Lets talk coyote calibers !!!!!! HOT TOPIC

[trappincoyotes39]

Lets here what caliber you use for coyotes considering both anchoring ability and also hide preservation. I have been a big fan of the 6mm bullets due to construction offerings and ft lbs of energy, range and conditions would change this somewhat but I feel the .243 is an excellent caliber for coyotes. I have killed enough with this caliber and load I use to have a great mix of hide preservation if needed but more importantly to me has the anhcor aspects to not have to chase many coyotes at all.

Only talking coyotes not fox or cats here just coyotes one claiber for coyotes what would you choose?

[lb]

I own and use several chamberings that I consider adequate for coyotes. The 223Ackley will work with the right bullet. I also use 22-250Ackley, 6mm Remington, 243Winchester, 243Ackley, 25'06Ackley and the new one is 22-243Middlested, which has only put down exactly one coyote since I acquired it. The main thing, once you select a good cartridge is selecting a good bullet. In .224", good bullets begin with 55 grain, 52/53 are bare minimum, in my opinion. In 24 and 25 caliber, you have a lot more leeway, hard to go wrong as long as killing a coyote is concerned. The big deal is finding one that kills with minimum pelt destruction, if you are interested in those things? I find that a heavy bullet tends to hold together, pass through with an exit and have a lot less destruction than the light frangible bullets. I like 100 grain in 25 caliber and 87 grain in 24. Maybe 75, in some rifles?

Whatever, but just if you have not been paying attention, I do not like a 223, (which I own) for coyotes and I'm not a big fan of 17 caliber either. (which I do not own)

[trappincoyotes39]

Lb alot I agree on on my .243 I find the nosler 95 bal tip to be a great coyote bullet packs plenty of punch and does little in the way of fur damage unless you belly rip them under 150 yrds.

I have found this bullet and tad thicker jacket to work well on quite a few coyotes from 50 yrds out to 450 yrds. Nice wind drift features higher BC and accurate when loaded up right, right in my gun is around 2,850 fps not a hot load by any means and I like the jacket on these over some of the slightly less weighted offerings because they still come with a varmint jacket instead of the tad thicker hunting jacket Iprefer. I was using the 80's made great groups but a few shoulder shots and I was selling my supply off, I like a bullet that even though I may not be perfect on a shot here or there will still correct my down falls, I have found the 95 to do that really well and haven't chased many at all after the hit.

[lb]

Not fur friendly, the 70 gr. NoslerBT

[ChrisM]

22-6MM Noz 50 SB or 55 BT scootin along at 4000 -4200 fps.

Built by Tom Miller in CA. 26 in stainless on a Rem 700 action. Puts three rounds in a ragged hole.

Super flat trajectory, Coyotes drop as if hit by the Hammer of Thor. The tracks they're standing in when you touch it off are the same ones they die in. Never in 14 years have I had an exit would...but some of the more fragile, 50 grainers will splatter on contact.

[stickbowhntr]

Jun 10, 2012 20:01:18 GMT -6 ChrisM said:

22-6MM Noz 50 SB or 55 BT scootin along at 4000 -4200 fps.

Built by Tom Miller in CA. 26 in stainless on a Rem 700 action. Puts three rounds in a ragged hole.

Super flat trajectory, Coyotes drop as if hit by the Hammer of Thor. The tracks they're standing in when you touch it off are the same ones they die in. Never in 14 years have I had an exit would...but some of the more fragile, 50 grainers will splatter on contact.

With that kind of Speed how often do you rebarrel or set back the one on it? You get more than 500-600 rounds out it it with that kind of accuary?

[stickbowhntr]

TC you have much sewing with the gunsd you use? I have very few at present coyotes here and have only shot the ones I have with .17 Rem at less than 150 yards and no issues but not that many either [maybe 20]so much wooded shots that they are slow moving or standing so I get good placement .

[stickbowhntr]

Jun 10, 2012 19:36:12 GMT -6 lb said:

Not fur friendly, the 70 gr. NoslerBT

I shoot a .243 Super with that Bullet and boy does it shoot groups. I have shot many 3.10 5-shot 400 yard groups on my backyard range. MANY , MANY ! Never used on anything but groundhogs.it aint pretty!

[ChrisM]

Still on original barrel stickbow. First 1/2 dozen years I kept exact records of rounds fired but dont bother anymore. The groups have opened up a bit but will still put 3 in a dime. Plenty good enough for coyotes. Also started backin off the loads a couple hundred fps in the wintertime last several years to preserve it for the spring and summer when it counts. Not sure how much that will help but cant hurt.

