What is a good factory load for coyotes in .223 or 5.56. (I would think most would be in .223.) This would be out of a 20" A4 with a 5.56 chamber and 1/7 twist.

Hard to beat Corbon 223 Rem 62gr T-DPX  - the right weight/length bullet for a 1:7 twist barrel. Great, consistent ammo quality. Shreds whatever it hits.

The factory  .50 and .55gr vmax are devastating on yotes, but I've done just fine with .55 core loks too.

Your 1:7 is meant for the heavier end of things compared to the 1:9 or 1:12.

Ideal ammo for this twist is a little longer than average, like SMK 77 or TMK 77. It can handle a decent range above this, like SMK 80 or even higher on the heavy end.

On the light end, many 1:7 do just fine with 55 grain ammo, so you will just have to test some to find out.

Just about anything from an .223 is going to do a number on a coyote. Sierra makes an excellent hunting bullet if you like to reload.

Sierra GameKing SBT 65 grain

It really depends on your goals and how far you expect to be able to shoot.

I wouldn't hesitate at all with a 20" WOA 1:7 bbl (using optics), to be able to shoot out up to 600 yards in calm conditions using Black Hills 77 OTM or hand loaded Sierra SBT 65 grain.

Black hills 60gr Vmax

55 or 60gr VMAX works great on coyotes and 1:7twist barrels

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What ever you can hit them with. Coyotes aren't particularly hard to bring down and aren't a thick, dense tissue, robust animal in most parts of the country.

Are you saving pelts?  If not, just about anything will work.  If so, a light weight V max will be great, as will the Federal 50gr tipped varmint.

I was going to say this.  Very accurate ammo and had a friend take down a small whitetail deer with it last season.  I am not saying it is the best or a good round for deer but that is what they used and they successfully harvested the doe.  I'm sure that it will wreck some coyotes as well.

Thanks for the feedback!

No, at this point my intention is just to do away with as many as possible.

AE223GTV

I have shot alolt of coyotes with the Hornady Super Performance 53 grain Vmax.  Chrono's a bit over 3400 fps from my various 20 inch barrels.  1-9, 1-8, 1-7.  I sight in at 200 yards and that puts me one inch high at 100.  (I actually do sight in at 200, not just one inch high at 100).  Been a reliable killer for me.

i came here to post this. 

Blue Box is a great inexpensive factory load. Shoots great in my 1:7 Noveske

How well does it shoot in the different rates of twist?

Have you thought about going heavy? 69gr or 77gr tmk maybe?

When I'm coyote hunting I'm also hunting any predator as well as jackrabbit.  I could potentially be shooting at coyote, bobcat, fox, badger, and mt. lion.

55gr vmax worked ok for me. On jackrabbit it would destroy a lot of meat.  On fox it would blow up pelts, on coyote it killed every one I shot so long as it was a good shot and never saw an exit. I didn't quite trust it either for the larger mt lion.  I did head shoot a coyote with one as it was trotting, quartering away, it somersaulted down (thinking it was dead as nuts) so I went after the 2nd coyote it was with.  I couldn't find the first coyote, about an hour later it showed up on my trail camera nearby with what looked like a nose shot that then splashed out.  I'm guessing it going down was more of a stunned dog.
The green arrow is entry hole, red arrow is exit splash.



typical damage on smaller animals


I tried a 77gr smk b/c it shot well from my AR, but I had two coyotes that were hit (spinning, biting and yipping), went down to the ground, then got back up and took off which I never recovered, never even found blood.  IMHO SMK sucks for consistent performance, especially on smaller animals.

I then switched to the Hornady steel cased 75gr tap. Super happy with it.  It's the same price as bulk FMJ and great performance on everything!.  Drops coyotes, but doesn't explode the smaller foxes like the 55gr did.  ALso doesn't destroy meat on a jackrabbit the way the 55gr did.  entry frontal shot on left half of neck, bullet went across body and came out right behind front right shoulder, racquetball sized hole.





This rabbit I just shot about 75 yards.  The shot entered opposite side, perfect shot behind shoulder.  Not a lot to the rabbit to start expansion since it hit no meat/bones, but bullet still expanded and made a quick kill with no meat loss.

This.  Coyotes have a thin hide, and a large heart/lung area to aim for.  My coyote rifle loves Black Hills 52g moly HP's, groups as tight as I can ever manage, so I know I'll hit what I aim at.  If I do my part, they drop dead right there.