Heavy .223 options for coyotes?

Galen

Galen

Member
I’m sure you see these questions all the time but I am always looking for better options
I am shooting a Daniel Defense MV7pro and after purchasing this rifle I noticed it likes to shoot heavier loads more accurately.... The barrel twist rate is advertised as a 1:7 twist rate.... I am currently shooting the Hornady superformance match ammunition I believe these are BTHP and 75 grains

I have shot several coyotes with these now and have been lucky to recover all of them but most require some searching since they make a dash before piling up, I am having a hard time finding a round that shoots this good and has more of a ballistic affect on the coyotes
I would love to find a round that is preferably above 60 grains and absolutely destroys dogs
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I appreciate your time and any suggestions that you all have
 
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Does hornady make 60 grain Vmax ammo? I am having a heck of a time finding anything like that, I will check into it though, thanks!

And yeah I got this gun all setup for night hunting and have shot some coyotes with it but definitely notice the .223 does not seem to have the authority that the 22-250 was sending at em!
Hopefully I can find something that knocks en a little harder but yes I do realize it’s not over Kill for a coyote and runners are to be expected!
 
Nosler 60grn did good for me. I used the 68 bthp from black hills and it did really well too. None got more than 50 yards but most died in 5 with those noslers. I can’t remember what I was using in 70s.
 
I dont want to sound like a smart a%$ but that bullet, in that round you are shooting in that twist at that velocity put in the boiler room right behind the shoulder of a coyote, should be devastating I would think..... Perhaps the match bullet is not opening up like a hunting bullet would. That round with the right bullet should be Bang/Flop with huge internal damage.

I know you said the gun liked heavy bullets with that twist but why dont you give the Superformance 55 gr Varmint load a try on coyotes.... One box wont break you.... but it may give you a different outlook.

Just sayin.....
 
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Might want to get your hands on some Speer 70gr. Semi-Spitzer bullets and load them or have a TRUSTED and EXPERIENCED hand loader load them fore you.

I've been using them for YEARS on deer and pigs here in FL... they are devastating on medium size game at reasonable ranges, I would imagine they would be equally effective on coyotes.

I have a friend who loves using them and often comes back for more...
 
When I was hunting coyotes a lot, I found that a 60gr HP from Sierra in front of some H4895 was a Thor's Hammer for the majority of my coyote's. Most of my shots were 175 and in with the majority of those at around 100yds. Night Hunting mostly for me. I cannot remember a single runner. I shot one with my 223 and a 60gr HP at 350yds and some change one time during a day hunt. He was just standing out there in a field all barrel chested. It spun around maybe half a dozen times then put it's legs towards the sky. The 223 with 60gr HPs was my go to for coyote hunting.
 
Sierra Varminter 60gr. HP will smoke a coyote. The plus side (to me anyway) is they won't tear them up bad either. My brother shoots them and I've never seen a coyote run off,only one spinner and none have had an exit wound.

I've actually seen him shoot two coyotes twice. The first one didn't need it. It was flopping around and I told him to get him again. Just as the coyote raised his head off the ground he shot it in the ear hole. The bullet didn't come out of his head surprisingly. But like I said that coyote didn't need shot again I just don't like giving them time to think about whether they're gonna lay there and die or not.
 
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Are we talking commercial loads or roll your own. I loaded some Sierra Game Kings 65 grain soft tips and they knock the crap out of coyotes, maybe too much.
 
Originally Posted By: OKRattlerThe plus side (to me anyway) is they won't tear them up bad either.

I can attest to this also. Always had good fur with the 60 HPs.....
 
My friend shot one with either a 62gr HP or a 69gr HP this weekend. I asked him that morning and he first said 62gr then after he killed the coyote he said 69gr.

Either way it dropped her but it was only about 50 yards.
 
Shot placement is more important then bullet weight.

I've been shooting the .223 50g Vmax for years now and if I do my part it drops coyotes in their tracks. If I miss hit I get runners. It happens to us all occasionally, don't blame the bullet.
 
Stop shooting them so far back (gut shot) and they'll stop running off. "Center mass" is a gut shot. Educate yourself on coyote anantomy.
 
I haven’t shot 1000’s and never will likely but I’ve shot enough to know some bullets are just not as good of killers as others. Right behind the leg is not gut shot. 80 gr vld at 3350 is all over the place in performance. May pencil through or grenade.

65 gr gameking at 2850 is ok, would get heavy offside hemmoraging. Much better than 55gr Sierra hp. No confidence in that bullet. I recover them as I have dogs and good gps but not good bullet.

A 50gr nbt at 3200 FPS from an 8 twist is pretty ideal. I can’t ask for better performance.
 
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Originally Posted By: MCaryAre we talking commercial loads or roll your own. I loaded some Sierra Game Kings 65 grain soft tips and they knock the crap out of coyotes, maybe too much. Getting ready to load some 65 gr Gamekings. What powder were you using?
 
I hope I’m not stating the obvious so please don’t take offense, but a coyotes vitals are a little more forward. It’s not like a deer where the target is right behind the leg. The best shot placement is right in the shoulder or if your really good, right behind the socket. Shooting them behind the shoulder might result in a pass through, yes not a gut shot, but you will probably miss lungs and heart, maybe hit the liver. Definitely a mortal wound, but maybe two hills over before he topples. I could be wrong but I don’t think so.
 
Barely behind leg. Lung shot blood out nose and mouth. A 100 yd run may give two hours searching in bad area.

I’m not trying to argue just backing up that some bullets are better performers. Q-Waggoner was shooting 300+ a season and would talk on how some bullets were better “pure” killers.
 
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Originally Posted By: yotekiller47Originally Posted By: MCaryAre we talking commercial loads or roll your own. I loaded some Sierra Game Kings 65 grain soft tips and they knock the crap out of coyotes, maybe too much. Getting ready to load some 65 gr Gamekings. What powder were you using?

I have 1:7 twist Wilde. I loaded the with 25 grains of Varget. There was no listing in my book for Varget but it was listed as the most accurate load for 69 gr bthp. I’ve only shot one with that load. Went in left shoulder tiny, came out opposite shoulder golf ball size and blew out the bone. My buddy skinned him and told me to try something else. The big whiner has trouble around that shoulder. Cci 450 primers but I’ve used 400’s too with little difference. I switched to 450’s because I went suppressed and thought the thicker pan would be better for the added pressure.
 


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