53gr. V-Max Good for Coyotes?

[Browning300]

How will the 53gr v-max work on coyotes especially at 400+yd. Out of 22-250.
They have a high claimed BC, they're cheap and they shoot good out of my gun but, will they kill?

 

[budlight]

How will the 53gr v-max work on coyotes especially at 400+yd. Out of 22-250.
They have a high claimed BC, they're cheap and they shoot good out of my gun but, will they kill?

Have you put all the info into a ballistic calculator? I just put in some figures like .238 bc and 3900 fps just defaults on ADA Your bullet is still going 2246 and 594 foot pounds at 400 yards.


Now that is more than enough to put down a dog, but the real test is can you actually do it? Make a target out of cardboard 8 inches by 20 inches to kind of simulate a dogs kill zone. Now laser place it out there at 400 yards.

Shoot 20 shots at it and then take a picture and post it on here as to how well you did. Talk is talk

Before I go hunting i print out Ball charts for expected conditions with all the wind speeds. So I have the drop and wind drift. I dope the scope and the probability of hits every time is there if I do my job

 

[dstark]

Only 1 way to find out!

I'd feel pretty confident in the terminal ballistics of the 53gr vmax out that far but I've never tried it. Let us know how it works for you.

 

[westcliffe01]

Doing the calculation based on Hornady Varmint 55gr Vmax (3800fps) given MI winter conditions (1000ft elevation, 25F temp with 100yd zero and 10mph cross wind) I get the following:

100yds: 3326fps, 1" wind drift
200 yds: 2900fps 1.4" drop, 4.1" wind drift
300yds: 2513fps 7" drop, 9.7" wind drift
400yds: 2157fps, 18.1" drop, 18.5" wind drift
500yds: 1832fps, 36.8" drop, 31.2" wind drift

By comparison, using my 243 Win and 95gr Bergers (3200fps)
100yds: 2995fps, 0.6" wind drift
200yds: 2799fps, 2" drop, 2.1" wind drift
300yds: 2608fps, 8.5" drop, 5.3" wind drift
400yds: 2424fps, 20.1" drop, 9.8" wind drift
500yds: 2248fps, 37.6" drop, 16" wind drift

Thus for bullet drop, not much between the 2 cartridges, even though the 22-250 starts out 600fps faster. But for wind it is an altogether different story, the 22-250 has basically double the wind drift of the 243 and a 223 would probably be double again. Wind is the hardest element to correct for and will be the most common reason for missed shots (assuming one uses your rangefinder correctly)

In addition, the 95gr Berger has more than 3x the energy at 500 yards compared to the 55gr Vmax, but both are more than enough to kill a coyote. Shoot the 55gr Vmax from a 223 and you better make a critical hit or the coyote will be running away. Of course it is much harder to make a good hit with a 223 than with a 22-250 or a 243 Win.

I made my choice in the 243 and will be sticking to it. 1:8 twist, 26" barrel and an ackley chamber.

 

[Browning300]

Got a nice Fox last night at 307yd. with the 22-250 53gr v-max No visible entry but I could feel a mushy spot bout 1" diameter through the fist rib behind th front shoulder. exited through th last rib and left bout 1.5" exit hole. I didn't open him up yet but sounded and felt like insides were all soup needless to say it was bang flop. I was a little disappointed I was hoping they would not exit.

 

[westcliffe01]

In MI we are limited to shotgun with bird shot or rimfire only at night. Very different capability compared to pretty much any centerfire rifle.

 

[frequent misser]

How will the 53gr v-max work on coyotes especially at 400+yd. Out of 22-250.
They have a high claimed BC, they're cheap and they shoot good out of my gun but, will they kill?

I have run them at 3780 out of my 22-250 to 426 yds. Bang flop. Also shot several out to 350 yds with my 223 at 3100. I have yet to have a yote take a step. Many have not exited, some have. Inside of 100 yds with the 22-250 I have had a few tennis ball sized exits. I've probably killed around 15 yotes with them so far and I don't plan on changing bullets anytime soon.

 

[Browning300]

"I have yet to have a yote take a step. Many have not exited, some have. Inside of 100 yds with the 22-250 I have had a few tennis ball sized exits. I've probably killed around 15 yotes with them so far and I don't plan on changing bullets anytime soon.[/QUOTE]

Frequent misser. that's what I was hoping to hear. Sounds like they'll kill if I do my part.

 

[COBrad]

I've killed a bunch of coyotes with a 22-250 shooting 52 gr Amax's, between 4 and 500 yards. Most of them dropped right there. Watch the wind.

 

[Catahoula]

I have killed out to 600 with the 52 A-Max.
Thanks, Kirk

 

[Hornhunter32]

I've killed a bunch of coyotes with a 22-250 shooting 52 gr Amax's, between 4 and 500 yards. Most of them dropped right there. Watch the wind.

Will a 14 twist stabilize the 52 gr Amax?

 

[benchracer]

Will a 14 twist stabilize the 52 gr Amax?

Yes. The 52 AMAX and 50 VMAX are externally almost identical. Both work very well in a 14 twist. By comparison, the 53 VMAX is much longer, with a much more aggressive ogive, which is why it needs a 12 twist.

 

[just country]

morning 53gr barnes, bug killer.gun)

 

[B23]

My little 223Ack Imp can't shoot them nearly as fast as ya'll can out of your 22-250's but the 53 Vmax is all I shoot in it and they have been VERY accurate and deadly on coyotes. Furthest I've taken one with it is almost 400 yards and it was a bag flop. The 53Vmax has been an excellent coyote bullet for me but I would not call it fur friendly as it typically leaves rather large messy holes. I'm about 50/50 on exit holes.