Need help with choice for first Coyote rifle.

[4RCH4NG3L]

I've been centerfire and bowhunting for the last 30 years but am new to coyote hunting, as I saw the show on Versus with these two guysdrillin em at out to 740 yards. Impressive.
I've been askin around a bit and doing a little net research as well and I've been looking hard at the Remington Bolt Action, Model Five, 17HMR, 22 Inch Barrel.
Please understand about wife/kids/mortgage/carpayments etc. in regards to price being a nessasary consideration for me. The Remington comes in at about a little over $300. Is that budget etched in stone ? No, but I can't swing $600. either.
One thing that is holding me back on this is that on Sniperworld.com, this guy complained about the trigger assemblybeing crap.
Also, as I live in Massachusetts soI'm not taking any long range shots like on that show.
Thank you so much for any help on this.
-Scottie

[RugerM77.270]

First off the 17HMR isn't really a yote gun. It will kill but not as well as you will always hope. yotes are tuogh and will tote a 17 round off fast.

If budget is a consideration you can always use the centerfire rifle you already have there is no such thing as overkill, especially when the critter has teeth.

If yo want a dedicated coyote rifle look for a centerfire anywhere from 17 up to quarter bore. Also, you can find a used gun at a good pricemost likely, or look at a Savage or Stevens rifle.

[4RCH4NG3L]

Thank you for the feedback Ruger,but as I live in the Commonwealth (read:KennedyCountry) there is no centerfire hunting here at all. Here are the regs straight out from the book.

8. HUNTING IMPLEMENTS: It is lawful to hunt fox, coyote, and bobcat with rifles, shotguns, handguns, or archery, provided that:

[blockquote]
(a) on wildlife management areas stocked with pheasant or quail, during the pheasant and quail season, only shotguns and archery may be used;
(b) handguns are restricted to those chambered not larger than .38 caliber, and rifles to those chambered not larger than .22caliber;
(c) coyote may be hunted with shotgun cartridges loaded with shot not larger than FF, provided that when coyote are hunted during the shotgun deer season, they may additionally be hunted with those shotgun cartridges that are lawful for the hunting of deer (i.e., including buckshot and slugs);
(d) fox and bobcat may be hunted with shotgun cartridges loaded with shot not larger than #1 birdshot.

So you see my situation ? I think I can go to .22 Hornet or magnum butno wider in diameter. (I have to check on that in more detail)

What I'm really asking here is if anyone can recommend a new rifle in any of those calibers in the$3-400. range, as I'm going to need a scope, bipod, calling gear etc. as well.
Thanks again for any help.
-Scottie
P.S. Any tips on the otherequipment or anything else, would surely be appreciated as well.
[/blockquote]

[DANTHEHUNTER]

A .22 calibur covers alot of rifles ie:.220swift,.22-250,.223 ect.... So you have more choices then that.A .223 will be the cheapest to shoot and most likly to buy.Get a good scope and you are ready!!

[Ridge Runner]

look into a stevens 200 in 223, has a 9 twist so you can shoot heavier bullets and milk the range a bit more.
RR

[4RCH4NG3L]

As I shot an M-16 for 8 years in the Army, the .223 would have been my first choice without a doubt, as I know that bullet backwards and foreward and what it can do. But if you read the regs, it's .003 over the bullet diameter limit. Ibelieve I need a rifle chambered for one of the .22 bullets and if I can find the right gun/bullet combo in my price range that would be great.
If any of you know a specific rifle model and the caliber, as well as bullet weight, I would really be grateful.
Thanks again for the feedback.
-Scottie

[recurver167]

How about 22-250 in a NEF or a savage? Have you given any thought on a used gun?

[Ridge Runner]

223 bullet diameter is .224, the 22 hornet used to be 223, but is now standardized to .224 also, the 22 long rifle rimfire is .223, the 22 mag is .224, your laws doesn't say rimfire so I'd go deeper and find out, my thoughts the way its worded is any 22 cal rifle is legal be it rimfire or centerfire, or you could go with the 204 ruger, ample for yotes and flat as a lazer.
RR

[4RCH4NG3L]

ORIGINAL: recurver167

How about 22-250 in a NEF or a savage? Have you given any thought on a used gun?

I may have to consider a used gun but I really don't want to. I have a thing about buying used stuff. Why did they want to get rid of it, if it's so good? It's differant with cars, that's an expensive nessesitybut when it come to my gear, especially guns,I like to know that everything has been maintained, taken care of and never abused, as well as any repair history, before I chamber a round and fire it.
It's just a personal thing but I may have to be flexible this time,if I want to get what I want at the price I can afford. Almost all the guns I have now, I bought before my kids were born and are all excellent choicesas my father has an FFL license which helps too.
And yes, I'm going to look into the 22-250 but I think I'll take Ridge Runner's advice and contact the Commonwealth about just how much flexibility there is on that .22 caliber reg.
Thanks again.
-Scottie

[SwampCollie]

Personally, I'duse a shotgun. Thats what I use on pasture panthers, foxes and other things that eat quail here in VA. Most of my shots are inside 50 yards, and at night with fairly smart quarry I'm much much deadlier with a shotgun myself.