Fur Friendliest .223 Loads/Ammo 4 The Lil Montana

gunsbam45

New member
I have a Kimber Montana in .223. I actually ended up with 2 of them, intending 1 to be a .204, the other a 25-204. I scoped 1 of them last year just to see how I'd get along with the lightweight rifle, and discovered I not only really like the gun, but I like the round. Way easier on my ears than the .204. I bought some cheap Fiocchi 40 VMAX to keep coyotes cleared away in the pastures during grass season, and it kills them dead, but it's ugly most of the time. It also shoots 1 ragged hole at 100 yards which I did not see coming. It's cheap stuff. Other than a standard 16" Ruger AR I seldom fire, this is my first .223. Have always used 22-250 and .204 til now on coyotes. I'd like to know what the guys that are serious about saving fur like for bullets and for velocity to go with those bullets in their .223 rifles, or other rounds slinging the same bullets. My main concern here is MINIMAL HIDE DAMAGE along with best accuracy for the round. I prefer flat as possible, but hide damage and accuracy come first. I hear a 52 Sierra is tough to beat but I'm all ears.
 
First off, congratulations on finding 2 Kimbers in 223. I've been trying to find one for a time now to rebarrel.
In 223 I think the Sierra #1365 is one of the best for saving fur on coyotes. Its the 55gr. SBT Gameking bullet they've had for years. For awhile they were clearing out the 50 and 55gr. SMP bullets which is another good one for Coyotes.
An old favorite of mine was the Nosler 50gr. solid base bullets.
If you decide to sell the other 223 Montana I would sure be interested.
 
I've been partial to the 52gr Speed Flatbase HP for a long time, I run it in my 222Rem, 223, 5.6x50R and 22-250.

Way to go with the 25-204 I've been shooting one since 2005.
 
I like the 50 vmax out of 223 rem 700. Vary accurate and very little fur damage. I reload and tried a 35 vmax bullet out of a 223 case with awesome results. No damage and dead animals. Small bullets usually make less fur damage and I emphasize on usually.
 
I was out with my 22-204 the past three days of hunting and and the 40gr NBT has been an outstanding bullet for pelt hunting. I'm running them a 4000fps out of a 1-9 barrel for 16 yrs now. When the pelts are prime I hunt for fur. There is a big difference between the 40gr V-max and the 40gr NBT as far as terminal performance. During the off season out come the bigger rifles
 
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Hornady 52gr. BTHP and 60gr. Sierra Varminter are the best I've seen. I've been shooting 55 grain Softpoints the past few seasons and it's hard to stray away from them though. They exit on broadside shots most of the time but they don't tear them up too bad. I just like them because of their killing ability. They're a little rough on bobcats.
 
Originally Posted By: BearAre the 40 grainers blowing up on impact?

Some of them seem to be. Everything dies, but sometimes it's ugly. I hit a young one looked like last years litter on a trot at about 100 few nights ago broadside just at backside of rib cage. It was after 11 at night, well below zero, and I was about to crash, so just went and looked in the morning. There were chunks of flesh laying on the snow along his final trail. Went about 40 yards and went down. Crossed a set of railroad tracks on way. There's big wide smears of blood still on the edge of the rail in few places from his guts draggin along the rail. I make a lot of not so great running shots, so nice to have a lethal yet forgiving bullet. I had really good luck with 40 MMAX in the .204 but not so good with 40 VMAX in the .223 now, at least with the Fiocchi 50 box stuff anyway. I have not used anything else in it yet on anything live.
 
If you're going to load for your 223 Montana, 55gr. Sierra Game Kings ahead of 24.8 of IMR8208, LC brass, and Rem 7 1/2 primers is a really accurate load in mine. You might want to start at 24.3 just to be safe.
 
I have always had good luck with 60 grain v-max. A lot of the time no exit on coyote and bobcats. Before that the 55 grain Sierra game king
 
For me, the best performing bullet on coyotes I have shot is the Sierra #1390 55 gr HPBT.

Another one I have had really good success with in my 220 Swift is the Barnes 36 gr Varmint Grenade but I don't shoot it a lot because I have such good performance out of the Sierra.
 
Originally Posted By: WyoBullFor me, the best performing bullet on coyotes I have shot is the Sierra #1390 55 gr HPBT.

Are these the Sierra's with a fairly large meplat opening?

Sierra bullets always seem to shoot really well.
 
I have notice less fur damage from Hornady 52 or Speer 52gr Match over the yrs. Handloaded close to max velocities.
It's a thing, they work. I don't care about fur damage anymore but they still work.
 
Originally Posted By: K22First off, congratulations on finding 2 Kimbers in 223. I've been trying to find one for a time now to rebarrel.
In 223 I think the Sierra #1365 is one of the best for saving fur on coyotes. Its the 55gr. SBT Gameking bullet they've had for years. For awhile they were clearing out the 50 and 55gr. SMP bullets which is another good one for Coyotes.
An old favorite of mine was the Nosler 50gr. solid base bullets.
If you decide to sell the other 223 Montana I would sure be interested.

Ditto, even if they exit, generally a stitch or two takes care of it.
 
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