2 air rifles: best and most value priced for coyotes

[Grunt64]

I agree with the “bigger is better” when it comes to hunting larger prey/predators. I usually go for head/neck shots on coyotes so .30 works for me.

My biggest gripe with big bores is the lack of a magazine and each round has to be single loaded. I’m certainly not a fan of china guns and their lack of quality control even though they offer multi-shot platforms. One day…one day…I’d love to see Airforce release a multi shot Tex Rex!

Head and neck shots are great when everything lines up, but in the real world coyotes don’t always hold still or give you that angle. That’s where the .308 and .357 shine — they give you margin when the shot isn’t picture‑perfect or the dog is moving.

I get the single‑shot gripe, but for coyote hunting it’s usually the first shot that matters. A Texan or a Challenger hits hard enough that you rarely need a follow‑up unless the angle was bad.

A multi‑shot Texan would be awesome, no argument there — but until that day comes, the big bores still deliver the most consistent results on coyotes. a single load directly into the barrel , you can’t get any more accurate or consistent than that.”

 

[Danman]

I agree with the “bigger is better” when it comes to hunting larger prey/predators. I usually go for head/neck shots on coyotes so .30 works for me.

My biggest gripe with big bores is the lack of a magazine and each round has to be single loaded. I’m certainly not a fan of china guns and their lack of quality control even though they offer multi-shot platforms. One day…one day…I’d love to see Airforce release a multi shot Tex Rex!

Watched your vid twice....no way he was getting back up and running after that first shot, you just put him out with that second shot...respect.
Welcome to Ham Do/did you personally own an M3?....just curious.

 

[CoyoteHammer]

I hit him mid thoracic spine and immediately paralyzed him. Noob moment…I shot him with my last (unknowingly) slug in the magazine and had to reload for the final shot.

My brother had an M3 for several years and I thoroughly enjoyed it with the exception of the wandering poi. I was able to tune out the first slow shots for him but when it comes to hunting, you need a barrel that stays put! It just wasn’t reliable enough for our hunting needs. The M3 ALWAYS had me guessing if I was going to put the shot on target, that lack of confidence in a +$2k rifle had me looking elsewhere.

 

[BenjeneerJohn]

The Benjamin Bulldog in .257 or .357 will take care of a coyote. Bulldogs make plenty of power, are mag fed and made here in NY. I would vote for the .357. You can shoot 81g pellets or slugs. We have done well with NSA slugs out to 300 yards.

As you look at rifles, don't forget you will need a filling solution, like a compressor or a bottle. I like compressors as you can fill you rifle without having to travel. However a bottle you can take into the field if needed.

John

 

[Chief55]

The Benjamin Bulldog in .257 or .357 will take care of a coyote. Bulldogs make plenty of power, are mag fed and made here in NY. I would vote for the .357. You can shoot 81g pellets or slugs. We have done well with NSA slugs out to 300 yards.

As you look at rifles, don't forget you will need a filling solution, like a compressor or a bottle. I like compressors as you can fill you rifle without having to travel. However a bottle you can take into the field if needed.

John

What weight NSA slugs are shooting well out to 300 yards and what kinds of speed and energy are you getting with them? I am also wondering if you are you talking about the older Bulldog 357 or the newer Bulldog Magnum M357? I think there is quit a difference in their power and speed.

 

[CoyoteHammer]

To the OP, you need to figure out what is your overall goal. If you’re going for coyote sized animals and larger I would no doubt go for a big bore. If you’re also hunting smaller game (turkey, crows, rabbits, pests etc) then the smaller calibers work well without destroying the meat! From my experience a hard hitting .30 checks all of my boxes, but the Tex Rex brush gun sure has my attention

 

[Cantona256]

Unless you’re hunting them at less than 100y don’t go less than .30 cal… and for the love of god don’t waste your money on a Daystate or a BRK.. you want a slug shooter for this job not a pellet shooter. Get one of those and you’re gonna spend $2k for a pretty gun that won’t get the job done past 100y…

Why slugs…short answer is BC… the best pellet you can find is gonna top out at like .05BC… they bleed energy, more susceptible to wind and pellets don’t expand reliably.

