60gr V-Max performance on coyotes in the .223 Rem only [Oh no, not AGAIN!]

Originally Posted By: 6724I suspect that a part of it is that everyone thinks their bullets need to be loaded to max and have to go as fast as possible. If the velocities people claim are true, I am running mine a little slower. The ONLY splash I ever had was a nosler tipped bullet out of a 243.



Oh yeah! But the bullet still goes all the way through...or most of it anyways. I've done it a few times with 70 gr NBT loaded at 3650fps shooting coyotes under a 100 yards...closer to 30 yards and hitting bone. Shoulda saw the other side of my coyote in my avatar. You could have stuck a folders can in it. It spun a few times before falling over. Shot it at 25 yards.
 
Last edited:
I haven't killed many coyotes with this combo, but I am using the 60gr Vmax in my 20", 1/9 Rem700 with H322.
If I have had one splash it was on a frontal shot that I screwed up. Coyote got away, couldn't find it. I think I placed the shot too far to one side and injured the leg, but missed vitals. Can't blame the bullet for that. My other shots have been quick killers with small exits. Shot a bobcat in the base of the neck at 60 yds, no exit, no fur damage.
 
+1 Jerry Mallbeck

I shoot the same bullet and it has never let me down. I shoot it out of my 222's, 5.6x50R Magnum and 22-250. Now matter what the speed I push them they seem to work great DRT and very fur friendly.

I'm going to give them a try in my 218 Bee that big HP on them should work well in the mag tube of my lever action.

I've also had very good luck with the 40gr NBT out of my 22-204 running them close to 4000 fps and a 1-9 twist.
 
I have used the 60 v-max extensively loaded by Black Hills. I have killed many coyotes, bobcats, hogs, deer, fox and coons.

I don't remember every having a "splash". I have hit a few high or low and blown a big hole, but that is not a "splash".

I have shot deer and hogs behind the shoulder and gotten exits. Most of the time on bobcats and coyotes I get a pin hole entrance and no exit and DRT.

As far as I am concerned it is the best .223 bullet for what we do.
 
There maybe an explanation. Some of the AR's have 1-9 while quite a few have 1-7. The 1-7 may torque up the bullet where it maybe more apt to explode on impact.

Also, some AR's are 16" bbls and others are 20", more speed may make the bullet explode with twists involved.

Many speed variables in AR barrels, especially with powders chosen.

I have a Remington 700 SPS stainless sporter with a 12 twist, and I could not get the 60g V max to be as accurate as I wanted. 55g Nosler at 3475 is nothing short or remarkable in terms of accuracy.
 
Originally Posted By: ackleymanThere maybe an explanation. Some of the AR's have 1-9 while quite a few have 1-7. The 1-7 may torque up the bullet where it maybe more apt to explode on impact.

Also, some AR's are 16" bbls and others are 20", more speed may make the bullet explode with twists involved.

Many speed variables in AR barrels, especially with powders chosen.

I have a Remington 700 SPS stainless sporter with a 12 twist, and I could not get the 60g V max to be as accurate as I wanted. 55g Nosler at 3475 is nothing short or remarkable in terms of accuracy.

That would definitely be worth looking into...
 
Most of my experience has been with a Dtech 20 inch 1:8 twist, and as I said couldn't ask for better performance.

Shoot any animal on the edges and you are going to get runners, poor performance regardless of the bullet.
 
Originally Posted By: YellowhammerMost of my experience has been with a Dtech 20 inch 1:8 twist, and as I said couldn't ask for better performance.

Shoot any animal on the edges and you are going to get runners, poor performance regardless of the bullet.

I am running an 18in 1:8 barrel. I find that it is a good compromise between size and accuracy.
 
I also shoot black hills 60 gr. VMax out of my AR. I have some splashes with them;



Mangy lack of fur, better shows my splash with the 60 gr. VMax



I have shot and recovered 181 coyotes since January 1st. Around half we're taken with 223 40gr. VMax. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have had a 40 gr. VMax exit a coyote, from what I have seen their body cannot take all the energy absorbed without pass through. As long as I don't hit low or to far back the ones I shoot drop right there. I guess I have not shot enough coyotes with them to see how in-affective they are.

