Coyote Caliber?

[DSheetz]

I have had the 55 gr. Sierra HPBT's not open at close range 50 yards and under but I've also had them explode at the same ranges . I think it was in the shot placement hitting bone or just hitting soft tissues . In the dark of night over a bait pile I would most often be using my 12 ga. with #4 buck . If all my coyote shooting were under these conditions I would most likely run a red dot or a thermal with little to no magnification . If I were on a budget and raising my family again I would use what ever I had on hand and do my best to get good shot placement at these close range shots I would try for the front shoulder midway up on broad side ,quartering shots . On facing head on I would try for center of the chest side to side and up down . On back end shots I think I would wait for it to turn so that I could put the bullet in at an angle going into the lung heart area . But then that's me .

 

[tucker87]

Gentlemen,

With woodchucks coming out, I plan to use them as coyote bait. I'll be shooting at 50 yards, at night with a red light. My rifle choices are:

AR-223, 18" Wydle SS sporter barrel, shooting a 52g Berger FB Varmint.
CZ 527 in 223, 22" regular barrel, shooting a 52g Berger FB Varmint.
Remington 700 in 243AI, 26" semi-heavy barrel, shooting a 80g Berger FB Varmint. (Soon to be a 62g Barnes V. Grenade.)
CZ 527 in 6.5 Grendel, 26" Varmint barrel, shooting a 90g Speer TNT/95g Vmax.

My first choice is the AR...my question: does the 223 have enough killing power for coyotes?

Yes

 

[westcliffe01]

2'+ @ 250yds? You shooting in 40mph winds?

Based on the berger 55gr FB target bullet at 250 yards with 20mph of wind the wind drift is 21.46" at 250 yards. And 20mph of wind or more is very common during winter in SE Michigan and I am sure a lot of other places.
With a 243 and 95gr Berger that is reduced to 7.8" of drift under the same conditions.

 

[PBR driver]

.17 Remington is Big Medicine on Coyotes!
Shoot a 25gr. Nagel T0000 and Varget sparked by a Remington 7 1/2 Primer, it makes for a great coyote rifle up close or out long ranger range!

 

[DSheetz]

PBR driver , what are the bullet weights that are available for the 17 Remington now ? In the 70's and early 80's we only had a 25 grain hollow point flat base bullet both loaded and unloaded . I see that you like a 25 gr. and Varget powder back when I tried the 17 Rem . I used IMR 4320 and the factory loads ran at 4200 F. P. S. M .V. .

 

[Northkill]

These are an awesome option for the .17

.172 Archives - Hammer Bullets

hammerbullets.com

 

[Ohlongarm]

A

Gentlemen,

With woodchucks coming out, I plan to use them as coyote bait. I'll be shooting at 50 yards, at night with a red light. My rifle choices are:

AR-223, 18" Wydle SS sporter barrel, shooting a 52g Berger FB Varmint.
CZ 527 in 223, 22" regular barrel, shooting a 52g Berger FB Varmint.
Remington 700 in 243AI, 26" semi-heavy barrel, shooting a 80g Berger FB Varmint. (Soon to be a 62g Barnes V. Grenade.)
CZ 527 in 6.5 Grendel, 26" Varmint barrel, shooting a 90g Speer TNT/95g Vmax.

My first choice is the AR...my question: does the 223 have enough killing power for coyotes?

At 50 yards over bait you'll be fine for sure, I've done lots of bait shooting with a coyote light at 50 to 75 yards, and most with the Tikka 22 loaded with CCI Velocitors, a boiler room or head shot will enable all to be recovered within 50 yards max. head shots DRT, boiler room might go 50. Matter of fact I've shot more coyotes with a coyote light then night vision, just start at feet and go slow, before intensifying your beam, coyote light are great for sure.