With so many capable cartridges out there to choose from to effectively dispatch 20-50lb canines, I think discussing the ergos of a "calling rifle" itself is worthy of pondering...
Personally, I want a rifle that balances well and swings smoothly on the rest I prefer to use when 'calling'...that being a tripod. By building & shooting all manner rifles on various stocks, using all shapes & sizes of barrel, from pencil to axle; stubby, to stretched...one begins to figger out that there's a 'method to the madness' for getting a rifle to balance where ya want it!
Some guys shoot from fixed/prone positions often & may want a bit more heavy rig that leans toward being a tad front heavy, makes sense if you're using a bipod or rest that sits way out under the end of the stock. Conversely, other guys may want a lightweight 'truck gun' that is more compact...
I want my "calling rifle" to have enough mass in all the right places, so that it stays where it's pointed...literally on its own! That way, I am never 'fighting the rifle' to stay on & track an ever mobile coyote. The rifle does exactly what I want, without tipping front, or back, or falling off to a side...
Here's what I mean, a pic is worth 1,000 words:
Rifle with full magazine, sitting perfectly balanced on my tripod, all on its own. Nuthin' is clampin' that rifle to the tripod cradle, it's just sitting pretty... thanks to gravity acting upon evenly (specifically) distributed mass. This combo literally points & shoots itself, requires only the most minimal 'muscle' to get it on an elusive target. And any good shooter will tell ya that, the less you hafta 'muscle' a rifle, the better you'll shoot it!
So, however ya like to shoot coyotes, keep balance in mind! Don tell just slap X barrel in Y stock....use your head and spec your rifle to how you'll shoot it most!!!
For conversation...
With so many capable cartridges out there to choose from to effectively dispatch 20-50lb canines, I think discussing the ergos of a "calling rifle" itself is worthy of pondering...
Personally, I want a rifle that balances well and swings smoothly on the rest I prefer to use when 'calling'...that being a tripod. By building & shooting all manner rifles on various stocks, using all shapes & sizes of barrel, from pencil to axle; stubby, to stretched...one begins to figger out that there's a 'method to the madness' for getting a rifle to balance where ya want it!
Some guys shoot from fixed/prone positions often & may want a bit more heavy rig that leans toward being a tad front heavy, makes sense if you're using a bipod or rest that sits way out under the end of the stock. Conversely, other guys may want a lightweight 'truck gun' that is more compact...
I want my "calling rifle" to have enough mass in all the right places, so that it stays where it's pointed...literally on its own! That way, I am never 'fighting the rifle' to stay on & track an ever mobile coyote. The rifle does exactly what I want, without tipping front, or back, or falling off to a side...
Here's what I mean, a pic is worth 1,000 words:
Rifle with full magazine, sitting perfectly balanced on my tripod, all on its own. Nuthin' is clampin' that rifle to the tripod cradle, it's just sitting pretty... thanks to gravity acting upon evenly (specifically) distributed mass. This combo literally points & shoots itself, requires only the most minimal 'muscle' to get it on an elusive target. And any good shooter will tell ya that, the less you hafta 'muscle' a rifle, the better you'll shoot it!
So, however ya like to shoot coyotes, keep balance in mind! Don tell just slap X barrel in Y stock....use your head and spec your rifle to how you'll shoot it most!!!
For conversation...
Have a bunch of 75 gr Vmaxes loaded up with 4064. Have only shot a ground hog so far with them but they shoot well and bet they will pound a yote hard.
