want versatility. You can put on a rifled slug barrel and still shoot shot if you choose. A short 18 1/2" is legal and easy to point or a little longer barrel adds an improved sight radius which gives you some edge with accuracy (velocity increases with length but its marginal) but you have a sighting advantage as the barrel length increases. 20ga is a super good caliber and so is the .410 and the 12ga.

Trying to imagine your senario I'd use a 22" pump .410 rifled slug barrel with rifle sights. Remember with a shotgun you have a restriction on the number of shells you can load in it usually 3 and if you remove the plug to increase capacity you've set yourself up for felony charges. Keep the plug in and load one round of slug, one round of buck and one round of #4.

All three will kill a coyote easily at 35yds and farther. Does it hurt the rifled slug barrel to shoot shot thru it? No. Just keep it clean as the plastic wads from shot shells will build up in the bore and diminish accuracy if you shoot it frequently. Go to the range and take a box of each with you and go at it until you are feeling confident. Always begin with the introduction to firearms with a qualified instructor and your good to go.

Just a short note, the red dot sight systems are good on shotguns for quick on target advantage but I simply prefer rifle sights on a slug gun, no fuss no muss, point and shoot. A sling is handy to have on it also.

Also Ahab suggested the Savage Mod 24. Its a great combo rifle/shotgun and is available in rim and centerfire and .41/20 or 12ga. Its a nice gun. Generally 22" and 24" barrel. Scoped or iron sights its a great gun with a long history. Im over 65 and shot my first gun at the age of 8 it was a Mod 24. .410 / .22LR