Ruger 10-22
If you only lived closer . . . I have a practically new Browning .243 with excellent scope . . I don’t hunt anymore but it would be ideal for what you need.
.22 lr takes then down pretty good within 100 yards....farther out, a 7.62 x 39 is good, and the ammo is available reasonably cheap....if you want a challenge, a good crossbow can be accurate out to 75 yards ( may as well have some fun with it )
Weatherby Vanguard (sporter or varmint weight, your choice) in .243 Winchester.
I’m not an expert on guns or coyotes but wouldn’t it depend on what kind of gun the coyote has?
Something in the .223 (or 5.56), .243, or .270 range would probably be the cheapest that would get you quick kills. These do represent a danger to neighbors though as the rounds can kill out to about 600 yds and will travel 1 1/2 miles.
A .22 would kill them but not quickly unless you can get within 75 yds and are good enough for a headshot.
Winchester .308 or 7.62 x 51 NATO terminates with extreme prejudice.
“What’s the best gun/ammo for coyotes?”
How dead do you want them?
How close do you want to get before pulling the trigger?
A Ruger 10/22 with Winchester Expediter screaming out of it at 1640 fps works.
If you can find an older Ruger 10/22 in .22 Magnum, that will work too.
But a good varmint gun using .223, .270 or so will also work, but you have to watch for over penetration punch through.
But I’m the guy who’d use a .308 or a .338 Lapua on a woodchuck, so don’t mind me.
I like .243 winchester or .308 - these are just personal preferences. You can use it on bigger stuff if you ever want to. I’ sure you’ll get as many different responses as people who post to this thread.
Good luck getting gun/ammo advice from FReepers. The gun grabber brigade should be here any minute...
A couple of coyotes, several rattle snakes, and one really strange acting possum were summarily dispatched.
22.-250 is a great choice for Coyotes. I would buy a Remington 700 in any of the many model numbers. The recoil from a .22-250 is very mild, but it will reach right out and touch them.
6.5 Carcano or any bolt action 30-06, scopes are optional depending on how you like to shoot. Go to a local outdoor range and talk to people, possible test shoot what they have.
Few things are more annoying than a yapping, squealing wounded coyote. You want something that will drop them cleanly, and while that’s possible with a rimfire, I would recommend a centerfire, something in the .222 Remington to .250 Savage range. As a number of folks here have already noted, the .243 Winchester is nestled well within there. It may be a little overkill at shorter ranges, but will extend your reach out to several hundred yards, and will provide you a good rifle for deer/pronghorn size game should you choose to hunt those at some point.
What do you mean by coyotes being a “problem”? Most issues between humans and wildlife can be mitigated with a little foresight. Unless you’re just itching to prove your country chops by killing something, I suggest you give some thought to that.
Anything above a .22 Hornet should be fine. The only upper limit would be how much do you like recoil.
I think a .223 or .243 are both just about ideal.
For handguns a .44 magnum would be good. A .357 magnum and even a 9mm should suffice.