.223, 22-250, .243 for Yotes

[Wickss]

Would like to hear some real world comments on what you see when coyotes are hit with these rounds. I live in central ks, have hunted yotes here for years, and got my start in eastern colorado back in the early 2000s. I would say the yotes we have here and the ones I shot in Colorado are good size, males average in the 30 lb range.

I see very few bang flops with the .223, and the number i've seen shot with this round over the years is in the multiple dozens. Lots of runners even when hit in the boiler room, most always shooting 55 gr V-Max

I switched to a .243 over the past 3 seasons and the difference has been incredible, mostly bang flop. haven't killed as many, in the couple dozen range or so. Average shot is 150 yrds, very rarely anything past 300.

 

[flyfisher117]

I use all 3 and all 3 produce bang flops when I do my part. The .243 and 250 do a little better when I don't. Assuming it's because of the damage the high speed varmint bullets do. All have created runners too though.

 

[justinspicher]

I have shot a few with 556, specifically the Hornady Frontier 75gr HPBT. No issues with them running off, they have all died where I shot them. Ranges were between 75-150yds.

 

[180ls1]

For the smarties, how much of the bang flop increase are we attributing to speed and how much to frontal area?

 

[TxLite]

223 and 55gr vmax has provided me with bang flops around 100 yards. Haven't tried further

 

[Hnthrdr]

Zipped a few with FMJs lots of running off, spire point 55 still some running off. Went to 75 hpbt’s and seems to anchor them.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I wish I had a total on the number of coyotes I've killed...

From 17 Mach 2, 17 HMR, 17 WSM, 22 long, 22 short, 22 magnum, .204, .22-250, .223, 2.43, and most of the wild cats in between I can tell you that if you shoot them in the vitals or in the head, they die.

"Bang Flops" are not "caliber" or "chambering" dependent at all. Where the dog is shot, the construction of the bullet, velocity at impact, and that particular dogs temperament all greatly factor in to whether it's DRT or DOT (dead right there, dead over there).

 

[Wickss]

I hear all the time from my buddies that if it’s not caught on video then it didn’t happen L O L. This is not a big sample size but my night gun is a .223 AR and my day guns are 22–250 and .243. These two shot at night were right behind the shoulder in the boiler room with .55 grain V/Max. The daytime runner was a 22–250 with 50 grain V- Max.

The daytime runner was hit a little back in the rib cage. All three coyotes were big males between 30–35 pounds.

I hear all the time that caliber really doesn’t matter as long as the bullet hits the boiler room, my real world experience is the upgraded speed of the 22–250 and .243 coyotes definitely feel the difference.

Ps - after I typed all this out I realized you cannot upload videos, only pictures, damn, you will have to take my word for it

Posted a few pics so you don’t all think I’m complete full of **it

 

[TheM1DoesMyTalking]

Ps - after I typed all this out I realized you cannot upload videos, only pictures, damn, you will have to take my word for it

Posted a few pics so you don’t all think I’m complete full of **it

Nice pictures! If you upload your videos to YouTube then you can paste the links into your post and they will embed just like photos.

 

[BigNate]

I've gotten literally dozens of bang flop kills with the .223, 22-250, 243, 257, and 25-06. Bullet choice mentioned (v-max) should be just fine, though I haven't used them. I have used Speer 52gr hp, 50 & 55gr. Ballistic tips mostly out of the 22 & 24 calibers, and Hornady 75gr hp out of the quarterbores,, with some ballistic tips.

If the coyote doesn't drop, you didn't hit it very well.

 

[farmermail]

40 grn NBT from a .223 or .221 Fireball seem to anchor dogs for me. Sure, a few runners, but more bang flops than not. Doubles as a fun prarie dog round as well.

 

[Wickss]

Thanks for the info M1 - here is a youtube link......

 

[Wickss]

And another I mentioned in the above thread

 

[BigNate]

I've never had a well hit dog run that far before falling out. Had a few spin donuts.
The worst one was Barnes varmint grenades out of a 243. My son hit it three times.

 

[Stalk’nAwe]

Do you reload or shoot factory rounds?

