Hollow Point on coyotes?
- Thread starter E5B
- Start date
Furhunter
New member
BC is the last thing I consider when choosing a bullet for coyote hunting. I don't like shooting them at 498 yards so I pass on those shots for the closer ones.
I've seen plastic tipped bullets splash especially light ones going fast at closer ranges. Spire point bullets work well but in my experience even a good shot sometimes required another. They penetrate real well but I don't think they do as much damage internally like a HP or plastic tipped bullet.
Hollow points in at least the 22 cal stuff and smaller is where it's at. The reports of splashes with a HP bullet are non existent. The 22cal 52gr Sierra is a known killer of coyotes along with the 35gr Berger for the 204. All of the 17cal bullets used for hunting are hollow points, Bergers, Nagels, Kindlers and the lonely 25gr HP from Hornady. I would at least try your DHP's and if they don't work to your liking then go with the 35 Berger.
I've seen plastic tipped bullets splash especially light ones going fast at closer ranges. Spire point bullets work well but in my experience even a good shot sometimes required another. They penetrate real well but I don't think they do as much damage internally like a HP or plastic tipped bullet.
Hollow points in at least the 22 cal stuff and smaller is where it's at. The reports of splashes with a HP bullet are non existent. The 22cal 52gr Sierra is a known killer of coyotes along with the 35gr Berger for the 204. All of the 17cal bullets used for hunting are hollow points, Bergers, Nagels, Kindlers and the lonely 25gr HP from Hornady. I would at least try your DHP's and if they don't work to your liking then go with the 35 Berger.
joed
New member
Originally Posted By: FurhunterBC is the last thing I consider when choosing a bullet for coyote hunting.
Thank you, there are to many people on this forum that think match bullets were designed for hunting. My findings have been that a lead tipped spitzer seems to work the best on animals like coyote and groundhogs. But my experience is limited to .224 and above calibers.
Thank you, there are to many people on this forum that think match bullets were designed for hunting. My findings have been that a lead tipped spitzer seems to work the best on animals like coyote and groundhogs. But my experience is limited to .224 and above calibers.
BuckeyeSpecial
New member
Sure, HPs are fine....in .224, try the Speer 52 gr.HP, all the Sierrra HPs from 40-60 grains.
Happy Hunting!
Happy Hunting!
Roy R Greenfield
New member
I shoot Burger, Hornady & Calhoon HP's in my 17's. My go to load for coyote contests Hornagy 75 gr HP in a 243. The coyotes are DOA.
Roy
Roy
W. Chad Shultz
Member
The Calhoons work well on coyotes, I have used them in a 204 and 19-223. You will like them.
Darkker
New member
Originally Posted By: E5B
Is there any advantage that a hp has over a ballistic tip or soft point?
That is a REALLY conditional question....
WHAT a bullet is made of, HOW a bullet is made, PURPOSE a bullet is made for, ALL play into this. WHAT YOU consider an advantage, or disadvantage is completely personal.
GENERALLY speaking:
Hp's have a lower BC, meaning more drop, and drift. IS that a disadvantage to you?
HP's have a high velocity requirement, for proper upset, than a tipped bullet.
Is the difference a disadvantage to you?
Soft points are designed for lower velocity cartridges(varminting bullets). So the jacket is thinner, meaning they don't tollerate high RPM's. Sometimes you have to load a bullet slower to keep the RPM's from ripping a bullet apart. IS that a disadvantage for your application?
The questions are up to you my friend, not us.
Is there any advantage that a hp has over a ballistic tip or soft point?
That is a REALLY conditional question....
WHAT a bullet is made of, HOW a bullet is made, PURPOSE a bullet is made for, ALL play into this. WHAT YOU consider an advantage, or disadvantage is completely personal.
GENERALLY speaking:
Hp's have a lower BC, meaning more drop, and drift. IS that a disadvantage to you?
HP's have a high velocity requirement, for proper upset, than a tipped bullet.
Is the difference a disadvantage to you?
Soft points are designed for lower velocity cartridges(varminting bullets). So the jacket is thinner, meaning they don't tollerate high RPM's. Sometimes you have to load a bullet slower to keep the RPM's from ripping a bullet apart. IS that a disadvantage for your application?
The questions are up to you my friend, not us.
reb8600
Retired PM Staff
Originally Posted By: joedOriginally Posted By: FurhunterBC is the last thing I consider when choosing a bullet for coyote hunting.
Thank you, there are to many people on this forum that think match bullets were designed for hunting. My findings have been that a lead tipped spitzer seems to work the best on animals like coyote and groundhogs. But my experience is limited to .224 and above calibers.
He didnt say anything about match bullets. BC is not just a match bullet term. All the hollow points I use are match and whether you want to believe it or not, they work great for hunting. Didnt say they were designed for it but they do work. Small hole in and explosive on the inside with no exit most times. That is more deadly than punching a small hole all the way through.
Thank you, there are to many people on this forum that think match bullets were designed for hunting. My findings have been that a lead tipped spitzer seems to work the best on animals like coyote and groundhogs. But my experience is limited to .224 and above calibers.
He didnt say anything about match bullets. BC is not just a match bullet term. All the hollow points I use are match and whether you want to believe it or not, they work great for hunting. Didnt say they were designed for it but they do work. Small hole in and explosive on the inside with no exit most times. That is more deadly than punching a small hole all the way through.
dan brothers
New member
That is more deadly than punching a small hole all the way through.
Amen to that statement.
