Best AR15 Coyote cartridge?

Hopefully this gets some traffic....

My thermal rig is a 25-06 flinging 80gr ttsx at 3650fps. It is hold on hair out to 300yds and does a fantastic job at killing things the bullet comes in contact with.

But its long and heavy and follow up shots are not as easy as just squeezing the trigger again. It's unsupressed and considerably louder than my hunting partners 16" 223rem. I don't mind the noise but I'd assume other coyotes would.

So my question is...
What are yall using as far as cartridge, bullet and barrel length in the AR15 platform for coyotes? Specs and velocity numbers are much appreciated!!!

I'm a big believer in "speed kills" especially in the sub 300yd range. Factory ammo is a plus but not a requirement as long as good brass is available. I don't want anything thats so "boutique" that I need to run a brass catcher.

I've been looking at....
204rug
20practical
223rem with a 9-10tw
224 valkyrie
22 nosler
22ARC
6ARC
25x45 Sharp's

What have yall tried and didn't like?
What is currently working for yall?

Are you considering being suppressed and is reducing sounds signature important to you?

Around here the 6 ARC seems to be the go to. I still use a 6.5 Grendel with 120 ELM's . I'm only at 2500 FPS, but it just plain flattens them.

dfanonymous said:

Are you considering being suppressed and is reducing sounds signature important to you?

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Suppressing is a consideration. However I want to keep OAL as short and compact as possible without giving up too much performance.

Should reducing sound signature be important? I would assume in the grand scheme of things that reducing sound signature is a net positive. However the coyotes I've killed didn't say anything about sound signature being their downfall

I'd just do a 556/223 - keep it simple. No worrying about a brass catcher, super cheap to shoot, etc.

I've used my AR-15 in 6 ARC quite a bit for thermal hunting and it's been a good experience for the most part. However, last night, I kept having failure to feed (likely need to clean again). As a result, the thermal is going back on my 22 Creed bolt action. It's a little slower for follow up shots, but I've had no issues whatsoever. Nothing more frustrating than trying to clear a jammed AR in the dark!

The 6.5 Grendel with a 100gr pill or as I shoot the 97gr absolute hammer at 3k out of an 18" barrel

DUCKMAN11 said:

Suppressing is a consideration. However I want to keep OAL as short and compact as possible without giving up too much performance.

Should reducing sound signature be important? I would assume in the grand scheme of things that reducing sound signature is a net positive. However the coyotes I've killed didn't say anything about sound signature being their downfall

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Well I was asking because IF you had priorities to reduce sound signature, logically (to me anyways) it was going to just shake up your whole list.
If it's not a priority, then I digress.

My logic is because supersonic fast moving varmint cartridges will still give off a super sonic crack, had you said that you prioritizes sound signature reduction, you'd probably want a subsonic round.

To expand, the theory is because lighter rounds don't hit as hard as at subsonic, I'd say no less than a 6 arc and maybe consider a blackout or larger in that specific case.

I agree with the .223/5.56... unless you have some really educated Yotes in your AO perhaps something with way better reach from an AR15 might be better, in that case, I'd look hard at the 6mm Max, I know it's not on your pick be I think you might look into it. Just my 0.2 Cheers

There is a lot of merit to using the .223/5.56 . I realize there are newer and more glamorous offerings out there,but with the .223 ,like others mentioned brass is cheap,lots of factory offerings that would work. Great bullet selection, just let the brass fly into the snow and forget it. Really makes sense.

I've had great luck with my ar 223 rock river arms 20" predator pursuit upper. If I'm calling or shooting under 300 yards this is my go to. This is the only rifle I shoot factory ammo in. Hornady 53 grain superformance ammo is 3300fps in this setup with great results on coyotes.

dfanonymous said:

Well I was asking because IF you had priorities to reduce sound signature, logically (to me anyways) it was going to just shake up your whole list.
If it's not a priority, then I digress.

My logic is because supersonic fast moving varmint cartridges will still give off a super sonic crack, had you said that you prioritizes sound signature reduction, you'd probably want a subsonic round.

To expand, the theory is because lighter rounds don't hit as hard as at subsonic, I'd say no less than a 6 arc and maybe consider a blackout or larger in that specific case.

Click to expand...

My hunting partner is going to be running a 300blk suppressed but won't be running subs. I personally think it is going to be anemic at best but we are going to see what a 110vmax will do at 2400fps. He's trying it because he has the gun. There is no way I'd build a 300blk AR15. I have a single shot 300blk that is movie quiet but it might as well be archery equipment.

436 said:

I agree with the .223/5.56... unless you have some really educated Yotes in your AO perhaps something with way better reach from an AR15 might be better, in that case, I'd look hard at the 6mm Max, I know it's not on your pick be I think you might look into it. Just my 0.2 Cheers

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I forgot about the 6max. 350legend brass is readily available. The 6mm's do seem to kill better than most 22cals. If we are comparing grain for grain and velocities are similar.

I've got a 6x45 in an AR platform shooting a Nosler 70gn BT around 2950 fps.

Not worth the trouble if you don't reload

mkk said:

I've got a 6x45 in an AR platform shooting a Nosler 70gn BT around 2950 fps.

Not worth the trouble if you don't reload

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I reload but in an AR I'd avoid anything that involves fire forming aka blowing shoulders out. If it's a straight neck up or down from 223rem brass it gets moved to the front of the line.