Also don’t let the bougie gun fan boys sell you on a fancy gun. Unless you’re sitting in your backyard or somewhere more suburban a finicky $2000 British gun is not the move.

I also wouldn’t buy a new FX. Get a used one in the classifieds here that has been tuned and set up for slugs already. FX guns are nice but I almost never see a “stock” fx gun. People tend to buy them and instantly drop a bunch of cash for a bunch of airmarksman or Sabre tactical furniture.

No offense to the Daystate/BRK fans but frankly that’s terrible advice. Dude said he knows nothing about airguns and he wants to shoot coyotes. lol a very expensive gun not known for anything other than target shooting and small game hunting is not the way to go. Bro isn’t trying to show his buddies at the Elks club his new “heirloom quality” laminate stock. Get a grip.

Coyote in the Midwest and east at big. You need stopping power. The ones out west are not big but very highly pressured and you’re not likely to get them to come in to pellet range on a reliable basis.

I’m using a Karma EQ that I’ve massively modified. It’s a purpose built coyote gun. This isn’t the route I would suggest to most. I’m going out to the sage brush and doing traditional western coyote calling. Last one I called in wouldn’t come in closer than 280y… there’s not a pellet shooter on earth and few Airguns not named Air Force that’s gonna make that shot.

If you’re looking for an easy, simple, powerful and RUGGED platform the only real answer here is Air Force. They’re simple, the big bores get firearm levels of power. I know people take coyote with .308 Texas at 300y.

If unregulated isn’t your thing see if you can pick up a used .30cal Gauntlet that’s been tuned for heavy slugs.

If you wanna spend some cash on a “top tier” gun get a Western Sidewinder or something like that. They have their issues too but at least you can get a .357 or .45 cal and go semi/full auto with some big @ss slugs.

Slug selection is gonna be almost as important as the gun choice. Higher BC for more power and range of course. But expansion is your friend here. You’re not shooting deer pass-through is not your friend. Coyotes are tough and even if they’re gonna die if you let them run you’re gonna have major problems finding it. They don’t gush blood like bigger game. There’s a reason the 55gr Vmax is so popular and it’s not just because it shoots flat.

A slug that passes through means that you left energy on the table. A slug that doesn’t has dumped all the energy into the target. When you’re working with 100-200fpe you want all of that in the dog. Bare minimum it’ll knock it down long enough for a follow up if you need.

I don’t claim to be an expert at this. I’m still not great at calling them in but I have been successful and frankly it’s all I do now. Every weekend I’m out calling by myself or with mixed group of air gunners and powder burners.


Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Cantona256]

With a 30 cal like the ghost your shooting a slightly heavier projectile to nearly the same velocity as a 22 lr or you can go up to 50 cal in some guns creating 400-700 fpe or so

Nowhere near 22LR velocities… low end for 22LR starts at like 1300fps.

 

[Cantona256]

I know the thread started out about two air rifles for coyotes — best and best value… but the conversation drifted into hunting coyotes at night. That’s something I do regularly, but never without precautions.

When you’re calling predators in the dark with prey sounds, you never really know what else might be hungry. I always carry a can of quality bear spray that reaches out to about 30 feet. My caller is never closer than 50 yards, and I do everything I can to stay scent‑free going into the area. If I’m using bait, I wear neoprene gloves, wash my hands with scent‑free soap, and seal everything in zip‑lock bags. Bait is always placed no closer than that same 50‑yard line.

Last year I stopped hunting for about three weeks after a 200‑pound pig was killed by a black bear roughly 300 yards from my setup. That bear was bulking up before hibernation, and I had no interest in becoming the next protein source. I only hunt on my own land, and I hunt coyotes for the challenge and the enjoyment — not to end up as a bear’s midnight snack.

