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Posted: 4/8/2008 7:50:37 PM EDT
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Hey all! What bullet would be a good bet for coyote killing out of an AR. Figure shots under 100m, good for both 1:7 and 1:9 twist, 14.5" -16" barrels. I've thought about using some Remington 55gr PHP varmint bullets, but I'm concerned that they may expand too violently and not penatrate deeply enough to ensure clean kills. I made a shot today at a paced 50 yards using Win 55gr fmj that seemed to just zip on through. The songdog tumbled like it was heartshot, but got up and ran away. I found a good blood spot, nice bright red blood, and a bit of bone fragment, but couldn't pick up any further blood trail. I'm hoping it piled up dead over the next ridge, but I really don't want a repeat performance like this. The shot was well within fragmentation range for the bullet, but obviously, it didn't seem to do its thing. Placement was good, the yote was standing quartering towards me, poa/poi was just inside the near shoulder, and the bone frag looked like offside rib. Help me, please! |
Any VMAX or Nosler BT of 50-60gr should be just fine. |
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they will be just fine but you will get some nice holes coming out the other side. With Dogs you dont need to worry about not penatrating enough. The sheer energery/shock of the buttet stoping/expanding will drop them fast! I have shot 52gr Speer HP's and 60 GR V max will great sucess. I have killed lots of dogs with standard PSP ect and they work but when you want to sell the pelts you really dont want that bullet passing though. FMJ's are out of the question they just Punch through them. I detest using FMJ's for anything. Mt Hunter |
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I'll probably give the Rem PLHP 55gr a try tomorrow, since I have some loaded up. (My prarie dog load). I don't care about pelt damage, I just want to drop what I shoot. I had reservations about using the 55 gr FMJ, but I figured I would still get fragmentation at this range, but I guess I was wrong. 
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Ding, ding! We have a reader!  Has anyone used the Win 46gr JHP .223 loads on yotes? |
Because the dog is not as dense as a human, nor as thick in general cross section. It is also NOT human, and will not react as one when shot. Likely the bullet may have begun to yaw, but didn't fragment because it simply didn't have enough tissue causing stress on the jacket. I would NOT have expected a FMJ to have done anything other than what it did. You need a Nosler 50 or 55gn BT bullet. The Noslers have a little tougher jacket than the Sierras or Hornady, which are more of a varmint bullet than a dog bullet, IMHO. I have used all three on p-dogs, coyotes, and eastern groundhogs, and I prefer the slightly tougher Noslers on the critters more likely to run off because I believe that I get deeper penetration before upset. Thinner skinned critters get thinner skinned bullets for more jumping meat red mist action.  Tom |
Damn! It's snowing pretty good right now. Visibility isn't too bad, but will the yotes hole up until it passes? |
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I have been using 60gr V-maxes in my handloads with good sucess on coyotes, rockchucks, jackrabbits etc. Black Hills used to load them, but I know availability for BH ammo has been spotty for some time. The 45gr JHP Winchester Value packs will work, but I think they are a little light for coyotes. They also *might* spin apart in a 1/7 twist... they seem okay in my 1/8. As far as snow... if you can hunt in it... the coyotes can too.  |
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Every one I ever shot with 55 gr fmj blew up. I gutshot 1 Iin knee deep wheat, all I could see were its ears sticking up) and it tore him in 1/2. Another turned away and I hit it square in the ass. It ran but I found it, it had no guts and there was nothing left to identify sex. I knocked rabbits out of their fur too. |
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