dude, with all due respect, you’re quibbling around the edges. Heller was about what amounts to a gun ban.

There’s nothing to stop a legislative body from banning ARs, limiting ammo type or capacity, instituting more stringent background checks, etc. there’s limits, as instructed via heller, but there’s a lot of regulation that’s permissible.

 

Heller wasn’t about a total gun ban, it was about a local government banning one type of gun, handguns. The Court ruled that they were considered arms that are protected under the second amendment. The same argument could be made about banning another type such as an AR. Banning AR style rifles, limiting magazine capacities, caliber restrictions, or any of the popular ideas won’t have an impact on violent crime big enough to even measure. Why take away the freedom of countless law abiding citizens who enjoy those type of guns if the measurable return is so small? Because it fits a political narrative, or makes someone feel like they are part of the solution?

 

Since we have a lot of gun experts on this thread let me ask a quick question: I live on a .82 acre pie shaped lot in a suburban subdivision. Over half an acre is backyard. I have neighbors on both sides and behind me. We're seeing coyotes within 1/4 mile of here. I have a 6 foot fence but that won't stop a coyote. I have small pets in the back yard although we bring them in at night.

What would be the best weapon to use on a coyote without endangering my neighbors? The furtherest I'd have to shoot would be maybe 200 feet. In the 80's I owned a cheap shotgun and a .22 rifle, but gave them away when I went overseas, too much hassle to get them into the country I was based in. Never bothered to get new weapons when I xfer'd back. When I was young I did some skeet shooting and also qualified as expert on the Air Force's old .38 revolvers flight crew carried.

 

.22 shorts in a 20-24" barrel, non semi auto, quiet as a BB gun. Can shoot from inside the house, just raise the window or open the door.

 

Not enough land for anything other than a cheap shotgun and shot won’t go out to 200’. Shotfall fan is usually 250-300 yards, 410 probably less is safe. Check local regs on discharging a firearm on your property. I’m on 7 acres, nearest house is 200’ away and won’t consider firing a rifle here. I have carried a shotgun, though. At short range, it’s amazing what 1 ounce on shot will do when it’s still hanging together at distances measured in feet.

 

Yes, that’d work, shot the offender in the belly and it’ll die of peritonitis. Forgot that idea.

 

God I miss tomgoodman. Where have you gone?

 

A shotgun is good for your neighbor’s proximity since they really run out of effective range much past 40-50 yards unless you have a really tight choke and are using large shot such as BB or buckshot. The problem with a shotgun is that they are really loud and it will most likely freak your neighbors out.

You don’t need anything bigger than a .22LR to kill a dog, but any rifle can go way too far to ever safely be used in a neighborhood. Coyotes are really shy and hard to get close to. That is why the guys who are into predator shooting use something really fast and flat shooting like a .223, .243, or even 6.5 Creedmor. They are hiding in the grass, calling them in, and making most shots past 200 yards. The last coyote that I shot was around 400 yards and he knew that I was there.

My suggestion is a better fence. Go to Tractor Supply and get stuff for an electric fence. Get a full blown cattle charger, not one of those weak ones designed for pets. Plug it in at night when your pets are inside and nothing will challenge it. An agricultural charger on a small residential yard will hit very hard. Ask me how I know about that. I set up something similar to keep our dogs from digging out. They all tried it once. I can throw a steak by the fence now and they won’t go near it, neither will I. It really hurt.

 

It won't come me back, flat head .22 pellet gun will work.

 

Bow. I have a 250 lbs draw crossbow that would go through a tree like butter imagine what it would do to that coyote. Get a cheap $200 bow with some broadheads from Cabelas or Bass pro and have some fun. They are easier to learn to shoot than you think. Especially if you get a crossbow with a scope on it. Tag one or two of them and the rest will stay off your property. Otherwise you probably can't shoot a firearm on your property unless its self defense. That will get you a visit from the Sheriff. You could sit outside with a pistol of some sort and yell out "It's coming right at me!" but you only get to do that once, maybe twice.

Reminds me of a funny story. Friend of mines family has a cattle ranch in Colorado. One of those multi generation ranches so the family knows everyone in town. Sheriff is a good friend of the family. They had a serious coyote problem. Shawn came home late afternoon one day and saw one running out on the property as he was parking. He ran inside to grab his rifle (because who carries in a gun rack these days?) nailed that sucker right in between the eyes. No fish story here. I know for a fact he nailed that sucker right between the eyes as my buddy is one of the best long range shooters I know and well......you'll see.

So a couple of hours later the sheriff shows up at the front door. Says he wants Shawn to come down to the sheriff's office for a chat. Says he is not in trouble but he has to show him something. So Shawn drives down to the "station" and as he comes in there is a group of people in one of the conference rooms that look a bit "out of sorts". The Sheriff sits him down in his office and shows him a video of the coyote's head exploding from his shot. Its like a one in a million shot, just perfect blood and guts popping like a balloon. The sort of thing you want to put on a christmas card. Shocked of course that there is a video of it.

Turns out the people in the conference were "shooting" a nature documentary on coyotes and they had been tracking this one for a while (like weeks apparently) and it was the center of the story. They were trying to press charges and the sheriff wanted to give him a commendation or at least show him the video of his awesome shot.