.223 not cutting it for coyotes

Pop cans on a stick don't move either, coyotes hardly ever stand still. Apples and oranges. We use to shoot ping pong balls filled with colored water hanging from a string at 100yds with 17HMR's. Thats a bunch of fun when there's a breeze blowing. (Note: my friends wife filled them with a syringe and super glued a string to them and we hung them off the bottom of a back stop.)

AWS, I agree shooting cans @100 and eggs @150 are totally different. I have a buddy that thinks it will be easy. Soon as the weather cools a little, I'm going to have an egg shoot at the club. Figure he can come out and show all of us how easy it is. LOL!!
 
I'd love to come out and meet a bunch of you guys. According to Google its about 22 hours from Tulsa. Just had a big expense getting dental work done. I'm not sure the funds will be there this year but its on the bucket list.
 
Originally Posted By: DultimatpredatorEvery coyote I’ve shot with a 223 has been bang flops except for one due to poor shot placement. I hit it high across the back. Never did recover it. I saw it the next day in the same area limping with a moon shape chunk missing out it.

My load 60 grain vmax with 25 grains of benchmark. Runs 2850 FPS out of my 14.5” POF and about another 125 FPS faster out of my 20” LTR.

Extremely poor shot placement is your problem as everyone who read the post can clearly see and have told you. Any plastic tipped bullet is your friend with this caliber. Aim for the shoulder on standing coyotes and they won’t go anywhere. If you can’t stop them to stop for standing still shot then don’t shoot. You’ll harvest less dogs but at least your DRT count will rise. I’d tell you practice, practice, practice...or leave the rifle at home and pick up a shotgun along with some lead BB shot.

Good stuff right there !
.223 I use 60 gr vmax
6.5 grendel I use 95 gr vmax
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I too need to practice MORE using my tri-pod/shooting sticks ..
 
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Just about anything will work if you hit them right. I think basically the two to three not being enough for coyote means that when you shoot them through the guts or a little far back or through the back leg they don't blow up like they do with a 243 around max load. I think blem bullets also have thicker jackets and maybe don't work like the regular ones.
 
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Before changing guns I would try different ammo.

Certainly if I shoot a fox with my 62gr Federal Fusions it's much better if I hit a solid bone like the shoulder. They seem to "pencil" through if I don't get a major bone. Something like a 55gr V-max is available in lots of factory loadings and probably worth a box or 2.

Practice is always important. Gut shots and hips will usually result in runners. The more practice you have and confidence in your equipment the easier it will be to make good hits and take some of the pressure off on live quarry.

ATB,

Scrummy
 
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I think the 6.8 is a great choice when you need extra power. The round will take on larger game when the opportunity comes around. My grandsons have taken several deer with it.
 
I have a hard time with believing a 223 is not enough gun for coyotes.As a kid all I had was my ruger 10/22 and I killed a lot of coyotes.I was so pumped the day I got it and still own it.I think shot placement is crucial If you put one in the lungs ,head or kneck they may run off but it will die some were!
 
I see it at range days all the time, not everyone has the same ability or the same quality level of equipment. That's why there often disagreement and discussion about caliber choice and observational performance.
 
I guess I will need to sell off my 17's and 20's and stay with my 22-250 because they clearly won't work.

Also, all you egg shoot guys just need to forfeit and just let me win that AR15 because it is a 223...
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Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootI see it at range days all the time, not everyone has the same ability or the same quality level of equipment. That's why there often disagreement and discussion about caliber choice and observational performance.

I'm the range chairman at our club and see what spotstalkshoot is talking about on a daily basis. Also whats good enough for them isn't going to work at all for me or you. I know a guy that if he can hit a paper plate at 100yds, thats plenty good enough.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogOriginally Posted By: spotstalkshootI see it at range days all the time, not everyone has the same ability or the same quality level of equipment. That's why there often disagreement and discussion about caliber choice and observational performance.

I'm the range chairman at our club and see what spotstalkshoot is talking about on a daily basis. Also whats good enough for them isn't going to work at all for me or you. I know a guy that if he can hit a paper plate at 100yds, thats plenty good enough.

I think these are valid points. I shoot a lot and I shoot a lot of coyotes. I have used everything fron a .17Rem to a .308 to a 12 gauge. I've had runners on just about everone of those at some point. I don't jump right to the caliber. I look at the shot placement first then look at the results of the shot, if I can. Once had a coyote take a dead on chest hit from my .308 and it spun and tried to run. A quick follow up anchored it. The first shot had completely unzipped it's left side. So something caused the shot to veer off after it entered. Was that one enough for me to give up on the caliber? No way. I would just as quickly grab my 17, 204, 223, 6.5g or 308 and go out without hesitation.
 
I just came back from a week of coyote hunting with my nephew. We were playing with rifles and killed them with a 22 Mag, 218 Bee, 22-250, .243 and 16ga the only one that got back up and got away was with the 243, go figure.

We did take a 223 out one day but didn't see one to shot, I guess the 223 didn't cut it as a coyote rifle.
 
Old Chili Rojo killed a bunch of coyotes with the old Hornet one year for the foxpro contest. Shot placement, and call them in.
 
63gr sierra semi point will get ya good penetration. But then again so will the 55gr game king! Both are tougher bullets at 223 velocities.
 
I used the 223 for years, killed a bunch of critters, but eventually wanted more horsepower. Went to the 223AI then to the 22 Creedmoor, and the difference is night and day.

I still own and use 223s, but if I am calling anything that has the potential to present a shot over 300yd, I am toting something bigger.
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdadI used the 223 for years, killed a bunch of critters, but eventually wanted more horsepower. Went to the 223AI then to the 22 Creedmoor, and the difference is night and day.

I still own and use 223s, but if I am calling anything that has the potential to present a shot over 300yd, I am toting something bigger.

I can ditto this....
I used to use .22-250 and hunting buddy has always used .223, and both kill.

The past 2 years I also used a .223 and really enjoy it...BUT I have noticed way more "runners". No problem retrieving them but I think I just started to be aware of it.

This year I switched to a 6DTI. I fricken love this caliber in an AR platform and I used to hate AR's
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With this setup, I'm 12/12 including one 500 yard and multiple 300+ yard dogs...with NO runners. This setup has me gleaming with confidence that one loves to have with his rifle. My buddy and his .223 with 55's had multiple vital shot runners just this last week.
 
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The dude needs practice more than anything else, stomach and leg hits, that he even said it shows
how green he is at this game. Muzzle blast scares him or something. 223 is a fine coyote round, but he has to put the bullet where it counts. He has no clue and he has not come back to spread more garbage.
Originally Posted By: sqeezeatriggerUse something besides UMC ammunition for live targets, many choices out there.
 
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