6.5 Creedmoor vmax for yotes

H

happypappy

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I'm building a Creedmoor in LR308 wanting an all purpose gun, but my passion is coyote hunting and I like saving pelts. I used to shoot a 6.8spc all the time and always used Hornady's vmax round. I've never had a single round break through the other side, they're an amazing round. My friend shot two raccoons 200 yds at night thinking they were yotes and they still didn't go through!

So back to the 6.5, I'm praying the same round would be just as amazing and not go through too bad. I've read over and over again on the internet people saying "it's likely not a fur friendly round" but I've only found two first hand accounts, one said it didn't go through and the other said it blew a huge hole.

Has anyone ACTUALLY shot this round with consistency and seen what it does to yotes? I know it mists prairie dogs, but what does it do to coyote? I'll be shooting 300 plus yards out, my buddy would take closer with his 5.56
 
I have a 6.5 creedmoor AR10 and shoot the 95 grain v max. I've shot 4 or 5 coyote with it and they were all pass throughs. Exit holes are about quarter size. A spine shot might be ugly but they don't open up much. I'm going to put a 243 barrel on mine.
 
Very helpful. I've been thinking of getting a 243 instead, from what I understand they have pretty versatile rounds.
What are your reasons for the switch?
 
I want to switch for the bullet selection. Nosler makes a 90 grain varmageddon in 6.5 but that's about as light as it can go. A 243 in 9 twist will shoot 55 to over a hundred grain bullets accurately. The creedmoor does work good though.
 
I ditto pyscodog's comments on the 243 Win. I put one together this past year after overlooking the cartridge for too many years. With a bullet range of 55g up to 100 gr or a little more, the 243 Win is a very versatile caliber.

For me, I have plenty of varmint calibers that I use for coyotes but I wanted a caliber to bridge th e gap between my 220 Swift and 7mm RUM to use mainly for deer and antelope size game. I ended up working up a load using the Barnes 80 gr TTSX and could not be happier with it.

For one caliber that can be a screamer on coyotes and turn around an be very capable on midsized big game, you would have to seriously consider the 243 Win.

I would also add that I worked up a load for a friend of mine who bought his daughter a 243 Win and in hers I loaded the Nosler 90 gr Accubond. It has been a great load for her and very accurate.
 
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The 243 Winchester has been a very versatile cartridge for 65+ years. With a proper bullet and good bullet placement for the chore, it can be used for coyotes and on up through anything in the continental US, maybe with the exception of Grizzlies. Its definitely not the ideal choice for all big game, but it does work if the hunter has his stuff aligned.

One of the largest bull elk I've ever seen taken was killed with a 243 Winchester by a 17 year old hunter back in the early 1970's. He double lunged it at about 125 yards and it cratered after trotting about 50 yards after the bullet hit. A first kill with his new rifle and a $7.98 box of off the shelf WW ammunition with 100 grain lead tipped spitzers.
 
Wish I could help you out. I loaded up some 95 grain V-max for my 6.5 but have not had a chance to try them out on coyotes yet. I also don’t worry about fur damage, I just like them dead. If I were building a custom do it all rifle, I would most definitely look at somewhere in between the 243 and 6.5 perhaps. Good luck and let us know what you decide.
 
Why not use something more appropriately sized for the quarry? There are far better choices for hunting coyotes and saving fur.
 
Ive shot a lot of coyotes with the 6.5 Creed. A true fur friendly bullet does not exist in my opinion. I use it for a contest rifle where fur is my least concern. 123gr Amax is my all time favorite killing bullet, (If anyone knows where i can find some) I'll echo ackleyman they will tear the head off a coyote. The lighter weight varmint bullets in 6.5 are still a whole lotta lead moving decently fast designed to explode. Even if you stay off heavy bone still blowing big holes. A solid copper bullet avoiding big bones works kinda, but even then you catch a bone wrong or get a funny angle your tearing them up.
 
I recently bought a Sig cross rifle in 6.5CM. Put a banish 30 suppressor on it and a Hogster 35. Plan on using it as my coyote calling rifle this winter. I want them dead, no interest in making hats out of them. So far I’ve got 130gr TMK, 140gr fusion and 129gr SST. I pick up a box or two whenever I see it on the shelf.
 
If it is going to primarily be a coyote gun and possibly used for larger animals such as deer, I agree a 243 win is a better option than 6.5 creed. I would also suggest you look a fast twist 243 win or the 6mm Creedmoor that will allow you to shoot heavy long 6mm bullets.
 
Talking about a 6.5 Creedmoor being to much gun for coyote. A few years ago I walked up on a deer with both back legs broke from getting clipped by a train. Went home and got my Creedmoor and only had 140 RDF. At 50 yds it vaporized its head on a foot of snow. Couldn't find anything and I couldn't believe it.
 
Originally Posted By: BrianIDIf it is going to primarily be a coyote gun and possibly used for larger animals such as deer, I agree a 243 win is a better option than 6.5 creed. I would also suggest you look a fast twist 243 win or the 6mm Creedmoor that will allow you to shoot heavy long 6mm bullets.

or a 6mm arc if you wannna do that in the ar-15 platform.

its a fast twist 6mm designed for long and heavy
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can you say 22 Creedmoor
why use a 243 when a 22 Creedmoor will do it better
just sayin

just got back from the range with my 6.5 CM and 95 gr v-maxes mine really likes Varget
have yet to shoot anything with it but it is very accurate
 
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243 over the 6.5 for coyotes, all day long. The bullet weight versatility like mentioned above, is a huge benefit.

The guy that hunts with me 90% of the time, he’s a “one gun” type of guy. He hunts everything with a 6.5 creed, just different bullet choices for different animals.

I’ve never seen one he’s shot, that was fur friendly.. far from it. Best I’ve seen it do, was quarter/half dollar size entrance and exit. The worst I’ve seen it do, he picked up one half and I picked up the other, literally.
 
6.5 Cr with 80gr tipped Hammer Hunters @ 3400 fps would be interesting. Or 85gr regular Hammer Hunters. They certainly shoot well!

85gr HH in 6.5x47L @ 3200fps.
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