Amen to that statement.
while i have not killed as many coyotes as some, i have killed over 200. so i have more than a little data to work with.
in the very beginning i believed what i was told about fmj's, that they kill coyotes just fine and did not leave giant exit holes. we all know that fmj's do neither. the dogs run, and if any bone is hit there is a large hole on one side or the other.
then i used hornady 55gr spire points for a few years, mostly because i could get them for just over a nickel a piece. they did a decent job out of a 223, but i had some runners, and some large exit holes.
then i switched to winchester power points 55gr and ran those for a few years. again, i had decent results, but had runners about 1 out of every 5 to 7 dogs, and also had some large holes on the back side.
then i tried some sierra 60gr hollow points, first few dogs went down hard with no exit, but they were shot length wise looking at me. the broadside chest shots produced runners and large exit holes. the 60gr in a 223 just doesnt go fast enough for violent expansion.
then i tried some 55gr v-max, i had used them before in a 22-250 and had excellent results. i have been using them in the 223 for about 2 years now. i only have runners if the bullet hits them in the back end or just grazes them. i only have large holes in the same glancing shot scenario. EVERY coyote i have shot with the v-max out of the 223 that has been hit properly went down instantly. i killed 8 coyotes in the last month, 7 were dropped right there. the one that made it 50 yards was hit far back while quartering toward. the far back shot had a huge hole, the others had no exit and a 22 caliber entrance.
and the v-max costs about 15 cents a bullet, a whole lot less than some bullets out there, and the same as many bullets that do not work as well.
in the very beginning i believed what i was told about fmj's, that they kill coyotes just fine and did not leave giant exit holes. we all know that fmj's do neither. the dogs run, and if any bone is hit there is a large hole on one side or the other.
then i used hornady 55gr spire points for a few years, mostly because i could get them for just over a nickel a piece. they did a decent job out of a 223, but i had some runners, and some large exit holes.
then i switched to winchester power points 55gr and ran those for a few years. again, i had decent results, but had runners about 1 out of every 5 to 7 dogs, and also had some large holes on the back side.
then i tried some sierra 60gr hollow points, first few dogs went down hard with no exit, but they were shot length wise looking at me. the broadside chest shots produced runners and large exit holes. the 60gr in a 223 just doesnt go fast enough for violent expansion.
then i tried some 55gr v-max, i had used them before in a 22-250 and had excellent results. i have been using them in the 223 for about 2 years now. i only have runners if the bullet hits them in the back end or just grazes them. i only have large holes in the same glancing shot scenario. EVERY coyote i have shot with the v-max out of the 223 that has been hit properly went down instantly. i killed 8 coyotes in the last month, 7 were dropped right there. the one that made it 50 yards was hit far back while quartering toward. the far back shot had a huge hole, the others had no exit and a 22 caliber entrance.
and the v-max costs about 15 cents a bullet, a whole lot less than some bullets out there, and the same as many bullets that do not work as well.
Blackhawk43
New member
I have shot several coyotes with the Sierra 40 grain hollow point in a 222 and it worked alright, as has already been mentioned the bc is much better with the tipped boat tail bullets.
coyote6974
New member
I'm a fan of the Sierra Game King HP's. 55 grain for my .22-250's, and 85 grains for my .243's. I shoot just behind a coyote's shoulder, and so long as I hit my mark, coyotes go down and don't move again. With these bullets I get nickle size exits with the .243, and often no exit at all with the .22-250, just mushy innards.
midwestpredator
Active member
Originally Posted By: BuckeyeSpecialSure, HPs are fine....in .224, try the Speer 52 gr.HP, all the Sierrra HPs from 40-60 grains.
Happy Hunting!
What he said but try the 60 gr sierra hp or the 55 gr hpbt, crazy accurate
Happy Hunting!
What he said but try the 60 gr sierra hp or the 55 gr hpbt, crazy accurate
joed
New member
Originally Posted By: reb8600Originally Posted By: joedOriginally Posted By: FurhunterBC is the last thing I consider when choosing a bullet for coyote hunting.
Thank you, there are to many people on this forum that think match bullets were designed for hunting. My findings have been that a lead tipped spitzer seems to work the best on animals like coyote and groundhogs. But my experience is limited to .224 and above calibers.
He didnt say anything about match bullets. BC is not just a match bullet term. All the hollow points I use are match and whether you want to believe it or not, they work great for hunting. Didnt say they were designed for it but they do work. Small hole in and explosive on the inside with no exit most times. That is more deadly than punching a small hole all the way through.
I know he didn't say anything about using match bullets but there are a lot of people on here that will only hunt with match bullets. Will a match bullet work? Sure. The problem with using a match bullet for hunting is the small hp. That small hp is unreliable in some cases. It may or may not expand.
What I've found from my years of hunting is a Spitzer style bullet is a better killer. And in most cases it has a better bc then a match bullet. And best of all it was made for hunting.
Thank you, there are to many people on this forum that think match bullets were designed for hunting. My findings have been that a lead tipped spitzer seems to work the best on animals like coyote and groundhogs. But my experience is limited to .224 and above calibers.
He didnt say anything about match bullets. BC is not just a match bullet term. All the hollow points I use are match and whether you want to believe it or not, they work great for hunting. Didnt say they were designed for it but they do work. Small hole in and explosive on the inside with no exit most times. That is more deadly than punching a small hole all the way through.
I know he didn't say anything about using match bullets but there are a lot of people on here that will only hunt with match bullets. Will a match bullet work? Sure. The problem with using a match bullet for hunting is the small hp. That small hp is unreliable in some cases. It may or may not expand.
What I've found from my years of hunting is a Spitzer style bullet is a better killer. And in most cases it has a better bc then a match bullet. And best of all it was made for hunting.