40 gr 223 bullets vs 55-60gr bullets for coyotes

Hellgate

Hellgate

Member
I am working up a .223 coyote load for my Mini-14 and find that the gun groups the 40gr V-Max, HPs & Ballistic Tips better than the 55 & 60gr Hornadys I'd like to use. I've had lighter constructed bullets fail to punch into deer when hit in the shoulder and don't want to just wound a coyote. I'd like them DRT. It is my expectation that the 55 or 60 .223 bullets ought to punch into the coyote better especially if its running away. I hit a running coyote in the rear leg with a 130gr HP from my '06 and the 'yote came apart (DRT). My questions are:

Has anyone got experience with using 40 grainers for coyotes vs the heavier bullets?
Is there any practical difference in killing effect?

My mini prints the 40 grainers lower & to the left compared with the 55-60gr bullets, so once I sight it in for one bullet that's what I must use. My other guns mainly vary with elevation as to where different bullets print. If there is no significant difference between perfomance I'll be happy with the light ones.
 
I had several DRTs with the 45gr hollow points on coyotes of 30-40lbs. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Vmax I couldn't get to group well in my reloads. But the Black Hills ones I bought did pretty good.
 
I have been using the 40 gr. Nosler ballistic tip exclusively for the last few months with great results. However; a coyote is one tough animal and out of the last dozen that I have shot there were two that I definately hit but got away. Both runners took a 40 gr Nosler from over 250 yards.

My results for the 40 gr. equal 10 out of 12 totaling a 83% kill rate.
 
I love the 40 grain V-max on coyotes. I shoot the Hornady factory loads in both my 223 and 22-250.
They have awesome anchoring effect because they are so fast and explosive.
I hit a big male on the point of the shoulder/base of the neck back in June (he was facing me) with the 40 grain 22-250 and knocked an entry hole about the size of a softball. He might have twitched his tail one time after the shot. I don't save fur anyway.
 
When I had a 1/12 twist barrel in 223< i played a little with the lightweight bullets in 40gr. I had mixed results with Coyotes. Most of the kills were at night and 100yds and under. Those all died pretty quick. I did have a shot opp twice past 200yds in the daytime using 40gr bullets. I had mixed results. Both broadside hits. One went about 100yds and collapsed and the other spun in circles and collapsed.

That being said, I now have a 1/9 twist and run 60gr HPs though it. I have killed a number of dogs with this load from 50-350yds and have had excellent results with the heavier bullets. Some of those dogs have been 40+lbs
 
My concern is shoulder hits and whether the 40grainers have enough punch to do the job. On a broadside chest shot most anything that will open up will do.
 
If you are concerned about hitting the shoulder, first, work on placement, second, stay away from the V-Max and go with a hollow point or soft point. I would point you toward something like the 55gr Sierra GameKing. Good combination of speed and weight which equals good terminal performance.

Even if you go heavier with the V-Max, a hit on the bone will likely result in an external splash. External splash = messy and not dead.
 
I'm far from an expert, but it seems to me that the Grain weight of the bullet has less to do with killing power, and more with the construction of the bullet. Case in point, there are lots of guys that kill coyotes with 20 and 25g bullets in .17 caliber, and in .204 the 30 and 35 grain bullets. Most of these hunters are using the Berger bullets instead of the Vmax.

and as far as Shoulder shots, even a 243 hit on solid bone will produce runners.
 
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I've killed and knocked down many Coyotes using my CZ .204 with the Winchester 32 grain bullets,going with the Federal loaded Sierra Blitz Kings in 39 grains just because I read they group better so we'll see how those work out?Guess what I'm getting at is Your better off shooting a lighter bullet with better groups and that is more accurate than a heavier bullet with lousy accuracy!
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I just bought myself a Savage Axis XP Camo Rifle in the .223 caliber and was looking at the 32,35 and 40 grain bullets....didn't want to shot my .223 with the same grain bullets as I had been using in my .204 because my plans are to use the .223 in heavier/thicker Timber so I wanted a little heavier bullet just because,sounds a little silly but I want a heavier bullet so I opted for the Hornady V-max in 55 grains....we'll see how well they group and do on Coyotes in the next few months!
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