Coyote bullets.

Blacktail_Slayer · March 14, 2007, 12:44 AM

I am getting a 223 for coyote and am wondering what have been your experiences with different bullets, best preformance, I am most interested in saving the pelt, so bullets that only have an entrence hole. Also, if you have had the chance to shoot one, how have these bullets preformed on smaller predators, mostly bobcats?

dmbassking · March 14, 2007, 01:44 AM

I have a lot of experience with Hornaday Vmax bullets and can assure you that they devastate foxes and coyotes. I have heard that Sierra blitzking bullets are good too, but i don't have any personal experience with those. If you are looking to save the skins then i would recommend Sierra matchkings.

indybrad · March 14, 2007, 03:51 PM

Yea, I shot a coyote with the Hornady 223 Vmax at 100 yrds and the exit was big. I hit it in the hip though. blew the whole other side of her hip out. You could use FMJs, but you run the risk of not finding the animal because the bullet will go through withought expanding much.

Scorch · March 14, 2007, 04:24 PM

I shot a lot of coyotes for pelts, and I found out it's better to have a good hard bullet rather than an explosive varminting bullet. Try some 55 gr FMJBT.

taylorce1 · March 14, 2007, 05:11 PM

I've used Sierra 55 grain soft points and hollow points without explosive exits. I try to shoot the coyote head on just below the neck every coyote I've shot this way with the .223 has never left an exit wound. I've had good luck as well well with the Sierra 63 grain soft points and saving the fur. My advice use the heaviest bullet that your rifle will stabilize and shoot well.

http://www.sierrabullets.com/index.c...ts&caliberID=3

williamd · March 14, 2007, 05:11 PM

When a dedicated varmint hunter, and knowing no better, I tried lots of loads and rifles ... 222 to 375H&H (yes). Found least damage to varmints was with hi-velocity loads using Hornady SX or Sierra Blitz bullets - fortunately I have a lifetime supply! These little pills loaded on H110 as fast as possible w/o disintegation upon bbl exit stopped coyotes in their tracks and LEFT NO EXIT HOLE. The energy was expended in the body when the thin shell bullet literally came apart in the animal. The SX is my first choice. A tag in the box says not to load over 3500fps .. I had a few fail at that so dropped speed to around 3250 on my Chrony. Coyotes did not seem to notice the slowness! Ground squirrels explode in technicolor. And, no ricochet, important with a Liberal living behind every hill! Heavy rifles/bullets (243, 257, 308, 375) trucked on through with exit holes of various size/mess. Often a coyote would run for hundreds of yards with entrails dragging. Not so with the 22s whether 222, 222M, 223, 22-250 (the best) or 22 Swift (over rated). For some reason I seem to take my ugly Rem M722 in 222 along! By teh way, wrapping in camo tape protects the finish of wood and metal.

zeisloft · March 14, 2007, 05:16 PM

My experiences: for coyote I would highly recommend 52 gn SMKs. My platform is .222 and .22-250. I load for 3,100 fps in the .222 which will be comparable to your .223 load. For load development, shoot some 2L plastic bottles or milk jugs full of water. When you find a load that destroys the bottle but does not penetrate the back side, you have found your coyote load. For cats this will not work, it just explodes them. Seriously, fist sized holes on the back side. For cats we use .22 Hornet running a 35 gn Hornady V max at about 2,850 fps. Load development on this one was similar except I used a 20 oz bottle. However, I would recommend a .22 mag and take head shots. Remember a pass through is not too bad. I would rather spend a bit more time patching holes in the handling process than have no furs to handle. Cats have thin hides but are worth A LOT more, so it pays to make careful shots.
~z

Blacktail_Slayer · March 14, 2007, 05:47 PM

Anyone been to this site before?
http://www.coyotecanada.ca/
Does anyone have an opinion on what he shows on this site, as far as bullet preformance etc.

FirstFreedom · March 14, 2007, 05:56 PM

Quote:

but you run the risk of not finding the animal because the bullet will go through withought expanding much.

Not to mention making it suffer.....

