Efficiency of Hornady Superformance .223 on Coyotes

J

Jeff McC

New member
Hey guys, just wanted to throw this out to everyone for some feedback. I’ve been shooting coyotes for 8 years now in Ohio. Probably 90% of the coyotes me and my buddies have shot have been with Superformance ammo. I started out shooting .243 superformance and about 3 years ago switched over to a .223. Always been a huge fan of Hornady ballistic tipped bullets. I’ve probably shot close to 30 deer with 12 ga. and 50. Cal SST’s over the years and almost all coyotes and groundhogs as well (Superformance). When I switched to the .223 i seemed to love the bullet, and I killed a ton of groundhogs and a decent amount of yotes with the Superformance so I was convinced I liked Superformace 53 grain Varmit.

This year I have notice that we are loosing a bunch of coyotes with good hits on them. All my hunting buddies are shooting the super 53 Varmit rounds are are unimpressed lately. Our scopes are all capable of video recording so I know the shot placements are good. Several perfectly placed shots this year and the coyotes are running 75+ yards before dropping. Very disappointing. Well after last night I am convinced there is a major problem with them. We shot 5 coyotes and only found 1. Three of them were within 75 yards and standing. Video impact looked good. Coyotes hit the ground hard, got up sprinted around, and made it 100 yards into woods or brush. These are routine shots off of a fixed tripod. I’m baffled by what I’ve been seeing.

Does anyone have any similar results? I am for sure going to be switching. Possibly the 50 grain Varmit Granades? Or maybe build I .243 variant. Please, any info would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.
 
I shoot Nosler Ballistic tip bullets for coyotes. They have always done a better job for me on yotes. They have a thicker jacket and penetrate a little better before total expansion.
 
Yes vmax are thinner jacket and with a little more powder(.22-250) they tend to stay down.
.223 has always produced more spinners and runners with various bullets, not to mention splashes with vmaxes. Internet shooters will claim shot placement will take care of it out to 600 yds but I disagree.
Nosler BT's have been a good choice for many reasons.
 
I was seeing similar results with the Vmax with both my 223 and 204 when I was testing those bullets. Sometimes instant lights out, but often as not splashes requiring follow up shots. Switched over to the Nosler BT's in the 204 and Hornady 55gr American Gunner hollow points in the 223. Both those bullets have been performing much better for me so far on coyotes.
 
Originally Posted By: Jeff McCHey guys, just wanted to throw this out to everyone for some feedback. I’ve been shooting coyotes for 8 years now in Ohio. Probably 90% of the coyotes me and my buddies have shot have been with Superformance ammo. I started out shooting .243 superformance and about 3 years ago switched over to a .223. Always been a huge fan of Hornady ballistic tipped bullets. I’ve probably shot close to 30 deer with 12 ga. and 50. Cal SST’s over the years and almost all coyotes and groundhogs as well (Superformance). When I switched to the .223 i seemed to love the bullet, and I killed a ton of groundhogs and a decent amount of yotes with the Superformance so I was convinced I liked Superformace 53 grain Varmit.

This year I have notice that we are loosing a bunch of coyotes with good hits on them. All my hunting buddies are shooting the super 53 Varmit rounds are are unimpressed lately. Our scopes are all capable of video recording so I know the shot placements are good. Several perfectly placed shots this year and the coyotes are running 75+ yards before dropping. Very disappointing. Well after last night I am convinced there is a major problem with them. We shot 5 coyotes and only found 1. Three of them were within 75 yards and standing. Video impact looked good. Coyotes hit the ground hard, got up sprinted around, and made it 100 yards into woods or brush. These are routine shots off of a fixed tripod. I’m baffled by what I’ve been seeing.

Does anyone have any similar results? I am for sure going to be switching. Possibly the 50 grain Varmit Granades? Or maybe build I .243 variant. Please, any info would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.

When I had to start shooting lead free bullets at squirrels and coyotes I found out very quickly that the 22 cal 50 gr Varmint Grenades were not as explosive as 55 gr V-Max bullets.

In my 243 Win I got more exit holes on coyotes with the 62 gr Varmint Grenades than I got with 75 gr V-Max bullets.

