BAYSTATE YOTE
New member
However,lets agree that the Varmint Grenade bullets are great for light game,chucks and prarie dogs...Real accurate,its a bullet that fills a nitch and is "Green"...
.223 handloads in 36 gr varmit grenades and 55 gr varmageddon
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derbyacresbob
Well-known member
I like the Hornady 35 gr NTX Lead Free bullets much better than the Barnes 36 gr Varmint Grenade bullets. Just because a bullet has a cool name doesn't make it a great bullet.
BAYSTATE YOTE
New member
Originally Posted By: derbyacresbobI like the Hornady 35 gr NTX Lead Free bullets much better than the Barnes 36 gr Varmint Grenade bullets. Just because a bullet has a cool name doesn't make it a great bullet.
????? I did not make my statement due the fact that "Varmint Grenade" has a great name ,Bob.... I made my statement because the said bullet shot well out to 400 yards in my .204,on chucks.. I thought that in all fairness to the Manufacturer(Barnes)that I make that statement...The original poster asked about it as a hog bullet, we all seem to agree that its not the bullet for hogs. But it still is a good bullet for light varmints...Maybe it just did not shoot well in your rifle...
P.S. To Orney, make that nines drt coyotes as of last night for the Varmagedons, the terminal results on coyotes are deadly, must be the cool name that does it...........
????? I did not make my statement due the fact that "Varmint Grenade" has a great name ,Bob.... I made my statement because the said bullet shot well out to 400 yards in my .204,on chucks.. I thought that in all fairness to the Manufacturer(Barnes)that I make that statement...The original poster asked about it as a hog bullet, we all seem to agree that its not the bullet for hogs. But it still is a good bullet for light varmints...Maybe it just did not shoot well in your rifle...
P.S. To Orney, make that nines drt coyotes as of last night for the Varmagedons, the terminal results on coyotes are deadly, must be the cool name that does it...........
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derbyacresbob
Well-known member
I apologize to you BAYSTATE Yote my comment about the cool name was directed at Barnes Bullets not you. I am sorry that I didn't make that clear.
BAYSTATE YOTE
New member
Pup
Do you have any of the Barnes TSX, bullets that you have recovered from coyotes? I would really be curious to see if you get nice expansion like that on a coyote..
I have had many top line lead construction hollow points from reputable manufacturers pass right thru my dogs in the past.. So I am vary particular of what I shoot for a bullet..
While coyotes are tough,unless you hit bone I cant see a copper bullet opening up like that on a yote...Or am I wrong?
Do you have any of the Barnes TSX, bullets that you have recovered from coyotes? I would really be curious to see if you get nice expansion like that on a coyote..
I have had many top line lead construction hollow points from reputable manufacturers pass right thru my dogs in the past.. So I am vary particular of what I shoot for a bullet..
While coyotes are tough,unless you hit bone I cant see a copper bullet opening up like that on a yote...Or am I wrong?
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SkyPup
New member
Originally Posted By: BAYSTATE YOTEPup
Do you have any of the Barnes TSX, bullets that you have recovered from coyotes? I would really be curious to see if you get nice expansion like that on a coyote..
I have had many top line lead construction hollow points from reputable manufacturers pass right thru my dogs in the past.. So I am vary particular of what I shoot for a bullet..
While coyotes are tough,unless you hit bone I cant see a copper bullet opening up like that on a yote...Or am I wrong?
You are correct, the heavy solid copper Barnes 62 grain and 70 grain DO NOT expand well on coyotes, in my experience they go right though and unless you hit the spinal column or head they are not good on dogs.
They are accurate and deep penetrating, which is why I am using them on hogs and they end up getting used on dogs too just coincidentally while I am out after hogs. I have killed lots of dogs with them, but there are better bullets to use for quicker kills. Maybe 50% of my dogs are DRT, but the other 50% manage to high tail it for up to a 100 yards before they collapse.
If I am in the backyard calling dogs, I use normally use 75 grain OTM Horndays or 77 grain Nosler or Sierra SMKs on coyotes and these do expand well (they also shoot to almost the same POI as the 70 grain Barnes do for me so do not re-target the scopes with them).
