Best AR15 Coyote cartridge?

[PddPdd]

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?

I didn't read through all the responses but a key piece of information is, do you want to use the hides or just kill the coyote?

 

[snox801]

What powder are you using?
Im shooting the 97 Absolute but only getting about 2800fps with a 20in bbl, A2520.

Rl10x

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I didn't read through all the responses but a key piece of information is, do you want to use the hides or just kill the coyote?

Kill coyotes. Fur friendly is not a consideration

 

[Dentite]

Kill coyotes. Fur friendly is not a consideration

Then in my opinion the larger case cartridges are the most ideal. 6.5 Grendel, 6mm ARC, 22 ARC. More energy than the .223 Rem/5.56 case.

 

[ewnanney]

25 DTI, basically 6.8 spc II necked down to 25cal. Pushes 90gr gamekings close to 3000fps/sub 1/2moa. Fireforming loads shoot nearly as good as formed brass. No broken bolts!

 

[DUCKMAN11]

Then in my opinion the larger case cartridges are the most ideal. 6.5 Grendel, 6mm ARC, 22 ARC. More energy than the .223 Rem/5.56 case.

Grendel bolts make me nervous

 

[TxPhred]

https://bcprecisionballistics.com/, I was looking at this 6mm Max as an option. Good luck.

 

[Dentite]

Grendel bolts make me nervous

Mine had been good but valid point. Now you're making me think I should pick up a spare bolt.

 

[TRG65]

I went with 6ARC. I don't have as much time as I'd like and I used a 108 ELD-M because that is what I had loaded last season. The fur damage was impressive. I started load work up for the Barnes 105 and also the 95LRX. I focused on Target, 540, and 4895 for powders. With the 105s, the velocity node is about 2550 and for the 95 it is about 2750.

I think if I was picking from scratch, I'd go with the 6mm Mongoose. Start with 223 brass and reform. The cartridge can still run 105s as long as you use metal mags, and the velocity is about 2500.

 

[DUCKMAN11]

I went with 6ARC. I don't have as much time as I'd like and I used a 108 ELD-M because that is what I had loaded last season. The fur damage was impressive. I started load work up for the Barnes 105 and also the 95LRX. I focused on Target, 540, and 4895 for powders. With the 105s, the velocity node is about 2550 and for the 95 it is about 2750.

I think if I was picking from scratch, I'd go with the 6mm Mongoose. Start with 223 brass and reform. The cartridge can still run 105s as long as you use metal mags, and the velocity is about 2500.

The main reason that steers me away from the Grendel/ARC case is the low pressure ceiling. 5.56 runs at 62k and the ARC's run at 52-55k. There ain't enough meat on that bolt to turn the volume up.

I'd also likely run a 65gr vmax in an ARC. Sub 250yds and that extra BC is kinda wasted.

 

[DSheetz]

Mathewsboy, I run 21.5 grains of H335, giving me around 2900 F.P.S. M.V., C.O.L. is right at 2.200 the thing is the slower twist rate of 1:12 for the lighter bullet weight. Most of the newer barrels have a faster twist rate for heaver bullets. Stoner built the M-16 for a specific bullet weight of 55 grains and at first, he used a 1:14 twist rate in a 20-inch barrel, it was later slowed to a 1:12 twist rate. Recently the need for more knock-down power was realized, for military use, so bullet weight was increased but in order to stabilize the heaver weight bullets the twist rate was increased causing the lighter weight 55 grain bullets not to stabilize as well. They also tend to like 2900 F.P.S. M.V. out of my rifle they nearly always expend all of their energy in the coyote and on fox they sometimes have some copper fragments exit the far side. Yes, old school but it does what I want it to, so I am happy with it for now. Just what I have found to work for me, but it may not work the same for others.

 

[Dentite]

Hornady 55 v-max bullets stabilize well and shoot accurately out of my 1:7 twist Colt 6920. Haven't tried anything lighter.

 

[Ken61]

223, don't over think it

 

[lyle2231]

White Oak Armament / John Hollinger took a 6.8 case necked down to 6mm. 6mmWOA . I shoot one and it is a good cartridge. Just run the 6.8 brass thru the sizing die, he sells them, prime, powder, seat bullet. 70-80 grain bullets work well.
HTH.