AR .224 heavy coyote round

Cknight

New member
Hey guys I'm new to the forum and I am looking for some help. I have looked around some but haven't found a lot on this topic. I am wanting a .224 round that I can kill coyotes out around 500yds. So I'm looking heavy, I am not keeping the fur I'm just reducing population. I will be using a .224 Rock river varmint EOP (24" barrel with a 1/8 twist). I have been using black hills 60gr but I'd like to get up to a 70gr with reliable expansion at low velocities. What's your suggestions? Am I thinking to heavy? Can I shoot match bullets? Does a match bullet expand decently? What do you think about all copper bullets?

Ps. I'd like to use this round for deer hunting also.

Thank you for the help.
 
you don't need a bigger bullet to kill them. a 55gr v-max has done well for me at all ranges. i have killed them as far as 612 yards with several over 550 and quite a few over 500. i don't know about the tipped matchkings but most bigger bullets are not intended to be used on game and do not perform well. at 500 yards with a 77gr bullet velocity will not be good.
 
Based on my field use this season:

-70gr Barnes TSX kill Midwest deer really well at 200yds or less. 1 doe was bang/flop at 125yds. 1 6x6 buck at a trot at 205yds went about 10yds and then down. Downside is 1.5-2 MOA accuracy out of a generally sub-MOA AR; probably not ideal accuracy wise for 500 yd coyotes but just fine for deer under 200yds.

-69gr tipped SMK has been my round for 5 coyotes and a bobcat so far this season. None of the coyotes were a bang/flop but all were recovered in under 100yds using thermal (not great blood trails). Shot ranges were from 55-285yds. Pretty decent on fur. Sub-MOA accuracy in the same 16" AR.

Result for me: Switching to the 70gr Barnes for both coyotes and deer. All of my coyote hunting is at night, so the distances are usually 200 or in.


Based on the internet here and lots of other sites I've read while contemplating bullet choice:

-SMK and tipped varmint bullets are probably not a great choice for deer although it's sounds like lots of people use them. Inconsistent terminal effects with the SMKs and possible splashes with the tipped bullets if you hit bone.

-SMK sounds like it has a tendency to pencil through coyotes at distance, but once again it sounds like a lot of people use them.

I would look at either the 62gr Barnes TSX or the 70gr and use whichever is more accurate. Other choices would be 65gr Sierra GameKing or 60gr Nosler Partition.

Are you reloading or using factory ammo?
 
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The 60 vmax load is hard to beat. I'm not sure why you wouldn't feel confident using it. Or, are you using the 60 hollow point load? That ones ok too.

Just go practice.
 
Are you getting reliable expansion with the match kings? I am worried about crippling an animal instead of killing it with a match bullet.
 
I have only tried hornady match bullets the 68 and 75, with less than acceptable results on the 68 and very poor results with the 75. I hunted a few tournaments with a guy that shot 52s and I was not impressed at all. Most of them did expand though- on the surface. Some even penciled in then exploded, but I like a bullet that behaves the same every time.

If you reload, I've been having a lot of fun with the 55 gr varmageddon tipped. I have a big batch loaded up to take to my steel range, but the bass are biting too good right now... These work great at 223 velocities, but a couple of guys said they got splashes from a 22-250.
 
do you get a lot of wind deflection with the 55gr? Do you maintain velocity well? Hornady wants you to stay above 1600 fps for reliable expansion, have you had any issues with expansion?

Sorry im not trying to be difficult im just trying to get my ducks in a row.
 
Currently i am purchasing ammo, but i hop to be reloading by the end of summer. I need to purchase the rest of my equipment. Have you tried the Hornady 70gr GMX? I have looked into the Barnes 62gr and 70gr. Id like to try them but none of the gun shops around me keep them. Do you see a flight difference between lead and copper bullets?
 
i like my 60gr V-max, i am getting sub moa groups out to 300yds, but i need to stay above 1600 fps for a reliable expansion according to Hornady. When i get out around 500 yds my fps drops to 1300. i agree with with reliable expansion, i want them to expand the same every time. i guess i need to try them out at 500yds and see what my expansions look like.

I have looked at the 50 & 55gr bullets but my gun doesn't like them. I go from .75moa to 2" groups or worse.
 
Has anyone tried the 60gr Raptor Cutting Edge bullets? They are all copper and a little expensive but they will expand around 1500 fps.Or the 65gr MTH (all copper) Cutting Edge Bullets? I saw them on youtube, O'neill ops has mentioned them a few times.
 
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Originally Posted By: CknightCurrently i am purchasing ammo, but i hop to be reloading by the end of summer. I need to purchase the rest of my equipment. Have you tried the Hornady 70gr GMX? I have looked into the Barnes 62gr and 70gr. Id like to try them but none of the gun shops around me keep them. Do you see a flight difference between lead and copper bullets?

I have not tried the Hornady GMX.

What do you mean by flight difference? There were a few clicks difference in POI between the 70gr Barnes and the 69gr tSMK but nothing crazy that I could attribute to lead vs copper.

In my rifle, the TSX bullets like to have a really clean barrel to shoot good whereas the SMK bullets don't seem to be affected as much. I always to try and clean out my barrel with Butch's Bore Shine after every 20-30 rounds of TSX bullets.
 
I wasn't sure if there might be a difference in bullet flight going from copper jacketed bullets to all copper, other than bullet weight. I haven't tried all copper bullets yet so i don't know to much about them. About I know is that the all coppers are turned on a lathe.
 
65 Sierra GMK will carry plenty of punch out there for what you want to do. I shoot it in my 223ai with a 20" 9tw and have excellent results. Having said that, I will go with a 7.7tw Rock Creek when I re-barrel to put a little more spin on them. They have a soft lead nose, so they will expand much better than an SMK with the lower velocity.
 
Well, at 2750 with the sierra 65 gr Gameking where I live you are still packin over 1500 fps at 500 yds. Should be plenty of wallup.
 
Are you guys shooting hand loads, or are you buying the Sierra 65gr gamekings already loaded? That sounds like what I'm looking for.
 
I use the 65 gk in my 22-250 also On the one bad shot I made it still entered and tore the heck out of the vitals and broke his leg bone.
 
I shot that bullet until I switched to the 55 VG. I handloaded it with a CCI 450 and a bunch of RL-15. It took many deer, as that's what I'd give people who needed a spare stick for a wife or child. I shot a few coyotes with it over the years. They died, lol.
 
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