Coyote bullet dilemma

[D Lee]

Recommendations from first-hand experience only please. Thanks.

.243 Winchester – 1:8 twist – 22” bbl.

Strictly VARMINT bullets for LR COYOTE only – NO Deer

I’ve studied the Reloading Manuals and JBM Ballistics until my eyes bled on the pros and cons on each of these bullets. Lighter bullets = faster FPS / truly tempting trajectories. Slightly heavier bullets = less wind drift for LR / trajectories catch up and excel beyond 500 yards. I’m trying to figure out which is the overall best combination of bullet advantages. All 3 bullets are shooting tight, sub-moa groups at 100 / 200 / 300+.

I am aware of the 105 gr+ bullet advantages but have no experience with them - their terminal effectiveness, etc.

1 to 1.5 gr under book max loads using 4350, IMR & H.


75 gr V Max

87 gr V Max

85 gr Sierra BTHP


Your suggestions will be given serious consideration.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

 

[Robbo857]

I’ve had very good success with the 75g V-Max. Have not hand loaded, but used HSM factory ammo.


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[mrolen]

75 gr v max has been great for me in 243 for coyotes can be pretty ugly on them sometimes but if hides aren’t a concern no problem. I’m currently shooting the 80 gr nosler BT they shoot well and kill great but only reason I switched was I got a great deal on a bunch of 80gr. These are out of a 1:9.25” twist Remington barrel.
I’m pretty sure the 108 eldm will stabilize out of a 1:8 if I had that twist I would start and stop my search there and hunt anything I wanted with that rifle bullet combo.

 

[justin davis]

I like the 108 flavor 6 mm bullets Work for all sorts of things

 

[RJ Hunt]

I shoot many coyotes with a 22-250ai yearly and really like the 64 tipped game king at those velocities. They make a 90 grain in .243 that would be stellar and even be great on bigger game in case you in a state where bears/ lions could show up. Regardless I would use what bullet shoots best in your rifle. Accuracy is king. Best of luck
Rob m

 

[D Lee]

Gentlemen......thank you.

Shots will be in the 300 to 600 yard range. I was quietly hoping the 75 gr might win out but, once again, the 85/87 gr - just can't argue with so many good reports and references. Of the 3 bullets - by considerable margin - the 85 gr Sierra is the most accurate in this rifle - the 87 V Max a close second. Possibly the twist chiming in with a heavier bullet than the 75?

In my 30-06, I've had outstanding results with the 168 TMK. The little testing I can find - the 6mm 95gr TMK has shown real merit. May try that when funds allow.

For now, I'm very confidently staying with the Sierra.

Thank you again.

 

[tt_johnsclist]

I really have great results with the 85g sierra in my 6mm, using a recipe that was passed down to me by someone else who had the same great results. I use IMR4831 but have also had good results with 4350.

 

[Coyote Commander]

I’ve killed a few hundred now with the Hornady 108 eld-m’s.

Love that bullet!

 

[TxLite]

Have you considered the 80gr eld-vt?

I haven’t used them but they sound like they’d fit your intended use case pretty well.

 

[Duh]

If you were considering the 80 eldvt, I have a little experience this past season with it in a 6 CM. Confirmed coyote kills from 80 yards out to 790 yards. Got some pictures, videos, and impact velocity data.

I’m going to stick with the 80 eldvt for the time being. It’s going 3445fps out of a 24inch Seekins PH2. My 108 eldms beat it in the wind but not by much.

 

[MallardSX2]

Barnes Varmint Grenades.

 

[TaperPin]

Just about any combination anchors coyotes. There is nothing wrong with light weight specialized bullets, or multiple weights, so if you like something off the beaten path I’ll be the first to cheer you on. Personally, I’ve always liked using a bullet on the heavy end of what the gun will shoot well. Berger 105s shoot really well in a lot of rifles. Even in older slow twist barrels I never felt like 100 gr Ballistic tips or Partitions left over from antelope hunting were lacking as far out as a fur ball can be hit - 400 yards is a long poke for reliable first round hits, 500 is probably twice as hard to connect, and 600 is twice again as difficult. Again, hitting them is more important than what they are hit with. Out in the sage if someone can’t hit one that stopped at long range, the odds are nil that they will connect on follow-up running shots.

Coyotes, especially young ones, aren’t a big target, so I’d pick accuracy over bullet weight - just because a rifle has a fast twist doesn’t mean heavies are going to shoot the best.

There probably are a couple, but in 45 years of shooting coyotes I can’t remember one packing off any light or heavy 243 bullet very far, but we are hunting open sage and rolling hills with sage draws so it’s pretty easy to find them. I can understand how guys hunting creeks or fields next to thick cover could want a more violent bullet to anchor them quicker, but that’s somewhat out of my wheelhouse.

 

[Kscoggins]

If you want a good BC for LR, I’d at least see if the 80gr ELDVT will group in that rifle

 

[FredH]

My bullet favorite for coyotes is either the 55 gr. Ballistic Tip or the 58 gr, Vmax. Push em as fast as you can and still get good accuracy. I couldn't care less about hides. I call and shot on sight .

 

[wind gypsy]

80 ELD-VT seems like the best balanced compromise on paper.

If you were considering the 80 eldvt, I have a little experience this past season with it in a 6 CM. Confirmed coyote kills from 80 yards out to 790 yards. Got some pictures, videos, and impact velocity data.

I’m going to stick with the 80 eldvt for the time being. It’s going 3445fps out of a 24inch Seekins PH2. My 108 eldms beat it in the wind but not by much.

what powder?

 

[Duh]

In using 44 grains of 4350 with my current load.

 

[Gkhuc]

Go with the 87 V-Max, buddy – it's a beast for coyotes, and the extra weight helps with wind calls at LR.

 

[cornstalker]

I couldn’t get the 87 gr V-Max to shoot in a 6mm284 that I used to have. 85 Sierra HPBT shot great. Killed fox, coyote, antelope and mule deer with it. Great bullet. BC sucks, but it’s a hammer on critters. Never killed anything over 400 with it.

 

[coyotekilla]

Im in the 85 sierra hpgk crowd, of those choices. Allot of the 85gr + bullets are a little tough, but that better than splattering.

 

[B23]

My "go to" coyote gun for years was my 6-284 and pretty much all I've ever shot in it is 75gr Vmax. They do a real number on yotes leaving them DRT with big messy holes. If anyone is a pelt saver they are NOT fur at all and they'd be a bad choice for you.

My 6-284 was built using a 12tw barrel so obviously I'm a little more limited on bullet choice. I've heard really good things about the ELD-VT 22 cal bullet from a couple guys I know that are very serious coyote slayers in SD so I'm sure the 6mm version would do equally, if not better, job on them. I'd consider giving them a try in my 6-284 but I'm not sure my 12tw is fast enough to fully stabilize them and even if it would my rifle shoots those 75 Vmax so damn well I'm not sure I would really gain a whole lot.