55g Nosler ballistic tips do not splash, from 223 to 22/250 AI velocities, the rest suck hind tit on quartering shots involved with big bones.
55g Sierra of all types with the exception of the blitz kings all perform very well.
55g Hornady SP are splendid!
Frontal quartering shots where you have to shoot through a front shoulder and get to vitals are an important consideration.
Also, running away shots were you have to shoot through a rear hip, or slid the bullet in behind a rear rib have proven to be flippers and floppers on explosive bullets.
Never depend on having the perfect text book shot of a broadside lung shot, if you get a shot on a coyote, you had better take it!
If you like using a super explosive bullet, you can count on loosing one every now and again. Trouble is, you may not ever know you ever hit him! I have seen many surface explosions with various bullets and calibers over the years, some never even act like they have been hit, they never miss a gear!
A 40g bullet will not even blow up a p. dog at 275 yards with a MV of 3800, they shed their energy real fast.
Coyotes are on the move many times when responding to a caller, so you hit them further back in the stomach. Use enough bullet to penetrate with an explosive Temporary wound channel.
Question:
Why in the world would I ever want to shoot a bullet that blows up on a shoulder blade, hip, heavy upper rib? A better question would be, why in the world would I want to shoot a bullet to where I had to aim off the shoulder or not shoot at all on a running away shot? When a coyote is running, trotting, fast walking you are lucky to hit them at all. Yes, I have barked, yelled, made all kinds of cooter calls like the best of them to get them to stop.
Learn to leade them, don't stop your swing, use a good hunting bullet so that if your leade is off and you hit them in the nose it will break their necks!