Picked up a RRA ATH for coyote hunting. Trying to decide on what rounds to try out. What are you guys using? Not too concerned with pelt damage just want to drop em. I just switched from a 308 to 223 for a lighter rifle. The rifle has an 18 inch 1 / 8 twist match grade barrel. I don't reload (yet) so factory ammo is a must.
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Hunting & Fishing 223 rounds for yotes
- Thread starter Nuke Man
- Start date
I'm interested in the same responses from others.
Can't speak from experience, but in research for same application I found many recommendations for barnes TSX and federal fusion
available in 50, 62, and 70 grain
Black Hills 223 Remington 62gr Barnes TSX Ammo for Sale | Ventura Munitions
Black Hills 5.56mm 50gr TSX Ammo for Sale | Ventura Munitions
Federal Fusion Ammo 223 Remington 62 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Box of 20
Can't speak from experience, but in research for same application I found many recommendations for barnes TSX and federal fusion
available in 50, 62, and 70 grain
Black Hills 223 Remington 62gr Barnes TSX Ammo for Sale | Ventura Munitions
Black Hills 5.56mm 50gr TSX Ammo for Sale | Ventura Munitions
Federal Fusion Ammo 223 Remington 62 Grain Spitzer Boat Tail Box of 20
I have used the 60gr V-Max before and they do the trick. They can be rough on the fur but if you are not worried about it they are worth a try
My favorite are the 53 gr vmax. Drops them in there tracks and I cant remember ever having them exit.
Win .223 64gr Super-X.
Win .223 64gr Power MaX Bonded.
These loads are advertised to hit hard and carry more energy for larger-than-varmint game. Recommended uses include deer, antelope, coyote, and a number of other medium sized, thin skinned game.
I bought the Power-Max for use on deer, but am waiting until next season to give them a try. Since our deer are sorta supersized this far North (more than 1yr old usually averages out to over 100lb, and mature does and bucks frequently run over 150lb), I plan on doing some rangefinding and limiting the shots to under 200yd.
If they work as advertised, my Mossberg MVP with 5rd AR mags will get the nod as my next deer rifle. Mine has the shorter, lighter barrel and sporter style stock. It's not a target gun, but will probably hold 2MOA at 200yd. It's probably quite well suited to taking coyote at 300yd, maybe even a bit further, too.
Personally, in our Central NY locale, I prefer to leave the predators alone. The deer population around here has exploded in the past few years, and the herd could use some predation to keep it healthy. Coyote, coy-dogs, and coy-wolves are back and expanding their numbers, and I think there's a strong imperative to let them balance the local ecology.
Greg
Win .223 64gr Power MaX Bonded.
These loads are advertised to hit hard and carry more energy for larger-than-varmint game. Recommended uses include deer, antelope, coyote, and a number of other medium sized, thin skinned game.
I bought the Power-Max for use on deer, but am waiting until next season to give them a try. Since our deer are sorta supersized this far North (more than 1yr old usually averages out to over 100lb, and mature does and bucks frequently run over 150lb), I plan on doing some rangefinding and limiting the shots to under 200yd.
If they work as advertised, my Mossberg MVP with 5rd AR mags will get the nod as my next deer rifle. Mine has the shorter, lighter barrel and sporter style stock. It's not a target gun, but will probably hold 2MOA at 200yd. It's probably quite well suited to taking coyote at 300yd, maybe even a bit further, too.
Personally, in our Central NY locale, I prefer to leave the predators alone. The deer population around here has exploded in the past few years, and the herd could use some predation to keep it healthy. Coyote, coy-dogs, and coy-wolves are back and expanding their numbers, and I think there's a strong imperative to let them balance the local ecology.
Greg
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A 50-60gr. varmint round (V-max, Nosler Varmint BT, Barnes Varminator, Nosler Varmeggoddon, etc.) between 3000-3500fps will knock the stuffing out of a coyote out to 500 yds.
I use the 50 V-Max @ 3400 fps and 69 SMKs @ 3030 fps out of mine with fantastic results.
I use the 50 V-Max @ 3400 fps and 69 SMKs @ 3030 fps out of mine with fantastic results.
I've been using hornady tap on the yotes. Got a bunch cheap when all the agencies figured out it was just a vmax bullet and does not do well through auto windshields. But it sure works good on coyotes and smaller varmits!
I've shot them with 45 JHP Winchester, 50 vmax, 75g AMAX,
Figure out what your gun likes and groups the best and go with that...I don't like to use FMJ on thin skinned game...
With a 1:8 twist you could use heavier bullets...
Figure out what your gun likes and groups the best and go with that...I don't like to use FMJ on thin skinned game...
With a 1:8 twist you could use heavier bullets...
Going to look for some v max rounds and what ever else I can round up. Out here in BFE where I live anything other than 55 fmj is a long shot! Have to travel 1.5 hrs to Scheels or Bass Pro for any selection.
