6.5 bullet for coyote

[aer212]

Hi all, I've been having a little trouble with my choice of bullets as far as killing coyotes goes. I have a 6.5x47L shooting 130 Jlk's at 2860. It shoots really well and I can hit things at long range but the coyotes I've hit are not dead right there. As a matter of fact, mostly I don't find them at all. I can think of 2 that I've found.
230yards=hit and spin and died
1047= hit but ran off
890= hit and run off, got another shot in and finished it
100=hit in throat and never twitched, the only one so far
998= hit and piled up 3 times and run off
400= hit and spin and roll but died
712x2= hit and run off on both of them
That's all I can remember right now but I believe only one died bang flop style. My .17-.204 kills them better. Any suggestions on a better bullet to try? I was thinking of trying the 130 Eld m next.

 

[orangediablo]

I'm not an experienced coyote hunter but is that enough gun at 1K? I know others will chime in. If you look at your data, sounds like you are golden 400 yards and under. Anything past that is what I would be questioning.

 

[Just cut]

i have shot 5 or 6 coyotes with the 140 eld m out of my 6.5 creedmoore and they worked great. I use a 22 Grendel as my dedicated varmint gun shooting the 75 eld m and all coyotes have been drt.

 

[Canhunter35]

I'm not familiar with the 130jlk, but regardless that's a long way for a 6.5x47 to effectively kill something. You could try a 143eldx. They're made to expand at really low velocity and the extra weight will help.
If the 143s don't knockem dead, I think you need a little more umph for 1k shooting.

 

[aer212]

I'm not an experienced coyote hunter but is that enough gun at 1K? I know others will chime in. If you look at your data, sounds like you are golden 400 yards and under. Anything past that is what I would be questioning.

Just going off energy numbers, the .17-.204 with 30gr bullets at 300 and 400 yards is: 300=396.6, 400=273.6. That combination knocks them flat out to 400 yards. Like bang flop kills. The 6.5x47 at 1000 yards has 686.7. I don't know if it's enough gun or not but seems to me like it should be.

 

[1Moose]

I'm not a coyote hunter, but I'm glad to see you asking this question. I'm part of this forum as it's a great place to learn from each other. At times, it can feel that coyotes and other predators are viewed as worthy of any fate that comes their way, when in reality they are another living creature trying to make it in this life. Thanks for thinking about what it'll take to make clean, ethical kills in the future. I know most hunters have experienced losing an animal at one point (most to die hard deaths over many days). I feel we have a responsibility to respect how we treat them, regardless of species. Good luck in your quest for a bullet / set-up that's up to the task.

 

[Canhunter35]

Just going off energy numbers, the .17-.204 with 30gr bullets at 300 and 400 yards is: 300=396.6, 400=273.6. That combination knocks them flat out to 400 yards. Like bang flop kills. The 6.5x47 at 1000 yards has 686.7. I don't know if it's enough gun or not but seems to me like it should be.[/QUOTEd]
But he's not shooting varmit bullets at that distance, which is the difference

 

[aer212]

Who is not? Not sure what you mean.

 

[PNW EOD]

6.5X47, 6.5 Creed, and the other medium 6.5's will kill a coyote at 1K. No cartridge besides the heavy super magnums will drop a coyote if you hit it in the guts though. Coyotes are a small target, and the vital area is very small compared to even a smaller deer. If you want to shoot coyotes farther away than say 500 yards, you are kind of forced to choose a bullet that will actually get on target from that distance, kind of limiting your choice anyway. I have seen a coyote killed at 560 yards with a .220 swift, and it dropped, but I have also seen one shot from 80 yards that ran into the next zip code before dying. As far as bullet choice, I would stay with the bullets that are designed to expand at lower velocity, (ELD-X, Berger VLD, and so on...) If you are purely trying to reach out and touch them in a field. If you are shooting them closer, you can't go wrong with the NBT's or I believe Hornady makes a 6.5 Vmax. Hope you find out what works without making too much of a mess!

 

[longrangehunterII]

Try the Berger 135 Classic Hunter, Nosler 100, or 120 Ballistic Tip, or the 140 Sierra Game King (this is what I use).

 

[jotrot]

The JLK is'nt expanding, excellent bullet for metal, paper, Try eld match, X, nosler ABLR, Berger hunting. you have plenty of energy for yote at a 1000.
Keep putting them down we have way to many fangs out there.

 

[Canhunter35]

Who is not? Not sure what you mean.

Sorry, you're using jlk bullets, a match/hunting bullets. The little 20/17 cal bullets kill because they have speed and are varmit designed bullet. You need to try a bullet that will expand at the slower velocties. It's not the energy that's the problem, but the velocity. the jlk bullet is not performing once the velocity is shed at that long of range on thin skinned coyotes

 

[6.5x284tony]

My vote would be for the 120gr. Ballistic tip.

Tony.

 

[reelhardmt]

I've had good luck with 95 vmax so far still a new load.