whats the best .204 round for coyotes?
- Thread starter RED BONES
- Start date
The majority of us guys who shoot coyotes with a 204 will tell you it is hard to beat a 35 or 40gr Berger if you want to save the hides. If you just want to kill them a 39gr Blitzking is what I use. In factory loads the 45gr SP is the best choice but doesn't come anywhere near the knock down power of the first three I mentioned.
I am now using 40gr Bergers but have not shot a coyote yet. I was using 32gr V-Max with no exit holes and little tiny entrance holes, and some big blow ups with 39gr Blitz Kings. If the Bergers don't work I will go back to the 32gr V-max.
38 gr Wildcats (a custom bullet from Wildcat Bullets in Alberta) are a good .20 cal HP hunting bullet. Unfortunately, I understand they aren't in production right now. Other than those, I'd go with 35 gr or 40 gr Berger, 39 gr Sierra Blitz King, or the 40 gr Nosler BT.
20 cal. coyote bullets
The 38 grain Wildcat bullets are the best 204 bullets I have used on coyotes. I get fewer pass-throughs and less exit damage on the pelts and fewer escapees than with the Berger bullets, mainly because of the large hollow point in the Wildcats . Unfortunately, the company has been sold and I have been told, the equipment moved to Montana. So unless they go back into production and a few suppliers in Canada pick up the line, it will be like everything else related to guns. The Americans will have more choice of top quality supplies and we K'nucks will be sucking the hinder once again.
The 38 grain Wildcat bullets are the best 204 bullets I have used on coyotes. I get fewer pass-throughs and less exit damage on the pelts and fewer escapees than with the Berger bullets, mainly because of the large hollow point in the Wildcats . Unfortunately, the company has been sold and I have been told, the equipment moved to Montana. So unless they go back into production and a few suppliers in Canada pick up the line, it will be like everything else related to guns. The Americans will have more choice of top quality supplies and we K'nucks will be sucking the hinder once again.
In my last gun (Remington SPS) it was 27grs of H4895 with the 40 gr Bergers, a little hot but that is what it liked. I sold that gun and bought a Tikka. With it I am shooting 25.5grs as that seems to be it's happy spot.
I use 32 grain Vmax and 31 grains of BLC2. It meters like fine sand and is easy to accurately volume throw. I am getting 4150 fps out of a stock SPS Varmint rifle and I have dropped coyote in their tracks at as long as 300 meters.
I shoot for predator control on my own property and have not had the occasion to shoot at much longer distances, but it shoots so incredibly flat, catastrophic internal damage and no exit.
I shoot for predator control on my own property and have not had the occasion to shoot at much longer distances, but it shoots so incredibly flat, catastrophic internal damage and no exit.
