I am trying to determine which scope would be best to mount on a Remington 700 243 caliber for coyote hunting. I am thinking something with second focal plane in a 3-9X40 with side or parallax adjustment. I am thinking most of my shots would be 200 yards. Would going with 50 mm objective lens be of any benefit? Would I need any more magnification than 9 power? I would like to keep the cost around $500 to $900. Thanks!
Scope Recommendation
- Thread starter Duck51
- Start date
I shoot further than 200 yards and have never felt I needed more than a 9 power scope on most occasions.
I'd pick up whatever is in the glass case at Walmart and has a reputable name for $150-$200 and call it good. I've never felt the need to have a crazy expensive scope either though. Unless I win it or it's given to me I'm not gonna have a scope worth more than $200 unless I can see at night through it or it's like the Burris Eliminator and takes out the guess work during the day. At 200 yards there is no guess work with a .243, put the crosshairs on fur and shoot.
I'd pick up whatever is in the glass case at Walmart and has a reputable name for $150-$200 and call it good. I've never felt the need to have a crazy expensive scope either though. Unless I win it or it's given to me I'm not gonna have a scope worth more than $200 unless I can see at night through it or it's like the Burris Eliminator and takes out the guess work during the day. At 200 yards there is no guess work with a .243, put the crosshairs on fur and shoot.
You'll get a lot of opinions on this.
Mine.
For calling coyotes especially under 300 yards I find FOV more important than X's. All of my predator calling rifles have a minimum of 40' around 2.5x and I prefer more. My more open country rifles wear 2-12x40s. My go-to rifles wear 1.5-5x20, 1.5-5x32 and 1.5-6x40. my combination guns wear 1-4x20s.
I find 50mm objectives need to be mounted too high and combs need to be built up too much. I find that if I can see a coyote coming with my bare eyes I can find them in my scope. As far of adjustable objective, not really needed on lower power variables.
Good luck with your choices
Mine.
For calling coyotes especially under 300 yards I find FOV more important than X's. All of my predator calling rifles have a minimum of 40' around 2.5x and I prefer more. My more open country rifles wear 2-12x40s. My go-to rifles wear 1.5-5x20, 1.5-5x32 and 1.5-6x40. my combination guns wear 1-4x20s.
I find 50mm objectives need to be mounted too high and combs need to be built up too much. I find that if I can see a coyote coming with my bare eyes I can find them in my scope. As far of adjustable objective, not really needed on lower power variables.
Good luck with your choices
PanhandlePredators44
Member
Check out midway USA they have a Vortex Strikeagle on sale . 4-24x 50mm side parallax and illuminated reticle . Pretty sweet deal for the money and all the scope you get . There $299.99
crapshoot
Well-known member
2-10, 3x9, 4-12 all great options. I like 9 or higher for sight in and load development and not having to change scopes.
You don't need crazy reticles especially for under 300.
Buy the best glass you can afford. If you have to go on the cheap make sure they have and honor a great NO BS WARRANTY.
You don't need crazy reticles especially for under 300.
Buy the best glass you can afford. If you have to go on the cheap make sure they have and honor a great NO BS WARRANTY.
A couple thoughts, for 200 yards and under with a 243 you can hold on fur so busy reticles aren't needed, a heavy duplex, German #4 or #1 work well, plus you have faster target acquisition. A scope that you don't have to reach up and make adjustments makes it that much harder for a coyote/predator to spot you. Keep your scope on the lowest power, at 200 and under you might never need to change it except for one hung up at the 200 mark. My favorite old adage, " there is always time to turn the scope power up but not to turn it down"
Fit you rifle/scope to you. When you put the rifle to your shoulder you should have your cheek on the stock with your eye directly behind the scope seeing a full image through the scope and not have to bob and weave your head to see through the scope. I have to build up combs on almost all of my rifles and I use the lowest rings I can get away with.
This morning I'm headed out in NM with a 222 Rem topped with a leupold Freedom 1.5-4x20.
Fit you rifle/scope to you. When you put the rifle to your shoulder you should have your cheek on the stock with your eye directly behind the scope seeing a full image through the scope and not have to bob and weave your head to see through the scope. I have to build up combs on almost all of my rifles and I use the lowest rings I can get away with.
This morning I'm headed out in NM with a 222 Rem topped with a leupold Freedom 1.5-4x20.
I have a number of rifles that I use for coyote hunting/calling. All of them wear 4-12X except a couple 4.5-14X. I hunt at a lower magnification and crank it up for longer shots when needed. In my view, you are never handicapped by having your scope set at 4X and having the ability to go much higher for longer shots. As far as 40 vs 50 mm, I have some of both and for me, either works just fine. I like unclutterd reticles, duplex type. With your budget, there’s many good options. Good luck.
derbyacresbob
Well-known member
I have 4X12X40mm scopes on all of my rifles. If I had to get different scopes I would go down to 3X9X40mm scopes instead of higher power scopes with 50mm.
coyote_thumper
Active member
For daytime shooting, any basic 3-9 power scope would be fine. I used to think the 6-25x mildot etc's were cool. After a few years of coyote hunting....I prefer a basic 3-9x, ~40mm, and simple reticle.
My real opinion: For ~900, Get a AGM Rattler TS25 thermal. 256 sensor with 3.5 power base zoom.
Preferred choice: For about $2500 get a Pulsar thermion 2 XQ50 pro. (384 sensor with 3.0 power base zoom)
My real opinion: For ~900, Get a AGM Rattler TS25 thermal. 256 sensor with 3.5 power base zoom.
