Reply With QuoteThe consensus of opinion from the boys over at predator masters is that the 60 gr. VMAX is the way to go with the 223 and similar. They rarely exit, but aren't as likely to "splash" on the near side if heavy bone is hit.
From Steve Hanson’s A Varmint Hunter’s Odyssey…
Mike Johnson, an avid coyote hunter from Montana, has tried a lot of different cartridges and bullets on coyotes.
Johnson is a hide seller – not just a coyote culler for ranchers.
He values two things in his ammo.
One – the coyote dropping immediately. He is hunting in open ranch country in Montana. Common shooting distances are 300+ yards. Johnson has had to look for hours in subzero temperatures for a coyote that only traveled 75 yards in the sagebrush after being hit. He wants instant stops. He also shoots a lot of coyotes in groups – as many as six in a pack. He cannot swing onto another coyote if he is not sure the first one is down for keeps.
Two – minimum damage to the hide which he intends to sell. No exit hole. Entrance hole should be small.
Johnson shoots for the coyote shoulder finding it gives better stops than shots behind the shoulder – just like Elmer Keith shooting elk in the shoulder so he wouldn’t have to track wounded game.
Johnson has used the 17 Remington a lot and likes it.
Currently Johnson is using the fast exploding 22 caliber 40 grain bullets pushed at close to 4,000 fps from a 223 Remington or 222 Remington Magnum.
Has used heavier bullets but they create too much hide damage.
If a 40 grain bullet can be consistent on coyotes, it might do well on prairie dogs, groundhogs, and rock chucks.
The consensus of opinion from the boys over at predator masters is that the 60 gr. VMAX is the way to go with the 223 and similar. They rarely exit, but aren't as likely to "splash" on the near side if heavy bone is hit.
Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day- Harry Truman
My experience is the 40gr bullets blew up on the surface too many times creating a lost coyote. I prefer the 50gr noslers max speed and I never aim for bone unless its a direct frontal shot.
I dont shoot Hornaday bullets, they leave too much copper in my barrels.
I have only shot a couple dozen coyotes with 40 gr. bullets out of my 22-250. I use the 40 gr. Nosler BT and the muzzle velocity is right around 4,000 fps. The only "splash-type" wound I ever experienced was on a broadside coyote at about 150 yards. I aimed a bit too far forward and tiny bit high on the animal and hit the shoulder bone. The surface "splash-type" wound was about 50˘ size, but unlike the typical "splash" wound, the bullet did penetrate the body cavity and never exited. Fur damage has been minimal with these bullets except when I hit a coyote on the fringes of the body. Those wounds require extensive work with an upholstery needle and thread. However, in my experience, most any centerfire caliber and bullet that hits the edges of a coyote will make a fairly large wound cavity because it rips the skin violently.
Here's the off-side of the coyote I shot where the bullet made a "splash-type" wound on the shoulder bone. This was one extremely nice pale northern coyote.
[img width=524 height=450]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/Silverfox_ND/2001-2002%20Hunting%20Season/Coyote--11-6-2001013.jpg[/img]
The 40 gr. Nosler BTs are extremely good prairie dog medicine too, but the 50 gr. Nosler BT has a better BC for fighiting wind deflection if you do a lot of shooting in the wind and it has a bit more knock-down power too. Personally, I think I'd pick the 50 gr. projectile over the 40 gr. one even for prairie dogs. Here's an EXTREMELY GRAPHIC picture of a prairie dog shot with a 40 gr. Nosler BT at a distance of about 125 yards.
[img width=600 height=398]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/Silverfox_ND/PD%20Hunts/PD%20Hunt%20with%20Jeff%20on%208-1-2009/GuttedPDPicbyJeff--small.jpg[/img]
Here's another graphic photo of a PD that was shot with a 50 gr. Sierra BlitzKing out of my Tikka Master Sporter 22-250 at a distance of 250 yards.
Catch Ya L8R--Silverfox
Not a 22 cal......but a 20 cal 40 V max from an earlier 204 I built...497 yd yote pups...DOA......
S/shot Savage & heavy Pac Nor's rock !! 'JM' Marlin lever gun nut !
I think the key point to note on this topic is the distance. when the article states the shooter often has shots at or over 300yds, the bullet has slowed enough to still expand as it should inside, but not so fast as to explode on surface impact. I bet a 22-250 at 50yds with close to 4000 at the muzzle, will yield a much different result.
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