Match bullets on coyotes

[Wizard]

Since bullets are hard to get now, I was thinking about using match bullets, like Hornady Match and A-Max bullets on coyotes. I want to use my AR-15 in 5.56 and a 6mm AI. The 6mm AI will be for windy days and longer shots. How do match bullets perform on coyotes? Do they have bone splash and leave big exit holes? I would like to keep the pelts in good shape. Does anybody have first hand experience of them on animals? It is good coyote hunting now and do not want to waste it working up loads and then finding out that they do not work well on coyotes. If they do work then it sure opens up some good options as the heavier bullets seem to be mainly match bullets.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

The only experience I have hunting with match bullets is with SMKs. They failed to expand 3 different times. I have no desire to use them again, but other people use them all the time. I have heard a lot of good things about the A-MAX. They are very similar in design to the SST. I have a lot of experience with the SST, and would not hesitate to use the A-MAX. But I'm willing to bet they are going to do some pelt damage.

 

[Gary Kaney]

Yes they do. Enough said.

 

[westcliffe01]

I was limited to max 75gr HPBT in my Savage 10 with 20" 1:9.25 twist and those were by far the most effective bullets on coyote that I have shot from my 223. Just got a 1:8 26" barrel with a wylde chamber so will be trying some 80gr VLD's soon. Heavy bullets matter if you are taking long shots and there is any wind. The 75gr HPBT had half the wind drift of the 55gr Vmax. The 80gr Berger will be even better.

 

[Wizard]

I was limited to max 75gr HPBT in my Savage 10 with 20" 1:9.25 twist and those were by far the most effective bullets on coyote that I have shot from my 223. Just got a 1:8 26" barrel with a wylde chamber so will be trying some 80gr VLD's soon. Heavy bullets matter if you are taking long shots and there is any wind. The 75gr HPBT had half the wind drift of the 55gr Vmax. The 80gr Berger will be even better.

How much pelt damage did the 75 grain bullets do? What brand / type of bullets were you using? Berger says that their match bullets are good for varmints, not sure if it is coyotes or prairie dogs? I have a Rock River 1:8 twist 20 inch match barrel.

 

[dogdinger]

wizard:

I wrote an article about coyote hunting a few yrs back and covered some of this. You may be interested in reading it. AJ
Songdog Fever -- Coyote Hunting

 

[Wizard]

wizard:

I wrote an article about coyote hunting a few yrs back and covered some of this. You may be interested in reading it. AJ
Songdog Fever -- Coyote Hunting

Nice article, thanks for sending it to me.

 

[westcliffe01]

I have had some sizable exit holes if you hit bone and had no exit in other cases if they were at a quartering angle. I got the impression that the Hornady 75gr HPBT tumbled after entry because it really messed them up internally. I finally have a barrel that can shoot the VLD's and Amax (26" 1:8 match barrel) yet it seems impossible to find the right bullets at the moment...

Most of the time I am shooting my 243 Ackley now with 95gr Berger bullets and it leaves holes too but I don't have access to enough land to make going after fur worth while. I just have to keep down the population on the sheep farm so that the farmer does not have a hard time, especially in lambing season.

How much pelt damage did the 75 grain bullets do? What brand / type of bullets were you using? Berger says that their match bullets are good for varmints, not sure if it is coyotes or prairie dogs? I have a Rock River 1:8 twist 20 inch match barrel.

 

[Wizard]

Sounds like match bullets are for non pelt saving shots. Thanks for all the help guys.

 

[Catahoula]

52 A-Max out of my custom 22-250 and 100 Sierra MK out of my 25-06 Ackley Improved are both great fur bullets.
Kirk

 

[dakor]

For the 22 cal I have used the 52 SMK out of a 220 Swift and 223 for years and it works great even on fox which the hide is not as a tough as a coyote . Another good bullet in the 22 cal is the Hornady 50gr SX they shoot great and about 95% of the time do not exit even on fox. For a 6mm I would look at the 80gr Berger Match Grade FB Varmint or the 70gr SMK. All of these bullets I have had good success with and minimal pelt damage.

 

[calib]

here is what happened to these three from this past weekend from left to rite from a 7mm-300 win 3140fps 180 berger vld target (380,275,784) 784 went through the head cleanly making two holes.

i also use 75 a max's in my 22-250 ai at 3325 and they work wonders in the dogs

 

[pitsnipe]

Calib,

Nice line up there. We don't care much for song dogs in the west. The bigger the exit wound the better.

 

[calib]

I some times wantto save fur, but sometimes i want to tag a dog and not chace it all over, so the big gun comes