Bullet Selection and Pelt Damage

D

dpollard

New member
I have read a lot of posts on forums that ask the question of what is the best caliber for saving pelts on coyotes? I would like to ask a similar but different question. I have a 22-250 and buying another gun at this point is not an option. So that said, what bullets are people using in this caliber to minimize pelt damage? I hand-load so I am looking for non-loaded bullets, not factory loaded ammo. Thanks in advance for your input.

I should also note my barrel twist rate is 1:12 so anything heavier than 55 grain bullet probably won't work for me, or so I've been told...
 
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The 1-12 should stabilize up to 62 grain slugs. I just use 52 grain match bullets and slow them down to about 3200fps. That puts them in the 223 speed range.
 
Personnally, I think Bear has some good advice. There are two trains of thought on shooting to save pelts. Old school was to shoot a bullet that wouldn't expand too violently at moderate speed and leave a manageable exit hole. High velocity will tend to tear big exit holes even with these type bullets. More recently, we are seeing a lot of lighter bullets pushed at high velocity with the idea that they will come apart inside the animal and not exit. It works great when it works and can be pretty messy when the bullet does exit.

I've never had much luck with a 22-250 not tearing hides up so much that considerable sewing wasn't involved. I never did shoot any bullets less than 55 grains though.
 
I have had very good luck with sierra blitking 50 gr. and combined tech silvertip 50 gr. From no entry hole/no exit to tiny entrance/tiny exit.
55 gr psp (pointed soft point) are great for pencil through shots from 10 yards out. not as flat shooting.
Hit large bone with any of these and you could have a mess or splash or not.
 
Originally Posted By: tripod3From no entry hole/no exit to tiny entrance/tiny exit.
With the way I hunted so far I have seen a lot of "no entry hole/no exit" too. Unfortunately those examples usually run too fast to examine closely
smile.gif

The last one I shot at with a .243 ran faster than anything I have ever seen. The leaps on the snow covered field were, I swear, 20 feet apart.
 
Quote:With the way I hunted so far I have seen a lot of "no entry hole/no exit" too. Unfortunately those examples usually run too fast to examine closely smile

I was waiting for someone to catch that. One time a bullet slipped in beside the eyeball making no entry hole, it mushed the brain and broke the skull with no exit no blood. Purely amazing. So it does sound like a miss when described. Good catch.
 
Thank you everyone. This gives me some places to start. I had bought some Barnes 53 gr TSX prior to this post so if they don't work I'll try some of these other suggestions.
 
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