I have some solid copper 55 grain Barnes TSX I am going to try out on hogs too in the future and these will also get tried out on coyotes.
But from what I know, the solids are not very good for coyotes.
The 62 and 70 grain Barnes TSX are the only 556 bullet that I find will penetrate thick shields on hogs and thick bone. Otherwise I use the .308 Barnes 130 grain TSX in the 7.62mms...
This was the exit wound on a coyote with a Barnes 70 grain TSX at about 200 yards, it obviously hit some substantial bone on the pass through, these bullets are devastating when they tumble:
However, this is NOT the norm.
Do you have any of the Barnes TSX, bullets that you have recovered from coyotes? I would really be curious to see if you get nice expansion like that on a coyote..
I have had many top line lead construction hollow points from reputable manufacturers pass right thru my dogs in the past.. So I am vary particular of what I shoot for a bullet..
While coyotes are tough,unless you hit bone I cant see a copper bullet opening up like that on a yote...Or am I wrong?
You are correct, the heavy solid copper Barnes 62 grain and 70 grain DO NOT expand well on coyotes, in my experience they go right though and unless you hit the spinal column or head they are not good on dogs.
They are accurate and deep penetrating, which is why I am using them on hogs and they end up getting used on dogs too just coincidentally while I am out after hogs. I have killed lots of dogs with them, but there are better bullets to use for quicker kills. Maybe 50% of my dogs are DRT, but the other 50% manage to high tail it for up to a 100 yards before they collapse.
If I am in the backyard calling dogs, I use normally use 75 grain OTM Horndays or 77 grain Nosler or Sierra SMKs on coyotes and these do expand well (they also shoot to almost the same POI as the 70 grain Barnes do for me so do not re-target the scopes with them).
I have some solid copper 55 grain Barnes TSX I am going to try out on hogs too in the future and these will also get tried out on coyotes.
But from what I know, the solids are not very good for coyotes.
The 62 and 70 grain Barnes TSX are the only 556 bullet that I find will penetrate thick shields on hogs and thick bone. Otherwise I use the .308 Barnes 130 grain TSX in the 7.62mms...
This was the exit wound on a coyote with a Barnes 70 grain TSX at about 200 yards, it obviously hit some substantial bone on the pass through, these bullets are devastating when they tumble:
However, this is NOT the norm.
Orneryolfart357
New member
IOW.. Baystate, you are not getting Surface splashes, DRT kills, and accuracy as well? I may give them a try if so. My 60 GR Vmax have been working well, but it still may be worth the experiment.
BAYSTATE YOTE
New member
Orney
My go to coyote bullet for years was the 52 grain Speer HP,with V.V.N-135 propellant,load shot so well it was scary,and was great terminaly on coyotes,expanded with a twack!
I have not been able to find any more VV powder for a year or so,so I started using other favorite propellants that shot well and had the same MV,I have a bunch of loads that shot well,but did not expand on impact in the coyote,same muzzle velocity!!?? Go figure.. So my buddy turned me on to the Nosler Varmagedons,and I had access to a bunch of Varget,so thats the way I went,and its worked well for me...I have not chronyed the load yet,but I will..
I love the 50 grain Vmax's in my 22-250,I will try some 60 grain Vmaxs in my AR this summer,I am sure they will work well..
My go to coyote bullet for years was the 52 grain Speer HP,with V.V.N-135 propellant,load shot so well it was scary,and was great terminaly on coyotes,expanded with a twack!
I have not been able to find any more VV powder for a year or so,so I started using other favorite propellants that shot well and had the same MV,I have a bunch of loads that shot well,but did not expand on impact in the coyote,same muzzle velocity!!?? Go figure.. So my buddy turned me on to the Nosler Varmagedons,and I had access to a bunch of Varget,so thats the way I went,and its worked well for me...I have not chronyed the load yet,but I will..
I love the 50 grain Vmax's in my 22-250,I will try some 60 grain Vmaxs in my AR this summer,I am sure they will work well..
Orneryolfart357
New member
Next time I am at the LGS, I will check the shelves and see if they have any Varmageddons and give them a try. They sound promising. Thanks Baystate