Favorite coyote bullet

[The Baron]

Why only broadside with plastic tips? Lack of penetration?

Yes, but it's based on minimal personal experience. I called out a coyote and hit her shoulder quartering to me at about 40 yards with a 55gr Ballistic Tip (so, honestly a poor shot as the 10-ring would have been in front of her shoulder). The result was a horrible raking wound that about took the hide off her side, burst her stomach and covered one lung with fragments but did not get inside the ribs. She expired about the time I was thinking I should stop staring and shoot again. That was with a .223 WSSM so the bullet was screaming and taxed to the limit in terms of impact velocity, but I was still unimpressed. The only other coyote I shot with a plastic tipped bullet was a 50gr VMax from a .222 mag. the coyote was looking straight at me at about 100 yards from slightly downhill. The crosshairs looked good when the shot broke and he yelped and leaped at the shot, but it was last stand of the evening and I lost the blood trail at dark. That is the only coyote I've ever lost and while I of course cannot not say for sure it wasn't just a bad shot to begin with, those two experiences turned me right off of plastic tipped varmint bullets for coyotes. As it seems at least half of my called coyotes are shot either coming towards me or taking that last look back/angling away, I've had much better personal experience with less frangible bullets.

 

[mark222]

I use the bullet that shoots the best out of that particular rifle... right now I am shooting the following;

Ruger M77-R SS .222 - 53 V-Max
Ruger M77-R SS .223 - 55 V-Max
Ruger M77-VT .22 PPC - Hornady 50 SP
Ruger M77-RS .22-250 - Hornady 55 SP
Ruger M77-R .220 Swift - Hornady 60 SP

I'm the same. I wanted a heavier bullet and the Hornady 75 gr bthp shoots well in my slr.

 

[rmcda]

Anitger vote for the vmax and the blitz king

 

[Hand Skills]

Doesn't matter much unless you're after the fur. 60gr Ballistic tip has been best at dropping them without exiting for me.

 

[keith mokry]

In 223 and 22-250 use hornady 50 spsx and testing 243 with Barnes tsx 85. Shows promise so far but need more animals to center punch. Hope to use this for varmit and deer

 

[Jim870]

Except when pushed to the max in a .220 Swift the 55 grain Hornady SP with cannelure has been satisfactory. Even when stressed with high impact speeds they still killed quickly just a little hard on hides. 75 grain BTHP is going to be played with some this winter if I can find a load that sings.
I am eager to see how a 225 grain gameking from a 35 Whelen performs if we get the caliber restriction lifted here in NB as proposed for Spring 2020.

 

[scott_r]

20 Cal. 35 gr Berger is about as good as it gets in books. All my fur gets put up and sent to auction. A bad hole can take a fur that should get $160 to $80. Sewing gets old real fast with most varmint bullets.

 

[vmax204]

Summer coyotes I use a 243 with Speer 75 gr HP
Winter hunting I use a 204 with Hornady 40 gr Vmax for the least amount of hide damage.

 

[RobbieLaidlaw]

55 grain 556

 

[IvoB]

i use plastic tip bullets for paper punching only - soft points or bergers is what i use if it has a heart beat

 

[brybenn]

Strange that the only time ive seen a vmax not drop a coyote was in the 17hmr and 50gr 223. They both needed a second shot although im sure the 2 hit with the 223 wouldnt have made it across the field i shot and dropped them. The two shot with the hmr i honestly thought my buddy missed.
Ive got a good load with 55gr sierra game kings for calling should work great on those frontal chest shots. I had a great load for the 53gr vmax but didnt write it down so ill have to try again. I have some 50gr vmax and 40gr nosler varmeggeddon bullets to load up to
Im going to try a bunch more over the holidays. Good thing about 223 is its easy on powder

 

[Bad Karma]

Used .223 for years...built a 6.5CM last summer...holy fak, what a laser beam, super flat, tight groups. Hope to get out in the next week or two and give it a good

 

[B-78]

I have shot coyotes from distances of having them face plant in the snow at my feet to 450+ yds using a 20cal 35 or 40gr Berger with great success in saving the hide. I have a Howa lightning in 223 that I keep in my work truck for coyotes that are around when I'm checking livestock. Been having good luck with the 50gr SPSX and more recently the 40gr Berger. I would never use a VMax again on a prime coyote as I have had more then a few splash on neck and shoulder shots making the hide worthless.
I load a 55gr NBT for my calling partner to use in his 22-250 as it is all he has to use and refuses to borrow one of my spare 204s. They work alright as being fur friendly but sure can be messy on the insides when skinning.
When not caring about hides like during calving or lambing season a 69 or 88gr Berger from one of my 6mms are very effective in letting the air out of them.

 

[Yotarunner]

I have found the key to keeping a vmax from splashing is to slow it way down. I'm running barely 3000fps in my 222 and have yet to ever have a splash or hole bigger than a loonie.

 

[Scott_N]

50 gr Hornady SPSX out of my 222

 

[brybenn]

I have found the key to keeping a vmax from splashing is to slow it way down. I'm running barely 3000fps in my 222 and have yet to ever have a splash or hole bigger than a loonie.

75gr vmax at 3600fps from a 2506 never had one splash. Although some exits were shall we say gruesome. Bigger than my fist on broadside shots. I generally shoot them facing me in the chest and the hide stays in tact. Passed 250 yards damage is subdued yet the kill is still instantaneous

 

[TacticalTeacher]

So much good learning for a newbie like myself ... I appreciate all the input being shared here. I’m learning lots and lots about coyote hunting from all you experienced folks. Thanks once again; I need all this input!

Cheers, Barney

 

[Yotarunner]

75gr vmax at 3600fps from a 2506 never had one splash. Although some exits were shall we say gruesome. Bigger than my fist on broadside shots. I generally shoot them facing me in the chest and the hide stays in tact. Passed 250 yards damage is subdued yet the kill is still instantaneous

My goal is to keep them inside the coyote at any angle from facing to complete broadside. Only exits I get are at 50 yards and under and even then damage is minimal.

 

[Noobie81]

I just got myself a Tikka M65 in 25-06. I decided to get this caliber for varmints after reading some of your posts in the archive Brybenn talking about the effectiveness of this caliber on crows and coyotes, one in particular where you said that your friend saw you take a coyote at 750 yards and then he ordered a 25-06 that day. Well I have joined the club and I have everything I need now except a shellholder to roll up some cartridges for it. The projectiles I am starting with are the 75g vmax, the 100g nosler BT and the 115g berger. I like the idea of hitting them a bit further out with the vmax to limit damage on well furred ones but many I see are mangey and just need culling. I shoot in an area wide open where shots of 1000 yards are possible (not that I would attempt that) but the 25-06 will certainly stretch my reach over the .204 that I was previously using.

 

[Donny Fenn1]

I have only shot maybe a couple hundred coyotes so my experience may vary. I can't think of ever having a VMAX go through at any distance from 6 yards to 680 yards. That's with everything from 32g .204s up to 75g .243, maybe one or two 110g .308? The odd head shot was quite dramatic but these shoulder splashes etc have been non existent. 22 caliber Blitzkings act pretty much the same way.
My only pass throughs ever were with hollowtip match match bullets like a Scenar or Hornady OTM, and one Amax in 155g that was about 40 yards away.