Anyone used a 223 for 500 yard coyote kill?

42MTD

42MTD

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Hi,

Looking for successful 500 yard coyote kill shots using a 223.

My furthest with a 223 is just shy of 300 yards. Wanting to stretch that out to 500 if the opportunity presents itself.

Specifically looking for type/weight bullet used.

Please do not comment regarding other calibers "more suitable" for coyotes, as I have used many different calibers. Just looking to hear about the 223.

Thanks!
 
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Don't have any bullet selections for you but my confidence level starts to drop pretty good after 200 yds.... I guess I need a lot more practice. That can't be an easy shot...
Best of luck finding the right combo for your setup.
 
I use Hornaday 75 grain match.

Great accuracy... but with a calculated drop of -50 inches at 500 yards (plus wind and/or brush) I am not confident to shoot game with this calibre ( or any I own..lol I know my eyes are getting older)... so for me it is not ethical as I might just maim the creature.

I imagine any good match ammo fired from match type rifle would do the trick, if the shooter has the skill to make consistent hits at 500 under differing conditions.

happy hunting :)

hornady.com/store/223-Rem-75-gr-BTHP-Match/

 
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I also use the 75gr Hornady Match, however, I've customized the load a bit for my rifle. I've shot yotes at about 400 at the farm and thats about the furthest shot I can get in open but hilly fields.


THe 75gr works well in a 24 in barrel with 1:9 twist. I favor the 75gr over the 55gr because of wind drift. What blows over a foot and a half for 55gr is only 5 inches for 75gr. The ballistic tips do a fine job on coyotes even at 400 yards. It takes some good practice to get groups out that far, most of it is learning your scope adjustments. The buddy that I load with ( same barrel length and twist) gets them out to 600 yards in ideal conditions.
 
Haven't shot one that far yet but I agree use the heavy bullets I've shot a few with 77gr nosler match out of my 26" 1-9 twist and they drop fast.
 
Longest coyote shot with a .223 with a Swiss Arms flat top. I was calling coyotes with Yoteboy and we were up on a hill overlooking a bush, frozen beaver pond and snow covered stubble field. One came in part way and then got bashful. He would scoot back and forth and yell at us but wouldn't come any farther. After about 1/2 hour of this while laying in the snow I finally had enough. Besides getting cold, it was also getting dark. On pure Kentucky elevation (straight duplex reticle) I launched a couple of shots and hit it twice so must have done something right. Lasered out at 570 yards.

Load was a 52 grain Berger Match and literally all the Varget that would fit in a FL Winchester case. I wouldn't recommend that load in other guns, or necessarily that bullet for that distance but it all worked out. Bullet wounds were pin pricks in and out.
 
Im shooting 65gr GK's in my 223 and I would take em out to 400 for sure, but after that it seems that the energy factor starts to drop off pretty good.

This is just going off how hard its banging steel at that range.

Had one all lined up at 436 two weeks ago but he just wouldnt come out from the tops of the trees that were in there way. Would of known if he had thats for sure.
 
the spank said:
f:P:2:Whats your next question? Which size steel shot is suitable for 150 yard waterfowl pass shooting with a 3" 4:10?
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Nope, not much of a waterfowl guy.

Next time read the post before you add your 2 cents. I don't want your opinions or sarcastic responses. I am asking if other hunters have had success with a 223 at that range. I do not want to start a discussion in regards to best suitable cartridge etc etc etc...

If the thread is not for you stay out of it. Please and Thanks

Thank you for all the other informative responses, please keep them coming.
 
I had a nice custom 223, and liked the 75gr amax in it, but it was a horrible gun for coyotes past 300 IMO. I thought I had to be a "sniper" and shoot a fast twist barrel with heavy bullets, and dial my scope in MOA for anything past 200 yards. Boy was I wrong. A 75gr amax at 2700 fps, drops 15" @ 300, 34" @400 and 63" @400. Most of the coyotes I saw were either; not holding still (axxholes); or not near anything I could get a quick hit off of with my Leica CRF. My range estimating is not HORRIBLE, but a 30" difference in drop between 300 and 400 accounts for a lot of misses. Plus I found out that my meager muzzle velocity was killing the performance of the amax beyond 200 yards. I was getting little expansion, bullet diameter pass through at 300+.

