Fur Loads

[HARPERC]

Bug holes are good. Minute of Coyote is sufficient.

Yes it is. My malfunction was forgetting some of the basic exterior ballistic issue involved. Going back to school (looking at the tables), and remembering that wind drift has just doubled from what you've been using. Looking at a 4" group at 200 yards, on an archery bear target (my partners got a spring tag), it's easy to see a hole big enough for a coyote to walk through. Especially a small yote, head on. Looking it up there's 3"s of drift with that bullet, but going heavier only gains me 0.5" at best. Meaning holding into the wind a bit in those conditions isn't going away. Plugging in the same conditions, the 6mm I carried with you is only 1". Going back to school I need to build a new cheat sheet.
Thanks again,
Carl

 

[HARPERC]

Hello Tim,
Had a good day for sorting out some load issues, meaning no wind. I tried the 60 grain V-Max you recommended-0.5 inch groups. Still using factory ammo until I get a stockpile of brass. Everything shoots well in this rifle except the 53 grain V-Max, has the quirk of throwing about 1 out of 4. Uncertain if occurs in a particular sequence , and now I'm out of that Superperformance ammo. Again today I fired a 4 shot group 3 in 0.5 inch, with one almost 3 inches out. Overlapping the 4 different loads I shot today comes up with a 0.75 inch group (including the difference in zero) except that lone round. My working thought is it's something related to Hornady getting that extra 200 fps. At any rate I won't be going that way again-60 grain V-Max it is. Thanks again for shortening my learning curve.

 

[tt35]

Glad the 60 grainer worked, Carl. That's my current favorite .224 fur bullet. It should work well for you. And, half inch is way better than Minute of Coyote!

 

[bounty hunter 2]

My current preference for the early season coyote hunting is a 223 loaded with the 70gn BTSP Coynamite bullets at 2800 fps MV. These are a fairly hi BC very thin jacket bullet that with solid hits don't shoot through a coyote. At 70gn they range well and hit hard.
In the latter half of the season I go to a larger caliber than 22.
The final NAFA for last season was 6/27. My highest price for what I sent in was $121.00 which 5 of my coyotes each brought. My average was about $85.00 down a bit from last year but still not too bad.

 

[tt35]

Great info, Bounty Hunter. I like the high BC. Any closer range quartering-on shoulder shots? Wondering about splashes at closer/high velocity hits?

 

[bounty hunter 2]

I have made such hits using the 70gn Coynamite bullets fired from the 223 Rem cartridge and the result was a single 22 cal hole in the hide and what felt and sounded like a bag of jello when the carcass was picked up.
I wanted a bit more velocity from these bullets so built a 22/250 Ackley with a 1/9" twist 27" barrel. What I learned from this project is that these bullets with very thin jacket and un alloyed lead core and from a 1/9" twist barrel are limited to about 3000 fps and still maintain good accuracy. By good accuracy I mean on average I get about .75 moa. These are not match bullets but soft point hunting bullets.
Beyond 3000 fps they apparently cant handle the torque and accuracy is non existent. I suspect with a faster twist max velocity will be something less than 3000 fps.
Limiting there use to chamberings not larger than the 223 Rem is probably a good idea unless you can be satisfied with staying well below your chamberings ability.
My 22/250 Ackley gets 3450 fps with this bullet design so to use this bullet in it I have to back off about 450 fps from its potential.

 

[broper]

Hi Tim,
Bob here, over in Idaho with IVH. Read the article on fur loads. Found it very interesting. I was just wondering if you've ever tried the Nosler 32 gr. Varmageddon in your .204. I have used it on badgers out to 200 + yds. and it works perfectly, just a small caliber sized entrance and no exit. All of them have dropped in there tracks I never got the chance to try it on coyotes. It also turned out to be the most accurate bullet in my .204. using 30 gr. BLC 2, I shot a .169 100 yd. group. I tried this bullet on the recommendation of John Barsness. He said that it has become his go to coyote bullet in his .204. Up until I tried this bullet 40gr. V-Maxes were my favorite. Had splashes on both badger and coyotes with the 39 gr. Sierra and it was only a 1 " or slightly less shooter in my gun. Any way just some of my experiences. Just wondering if you'd tried the Varmageddon. Also they are more reasonably priced than other bullets.
Bob

 

[tt35]

I actually haven't used the Varmageddon bullet. That's great info there. Seems the Noslers tend to be a little tougher bullets than the Hornady's so it makes sense. If they stay inside badgers, they should stay inside coyotes. Thanks for the information, Bob!