53gr. V-Max Good for Coyotes?

[benchracer]

I have hit a coyote at the base of the tail and blew apart about 10" of vertebrae and that was with a 95gr SST out of a 243 Win at about 130 yards. So the chances of a 53 or 55gr 224 doing better are low.

I guess I am just surprised with the enthusiasm for a ballistically poor 223 caliber bullet for coyotes on a long range forum. I think it is very common for people who start hunting coyotes to get an AR-15 and load it up with 55gr Vmax bullets since it is "cool" and badass and there are so many liberals making the "assault weapon" claims. Of course after a little while the hunter determines that it is not at all easy to connect with coyotes that are beyond 200 yards (unless you live somewhere with a perpetual calm). Then if you do connect with them, there is a high probability that they will run off and not be found. I certainly went through this myself and went up the ladder of higher and higher BC .224 bullets to the 75gr HPBT which was MUCH better than the 55gr Vmax both in terms of wind drift and actual killing power downrange. But the further factor, time of flight raises its ugly head when you cannot get the coyote to stop moving and in that case, launching 95gr Berger bullets out a 243 at 3200fps improves on that metric and of course all the other metrics (wind drift, retained energy, time of flight).

If someone just happens to always have is AR-15 with him at all times, then I guess you just make the best of what you have. But if someone wants to get into it starting fresh, I would advise going with the 243, or one of the 6.5's right off the bat. You can save yourself a lot of time, money and frustration. And kill more coyotes....

In terms of terminal performance, there is no question that you are correct.

Ballistically, you are all wet. The subject of the discussion is a 53 VMAX from a 22-250, not an AR in .223. The 53 VMAX @ 3950 from a 22-250 runs step for step with your 87 VMAX from a .243, in terms of wind drift, while shooting considerably flatter.

 

[westcliffe01]

I never mentioned the 87gr Vmax, but I did mention the 95gr Berger.

I made a comparison between a 55gr Vmax at 3950 fps and the 95gr 243 at 3200fps and in terms of drop you are correct. At 600 yards the 55gr has 9.0 min of drop vs 9.9 min for the Berger. But wind drift is not a match at all. For a 10mph direct cross wind, the 55gr needs 6.8 min of correction at 600 yards vs 3.8 min for the 95gr Berger. That's a difference of 18" in the aiming point and your wind call better be really good.

Another 150 yards further though and the drop on the 55 will exceed the 95gr and wind correction increases even more. I figure we will all agree that 750 yard shots on coyotes is getting to be a very long ways off... Also totally agree that a 22-250 is far more capable that a 223, but hard to get in a "cool" AR format... I'm just ragging on the tacticool crowd...

If you were to be shooting the 80gr Berger VLD in the 22-250 @ 3050 fps, then long range ballistics look quite a bit better. 4.4min of wind correction at 600 yards, 11.5 min of drop.

In terms of terminal performance, there is no question that you are correct.

Ballistically, you are all wet. The subject of the discussion is a 53 VMAX from a 22-250, not an AR in .223. The 53 VMAX @ 3950 from a 22-250 runs step for step with your 87 VMAX from a .243, in terms of wind drift, while shooting considerably flatter.

 

[benchracer]

I never mentioned the 87gr Vmax, but I did mention the 95gr Berger.

I made a comparison between a 55gr Vmax at 3950 fps and the 95gr 243 at 3200fps and in terms of drop you are correct. At 600 yards the 55gr has 9.0 min of drop vs 9.9 min for the Berger. But wind drift is not a match at all. For a 10mph direct cross wind, the 55gr needs 6.8 min of correction at 600 yards vs 3.8 min for the 95gr Berger. That's a difference of 18" in the aiming point and your wind call better be really good.

Another 150 yards further though and the drop on the 55 will exceed the 95gr and wind correction increases even more. I figure we will all agree that 750 yard shots on coyotes is getting to be a very long ways off... Also totally agree that a 22-250 is far more capable that a 223, but hard to get in a "cool" AR format... I'm just ragging on the tacticool crowd...

