6 Creedmoor for coyote, bullet?Velocity?
- Thread starter Carpenter25
- Start date
I’ve used both the .243 and 6mm Creedmoor with lighter bullets like the Varmint Grenades and Speer TNT on coyotes. The key to minimizing fur damage is controlling velocity and choosing a bullet that rapidly expands without over-penetrating.
Bullet Choice:
For both bullets, try to aim for the chest or behind the shoulder to avoid high-energy impacts on tougher bone structures, which can increase fur damage.
Your Berger Issue:
The 95-grain Bergers are fantastic for precision, but they’re heavy for coyotes and tend to over-penetrate, especially at high velocities. If fur preservation is a priority, stepping down to 55–70 grain bullets (e.g., TNT or Varmint Grenades) would be a better choice.
Hope that helps, and good luck with your next hunt!
Bullet Choice:
- Barnes Varmint Grenade: These are designed to fragment on impact, which reduces the chance of an exit wound. Keep velocities moderate (around 3,000–3,200 fps) for optimal performance. Too fast, and you risk excessive fragmentation, while slower speeds can reduce effective expansion.
- Speer TNT: These expand more violently than Varmint Grenades, so shot placement is critical. Keeping them under 3,000 fps on impact tends to help with fur preservation while still delivering good terminal results.
- If you’re reloading, aim for muzzle velocities in the range of 3,000–3,200 fps. By the time the bullet reaches the coyote (depending on distance), it should have slowed enough to expand effectively without excessive damage.
- Factory ammunition for these bullets in the .243 or 6 Creedmoor often pushes them faster than ideal for fur-friendly performance, so hand-loading gives you more control.
For both bullets, try to aim for the chest or behind the shoulder to avoid high-energy impacts on tougher bone structures, which can increase fur damage.
Your Berger Issue:
The 95-grain Bergers are fantastic for precision, but they’re heavy for coyotes and tend to over-penetrate, especially at high velocities. If fur preservation is a priority, stepping down to 55–70 grain bullets (e.g., TNT or Varmint Grenades) would be a better choice.
Hope that helps, and good luck with your next hunt!
I use the Speer TNT and Hornady 75g VMax in my 243Win on coyotes @ 3300 ft/sec. Similar results. As pointed out shot placement AND angle of the hit can yield various outcomes. I give my coyotes to a chap who turns them into robes for native dancing ceremonies. He’s very observant/critical/picky of the ‘aftermath’ of every shot I make. I ask for the autopsy reports,lol. I use Speer TNT’s in the 6.5CM and the 25/06Rem also but at the end of the day he prefers the coyotes shot with the 40g Hornady VMax out of the 204Ruger. The .17Remington with 25g Hornady HPs is also VERY fur friendly, but some of the big 50-70lb coyotes here in southern Ontario can suck up a well placed centre chest hit and still run 200 yards. And you need some snow to track them down as with the one tiny entrance hole only they don’t bleed out too well to the exterior. This observation is based on more than a few personal experiences. Cheers
I use 58gr V-MAX in .243 Win loaded to around 3350-3400fps out of a 20" bolt gun for predator control on the farm.
Accurate out to 300+yds and no exit so far.
Similar to Hornady's factory loaded Superformance, although their factory load was faster than my handloads and they would flatten their primers when fired.
Accurate out to 300+yds and no exit so far.
Similar to Hornady's factory loaded Superformance, although their factory load was faster than my handloads and they would flatten their primers when fired.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Barnes tsx, ttsx or lrx are good when saving fur.
6mm CM with 105gr Lapua scenars or 105gr barnes match burners at 3000 fps and are very accurate in my gun, they flatten coyotes with authority and do not leave big holes however with the price of fur these days where coyotes are worth nothing I really don't worry bout fur friendly bullets, when fur is worth something I use my 223 with 52gr HPBT or 53gr Vmax which usually don't exit
I found it needs to be almost 300 yards for no exit with fragmenting bullets, Unless it's a frontal shot or you hit shoulder. Hit in the neck it will be messy, hit behind it will blow a fist size hole or bigger.