Preferred choice: For about $2500 get a Pulsar thermion 2 XQ50 pro. (384 sensor with 3.0 power base zoom)
3x9x40 will do everything you need it to do for hunting and can be mounted lower to the gun. Have made shots to 300 yds, but 90% of shots probably average 100 yds. That being said, w/88 year old eyes, I have been stepping up to the 4.5x14x42 which helps more on range to sight in than it does in the field. Here is an excellent scope at a very attractive price.
Burris Scope Fullfield 3-9x40 E1 Ballistic Plex 350 Legend 1in Tube SFP Rifle Scope
I've never found adjustable paralax to be of much use on a hunting scope.
alf
Well-known member
Daytime scopes, what are you using?
In the market for some new glass to put on my 6x6.8. Been using Leupold for a while, looking for something else to try. 3-4x on the low end, good glass, light weight and durable. Don't shoot much past 300 yrds. What is everyone else using that might fit this bill?
www.predatormasters.com
How close did you get him and what power setting, Erich? The 1x would probably work for me @ 100 but would probably need more beyond that w/my eyes. Most of my shots are probably 100 yards or less. I've never hunted that barren ground, you'd really have a problem hiding your wheels and yourself for that matter. What did you do, lay down between the tracks? 
BBK
Active member
A 243 is more of a precision bolt round. Youd probably like to have more zoomies than that, assuming you shoot farther than 100-200yd.
Heres a coyote picture at 400yd. You can see how much more accurate you can be with 20x vs 9x.
Heres a coyote picture at 400yd. You can see how much more accurate you can be with 20x vs 9x.
Attachments
I actually rugged him out at 40 long paces with the shotgun barrel. My longest coyote on 1.5x was with TT, 175 yards. I would say 90 to 95 % of the. Coyotes i shoot are on 1x-2x the lowest setting on the scope I'm using. I also check point of impact at 200.on the low end when I'm sighting in. The 4x on my scopes will take me to 300. I don't feel I've ever been under scoped but know there are some times I've been over scoped. I even get claustrophobic with 3x on the bottom end of a scope I use for calling preds. I have really enjoyed the new 2-12s that have come out.
I left the truck on one side of the tracks and walked out into the flats and sat by one of the bushes out there.
This is what it looks like on the side of the tracks I left the truck on, no cover but there is a stock tank there that the coyote water at.
I left the truck on one side of the tracks and walked out into the flats and sat by one of the bushes out there.
This is what it looks like on the side of the tracks I left the truck on, no cover but there is a stock tank there that the coyote water at.
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Looked so barren compared to what I hunt that I overlooked the bushes in first picture; after seeing your 2nd pic I did notice a few bushes on the other side of track. Due to much closer cover where I hunt 3x is low enough to work for me; will admit the 4.5 is a bit less field of view than I prefer, but it is a compromise that I can live with. I doubt I ever reach the high end on that scope in the field as I always hunt on low end and just grab a handful of scope and twist to wherever it lines up for the long shots.
Amazing you can get them in shotgun range in that bare ground; no self respecting coyote in our area would set foot on that wide open terrain.
Amazing you can get them in shotgun range in that bare ground; no self respecting coyote in our area would set foot on that wide open terrain.
AWS talked about "adjustable objective" not needed on lower power variables". I am making the assumption that adjustable objective and side focus or adjustable parallax are the same. With my aging eyes, would this option be an advantage for me in a 3-9 or 4-12 rifle scope? Thanks for all of your ideas on this matter. I was thinking I needed a higher power scope for coyote hunting, but you have changed my thinking. Thanks again!
On a 3-9 about the only place you will see an adjustable objective/parallax is on a 22 LR scope as targets can be tiny and close on a 3-9 hunting scope changes in POI is insignificant. Moving up to the 4-12 again under 200 POI would be insignificant. On my 2-12s with adjustable parallax I leave them set at 100-200 yards.
KISS goes a long ways calling coyotes/predators, the less you have to mess with the less can go wrong.
I'm 78 and had double cataract surgery 30 years ago. I used to be able, after the surgery hunt without correction and just use cheaters to see a remote. Now I wear bifocals to hunt and shoot. .I do have the bifocal set set lower in the glasses so I have a larger FOV at a distance and yet to be able to read, see where my feet are going and not have the bifocal line interfere with the scope image. I tried transitions and it takes up too much of the lens that doesn't help read or see at a.distance.
One thing to remember all you need to kill coyotes is be.able.to put the first cold bore shot from field positions in a 6" circle (papar desert plate) if you can do that you should be able to kill every coyote you shoot at with in the range you can hit the plate, in theory.
KISS goes a long ways calling coyotes/predators, the less you have to mess with the less can go wrong.
I'm 78 and had double cataract surgery 30 years ago. I used to be able, after the surgery hunt without correction and just use cheaters to see a remote. Now I wear bifocals to hunt and shoot. .I do have the bifocal set set lower in the glasses so I have a larger FOV at a distance and yet to be able to read, see where my feet are going and not have the bifocal line interfere with the scope image. I tried transitions and it takes up too much of the lens that doesn't help read or see at a.distance.
One thing to remember all you need to kill coyotes is be.able.to put the first cold bore shot from field positions in a 6" circle (papar desert plate) if you can do that you should be able to kill every coyote you shoot at with in the range you can hit the plate, in theory.
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alf
Well-known member
General rule of thumb, AO isn't really needed under 10X, & I'll add, at "normal" coyote calling ranges.
If, and as long as, you're looking through the center of the scope, there's is no parallax to speak of.
LONEHOWL
Custom Call Maker
Bro you’re good, you’ll kill a lot of coyotes with that setup. There so much over complication in this sport at this point, simplicity is its own advantage.