68 grain Hornady BTHP on coyotes/prairie dogs

O

obaro

New member
Just wondering what experience anyone has had with these bullets on game. I've read several good reviews about them on paper, but only one on use on critters. I realize they are more of a target designed bullet but an AR serves purposes other than military very well. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Obaro
 
I have never shot a coyote with one. It will really do nothing more than pin hole a prairie dog, at least that was the results of a couple I shot with them.
 
There are many other better, properly designed hunting bullets to use. Why choose something that is not designed to do what you want it to do? I'm sure everyone can find a bullet that is accurate enough to shoot a coyote without resorting to possible blow-ups or pencils just to shoot a bullet that says "Match" on it.

These threads are ridiculous in their attempts to justify using a bullet for something other than its intended, designed for, purpose. Use a hunting bullet. That's what your doing, right? If your gun can't shoot anything but match bullets accurately, there's something wrong with the gun. Fix it. Don't attempt to make up for an inaccurate gun or an inacccurate shooter with a match bullet. It's irresponsible.

Fast Ed
 
I have used the 68 gr match bullet with excellent results. Even the prarie dogs I shoot dont know it is a match bullet and it definately does not just leave a pin sized hole in them. Some people use light v-max "Hunting Bullets" on game and lose them. This is just my experience with these bullets.
I may be wrong but I think they use this exact bullet in the Predator Pursuit videos.
 
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Eddy, I think your whole post in ridiculous. Me and my friends that shoot fast twist 223 rifles like AR's and Mini 14's use the 68 grn hollowpoints. They work great on coyotes and other varmints. Have you used them yourself or are you just going off what someone else told you? My good friend shot 3 antelope at ranges to 450 yards with the 68 hpbt bullet out of his AR and they were all quick 1 shot kills. They're actually a little tough on a coyote if your saving the pelt. On rabbits I get some that will pin hole them if they don't hit any bone. They shoot so good out of my Ruger Mini 14 I won't use anything else. Not to mention the long range ballistics are way better with the heavier bullet over your standard 50-55grn flat base hollowpoint or vmax.
 
I have long gotten away from useing "Match bullets" on anything living. I do not and will not use a .223/5.56 either for the same reason. The bullets do not expand reliably even on somthing as small as a P.D. Coyotes tend to be a lot of lean hard muscle and bone. If thew projectile don't expand then the yote will run off Unless the hit is directly to the CNS or heart. And I have seen heart shot yotes run far enough to be lost in heavy brush.
 
Honestly, Is a 68 grn mhpbt built differently than a 50-52 grn hollowpoint? I doubt it. The 53 grn mhpbt has been used for years and years on yotes and smaller varmints.
 
I worked up a load for my brother's DPMS about two months ago. I can tell you one thing, there is a lot of hollow space in the front of the bullet between the lead level and the tip of the bullet. I had to modify the seating stem in the bullet seater to keep it from deforming the tips, which were soft.

Just a WAG on my part, but out of a fast twist, I bet they would be H$ll on Wheels on yotes.
 
Furhunter, Bird,and LWilliams, thanks for giving me your EXPERIENCES with these bullets. I have a new box of them that I picked up in a trade and until I read these replies I had honestly not even noticed that they were labeled as a Match bullet. My .223 tends to like the heavier bullets, so I want to give them a try through my rifle. I'll give them a wet phone book test before I use 'em on a coyotes unless I get to shoot some pds with them first. If they show good results on a p-dog I may try to use them more if they shoot well.
Blinddog I've come to have a lot of respect for your experience and opinions here but I'm wondering if I understand your post on this. Do you not use a .223 for any hunting or just not for larger animals? I considered it the real deal for most varminting.
 
If they don't work out for ya and you want to stay with that weight bullet range, pick up some 65gr Gameking SPs. Cheap, accurate, & very deadly...
 
