The difference between polymer tipped bullets and HPBT bullets for coyotes/ varmints is the polymer tipped bullets expand more reliably in yotes/ varmints at extended distances. But both are good when working within their operating parameters.
Best 5.56 bullet for Coyotes
- Thread starter MAHLMAN
- Start date
^^^
Have had some fantastic success stories with BTHP on coyotes and slightly larger critters. A couple of my largest exit wounds were created by them. I've also had enough failures that I have given up on them in favor of other designs. It isn't constant failures with the BTHP at all...but enough that I don't want to risk something running off and dying where I can't see them.
At the risk of "thinking" my belief is that BTHP open up slower, which makes them a better choice for big game. Unless the opening is around 0.033" with a thin jacket. Then they open up violently, hard to find a middle ground for them. In the end I think we just got to use whatever we feel confident with. I had a great kill on a rock chuck at 480 yards with a Berger 55gr Target Match flat base. But in the same 22-250 using 53gr Berger varmint bullets they wounded more on the surface of a yote. I first hit him in the boiler room at 94 yards. He didn't finally drop until I hit him three more times with the final shot at over 400 yards.
Could very much be. The biggest problem (my opinion) is that the terminal performance is less repeatable than other designs...mostly because that wasn't part of the design.
What I've found is that narrow bodies (similar to your "open up slower" belief) where bone is not connected do not offer the resistance to get the bullet to yaw, tumble and come apart.
WHAT?!?! I was assured by several forum folks that this is a silly supposition. That bullets don't yaw or tumble, and coming apart is an absolute failure.
