RED DOT or CROSSHAIRS SCOPE ?

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  • diver dan

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    Hi, I am wondering if a red dot or a crosshair scope would be better for a .22lr pistol hunting coyotes at night .I am thinking about a ruger tactical 22/45 where I could put a burris fastfire red dot on top and a light on bottom or a crosshair scope on top and a light underneath.I hunt in daylight and into dusk and sometimes at night.Obviously this is close quarters hunting at night.Was wondering if anybody uses a red dot at night and how it works out ? Another option was just going with a model 41 and iron sights or maybe a crosshair scope.Would a burris fastfire even work at night ? I have never had a red dot sight so I am not sure how it would work, just getting some ideas from you guys,thanks.:ar15:
     

    natdscott

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    We use a Ruger 22/45 with a Vortex Venom red dot to finish off the coyotes we trap and it seems to work well enough. While the gun is plenty accurate I'm not sure the 22lr out of the ruger would be very effective much past 20yds.

    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=phylodog

    Phylo, I just don’t know how I feel about it at night, with a dog that isn’t confined by a trap.

    Know what I mean, Vern?

    It would be rare to have a significant physical altercation with a coyote, but ‘rare’ isn’t the same as “never.”

    As you know, I keep it to heavier cartridges, and I feel good about it. I also can take quite a but for granted with shot placement..in the dark...with a flashlight.
     

    Hookeye

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    Pop one in a trap......proly have no problem fnding it.

    Coup de grace may not be ideal in a sporting sense

    Screw it. Shoot em at night w .22 pistol and report back. Something different, maybe enough to sustain a Youtube hunting channel.....could be a celebrity

    Go for it
     

    DadSmith

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    A guy I know shot a coyote at around 60- 70 yards with a 22lr rifle. He used CCI segmented 1640 fps velocity. It dropped it where it stood. Shot him in the head. So again back to shot placement.

    He used a Vortex 2-7x rimfire scope.

    My 10/22 now sports the same scope and I'm sold on the CCI segmented hp.

    If you go red dot it has to have a very low elimination setting to work at night or it looks blinding. If I went that route I'd definitely get a pistol light to attach to it as well.

    View attachment 83167

    I'd get a much better reddot than the one in picture.
     
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    When I used a shotgun I had a red dot on it. IMHO works better than a crosshair up close, especially at night. Even the scopes I use on my rifles have at least a illuminated center dot if not an illuminated reticle for that reason. Things tend to happen fast when the yotes are up close, and a dot is quick and easy when split seconds count. One big thing I found was to keep the dot on as low an intensity as possible, otherwise it washes out the target and makes shot placement a little more difficult.
     

    Hookeye

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    Shot placement at night...... go with marginal stuff and wait for perfect shot ops?

    Must have way more yotes, free time and calling skill than most.

    Guess if one wants to play around its OK to wait fpr perfect shot.

    I want enough gun to take a wider range of shot types and to up my chances of a quick death and easy recovery.

    Even a lowly yote deserves a quick end.
     

    natdscott

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    Perfect shot opportunities on predators, using white light, at night, are about as common as an honest politician.

    You are dreaming if you think that's a viable solution to head shots at night.
     

    Rookie

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    I carry a 22/45 every time I go out. I've used it three times in three years. I've never had to use sights since it's been a finishing shot.
     

    two70

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    When I used a shotgun I had a red dot on it. IMHO works better than a crosshair up close, especially at night. Even the scopes I use on my rifles have at least a illuminated center dot if not an illuminated reticle for that reason. Things tend to happen fast when the yotes are up close, and a dot is quick and easy when split seconds count. One big thing I found was to keep the dot on as low an intensity as possible, otherwise it washes out the target and makes shot placement a little more difficult.

    OP, this above is the answer to your actual question. However, the others are right about using a .22 LR from a pistol to hunt coyotes being little more than a stunt. I've killed a couple coyotes with .22 LR but from a rifle. It'll work out to about 50 yards with good shot placement. At night, in a calling situation, and with the already anemic energy of a .22 LR reduced by a short barrel, you are just asking for trouble. If you want to hunt coyotes at night with a handgun, then you really need to step up in power preferably beyond .22 mag.
     

    DadSmith

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    Perfect shot opportunities on predators, using white light, at night, are about as common as an honest politician.

    You are dreaming if you think that's a viable solution to head shots at night.

