Need help with a 308 round for coyotes in WI?

[wisdeerkiller]

I am going coyote hunting this weekend on my uncles farm and i need a good 308 round to reload or factory ammo. Just got the gun a little over a week ago and i've been reloading sierra 168gr BTHP. Should i just use these? Not sure what rounds i can use on coyotes like FMJ in WI. I do have an AR 15 that i am taking with for close range but where i'll be setting up at I can shoot out to 700yds. don't care what it does to the pelt the farmers all around are getting ****ed with all the coyotes as well as the hunters which i do hunt there.

remington sps varmint 308 with Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20 x 50mm

PLEASE KEEP THIS TO 308 ONLY!

THANKS!

 

[Bowhunter57]

wisdeerkiller,
Welcome to LRH forums!

I don't recommend FMJs for any kind of hunting, as they'll pass through and do nothing more than punch a hole...then you have to be concerned with bullet skips.

The 168s will get the job done, but if you're concerned about the background I'd go with a lighter weight bullet so that you get better fragmentation. A heavier weight bullet will get the job done, but it's going to pass through and keep going.

In my Remington 788 in .308 I used a Hornady 110gr. V-Max, loaded with some IMR-3031 at 3040 f.p.s., which gave me a "clover leaf" group at 100 yards. Absolutely devestating on coyotes!

Bowhunter57

 

[Bowhunter57]

Thought I should add... If you take the AR, use 55gr. or heavier bullets. Light weight bullets require good shot placement and sometimes several shots to put a coyotes down.

Good shot placement is important with any hunting, but if you're using a big enough rifle it's not nearly as critical. I use a .25-06 and it puts 'em down with authority...even on marginal shots.

Bowhunter57

 

[Muttt]

I use Hornady 168gr AMAX for long range. I get sub .5 MOA with them at 100 and 200 yards. I know they'd do fine past 600 out to at least 800 yards. They should work just fine for coyote. I load them with 42.7 gr of AA2520. Min is 40.0 and Max is 44.0. AMAX should give you plenty of fragmentation.

I'm shooting these from a 20" Remington 700 SPS Tactical.



Another good quality round for coyote would be 6.5 Grendel. If you already have an AR, you can easily build a good quality upper for your AR. There many people taking deer and elk with Grendels. I know several that hunt coyote with them.

 

[fetch]

if you dont have time to work up a new load, you can use sierra gamekings. They make a 165 that is pretty darn close to the 168 smk. i run 42 gr h4895 or 46gr varget behind either one and the zero is pretty much the same at 100 yards.

both those loads are shot out of a remington 700 sps varmint 308.

 

[kenpcpilot]

Hornaday SST 125 grain in .308 shoot very accurate. There are only available at Cabelas. You can order them in the Bargain Cave section of the online shopping area. They are well priced and shoot tight groups. I zeroed at 100 shot 4 inches low at 200. with hold over I can hit the bulleye at 200 yards. I have never did that ever before. It will put a good hole in a coyote depending were you place your shot. I use skulls for my trophy so pelt damage is not a concern for me. I just got a mailer from Cabelas with a $3.00 per box rebate so cost is $19.99 box 20. I have not chronographed them yet but I predict they are fast.

 

[dogbuster0006]

As for your .308 run whatever you've got that shoot's good. I shoot 168 bthp, and 168a-max out of my rem700 and get cloverleaf to one hole groups at 100yd and have been getting 1-1/2"-1-5/8" groups at 400yd so they're my go-to for about anything. They are both hell on deer and don't fragment bad, they tear yote pelts all to hell though, if not worried about pelts use your hand loads or buy straight from hornady last ones i bought I hot for $22 a box I'm thinking through midway, Black hills also makes some excellent .308 i like the blue box "reloaded brass" they're cheaper and the same quality as red box "brand new". As for .223 I run a 55gr v-max and it'll flat put them down from 20yd to over 300 I've got three with that load this yr already.
Best of luck and happy hunting,