I'm almost done with a 20" med-heavy barrel .223 Rem that I plan on using for Varmints. We have some 50lb+ Coyotes and wild dogs, so these Varmints are on the large side.

I'm starting to think on what bullet/ammo would be best for this purpose, and I want it ACCURATE.

A couple that are on my mind are the Federal Fusion 62gr? MSR or Rifle, and the Hornady 53gr V-Max. My barrel is a 20"  1:9 twist, so it should shoot anything from 50-70 grain pretty well.

I understand the "find what your rifle likes" mentality, but my range is 1.5hrs drive and time isn't plentiful. I don't mind buying a few brands and will, just want to narrow the selection a bit if you don't mind sharing your experience.

DR

60gr VMAX handloads

69gr BTHP handloads

Here's the thing. What's accurate in my rifle won't necessarily be what's accurate in your rifle. You'll want to get a sampling of 'good' loads and see what your rifle's preference is. I'd be looking at VMAX and TMK loadings. They usually shoot pretty great, the VMAX is great on varmint sized animals, and the TMK is great for larger varmints or small-ish game.

Specifically, give AE 50gr tipped varmint a shot, and the Black Hills loadings of VMAX and 69/77gr TMK.

I have been using the 53 grain Vmax super performance for two years now.  Shoot about a dozen coyotes a year, sometimes more.  Mostly at night.  Ranges typically 60-200 yards.  The 53 is going over 3400 fps even in cold weather from my 20 inch 1-9 and 1-8.  It makes range estimation a cinch.  At night w night vision, you loose alot of your depth perception, at least I do, and unless oy have a range card to remind you of range, hold over can be a problem w the Fusion.  (Under 2900 fps in cold weather).  Ive shot over quite a few dogs using it.  With a 200 yd zero w the Vmax you can hold COM out to 225 and be barely one inch high at 100.  But sight in at an actual 200 yards, not one high at 100.  

Coyotes hit w 53 do not go down as quickly as the 75 grain OTM i used for many years prior which is surprising but the vmax expands much farther.  

I wold try the 53 first and if you are not getting penetration you need for larger dogs by all means switch to a heavy.   Even the fastest 75's quit fragmenting at about 200 but they are very effective out to that range.

Op's 1:9 twist probably won't stabilize 75/77gr

The Hornady 75 stabilizes fine in three different 1-9 I have including one 16 inch.

If you want a Varmint round, try the Fiocchi 50gr v-max. Very nice and accurate. Very clean too and very cheap to test out.

If you want accurate and reload, I'd try Sierra Blitzkings over whichever powder does best for you.   Blitzkings are very accurate, and very tolerant of jump, which is important in a semi-auto rifle with mag length restrictions.

If you don't reload... try Hornady V-max loads, and/or Fiocchi's loads with v-max.

I'm fixing to start coyote hunting I have loaded some 55 gr soft points from Midsouth hopefully they do the trick. I was going for a good all around cheap bullet that I could plink with and hunt with

I picked up a BCM upper that I was going to use this year, when I went out to sight it in I tried Black Hills 60 VMax first which is what I'd hoped to use, group was huge. So then I tried some Priv 75gr OTM which had shot well in another upper, it didn't like those either. I was beginning to think the rifle was shot out or the scope sucked. Finally tried some Hornady 75grain match and it immediately came down to under an inch. So for coyotes with that rifle that's what I'll use and shoot for the front shoulder.

They should work fine

Here's a good deal on 55 soft points...

http://www.nereloading.com/index.php/product/featured/hornady-55-grain-soft-point-with-cannelure-1000-count.html

Australian outback-223 Sierra blitz-king 55 grain ...Clean, accurate, and Not temperature sensitive

Out to 100yds, the 50-55 gr varmint tipped bullets have been the best for me. For the price, the federal 50gr is very hard to beat.

I also use the 75gr hornady bullets... Dropped this dog in his tracks and is super accurate in my gun (and shoots well in the other 4 guns I've tried it in).

I shot this coyote with it at 150 yards.  It was pretty much head on, entered in the neck, exited out behind the front right shoulder.  The exit was about the size of a handball.




I used to use the 50 and 55gr vmax rounds, they killed all yote fine, however I blew up several fox with them and they weren't pelt friendly.  I switched to the heavier round which proved a little more friendly on the smaller animals, and is just fine if I call in a bigger predator (mt. lion)

My crew of 5 can buy whatever we want for varmints and this is what we have all used for 5 years.

Australian Outback 55gr Sierra Bliztkings or Black Hills 77gr Tipped Matchkings are my preferred varmint ammo for the AR in .223.