204 w/35 berger vs coyote

Originally Posted By: SpidicusFinally got my first shot on a coyote with my 204 shooting factory hsm 35 Berger's. The coyote was facing me head on at about 80 yards I aimed at the center of the chest.

You made a bad shot. Either missed, or hit the shoulder. Sage could have messed it up.
 
Originally Posted By: Coyotejunki
You made a bad shot. Either missed, or hit the shoulder. Sage could have messed it up.

Yup. This right here ^

I'm the first to say, never say never, cause just about anything can happen, but that straight on 80 yard shot on a coyote, hit dead center in the chest is probably the lowest percentage run off shot you'll get. They usually dont move, they tip over. If you hit a shoulder, different story.
 
From what I’ve seen shooting both the .204 Ruger and the 35 grain Bergers over the last 15 years, they perform about the same way the old Berger 25 grain Match did in both my 17 Remington and 17 Tactical. With the exception of alittle bigger hole and an exit now and again. But they die the same way....
 
Originally Posted By: songdogOK, if Ballistic tips splash and softpoints smash, what does a hollow point do, because that's what the bergers are.
Funny how lots of guys have great success with a bullet and others can't kill a rat with the same bullet.

Only reason i didnt address the hollow points is because i havent done anything with them yet myself. I dont reload yet, and check for the hsm ammo everywhere i go into but no luck. When i find some, i plan on getting 35 and 40 grainers because they are so successful. I have had 32g vmax get straight to vitals with one shot and splash on another on the same coyote. Not sure if first or second shot splashed, but one of the two sure did. Ive never heard anyone claim they have had a splash with a 45g sp. The cattle bone that i shot with one punched clean thru, and im confident would do the same on a yote.

If someone is struggling with killing a rat with any bullet, get a .22 pellet rifle. Mine hasnt let me down yet on anything up to skunks.
 
Proably just a clean miss. It happens we get excited or human error, unfortunately we are not perfect and can pull a shot or not notice that branch that’s in the way. I shoot a coyote with my 22-250 and 65g seirra gameking bullet known to be a tough bullet, anyways I miss judged the distance hit low and must have pulled the shot or anyways it landed to the right and low. Found the coyote it was anchored but not dead. The shot hit entered on the right shoulder low and exited by his private parts. So it missed the vitals or scrapped them and the guts was lots of blood he would have died just would have been slow and painful so a second shot put him out of his misery.
 
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