With a 243 Win shooting 75 gr or 87 gr V-Max bullets on coyotes you shouldn't get many runners if the shot placement is good.
 
Really appreciate all the feedback !

So from what I’m understanding, splashes are referring to instant expansion with minimal penetration? So if the bullets pathway to the vital bread basket happens to be 5” or 6” due to the angle instead of 2-3” on a broadside shot, the primary bullet impact might not make it into the vital cavity with the intended energy (Splash shot)? I guess I was just assuming they were failing to expand, but seems to be expanding too fast? Am I understanding this correctly?

If that’s the case then my solution to switch to a varmit granade will probably turn out worse results. I’ve seen frame rate videos of the varmit granades expanding on impact when hitting a grape. My experience with the VG’s have been mainly on groundhogs. Out of probably 50 groundhogs I’ve killed with them I’ve only had one VG not expand. They literally turn them inside out, but that is obviously a much smaller animal than a coyote. I need a bullet that will deliver the primary impact a little deeper.

I agree that shot placement is key to get consistent kills, but all avid coyote hunters realize a lot of times you have to take the shot presented or you get no shot at all. Take whatever angle or path to the vitals you can, and that is usually only a .05 second opportunity. Some exaggeration there but you get my point.

Thanks again for all the input. This is the first forum I’ve ever posted on, but I knew predatormasters would steer me in the right direction. I would still love to hear more bullet suggestions or even different AR15 variant suggestions. I’m still looking at the AR10 .243 but all my hunting buddies are currently shooting .223 so I’d like to stick with that or AR15 variants for now.
 
Originally Posted By: Jeff McCReally appreciate all the feedback !

So from what I’m understanding, splashes are referring to instant expansion with minimal penetration? So if the bullets pathway to the vital bread basket happens to be 5” or 6” due to the angle instead of 2-3” on a broadside shot, the primary bullet impact might not make it into the vital cavity with the intended energy (Splash shot)? I guess I was just assuming they were failing to expand, but seems to be expanding too fast? Am I understanding this correctly?

If that’s the case then my solution to switch to a varmit granade will probably turn out worse results. I’ve seen frame rate videos of the varmit granades expanding on impact when hitting a grape. My experience with the VG’s have been mainly on groundhogs. Out of probably 50 groundhogs I’ve killed with them I’ve only had one VG not expand. They literally turn them inside out, but that is obviously a much smaller animal than a coyote. I need a bullet that will deliver the primary impact a little deeper.

I agree that shot placement is key to get consistent kills, but all avid coyote hunters realize a lot of times you have to take the shot presented or you get no shot at all. Take whatever angle or path to the vitals you can, and that is usually only a .05 second opportunity. Some exaggeration there but you get my point.

Thanks again for all the input. This is the first forum I’ve ever posted on, but I knew predatormasters would steer me in the right direction. I would still love to hear more bullet suggestions or even different AR15 variant suggestions. I’m still looking at the AR10 .243 but all my hunting buddies are currently shooting .223 so I’d like to stick with that or AR15 variants for now.




Yeah, that's all pretty much correct. The vmax and VG are made to expand violently nearly instantly on contact. So while that works fantastic for chucks or prairie dogs, it doesn't always work great for coyotes. My experience with vmax on coyotes has been either 1) a tiny little pinhole in, guts turned to mush, instant kill or 2) giant gaping entrance wound with wounded coyote that needs follow-up. My assumption is that the bullets sometimes slip in far enough to expand completely inside, but other times hit bones or whatever and you get more of a surface wound (splash.) So if you are having that happen then for sure give the soft points or hollow points or other bullet meant for more penetration a try.
 
I've had more coyotes run dead after being shot with v-max than any other bullet I've tried in .223,shooting them behind the shoulder. The last one I shot was at 125 yards or so if I remember right. Double lung shot with a 55 grain v-max. The only time I've really had any trouble was hitting the shoulder,guts or blowing the bottom jaw off a coyote with v-max. 50 and 55 grain both.

I've never had any trouble killing them with facing shots or behind the shoulder. Most of the time when they're facing me I go for a high chest or neck shot.

