I don't know why this topic got so out of hand.

But after getting the Grice Gun Shop Anniversary paper in the mail the other day. I would have to say that a .22 Magnum is no longer an economical way of shooting anymore.

When I bought my first .22 Magnum, some 10 years ago. The ammo was $5.50 a box of 50

When I looked at the paper yesterday, their sale price was $12.99 per 50

That is an increase in price of over 100 % in the last 10 years.

It was just $7.99 two years ago.

I'm not the expert Coyote hunter here that others claim to be. But I do have a friend that lives next to a reclaimed coal strip mining operation and there is a field beside his house where you can shoot 700 yards with no problems.

This man shot in the Pennsylvania 30 caliber league and was a member of the NRA for 50 years. A retired WW II vet, and head instructor at one time at a local gun club.

He told me that he can shoot further with the .17 HRM, but it's effective range is almost 1/2 that of the .22 Magnum - because the bullet is so small that it just goes right through them - without doing any damage and when you get too far out - it doesn't even seem to phase them.

I have shot animals at 300 yards with one of my Marlin - .22 Magnums. I know that the .17 HRM will shoot 300 yards and does a job on milk jug full of water. But it doesn't do much to a thin-skinned animal like a coyote that is pretty tough to kill.

Me personally, as long as you kill them or injure them so they don't come back, what do I care what you use to do it with. Any gun will kill anything at the right range.

I also believe that the US government should put a $25 bounty on all Coyote's.

My thought being that maybe we could hunt these buggers into extinction - if enough people were involved.

Anything less than $25 - would be an insult.

As far as hunting them for recreation - it isn't worth my time.