 

[Wickss]

I started reloading a couple years ago. I reload for my .243 & 22.250, all .223 is factory hornady .55 gr V-max

.243 I've reloaded .58, .65, .75 gr V-Max, .90 gr ELD-X & the .80 gr CX.

Rifle shoots the .65 gr V-Max the best, also shoots the ELD-X & CX pretty good.

22-250 I reload .55 gr V-Max for yotes and .55 gr hornady SP my daughter uses for deer.

 

[Skerhunter]

Would like to hear some real world comments on what you see when coyotes are hit with these rounds. I live in central ks, have hunted yotes here for years, and got my start in eastern colorado back in the early 2000s. I would say the yotes we have here and the ones I shot in Colorado are good size, males average in the 30 lb range.

I see very few bang flops with the .223, and the number i've seen shot with this round over the years is in the multiple dozens. Lots of runners even when hit in the boiler room, most always shooting 55 gr V-Max

I switched to a .243 over the past 3 seasons and the difference has been incredible, mostly bang flop. haven't killed as many, in the couple dozen range or so. Average shot is 150 yrds, very rarely anything past 300.

250/243 have an obvious advantage over 223. Vmax and 223 can produce a lot of runners with poor shots or what appears to be a good shot, but maybe only got one lung. The other two can still produce runners, but still have a clear advantage.

.223 runners usually hump up and take off running right away. 250’s always seem to get nocked down/held up, where a follow up is easier to make.

I have no issue using my 223 for shots inside 100 for daytime calling, but I take the 22-250 at night where shots are typically much further.

 

[swede8200]

I've been shooting .223 with 45gr HP bullets for several years and have yet to lose a coyote or bobcat. They never ruin a pelt and don't exit. WHEN they run it isn't very far. I tried a .243 and absolutely destroyed a coyote so I went back to the .223. Coyote pelts still aren't worth anything on the market but bobcats bring a little so I don't want to be over gunned when I call them in.

 

[mcseal2]

I ranch in KS and between working and calling I shoot 25-50 coyotes a year. I have used the 55gr V max out of the 223 for a lot of that, especially during ammo shortages when I didn't want to burn up ammo I couldn't replace as easily. I had plenty of bang-flops with it but found that it wasn't always the best if I hit bone or needed a little more penetration. I also found out that I was only getting 2956fps out of the reman ammo I was using from the 20" barrel of my rifle. My 16" rifle only produced 2750fps with the same ammo. Excellent accuracy, but not enough speed for the same reaction that say the 53gr Superformance Hornady ammo produced from another rifle. The rifles mentioned above just don't like the 53 grain Superformance ammo.

I highly recommend running 223 ammo, especially budget friendly 223 ammo, over a chronograph. My opinion on the 223 and the 55gr V max may be different if I'd only used ammo truly running 3250fps like some factory loads advertise, or close to it. I'd bet those numbers come from a 24" test barrel.

The best results I've seen from the 223 have been from the 53gr Superformance ammo, the Black Hills 60gr V max ammo (runs about 3050fps also from my 20" barrel) and the discontinued Hornady 73gr Superformance ELD-M (2850fps from my 20"). That ELD-M is my coyote contest load from my AR, it isn't always fur friendly, but it exits and they leave a big blood trail if they move after the shot. When I run out of it I'll probably switch to the Black Hills 60gr V max, that rifle is picky but it likes that ammo too.

My experience is that the 22-250 and 243 offer a lot more leeway on marginal shots. I personally think it's speed that does it more than anything else. I've had good results on bang-flops from the 204 Ruger with the Hornady 45gr softpoint ammo too at 3625fps. Not as good as 22-250 or 243, but better than the 223 ammo I've used.

I'll add to finish that they all work with good shot placement at normal ranges. Calling I get a lot of that type of shot. Working I'm often shooting at a moving coyote or getting a rushed shot at one that pauses for just an instant to look back. I'm getting more shots at coyotes quartering away or otherwise at a non-ideal angle. This is where a 243 with a 75-85gr bullet really excels. I'm not looking for perfect hides as much as I am controlling populations where we calve. Coyotes are an amazing animal and have a great will to live, overkill is ok with me in the feed truck or UTV.