Hitting them running straight away is iffy with any .223 bullet in my experience. I've shot very few running straight away that didn't need shot again. I'm a big fan of the Hornady 52 grain BTHP and 55 grain Sierra Blitzking. But have had success and failures with 45,50,52,53 and 55 grain bullets in different varieties. I can't say one out performed one over the other as far as killing capabilities goes. I've never hit a coyote good that got away. But I've blown the jaw off more than a few and gut shot several that I can't say wouldn't have got away had I shot them with a different bullet. I just made a bad shot which happens.
 
My AR loves the 55 Vmax. I have however had some runners that I never had shooting a 22-250. I've only been using an 223 for 4 years and I've had 6 or 7 spinners/runners out of roughly 125 coyotes. I personally think that the 223 is a little too slow to be as effective as other calibers. I just got my hands on a 22 Nosler this spring that I'm going to try on coyotes. Hopefully with a little more speed I won't get the spinners/runners I've gotten in the past. Time will tell.
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotnot a darn thing wrong with a good old 55gr soft point for coyotes.

I agree. We started to see the same thing in the Superformace in .223 and .204 using max bullets. Switched to 45gr sp’s and 55 or 60gr sp’s in .223 and down they go.

Not sure what Hornady changed because I used vmax’s for years with a lot of success, but I won’t use them now. Speed is only part of the equation so I think Hornady got it wrong.
 
I use Barnes VOR-TX TSX ammo in my Stag AR with deadly and highly accurate results. Only had one run about 20 yards and all the others have dropped on the spot. My last was at 242 yards when I got him stopped and he turned quartering towards me. The bullet went in his neck and out behind the shoulder leaving a massive hole! Definitely NOT fur friendly
I lost one yote 3 years ago with the Hornady Superformance, so switched to the Barnes ammo and have been very happy
 
Originally Posted By: Jeff McCYeah I agree. Something must have changed. I never had this problem as often in the past. Time for some range time !

I think something shifted in their design teams. Seems to me like the Superformance guys just want faster and faster. Meanwhile whoever they have heading up the SP teams is hitting it right on the head. The SP offerings are accurate and deadly. The Superformance stuff "sounds" cool, until you see it in action. I swear, AzBushman was about to throw his .204 on the last coyote I saw him hit with the Superformance stuff. He hit it dead in the chest, head on, and it turned to run. Luckily I was on the shotgun and strafed it with #4, or we would have lost it.

Since switching to the 45gr SP's, Bushman has thumped a ton of coyotes, mostly with one hit wonders.
 
Originally Posted By: 3DHUSKERI shoot Nosler Ballistic tip bullets for coyotes. They have always done a better job for me on yotes. They have a thicker jacket and penetrate a little better before total expansion.

Amen! In a 223.......handload them and push them as fast as you can.
 
I don't think anything changed. Vmax have always been lousy bullets for coyote. Since the day they hit the market.

- DAA
 
I used the superformance varmint 53's from my Ar 15 about 4 years ago. I got splashes even on chest shots. I also had to do quite a few more finishing shots than I like to do. I am sure guys will chime in saying oh they are awesome, this happens everytime. I will just say some people shoot more coyotes than others.

there is a very distinct difference in bullets between hornady, sierra, and nosler. the vmaxs have the thinnest jackets. Sierra has a jacket about twice as thick as hornady. Nosler has a thin front jacket but a chunk of copper in the rear of the bullet. The varmeggdon's look like a vmax copy to me and I would not shoot them at a coyote. All this applies to 22 caliber bullets, years ago I sectioned as many bullets as I have. I posted the findings here. for me I think the btips are the best coyote bullets of the plastic tips with the sierra blitzkings being a close second.

I can't get btips to shoot like I want in any Ar 15 yet, The blitzkings seem to do the best accuracy wise. if I am shooting a 22-250 I would run the sierra 1330 or 1365, same jacket as blitzkings, but the soft point will slow the expansion initially. speed makes a big difference and there isn't one bullet that works well at 16" ar 15 speeds and going 1000 fps faster from a 22-250.
 


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