March 14, 2007, 12:44 AM	#1
Blacktail_Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2006 Posts: 224	Coyote bullets. I am getting a 223 for coyote and am wondering what have been your experiences with different bullets, best preformance, I am most interested in saving the pelt, so bullets that only have an entrence hole. Also, if you have had the chance to shoot one, how have these bullets preformed on smaller predators, mostly bobcats?

March 14, 2007, 04:24 PM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	I shot a lot of coyotes for pelts, and I found out it's better to have a good hard bullet rather than an explosive varminting bullet. Try some 55 gr FMJBT. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

March 14, 2007, 05:16 PM	#7
zeisloft Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: Amarillo TX Posts: 419	My experiences: for coyote I would highly recommend 52 gn SMKs. My platform is .222 and .22-250. I load for 3,100 fps in the .222 which will be comparable to your .223 load. For load development, shoot some 2L plastic bottles or milk jugs full of water. When you find a load that destroys the bottle but does not penetrate the back side, you have found your coyote load. For cats this will not work, it just explodes them. Seriously, fist sized holes on the back side. For cats we use .22 Hornet running a 35 gn Hornady V max at about 2,850 fps. Load development on this one was similar except I used a 20 oz bottle. However, I would recommend a .22 mag and take head shots. Remember a pass through is not too bad. I would rather spend a bit more time patching holes in the handling process than have no furs to handle. Cats have thin hides but are worth A LOT more, so it pays to make careful shots. ~z __________________ A scalpel can be just as effective as a broadsword Obviously, Occam was not a reloader

March 14, 2007, 01:44 AM	#2
dmbassking Junior Member Join Date: March 14, 2007 Posts: 4	I have a lot of experience with Hornaday Vmax bullets and can assure you that they devastate foxes and coyotes. I have heard that Sierra blitzking bullets are good too, but i don't have any personal experience with those. If you are looking to save the skins then i would recommend Sierra matchkings.

March 14, 2007, 03:51 PM	#3
indybrad Senior Member Join Date: October 27, 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 229	Yea, I shot a coyote with the Hornady 223 Vmax at 100 yrds and the exit was big. I hit it in the hip though. blew the whole other side of her hip out. You could use FMJs, but you run the risk of not finding the animal because the bullet will go through withought expanding much.

March 14, 2007, 05:11 PM	#5
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: On the Santa Fe Trail Posts: 8,242	I've used Sierra 55 grain soft points and hollow points without explosive exits. I try to shoot the coyote head on just below the neck every coyote I've shot this way with the .223 has never left an exit wound. I've had good luck as well well with the Sierra 63 grain soft points and saving the fur. My advice use the heaviest bullet that your rifle will stabilize and shoot well. http://www.sierrabullets.com/index.c...ts&caliberID=3

March 14, 2007, 05:11 PM	#6
williamd Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 801	When a dedicated varmint hunter, and knowing no better, I tried lots of loads and rifles ... 222 to 375H&H (yes). Found least damage to varmints was with hi-velocity loads using Hornady SX or Sierra Blitz bullets - fortunately I have a lifetime supply! These little pills loaded on H110 as fast as possible w/o disintegation upon bbl exit stopped coyotes in their tracks and LEFT NO EXIT HOLE. The energy was expended in the body when the thin shell bullet literally came apart in the animal. The SX is my first choice. A tag in the box says not to load over 3500fps .. I had a few fail at that so dropped speed to around 3250 on my Chrony. Coyotes did not seem to notice the slowness! Ground squirrels explode in technicolor. And, no ricochet, important with a Liberal living behind every hill! Heavy rifles/bullets (243, 257, 308, 375) trucked on through with exit holes of various size/mess. Often a coyote would run for hundreds of yards with entrails dragging. Not so with the 22s whether 222, 222M, 223, 22-250 (the best) or 22 Swift (over rated). For some reason I seem to take my ugly Rem M722 in 222 along! By teh way, wrapping in camo tape protects the finish of wood and metal.

March 14, 2007, 05:47 PM	#8
Blacktail_Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2006 Posts: 224	Anyone been to this site before? http://www.coyotecanada.ca/ Does anyone have an opinion on what he shows on this site, as far as bullet preformance etc.