Vmax woes

kswaterfowl

New member
I never had problems with vmax bullets back when I used to shoot 55gr vmax in my 223. So I always questioned people when they say they have had problems with runners, when shooting vmax. But I saw first hand yesterday, 3 runners that were shot with a 223 and 53gr superforemance.

First coyote was slowly trotting away at around 200 yards, he takes a shot and dumps it. I congratulated him on a good shot. Then the coyote gets back up, catches another gear and takes off into some grass. We went and searched for it with no luck. I'm just chalking it up to bad shot placement at that point.

Next stand we have one roll in and stop at 130 yards. My buddy shoots, and the coyote goes to biting and spinning. I instantly see a massive hole in the side of it. It stops spinning and stands up, so I put another one in it with my 6 dti. I keep calling and another comes in and stops at about the same distance, only about 10 yards from the first one. My buddy squeezes one off right before I do. He hits it and it goes to spinning also. I instantly put another one it and drop it.

I am giving my buddy all kinds of grief about his shooting as we are walking over to pick up coyotes. Once I get over to the coyotes and pick them up, I notice both shots were a little back. But I wouldn't consider them a bad shot. And both had massive holes in them also.

After all this I would still argue that the 223 is sufficient for coyotes. But I would be very leery of shooting vmax bullets.
 
I shoot them right behind the shoulder and have never had a problem. They might run a little ways but I've only had them running dead on their feet. I've had them spin and take off with v-max and other bullets too. I've had them make miraculous recoveries using a variety of bullets and calibers. That's the result of a shot too far back in my opinion. If you get one in the lungs it's not going far whether it's a 17 grain v-max or an 87....
 
Put it right through the shoulder. Unless you have a "splash", they are dead, and not going to spin, or run. It's not the bullet choice. Any coyote hit a little far back will spin/run, until they bleed out.

I use the V-MAX 50 grain, in my .222 with great success....if I hit 'em right!
 
I always tell people to shoot for the shoulder. But anyone that has called coyotes for very long knows that it doesn't always work out that way. I have shot hundreds of coyotes with nosler bullets, and never had them splash that bad.
 
Originally Posted By: wolftrapperPut it right through the shoulder. Unless you have a "splash", they are dead, and not going to spin, or run. It's not the bullet choice. Any coyote hit a little far back will spin/run, until they bleed out.

I use the V-MAX 50 grain, in my .222 with great success....if I hit 'em right!

Hi wolftrapper,

I've just bought a .222 Rem. I bought 250 50 grain V-Max bullets. My other components are: Fed 205M primers, Norma brass, and IMR-4198 powder.

How do you load your 50 grain V-Max for your .222 Rem?

Thanks.
 
That was a loooooong original post...

What it comes down to is that your 6DTI took care of business and saved the day. Twice! There's nothing else to say.
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Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOGThat was a loooooong original post...

What it comes down to is that your 6DTI took care of business and saved the day. Twice! There's nothing else to say.
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Hahaha!! That was probably the longest post I have made in the 9 years I have been on predatormasters.

The 6 dti has quickly become my favorite calling rifle. Very minimal fur damage so far with the 55gr noslers, and all drt.
 
Originally Posted By: kswaterfowlBefore I would completely agree with you. But I was amazed at how bad they were blowing up.

Ya know, a couple of years ago, I tried some factory Winchester 55 gr softpoint, and they splashed every time! Horrible! Must have been very soft lead. I'm talking a three inch entrance on a frontal chest shot, and not enough penetration to kill the animal.
 
Originally Posted By: EMP3Originally Posted By: wolftrapperPut it right through the shoulder. Unless you have a "splash", they are dead, and not going to spin, or run. It's not the bullet choice. Any coyote hit a little far back will spin/run, until they bleed out.

I use the V-MAX 50 grain, in my .222 with great success....if I hit 'em right!

Hi wolftrapper,

I've just bought a .222 Rem. I bought 250 50 grain V-Max bullets. My other components are: Fed 205M primers, Norma brass, and IMR-4198 powder.

How do you load your 50 grain V-Max for your .222 Rem?

Thanks.

I'm actually using Hornady factory ammo right now...typically, my son in law reloads for me, but he got busy! They are working well.

 
Try Sierra 55g 1365 or the 65 1395 I think. They worked really well for me in my 22-250. Now I’m using a 22-243 with 75g amax at 3500 not great but not bad on fur but puts them done now matter what.
 
Originally Posted By: btech29Vmax out of a 223 equals lost coyotes.
.....Or any other bullet or cartridge that doesn't hit vitals. Hit them in the vitals and they only get lost if you shoot 'em in tall grass.
 
You said you would not consider the shots bad per se... but in context, they were.

Nothing wrong with the V-Max bullet... I've killed hogs DRT with it, and when it comes to difficulty in killing with less than perfect hits HOGS > COYOTE.

Coyote, like many other animals, will drag their guts a long way before expiring. If you want DRT results, then you must smash the lungs, heart, brain, or spine... you already know this.

Seems to me you're expecting DRT results with less than DRT hits... not a bullet design issue.
 
Originally Posted By: Bowhntr6ptYou said you would not consider the shots bad per se... but in context, they were.

Nothing wrong with the V-Max bullet... I've killed hogs DRT with it, and when it comes to difficulty in killing with less than perfect hits HOGS > COYOTE.

Coyote, like many other animals, will drag their guts a long way before expiring. If you want DRT results, then you must smash the lungs, heart, brain, or spine... you already know this.

Seems to me you're expecting DRT results with less than DRT hits... not a bullet design issue.



A shot behind the shoulder should be a drt. He shot both of them about 1"-2" back from the shoulder. But to me that to me is to far back for a coyote, because I aim for the shoulder.

I have always been a supporter of the vmax, like I said before. I was the one who talked him into trying the 53gr vmax. Ive killed tons of coyotes over the last 10 years with vmax bullets. . But I just couldn't believe how bad those were splashing.
 
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55g Nosler ballistic tip

55g Sierra spt

55g Sierra lead tip blitz

55g Sierra BTHP

55g Sierra BTSP

55g Hornady sp with the cannalure

We killed many hundreds of coyotes with all these bullets in Mexico.

We had bullet failures with other bullets.

Another issue, shoot the same bullet in 223,22/250, and 22/250 AI

Always consider shooting coyotes on quartering shots where the bullet has to have good penetration, break shoulders, heavy ribs, and hind quarters.
 
Happy Veterans Day, ackleyman,

Would you recommend 55 grain BallisticTips out of a Sauer 100 .222 Rem with a 1:12 twist?

I know zero about predator hunting. I know next to nothing about loading the .222 Rem. I do know that it is a very accurate cartridge & BallisticTips are accurate bullets.
 
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