.223 bullets for predator hunting

I've been shooting factory loaded 53gr vmax superformance for a few years now which shoot awesome out of my ar. 1/2" groups are more than normal so I've never felt that I needed to reload them. If it's not broke don't fix it, right? Well the past 2 years I've had hit dogs spin and leave never to be found. I honestly thought it was me (still might be) but I've been seeing more and more reviews with similar outcomes.

So... what bullets do you think I should start with?
Before anyone starts rolling their eyes, I do know not every gun likes every ammo. I'm just looking for a few different GOOD hunting bullets to start with to work up loads for.
Shooting a 22" barrel with a 1in9 twist. I do want to be fur friendly only because I do hunt in fox and bobcat areas also.
Thanks in advance!!
 
I've had similar experiences with vmax in the 223 and 204. Seems to be no middle ground with vmax - it either drops them instantly or else blows up too quick (splashes) and they limp off with nasty wounds. Switched over to the Hornady 55gr hollow point match bullets in the 223 and that has been performing much more reliably so far penetrating to the vitals from various angles.
 
I have had very good results with 55grain soft points from Midsouth. I use the plain bullets on coyotes and the cannalured on hogs and deer as it seems they hold together better.
 
Get a heavier frangible bullet like the 60gr V-max or 60gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. They aren't going to blow up for two reasons: they will be traveling a bit slower and there's more sectional density to overcome. If you hit them WAY too far back the 60 grainers will punch through and break up the pelvis and anchor the dog. A shoulder shot will also punch through, break bones and anchor them. A chest shot will create a mess inside the rib cage. Running off is not fur friendly either.
 
I switched from 53 Vmaxs to 65gr Sierra Gamekings and love them. I made that choice because I was planning on a pig hunt that never happened but I liked the CFE223/65 SGK combo so much I tried them on coyotes. They're super accurate and super consistent, no matter what angle I hit a coyote entrance and exit is pretty much all the same and same goes for fox, pin hole in and quarter out no matter where they're hit.

I started using them because they're supposed to be good for deer and pigs also, may be a few years before I ever test that out but it's my new favorite load. 16" BHW barrel and getting half inch groups at a little over 3100 fps, they're a hammer.
 
For me the 52gr Speer FB HP is my go to coyote bullet in everything from 222R to 22-250. Old school, inexpensive but puts coyotes down well and is easy on fur, what's not to like.
 
I really like the 50 gr Hornady sx. For my 1/9 Bushmaster, very accurate and fur friendly,no Bobcat to shoot here. On called raccoon it has worked well with no exits. Probably the best coyote bullet I have used out of my AR, I have thought about trying the Nosler 40 gr bt.
 
I love the 60GR Nosler BT for yotes but i've about blown a fox in half with it. It's not that it's explosive in the smaller critters it's just that it leaves an exit. On yotes i've never had an exit and I've shot one at 20', zero pelt damage. That's doing 2,760 in an 18" barrel with varget.
 
I had about 1500 50gr sx loaded from past PD hunt that were built for a 12 twist 788. Tried them in my 1-9 Bushmaster shot lights out. Then was siteing in a new scope on a 95 plus degree day. Had a nice 3 shot group going the # 4 missed the hole target. Finally figured out the hot temp and 9 twist was slinging the jackets off on some shots. Those shells got saved for my contender. The powder was 748 YMMV. Just saying the sx will only handle so much RPM 9 twist is pushing it if you load the wagon, which I always do.
 
BTW killing performance was great with the SX I just noticed I was missing some chip shots on Coyotes and thought it was my scope. After the scope change and the site in I figured out what was going on.
 
I agree with most of whats been said here. Coyotes are tough as [beeep]. Shot placement is critical if you want to plant them. As mentioned, if you hit hard bone with a lighter bullet, you may end up with a really gnarly, but shallow wound. A heavier V-Max might be the answer.

If it makes you feel any better, when I started coyote hunting ~15 years ago, I started out using cheap, steel case Wolf hollow points. It seemed like some would drop where they stand and some would run a long ways. It took me a little while, but that's when I figured out how important bullet construction can be.
 
Maybe coyotes are simply built different here....But i have lost exactly zero coyotes with a 50gr VMax running a tick over 3500fps. From 30yd to 350yds, they work, even though I have been told time and time again they will splash, come apart, wound, etc....
 
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An important factor that some don't account for is that a 16" AR will be significantly reduced velocity compared to a standard 22" or 26" bolt gun. A marginal bullet in a bolt gun may underperform in an AR.
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdad..i have lost exactly zero coyotes with a 50gr VMax running a tick over 3500fps...

How many have you killed?

- DAA
 
Speed kills with a bullet that is on the tougher side.

55g Sierra sptbt
55g Sierra flat base
55g Sierra BTHP
55g Hornady sp with the cannalure
53g sierra Match Hp
52g Sierra Match BTHP

Somewhere around 34.5g of Benchmark with a cci 450 in an AR with a 9T will be a home run with some speed.

if you hit a coyote behind the diaphram, they will often lay down then hobble off in a minute or two, some will run like a scalded cat.

AWS and Jerry Blair had good luck with the speer 52, I did not...go figure??? Difference in lot# can be the only answer. I took 50 shells on a hunt in Mexico using a Ruger 77- 22/250. We killed 32 coyotes that weekend, but had 7 get up and need a second shot. We started making head shots. We are all subject to the variations in lot# and how the lot# may vary. ON the next trip to Mexico, I carried 25 shells loaded with 55g Sierra spt and 55g Rem core locts, and both bullets performed flawlessly.

I shot a bunch of coyotes with a 223 in a Rem 788 with 26.5g of Win 748 and a 55g Wincheser soft point with the cannalure, excellent bullet and load, which maybe the best load for saving pelts that I have ever found for the 223.

If you want to just blow up a coyote, use the 55g Sierra Blitz lead tip...you will just have to see it with your own eyes, very humane kills. The 55g Sierra lead tip blitz bullets work best in 9T-14T with the 748 load listed above, MV will be around 3000 in a 16" barrel.

I don't like fast expanding poly tip bullets for coyotes with the Nosler ballistic tips being the excpetion. You have to count on shooting running coyotes from all directions coming and going, breaking shoulders and hips joints. If you have ever seen a bullet blow up on a quartering shot were you hit a rib, you will want to use a tougher bullet.
 
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Originally Posted By: DAAOriginally Posted By: liliysdad..i have lost exactly zero coyotes with a 50gr VMax running a tick over 3500fps...

How many have you killed?

- DAA

Dont have an exact count, but if I had to make a guess, somewhere in the 30-40 range with that rifle and bullet.
 
Originally Posted By: DAAOriginally Posted By: liliysdad..i have lost exactly zero coyotes with a 50gr VMax running a tick over 3500fps...

How many have you killed?

- DAA

don't get in these debates. LOL, besides a dead coyote doesn't mean the bullet performed ideally.
 
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