For all the complaints about using match bullets on game for reasons of expansion or terminal performance why is it that alot of fur hunters use FMJ bullets? They dont expand either. If the bullet upsets, and stays in the critter that is great with only an entrance wound, but if it is going to exit anyway, then a bullet that stays together such as a match or FMJ is just as good.. NO? I know that match bullets are not predictable in there terminal performance, but if the theory is that they dont expand then they are no different than a FMJ. IMO
 
Wow... so many hypocrites? I believe that the original posting was only to inquire if anyone had experience with this bullet on game? I have not had the pleasure of using the 68's yet, but I can turn a whitetail doe's cranium into MUSH with the 75gr. MHPBT and I am more capable of doing it with that bullet than any other that I have tried- simply because it is the most accurate in my rifle. Find me a hunting bullet that is 75 grains with an equal BC and I will gladly use it to the same effect. It only happens that the bullet that works best for me says "MATCH" on the side of the box. That makes no difference in the fact that it performs wonderfully on game- especially when you can be so selective on bullet placement.

-BANDIT
 
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Wow... so many hypocrites? I believe that the original posting was only to inquire if anyone had experience with this bullet on game? I have not had the pleasure of using the 68's yet, but I can turn a whitetail doe's cranium into MUSH with the 75gr. MHPBT and I am more capable of doing it with that bullet than any other that I have tried- simply because it is the most accurate in my rifle. Find me a hunting bullet that is 75 grains with an equal BC and I will gladly use it to the same effect. It only happens that the bullet that works best for me says "MATCH" on the side of the box. That makes no difference in the fact that it performs wonderfully on game- especially when you can be so selective on bullet placement.Quote:
I Agree... No animal ever cared how fast a bullet was or how well it was made WHEN IT MISSED THEM. The most important thing in hunting is to aim small and hit your mark.

-BANDIT

 
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I have long gotten away from useing "Match bullets" on anything living. I do not and will not use a .223/5.56 either for the same reason. The bullets do not expand reliably even on somthing as small as a P.D. Coyotes tend to be a lot of lean hard muscle and bone. If thew projectile don't expand then the yote will run off Unless the hit is directly to the CNS or heart. And I have seen heart shot yotes run far enough to be lost in heavy brush.



Time to pull up the boots again! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Are we to believe you are saying that generally .223 bullets don't expand enough to shoot prairie dogs? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Do me a favor, take your keyboard out in the garage and stomp it into little bitty pieces. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I have been using them for the past couple of years and actually prefer them over the 50, 52, and 55 gr HP and v-max bullets I have used on coyotes .
 
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I have long gotten away from useing "Match bullets" on anything living. I do not and will not use a .223/5.56 either for the same reason. The bullets do not expand reliably even on somthing as small as a P.D. Coyotes tend to be a lot of lean hard muscle and bone. If thew projectile don't expand then the yote will run off Unless the hit is directly to the CNS or heart. And I have seen heart shot yotes run far enough to be lost in heavy brush.

We have taken bullet perfomance too far as it relates to varmints. Big game is another story, and I believe they have a forum just for that. The .223 is ideal for small game to include Varmints. To say that you would not use it for anything living is nuts. What about the Marine and his standard issue M-16?
 
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"...I have long gotten away from useing "Match bullets" on anything living. I do not and will not use a .223/5.56 either for the same reason. The bullets do not expand reliably even on somthing as small as a P.D."



You wanna explain that - you are saying that the 223 family (222 Rem, 223, and 222 Mag) can't be used reliably for small varmints.

WHAT??????????????????? Drug check time!

There have been probably been more PDs, Woodchucks, Crows and coyotes killed with this small family of cartridges than all others combined.

Maybe they don't work for you because you are an o-fish-hul "Stewart of the earth", and you get teary and cry when you kill something.

ME... I'm a stone faced, sicko killer, so the 222/223 family kills just fine for me. The bullets expand on PDs too!

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BTW - you might think of putting your reloading manual on the back burner for a while - til you bring your knowledge base up a bit higher.

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Meow! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

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