To give you an idea of how wild it gets up there: my dad is an old Marine, and even he says, “I’m not going up there at night alone.” That should tell you something. Hunting alone at night, deep in no‑man’s‑land, can get pretty spooky, but that’s part of the rush that keeps me going back.

Night hunting coyotes is a blast, but it’s also something you need to respect. The woods don’t always send in what you expect.

True words right here from an OG who knows.

This time of year I’m daytime calling mostly but spring/summer is all about the night work.

Luckily I’m not in the woods but in the open sage and desert of SW Utah…. BUT you definitely gotta trust your instinct. I do 90% of my calling alone and I’ve had to leave stands early because it didn’t feel right…hard to describe but when night suddenly goes dead @ss quiet and you get that tickle on your spine it’s time to go haha.

 

[Chief55]

47 posts and Usmarine0352 has not responded so I hope this is helping him, but I am enjoying this thread myself. For me with any airgun the second most important thing is being reliable and or easy to work on after checking the boxes for being able to do the job and I tend to lean away from airguns over $1000 and those with lots of seals. They will start to leak eventually. Now days I stay away from anything that would use more than 3600PSI also. I believe that is why people have so much trouble with AEA, just too much pressure.

 

[Grunt64]

Nowhere near 22LR velocities… low end for 22LR starts at like 1300fps.

.22 LR doesn’t ‘start at 1300 fps’ , that’s the top end of high‑velocity stuff. Standard is around 1050–1150, and subsonic/quiet loads run anywhere from about 300 up to 1040 fps.

 

[CoyoteHammer]

night suddenly goes dead @ss quiet and you get that tickle on your spine it’s time to go haha.

A shotgun loaded with 3” slugs or 00 buckshot with an attached flashlight helps get rid of that tickle . I know exactly what you mean when things just don’t feel right, in the back of my head I have a healthy fear of bears. I was rushed by a momma bear several years ago AND I NEVER WANT TO EXPERIENCE THAT EVER AGAIN. So an AR or shotgun usually comes along for the deep woods hunts, along with a change of underwear!

 

[Cantona256]

.22 LR doesn’t ‘start at 1300 fps’ , that’s the top end of high‑velocity stuff. Standard is around 1050–1150, and subsonic/quiet loads run anywhere from about 300 up to 1040 fps.

Well considering the speed of sound starts at 1150(ish) then I stand by what I said… 22 sub sonic isnt 22LR. Its a .22 subsonic in a 22LR casing.. average FPE of 80-100fpe at the muzzle…since we all agreed that a regular .22LR isn’t the right tool for the job then I think it’s safe to say that .22 subsonic isn’t either…especially since 22LR slugs tend to have low BCs.

More importantly misrepresenting that shooting a .25gr pellet at 950fps as somehow “similar velocities as 22lr” is disingenuous… lol considering that a typical 22 subsonic is a 45gr slug at 980-1000fps and around 95fpe it’s absolutely insane to imply that a BRK shooting pellets is gonna be anything like .22 LR in any functional capacity.

 

[Solo1]

Well considering the speed of sound starts at 1150(ish) then I stand by what I said… 22 sub sonic isnt 22LR. Its a .22 subsonic in a 22LR casing.. average FPE of 80-100fpe at the muzzle…since we all agreed that a regular .22LR isn’t the right tool for the job then I think it’s safe to say that .22 subsonic isn’t either…especially since 22LR slugs tend to have low BCs.

More importantly misrepresenting that shooting a .25gr pellet at 950fps as somehow “similar velocities as 22lr” is disingenuous… lol considering that a typical 22 subsonic is a 45gr slug at 980-1000fps and around 95fpe it’s absolutely insane to imply that a BRK shooting pellets is gonna be anything like .22 LR in any functional capacity.

30 cal ghost will give similar fpe.

 

[BenjeneerJohn]

What weight NSA slugs are shooting well out to 300 yards and what kinds of speed and energy are you getting with them? I am also wondering if you are you talking about the older Bulldog 357 or the newer Bulldog Magnum M357? I think there is quit a difference in their power and speed.