Update on factory ammo selection. Top is Nosler Varmageddon 55g FB Tipped. Bottom is Hornady 55g V-max. I also tried the Hornady 53g Superformance and couldn't get them to group for shit.
I prefer VMax loaded rounds or about any hollow or soft point (got a few dogtowns HP loaded). While a 55gr FMJ will kill yotes (we have killed a bunch) some that take good solid hits will run off a couple hundred yards. Hell I have seen prarie dogs hit with a 55gr FMJ crawl off 20yds into a hole......
Jim
Jim
Craig,
In Wy you are hunting open country coyotes. You shoot one and it runs 75 yards while you watch or shoot again. Then it dies. In densely forested areas, you will lose some with slow or non opening bullets. I have shot dozens with a .223 and hundreds total. You need a fast opening bullet to recover them all. At ranges over 400 meters, you will lose some with good hits.
Also, the guy has a fast twist, which indicates heavy bullets will shoot best. Most heavy bullets do not open at varmint speed. I shoot 77 grain SMK's and almost all coyotes run when hit with it. From 10 to 150 yards with good hits. I do much night shooting and it is hard to find them at times. I often go back the next day. Or look for buzzards and eagles. Just to confirm kill. A 55 grain Sierra will kill in the tracks to 350 meters. Our coyotes seem larger than about any others I see in pictures. Average weight is near 40# and up to over 50 #. Not sure why they are that large.
In Wy you are hunting open country coyotes. You shoot one and it runs 75 yards while you watch or shoot again. Then it dies. In densely forested areas, you will lose some with slow or non opening bullets. I have shot dozens with a .223 and hundreds total. You need a fast opening bullet to recover them all. At ranges over 400 meters, you will lose some with good hits.
Also, the guy has a fast twist, which indicates heavy bullets will shoot best. Most heavy bullets do not open at varmint speed. I shoot 77 grain SMK's and almost all coyotes run when hit with it. From 10 to 150 yards with good hits. I do much night shooting and it is hard to find them at times. I often go back the next day. Or look for buzzards and eagles. Just to confirm kill. A 55 grain Sierra will kill in the tracks to 350 meters. Our coyotes seem larger than about any others I see in pictures. Average weight is near 40# and up to over 50 #. Not sure why they are that large.
When I see someone recommending FMJ's for coyote hunting, I know that that person isn't a coyote hunter, but an opportunistic coyote "Killer" with a rudimentary understanding that poking holes in shit has the potential to be hazardous to said shits health.
Chupa
Chupa
+1 big nasty hollow points or v max bullets are the best for low pelt damage and fast death. sierras have a very thick jacket and expand like fmjs. they will all kill but lets all do our best to make our kills clean. if you are not worried about pelt damage get a 300 ultra mag.
are you in eastern kansas? are you weighing them with your eyes or a scale? i have a 50 pound dog that dwarfs every coyote i ever shot in eastern colorado. that would start to be a formidable beast at 50lbs. i had a friend in manhattan that told me most of his coyotes had to be around 40lbs.
Ive been calling & shooting coyotes since the late 70s w my .223 rigs and never used anything more than a 55g bullet.
I was running 50g jsp bullets until the 50g vmax hit the market and that's my basic bullet in my bolt gun and have yet to lose on out to 600 yards.
In my 223 AR15 dedicated night rig w/3rd gen NV scope I run the 55g vmax, not a single run off with that rig either.
I was running 50g jsp bullets until the 50g vmax hit the market and that's my basic bullet in my bolt gun and have yet to lose on out to 600 yards.
In my 223 AR15 dedicated night rig w/3rd gen NV scope I run the 55g vmax, not a single run off with that rig either.
https://www.laxammo.com/ammunition/.223-ammo/fiocchi-223-rem-55-gr.-50rds/27-481
Kinda spendy but tack drivers on yotes!
Kinda spendy but tack drivers on yotes!
I have shot and killed a ton of them with hand loaded pulled down m193 bullets. If you can put them where you want they put them down. Same for m80. With that being said I took a shot I should not have with my 243 and 100gr SP hit one in the guts spilling them. The coyote still made it a few hundred yds before it went down to die. When we got to it there was still lots of fight left. Nothing a 15 could not take care of.
A non fmj bullet is better as is more power. To me a coyote has zero life rights and a wound is still a good hit. Now I try not to go out without my 300wm. It is fun if you get busted to still be able to take a shot at them when they stop to look back once they think they are safe.
I would like to know how many I have shot and how many I have killed.
That's probably what I'll end up using. They are readily available for me in my local stores. But they do not group as well as Nosler Varmageddon's do.
55gr Vmax my brother! Easy to find and puts a hurtin on pretty much anything. I've killed deer with it also.
I've killed a few with 55gr. PMC… I'd really like to bust one with a 77SMK and see how it does...works good on everything else. I'd say any 223/556 will do the trick. I would imagine the Vmax would work great also.