    Nope I'm not dreaming. I've killed several they use to try to get my chickens and ducks from the pen. I flip on my flashlight and pop them. It's around 80 yards to to the pen and chicken house. Most were shot in daylight. They dont come much closer than 200 yards anymore.
    I use a Ruger PC carbine in 9mm. Works much better than a 22lr or a 22 magnum.

    Don't know if its legal in Indiana or not, but a buddy of mine in South Dakota use to tie a live chicken to a string and pen the string to the ground with a tent stake. He gave the chicken around 15 feet to move around in. Then sit and wait. He got many coyote that way.
     
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    Hookeye

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    Popping varmints by the chicken coop aint the same as hunting. The fact that some try to equate the two shows the difference between hunters and shooters.

    A coyote gut shot wont be coming back. Dead is dead. And i bet some are cool w that result.

    As a hunter first, I want the animal dead ASAP and an easy recovery.

    Use enough gun.

    Stuff can happen even w proper gear. Starting out with marginal is ridiculous. If thats all you have to protect the homestead......thats one thing. Picking that when other options available.....is another.
     

    diver dan

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    I know what your sayin, about a better/bigger caliber,I have a 308 ENCORE PISTOL for hundred yard shots during day,but at night for me, its all about closer and personal.I dont have NV money.My situation is that I have a deer stand measured out to being 30 yards from edge of cornfield so I know my distance, I am about 14ft in air on stand seat.I am going for head shots, its ALL OR NOTHING situation and dont have to be worried about being attacked, being in air and all.I will be putting on a red lens on light to lower glare for night shooting.
     
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    phylodog

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    Phylo, I just don’t know how I feel about it at night, with a dog that isn’t confined by a trap.

    Know what I mean, Vern?

    It would be rare to have a significant physical altercation with a coyote, but ‘rare’ isn’t the same as “never.”

    As you know, I keep it to heavier cartridges, and I feel good about it. I also can take quite a but for granted with shot placement..in the dark...with a flashlight.

    I'm with you, I wouldn't set out with a 22lr pistol to hunt them. I was trying to point out that a 22lr from a pistol will kill a coyote but that's up close and I can wait until they're sitting still. For hunting it's the .223 you helped me spec out from WOA.
     

    DadSmith

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    Popping varmints by the chicken coop aint the same as hunting. The fact that some try to equate the two shows the difference between hunters and shooters.

    A coyote gut shot wont be coming back. Dead is dead. And i bet some are cool w that result.

    As a hunter first, I want the animal dead ASAP and an easy recovery.

    Use enough gun.

    Stuff can happen even w proper gear. Starting out with marginal is ridiculous. If thats all you have to protect the homestead......thats one thing. Picking that when other options available.....is another.


    Obviously you do not maintain live stock. My coyotes never leave gut shot. They die where they stood or close to it. Glad we can disagree and still live in the same state. 20 dozen of eggs and a nice plump chicken once in awhile on my table is worth more than 10 coyotes to me.
     

    Rookie

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    I know what your sayin, about a better/bigger caliber,I have a 308 ENCORE PISTOL for hundred yard shots during day,but at night for me, its all about closer and personal.I dont have NV money.My situation is that I have a deer stand measured out to being 30 yards from edge of cornfield so I know my distance, I am about 14ft in air on stand seat.I am going for head shots, its ALL OR NOTHING situation and dont have to be worried about being attacked, being in air and all.I will be putting on a red lens on light to lower glare for night shooting.

    I'll bet you do have night vision money. Add up a ruger Tactical, Burris fast fire, and light and you're at or over the cost of a Sightmark Wraith which can be used day or night.
     

    natdscott

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    Nope I'm not dreaming. I've killed several they use to try to get my chickens and ducks from the pen. I flip on my flashlight and pop them. It's around 80 yards to to the pen and chicken house. Most were shot in daylight. They dont come much closer than 200 yards anymore.
    I use a Ruger PC carbine in 9mm. Works much better than a 22lr or a 22 magnum.

    Don't know if its legal in Indiana or not, but a buddy of mine in South Dakota use to tie a live chicken to a string and pen the string to the ground with a tent stake. He gave the chicken around 15 feet to move around in. Then sit and wait. He got many coyote that way.

    If you completely alter the inputs to the equation, then you might think it is easy. That is false logic at best.

    We are discussing:

    PISTOL. .22LR. NIGHT. WHITE LIGHT.

    I can do all sorts a things with heavy rifles in the middle of the night, but that wasn’t the question I was asked to answer.
     
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