This is just my 2 cents, in reality a more than 2k lesson, I am not or will never be a "sniper", 400 yards is a very long shot for me. I shoot lighter bullets at higher velocities out of a case that holds more powder than the 223. My longest this year were 365, both a coyote and a jack rabbit at that distance. The rabbit was holding nice and still for me to range, the coyote, I just held about 6" over the back.

Not saying 500 isn't doable with a 223, but you need the coyote to cooperate as well to make that happen..
 
I really don't feel that consistent 500 yard kills are easily achieved @ 500 with a .223. I love the cartridge but don't feel it has much to offer for coyotes past 300 imo. Bullet selection that will hold enough energy to ground them isn't incredibly easy to find
 
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42MTD said:
Nope, not much of a waterfowl guy.

Next time read the post before you add your 2 cents. I don't want your opinions or sarcastic responses. I am asking if other hunters have had success with a 223 at that range. I do not want to start a discussion in regards to best suitable cartridge etc etc etc...

If the thread is not for you stay out of it. Please and Thanks

Thank you for all the other informative responses, please keep them coming.
Click to expand...

Thats the beauty of posting on an open forum, I can post my response in a manner I feel suits the question asked. If you're concerned about certain types of responses do not post on an open forum, pretty simple. P.S And I did read your post before I responded.
 
I have. I use 75's almost exclusively in one of my 223AI's for pretty much everything now. Start a 75 amax at 3150 and it retains 1800fps out to almost 700 yards, and over 500 foot pounds (if you are one of those that thinks a foot pound is important....).

More than enough velocity for expansion, and penetration. They'll work on a 35 lb animal if you can put it in the front half.

Still way more velocity and energy than a hyper velocity 22 rimfire at the muzzle, and most guys won't argue that a 22 isn't enough at powder burn range.
 
KodiakHntr said:
I have. I use 75's almost exclusively in one of my 223AI's for pretty much everything now. Start a 75 amax at 3150 and it retains 1800fps out to almost 700 yards, and over 500 foot pounds (if you are one of those that thinks a foot pound is important....).

More than enough velocity for expansion, and penetration. They'll work on a 35 lb animal if you can put it in the front half.

Still way more velocity and energy than a hyper velocity 22 rimfire at the muzzle, and most guys won't argue that a 22 isn't enough at powder burn range.
Click to expand...

Speaking of foot pounds, what's guys thoughts on minimum force for effective kills?
 
Gongs are good and practical targets to shoot at for 400 and 500 yards, you know when you hit them. Some people have issues with calculating large drops at longer distances, but its simply one of the challenges of long range shooting. Being confident with your trajectory is one of the things that practice is good for. Even with a good scope it takes a while for comfort to set in.

A lot of people have concerns about bullet expansion at 300 plus yards, but a simple second piece of plywood ( or cardboard) a foot or two behind your main target will show how well the bullet expands. The Hornady 75 gr Match loads completely blow apart at 400 thru a 3/8 piece of plywood. I have not tested other rounds this way but the Hornady 75gr do well enough for confidence of a kill shot.
 
I shoot the 223 in F/class out to 1000 yards, I think for the 223 to get the job done at 500 to 600 yards you will need a rifle with a 8 or 7 twist barrel so you can shoot the 75 to 80 grain bullets. I shoot a lot of the 80.5 G Bergers and would have no problem hitting a coyote size target at 600 yards, but that is a target bullet I don't know if would work on a coyote. Sounds like a good project to play with keep as posted and good luck.

Cheers Bill
 
I too have shot F-class with a .223 and had excellent accuracy with 80gr Berger VLDs out to 900m. Any Tikka T3 with the 1/8 twist barrel should shoot these well but it will require either single feeding the bullets or an aftermarket mag. I was consistently shooting sub-MOA so I would think that if the wind is on your side and you've correclty figured out the range, it should be completely doable.
 
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