I followed a very strict break-in procedure and to this day it gets a good scrubbin every 20 rds. No exceptions.

Most important..... I NEVER get it hot! This is a coyote callin rifle. Period! No doubt it wouldnt last an hour on a good PD town.

[trappincoyotes39]

stickbow a high % of the damage is very livable, the sewing needing to be done would be minimal most of the time. Remember the 70's and 80's have a thinner drawn jacket than the 95's.

Savage and rem's 243 come with a 1-9 twist, perfect for 90-95 grain bullet offerings. Longer than avg bearing surface on 6mm bullets the faster twist makes for some accurate shooting.

[stickbowhntr]

my gun has a slow 1-14 twist. I got it used with a .25 Super Bbl and the guy used the .243 for hogs and the .25 for deer.

[brentparker]

I just started using a .243 with Barnes 80 gr. TTSX and was suprised at the lack of fur damage I was getting with it. I have only shot 23 with it so far, but so far so good. If coyotes were the only game this would be my set up. Most exits in the 50 cent pc. size. On frontal shots I still have an exit.

[trappincoyotes39]

Brent that is a good bullet because it doesn't fragment as easy as a "varmint" bullet! The TSX is a solid guilding metal so your going to have more exits on frontal shots becuase of bullet build, try some nosler 95 bt's you will find the same kind of results except most of your frontal shots will not have an exit! Your side exits will still be in that .50 size or less the high majority of the time

Still waiting to get my hands on some 90 grain Accu bonds from Nosler to test them out a tad thicker than the bal tips and I'm thinking a little less side damage and plenty of energy transfer to anhcor them but the bal tips with that heavier jacket are a great Coyote bullet!

[FWS]

The TSX is a solid guilding metal

No, the Barnes TSX/TTSX are solid copper, the Hornady GMX and the Nosler E-Tip's are gilding metal, which is 95% copper-5% zinc which technically makes it a brass.

I'd think any of those bullets would exit a coyote, probably almost every time from any angle.

[trappincoyotes39]

Thanks FWS I thought Barnes went away from all copper with metal cost. The noslers pressure spike so not a big fan, the GMX's are a great bullet for game!

The end result is the same as noted.

[lb]

I might be a Neanderthal, but generally, have no interest in reinventing the wheel, ie: solid bullets, whatever their specific composition.

The idea that lead sinkers and bullets are contaminating the world is BS. It's a naturally occurring element, hardly rare. The steel shot hysteria which has made millions of shotguns obsolete, restrictions on 22lr bullets in the Sespi area, stuff like that are the result of junk science, kinda like GLOBAL WARMING. The public is being conned, on multiple levels. LB

[FWS]

stuff like that are the result of junk science,

Unfortunately the science is pretty sound in supporting restrictions on lead shot for waterfowl, the use of lead weights in areas with common loons, and the ingestion of lead shot and bullet fragments in carrion by condors and other avian scavengers.

Fortunately there are alternative projectiles that work quite well.

The steel shot hysteria which has made millions of shotguns obsolete

Maybe not as much as some seem to think, as more experiment with steel they're finding that in the smaller sizes, like 6's and 7's, it is safe for the older guns with fixed chokes.

With lead shot going for over $40/25 lb. bag we should be looking at steel shot for clay targets, lot of guys are already using it and the reports are good.

[lb]

I thought the "one size fits all" solution to divers ingesting shot is something of benefit for the muck bottoms seen in the Mississippi flyway and other places? In western ponds primarily with sand and gravel, the lead shot tends to fall out of reach.

Then, solving a problem with (what?) 5% fatalities due to lead poison, with 10/15% cripples due to inferior steel shot and deformation.

I just don't know that these studies, based on "pretty sound science" are believable? But, we have to accept the findings and laws based on them as draconian.

I don't actually know the percentages? I just made them up, like a lot of grant funded studies.

[rionueces]

I like the .243. You can make a bad shot, and they are still going down. Its also nice to have the larger caliber if something else shows up like a hog or an axis deer....

[lb]

That may be a good reason, down in south Texas. Assuming you have those 95gr. Nosler partitions? I could go a long time before a hog wandered into my stand, javelina maybe? Axis deer? About as likely as calling in a polar bear.

But, a bad shot, 22-250 or a 243 is still a bad shot and you may still have a runner. I'm not on board with the idea that a 243 will compensate for a fringe hit. In fact, it is my personal opinion that a 22-250 using a good 55 grain bullet will anchor a coyote with a less than perfect hit, better than a 243 with (for instance) a 58 grain bullet in a non vital area.

Just to be clear, a 243 is a great choice, but it's not (usually) a cartridge for the fur hunter.