Yep, I got confused between your remarks and someone else's regarding the .243 bullet. However, you keep referencing the 55 VMAX, when the 53 VMAX significantly outperforms it. The crossover point in drop between the 53 VMAX @ 3950 and Berger 95 VLD @ 3200 takes place at 900 yards, which is, as you noted, getting to be a far poke for either cartridge.

At 500 yards, the 53 VMAX is within 1.5 MOA in wind drift, 2 MOA at 600, and 2.6 MOA at 700 vs the 95 VLD, so the difference is about half of what you have stated, while making a comparison to a bullet that is similar in weight, but inferior, to the 53 VMAX.

While the .243 is still clearly superior to the 22-250, the 53 VMAX shrinks that margin considerably. Moreover, the question posed in the thread is not directed at the optimum chambering for a coyote rifle. Rather, the OP wants to know if a 53 VMAX is appropriate 'yote medicine beyond 400 yards.

Ballistically, the answer is an unequivocal yes. The real question at hand is, will the 53 VMAX deliver adequate terminal performance at extended range? Based on the real world observations mentioned in this discussion, I would say that the answer to that question is also yes, but a qualified yes. I would expect attention to shot angle to be of greater importance with a 22-250 and 53's than with a .243 and 95's.

 

[benchracer]

If you were to be shooting the 80gr Berger VLD in the 22-250 @ 3050 fps, then long range ballistics look quite a bit better. 4.4min of wind correction at 600 yards, 11.5 min of drop.

Now we are in custom barrel territory, which significantly alters the equation. Based on my own load work with 69 SMK's in the 22-250, I estimate that it is possible to push a 75 AMAX, for example, to between 3400 and 3500 accurately from a 22-250 with a 26" barrel. Doing that radically transforms the 22-250's capabilities.

However, if one is going to the trouble of re-barreling in order to increase performance, it would seem to make more sense to opt for something in a 6mm at that point, with the necessary twist to stabilize the more streamlined 105+ grain 6mm bullets.

When a fella is just trying to figure out how to get the most from the 22-250 he has, the 53 VMAX is about as good as it gets until it is time for a new barrel and is perfectly adequate for 'yotes well beyond 400 yards.

 

[Browning300]

The main differences between the 53 VMAX and other bullets in its weight class are its flight characteristics and its shorter bearing surface, which can permit higher muzzle velocities. Like the 55's, it is still a varmint bullet and will exhibit similar terminal performance.

Thanks benchracer that exactly answers my question of 55 vs 53.

 

[Browning300]

I am thinking attention to shot placement is going to make or break this setup ,at the longer ranges fer sure which means I'm gonna have to practice practice practicegun)

 

[sscoyote]

I used the 53 out of my 223 AI AR last season and did well enough with it, but i've moved on to bigger and better in the 69 Sierra TMK.

 

[Hornhunter32]

I used the 53 out of my 223 AI AR last season and did well enough with it, but i've moved on to bigger and better in the 69 Sierra TMK.

Do you have any feeding issues with your 223 AI? What are you getting for muzzle velocity with the 69 TMK and is it pelt friendly?

 

[sscoyote]

My 26" 9T Hart nets me 3075 mv, and no, so far just small exits, though I don't worry about that much anymore--I just sew them up and don't think about that much anymore. No problems feeding as long as I keep the chamber, bolt carrier group clean and lubed. I'm also using the old DPMS VLD magazine/bolt stop to get 2.460" OAL.

 

[Hornhunter32]

My 26" 9T Hart nets me 3075 mv, and no, so far just small exits, though I don't worry about that much anymore--I just sew them up and don't think about that much anymore. No problems feeding as long as I keep the chamber, bolt carrier group clean and lubed. I'm also using the old DPMS VLD magazine/bolt stop to get 2.460" OAL.

Good to know. I'm thinking of buying another AR, but in 223. I think the 69 SMK or the TMK would be a great all around yote pill. I slapped one tonight at 535 yards with a 107 SMK and it performed perfectly.

 

[sscoyote]

Pretty good HH, that's definitely gettin' out there some! If i were going to do it again though i think i'd go for one of Robert Whitley's creations at 6mmar.com, to get them moving a bit quicker.