Originally Posted By: ackleymanI like to use a bullet that works well in my bolt guns at 3050 fps to 4100.
55g nosler ballistic tip
55g Sierra of sorts, exclude the Sierra Blitz king
In a 223, the old 55g Winchester SP(26.5g of Win 748) with the cannalure kills like a bolt of lightening(3050 fps), and the coyote looks like you sucked the wind out of him, but a loud plop when the bullet hits. Bump the speed up with the 55g Win to a 22/250 level and it just makes pelts look like gut rugs.
My coyote rifle is also a crow rifle. In my 700's, I shoot a hot load of benchmark with a 55g Nosler at 3475 fps that shoots very, very tiny groups...12 Twist, short throat. When I want to blow up a coyote, I switch out to a 55g Sierra lead tip blitz at the same speed...freeking UNBELIEVABLE!!!
People are going to like what they like. 40g Nosler ballistic tips are good at 3800 in a bolt gun 223, but at 200, they are blowing like a kite in the wind. Even the 53g V max at 3475 is wicked on coyotes and crows...way on out there.
Remember, you never see pictures of coyotes that got away, and guys never talk about them.
I have a 223 AI, rem 700, where I shoot a hot load of N133 with 40g Noslers at 4130 fps and shoots bug holes, this is a 300 yard rifle on p. dogs, MAX!
When walking out making stands, average shots will be no further than 80-125 yards where just about anything will work as long as they are shot in the lungs. The only bullet I saw fail was a 60g sierra(3500) that shot holes through coyotes without even a twitch on their part.
The apparent lack of penetration and temporary wound cavity created by the 40's become all too apparent when you hit a coyote 3" behind the diaphram, and this type of shot is where a 55g Sierra lead tip blitz pays off in spades(3350-3500 fps is the envelope for massive coyote destruction with instant killing ability). Shooting coyotes up the azz when they are running away is another example of how heavier bullets pay off. Quartering frontal shots where they are running into you, bullet hits the shoulder and that is the end of penetration with many bullets, not just 40g.
If you like light and fast, I would urge you to try the old school 45g sierra spt that was made for the 220 Swift, it's a killer from any angle. At least use a bullet that will shoot a hole through a coyotes head at 200 yards.
Your hobby, do it your way.
Originally Posted By: ackleyman40g Nosler ballistic tips are good at 3800 in a bolt gun 223, but at 200, they are blowing like a kite in the wind.Fake news. 40g NBT drift 4.4" at 200 yards. Compare that to your chosen crow/coyote load 55g NBT which drifts 4.0".
So an extra 0.4" (1%) qualifies it as drifting like a kite in the wind? Come on now.
The 40g NBT actually drifts less than the Sierra 55g Blitz you recommend. And the 55g Winchester you recommend is absolutely terrible compared to everything else.
The 40gr NBT holds it's own just fine in the wind at 200 yards compared to all those other bullets you listed. They are so similar, you would never notice the difference between any of them while in the field calling coyotes.
200 yards is a pretty long shot for most of us coyote callers, it's fair to say that the vast majority of called coyotes are taken at far less than that where drift and BC are completely irrelevent.
The numbers don't lie, but some folks are going to bash the 40gr anyways.