Ideal .223 bullet for Cotote

F

fredbeer

New member
I am anxious to start Coyote hunting. Using a RRA ar-15 Predator Pursuit with 1 in 8" twist, should i focus on a light bullet, say 50-55 gr? Or work up a load using a 60 gr V-Max, or 65 gr Sierra?

Will the 1-8" be too fast for a 50 gr bullet?
 
I like the 60grainer but 55 will work. Just what ever your gun likes..

And i think youll be pushing it maybe with a 50 grainer im not positive.
 
The .223 Rem shoots a wide range of bullets very effectively, from 35gr flat-based varmint bullets, to ultra-long 90gr VLDs. However, you'll need the right twist rate for your choice of bullet. For max velocity and accuracy with the lightest bullets, a 1:14" twist may be ideal. More versatile is a 1:12" twist that will allow you to shoot the popular 60-64 grain match bullets. (However, a 1:9" twist is needed for the steel-core 62gr bullet used in the M855 military loads, because that bullet is as long as most 70-grainers.) For normal lead-core jacketed bullets, a 1:9" twist will let you shoot up to 73gr bullets. Since most .223 Rem shooters prefer bullets in the 50-73gr range, a good "do-it-all" solution is a 9-twist, unless you're a Highpower competitor.

For long-range match purposes, long, high-BC bullets are favored for their ability to buck the wind. You'll want at least a 1:8" twist to shoot the 77gr and 80gr MatchKings and 80gr Bergers. To shoot the new 90gr pills, a 1:6.5" is recommended, though a true 1:7" will work in most conditions.

Overall, what twist rate is best? For varminting we like a 12-twist. The slower twist will give you a bit more velocity, and minimize the risk of jacket failure at high rpms. For general use, an 8-twist barrel will let you shoot the excellent 77gr and 80gr Sierra MatchKings and nearly all varieties of non-tracer milsurp ammo. We'd only select a 1:7" or faster twist barrel if we had a need to shoot the 90gr VLDs.
 
i wonder if people really shoot these bullets in the field i have been hunting and testing since the 60's.when hornady and sierra came out with there match bullets for the 22.250 in 52gr.i used them at night to shoot coyotes out to 410 yds. they were very effective and at longer range and did not do much damage.i had one seirra 52gr.hpbt.match crater on the shoulder at 225 yds. i only shot hornady's after that.when berger came out with his line i tested them at the range and in the field.all my varmint guns shoot a half in. or better.during the day i now use a 17.rem and 223. rem.i shoot 30gr. in the 223. and 25gr. in the 17.i shot and killed a coyote at 495yds. with the 17.rem. i don't have a scope that i can turn up. so i think this was a pretty good shot.i ranged the spot after the shot and had a witness.i let a friend shoot my 17.25.gr.next to his 223.50.gr. in the wind on day and the rem was affected less by the wind because of the speed.but this is just my experience.one of the group stoots comp.and has shot with walt berger himself.
 
I tend to believe that there is no ideal bullet.
Bullet placement, I feel, is much more important.
Regardless of bullet grain, velocity, ect.----if you fail to put the bullet into the vitals, it won't matter.
Just my opinion, though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
amen on bullet placement and if your not skinning the coyotes who cares about the size of the hole. shoot what works best through your rifle.
 
I have a Savage FP10 with a 1 in 9" twist and a Bushmaster Predator with a 1 in 8" twist and both love the 55 gr. Nosler BT but the coyotes & bobcats don't care for them too much. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Regards,
hm
 
I've bounced around on which bullet to use quite a bit. The last couple of years I've been using the Hornady 53 gr. match hollow point and they have been doing very well.
 
Thanks for the responses. Totally agree on shot placement. My concern is if I use a light bullet, will it fragment upon impact? The lighter bullet will have a flatter trajectory than say a 60 gr bullet, but the 60 will have more energy.

The 60 Vmax and 55 Sierra 55 hpbt group very nice in my ar.

bowhunt32, does that 53gr Hornady Match leave a large exit wound?

What is the consensus on using match bullets for yotes.
 
Have not talked w/Sierra techs lately, but in years past they did not recommend the match bullets for hunting; they are designed for target work and do that very nicely, but expansion can be erratic.

In my 30 cal. rifles, I always worked up loads w/match bullets to set the standard, so to speak. Fortunately, my AR did not seem to like the 53 gr. match bullet but loved the 55 gr Nosler BT and it does do the job on predators.

I have never had a BT splash on a coyote or bobcat. Can't remember any spectacular fur damage, but in S. Tx. fur is not much, even in the winter, so not that much of a concern.

Regards,
hm
 
Here is my take on the HP for nearly 4 years I have shot the Vmaxes and never had a coyote run off. I loaded up the 53 grain hollow point matches that have been mentioned and the first yote flopped over legs kicking and everything as I scanned the area for the other two that had come in they were already bugged out. On going over to inspect the dammage there was lots of blood and the yote was gone. Fluke??????? Well the very next stand I had 4 come in and I shot the biggest coyote that was a male after I put one in kill zone he starts death spinning so I had to waste precious seconds put another round into him to make sure he didn't run off also. By the time that happened the others were out there 300 yards and cruisin. Every coyote shot with the 55 grain Vmax has been a drop on the spot even with some marginal placements. I had one try to get back up one time but after one attempt he stayed down. Even with a perfect shot placement on the second coyote at 100 yards the 53 grain match HP didn't work out well. This is of course my opinion others may have had better luck with the HP match bullets but I am not real excited to shoot another yote with one. I am still using them to really get an idea of what they can do under different circumstances and just to find it's consistencies I will keep using them for a while but if I get one or two more I will stop using them.
 
In my experience, no they don't do much damage at all. I also haven't experienced the run offs that cweeks speaks of. All the ones I've shot have flopped over drt or spun a bit, then fell over.
 
I have to go with CW, I use the black hills 55gr vmax and have never had one get away. I have on rare occasions had to shoot again, more user error than anything. when I cant get anywhere to get the black hills ammo, I have been using the winchester 55gr bal. silver tips.... with the same results. but also agree with everyone who mentioned shot placement as well.... that is a major issue that nothing can fix besides practice.
 
CWeeks
Have you had a hit with the v-max in the upper shoulder on a broadside coyote? If so what where the results?
I've wittnessed three such hits with the 52 hpbt from Sierra and they never move once hit!!
Its more about placement than configeration depending upon the placement/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
Later
DF2
 
Cweeks:
I'm not flamin', so please don't take personal. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Over the past few years, in my .223, I've used...
Hornady 55 gr. V-max
Black Hills 55 gr. PSP
Black Hills 55 gr. HP
Black Hills 60 gr. HP
Winch. 45 gr. HP
UMC 55 gr. PSP
and Federal HP [don't remember what grain].

With each of these I've taken coyotes that ranged from 30 yds to 250+ yds. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Regardless of distance, I've had DRTs as well as runners.
Of the runners, about 20% were shot heart/lungs, spread over all the above mentioned bullets. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
The rest of the runners were due to poor shot placement. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
All the DRTs were spread quite evenly between the bullets. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

That being said, I now mostly shoot BH 55 gr. PSP, just because I got a real good deal on them & my gun shoots them the best at the range. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
[when I actually go practice, which isn't often enough] /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

So, I stick by my original post...shot placement is more important [or impotent /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif] than bullet or velocity. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Y'all have fun out there, ya hear!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
Quote:
Or work up a load using a 60 gr V-Max, or 65 gr Sierra?



Yes.

fredbeer - Without a doubt the heavier bullets have delivered the most favorable and consistant results when I hunt with the 223 Remington.
 


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