It was an M357 that we were shooting out to 300 yards with 142g NSA slugs at 900fps. We tested a number of NSA slugs in the 3 rifles we took to EBR that year. The 142s ran the best in all 3.

With that said a used Bulldog 357 would have more than enough power to take care of a Coyote at 100 yards.

John

 

[FL22]

With that said a used Bulldog 357 would have more than enough power to take care of a Coyote at 100 yards.

John

Like the one at AOA .

 

[Zelos1]

I’m still pining away for that RAW .30 and some hefty slugs!!!

 

[Grunt64]

Well considering the speed of sound starts at 1150(ish) then I stand by what I said… 22 sub sonic isnt 22LR. Its a .22 subsonic in a 22LR casing.. average FPE of 80-100fpe at the muzzle…since we all agreed that a regular .22LR isn’t the right tool for the job then I think it’s safe to say that .22 subsonic isn’t either…especially since 22LR slugs tend to have low BCs.

More importantly misrepresenting that shooting a .25gr pellet at 950fps as somehow “similar velocities as 22lr” is disingenuous… lol considering that a typical 22 subsonic is a 45gr slug at 980-1000fps and around 95fpe it’s absolutely insane to imply that a BRK shooting pellets is gonna be anything like .22 LR in any functional capacity.

Well considering the speed of sound starts at 1150(ish) then I stand by what I said… 22 sub sonic isnt 22LR. Its a .22 subsonic in a 22LR casing.. average FPE of 80-100fpe at the muzzle…since we all agreed that a regular .22LR isn’t the right tool for the job then I think it’s safe to say that .22 subsonic isn’t either…especially since 22LR slugs tend to have low BCs.

More importantly misrepresenting that shooting a .25gr pellet at 950fps as somehow “similar velocities as 22lr” is disingenuous… lol considering that a typical 22 subsonic is a 45gr slug at 980-1000fps and around 95fpe it’s absolutely insane to imply that a BRK shooting pellets is gonna be anything like .22 LR in any functional capacity.

For clarity, here are published manufacturer and lab‑tested .22 LR velocity charts. CCI lists their Standard Velocity at 1,070 fps, Mini‑Mag at 1,235 fps, and Stinger at 1,640 fps (cci-ammunition.com). Federal publishes their .22 LR loads at 1,080–1,240 fps depending on type (federalpremium.com). Winchester shows their Subsonic HP at 1,065 fps and Super‑X HV at 1,280 fps (winchester.com). Independent chronograph testing from Ballistics By The Inch shows Mini‑Mag around 1,250 fps and Stinger around 1,510 fps from an 18-inch barrel (ballisticsbytheinch.com). These published numbers confirm exactly what I said earlier: standard .22 LR runs roughly 1050–1150 fps, subsonic sits below that, and 1300+ fps is the top end of high‑velocity loads — not the starting point.

 

[pan60]

just a reminder please keep it civil : )

 

[Grunt64]

47 posts and Usmarine0352 has not responded so I hope this is helping him, but I am enjoying this thread myself. For me with any airgun the second most important thing is being reliable and or easy to work on after checking the boxes for being able to do the job and I tend to lean away from airguns over $1000 and those with lots of seals. They will start to leak eventually. Now days I stay away from anything that would use more than 3600PSI also. I believe that is why people have so much trouble with AEA, just too much pressure.

And I’ll add this , I agree very strongly with you Chief55 on the AEA pressure issue. That’s exactly why I keep mine in the 3200–3300 PSI range. The way I’ve modified my AEA is all about making it breathe better, not beating it with pressure. With the flow opened up and the valve working efficiently, I’m pushing a 150gr at 1000 fps without ever going near 3600 PSI. It runs smoother, more consistent, and I’m not stressing the gun every cycle. That’s where these rifles shine — efficiency, not over‑pressure.