I am skeptical when just anyone throws out high numbers of coyote kills so I usually refrain from doing it myself, but over the years have killed hundreds with the 40 gr. VMax, it is my preferred bullet in 223. I don't care about fur damage, I just throw them in a pile;



Savage 12FV 223 40 gr. VMax;







I shoot a lot with my 308 165 gr. Federal fusion and I still have spinners and runners with poorly placed shots.



 
If I counted correctly that last picture sure looks like 14 coyotes and 14 MT cases, Jeremy. Good shooting!
thumbup.gif


That's quite a pile of coyotes in 11 months, as well.

Regards,
Clarence
 
Infidel 762 said:
I also shoot black hills 60 gr. VMax out of my AR. I have some splashes with them;



Mangy lack of fur, better shows my splash with the 60 gr. VMax



I have shot and recovered 181 coyotes since January 1st. Around half we're taken with 223 40gr. VMax. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have had a 40 gr. VMax exit a coyote, from what I have seen their body cannot take all the energy absorbed without pass through. As long as I don't hit low or to far back the ones I shoot drop right there. I guess I have not shot enough coyotes with them to see how in-affective they are.

I am skeptical when just anyone throws out high numbers of coyote kills so I usually refrain from doing it myself, but over the years have killed hundreds with the 40 gr. VMax, it is my preferred bullet in 223. I don't care about fur damage, I just throw them in a pile;


^^I agree, but when you are doing it just to share results, there is nothing wrong with that. The proof is in the fur.

I shoot a lot with my 308 165 gr. Federal fusion and I still have spinners and runners with poorly placed shots.

^^Yup. Nothing replaces good shot placement. Most of us strive for it, but it won't happen every time.

Thanks for sharing Jeremy.
Click to expand...
 
Jeremy is like EF Hutton. When he talks, people listen. He even has me wondering if I'm in my right mind for hating on the Vmax as a coyote bullet. Maybe since all I ever tried was the 55, never the 40, I can claim righteous ignorance
laugh.gif
.

- DAA
 
I loaded up a bunch of 40 gr NBT and got bashed by tons of posters that that they don't work. The Vmax works well as show above I'm confident the solid base nosler will do just as well if not better out of the 223/5.56.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: DAAJeremy is like EF Hutton. When he talks, people listen. He even has me wondering if I'm in my right mind for hating on the Vmax as a coyote bullet. Maybe since all I ever tried was the 55, never the 40, I can claim righteous ignorance
laugh.gif
.

- DAA

I think that the key is getting the right balance. You want the bullet to explosively expand. But it has to get into the muscle before it starts it's expansion. We did a lot of testing trying to find a perfect blend for a one caliber load for fox, bobcat and coyote. We needed to be fur friendly but able to put down a coyote. It was frustrating. When we found load combinations that anchored coyotes, it would blow foxes in half. When we modified the loads, we would get runners. When we tried the 40gr Vmax on foxes, it zipped right through them. It was tough to see. I think that the combination of the speed of the bullet and the size and biology of the coyote explains a lot of the results.

I know a lot of guys want to know what a load is going to do, but int he end, you have to put the round on fur to really see the results.
 
Those 40gr Vmax @3650 are pretty accurate in my Savage 223 1:9 and anchor coyotes like they're struck by lightning. That's how I chose my user name when I joined way back, DRT means Dead Right There with my 223 and 40gr Vmax.

Here's four 5-shot groups on the same sheet of paper. Disregard the lower left target, that's a different bullet I was working on.
31279175067_4a8780e9de_c.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: DAAJeremy is like EF Hutton. When he talks, people listen. He even has me wondering if I'm in my right mind for hating on the Vmax as a coyote bullet. Maybe since all I ever tried was the 55, never the 40, I can claim righteous ignorance
laugh.gif
.

- DAA

I always wonder why pizzz ant 17 cal bullets work so good. And certain 22 cal bullets don’t. Never shot a 17 at a coyote so I can’t say.
 
Back
Top