Is 40gr .223 suitable for yotes?

[shaneman153D]

Hello guys.  I recently got a new .223 and worked up a very accurate handload with a 40gr V-Max.  Since I've been shooting this load, I have not missed a coyote, but I have also not stopped one in his tracks.  I'm not sure of the velocity, but I'm guessing it's somewhere between 3,200-3,300 fps (16 in barrel).  Is this not a suitable load or is this just poor shot placement?  I know there are guys that hunt Coyotes with a .204 Ruger so I know the bullet is capable of putting them down.  Should I just switch to a 55gr?

[shoot-em-dead]

It does sound light but if it works I have a freind that loads his with 50gn v-max and has put the lights out quick.

[Bulldozer]

If you want to drop them in their tracks you need a head or spine shot or a larger caliber. I've seen a yote soak up a few rounds when they get the adrenaline going. They are pretty tough animals. I use a 22-250 with 45gr HPs and they usually drop lick a rock if they are standing still but on a running shot placement isn't as precise and they can run a ways.

[high country]

I have killed a pile of them with 40gr bullets out of my 22-250.....but they are not worth a hoot in the wind. playing the slice sux

[sako223]

40's will do the job, but no doubt you can get runners and wind will cause drift easier.
We have had better luck with 50's, Nosler, Blitzking. With all ballistic tips splashing can pose problems especially with the lighter more fragile(thinner) brands.
The .22-250 has more energy and performs better with the same bullets traveling at a higher speed. For this reason many guys step up in bullet weight with the .223. they just don't shoot as flat.

[shaneman153D]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I'll try some 50-55gr V-Max's.  Hopefully I can load them up as accurate as that 40!

[carpsniperg2]

40's will work fine but wind will play with them allot, i like 50+ for my ar-15 myself

[demontang]

They work well with good placement. There's not much in winddrift over the 55 it's less the 4" at 400yds. I'm shooting them out a 16" barrel at 3600 and have downed lots of yotes with one shot, they are kind of nasty if you hit an edge. I use only the 40gr for yotes unless I'm out.   

[bowhunt03]

I shoot a 50 gr. Blitzking out of my .223 and havent had a problem with runners.

[b23]

I shoot 40's on yotes out of 2 different .223's I have.  A 1-9 and a 1-12 and they seem to put the yotes I shot with them to sleep quite nicely. 

I've never been a big fan of lighter bullets but these 40gr Nosler BT's have been like a death ray on yotes this year.  I'm running them a bit on the hot side but that's were they seem to want to group the best.

[Straight Shooter]

I have my .223s sighted in for the Fiocchi 40gr V-Max loads.  Eventhough, I haven't connected yet... at 3,650 fps, and good shot placement, I'm not worried.

[Gutpile]

This year all I've used were 40's. I've only shot 5 so far but only one needed more that one shot because of a poor hit. It just zapped them on the others. I've used many different 40's in the 22-250 and I think it's an awesome choice.  Just my   but the 40 is an excellent choice unless it's real windy. With good shot placement they should go down like they were electrocuted.

[Big10gauge]

I know there are guys that hunt Coyotes with a .204 Ruger so I know the bullet is capable of putting them down. 

Are you actually comparing a .223 to a .204?      

[wrangler]

i also got the 40gr vmax to shoot lights out in my 223, its what i use for prairie dogs when i go to montana. however i wanted to shoot a 55gr bullet for most of my yote huntin, i had MUCH better results, accuracy and velocity wise, with the 55gr balistic tip over the 55gr vmax. somethin you may wanna try.

[dontgetcrabs]

I have killed many coyotes with a 40 gr in 22-250. This year I've been using a 69 gr in 223. Yotehunter has had good kills with a 40 gr in 223 this year, very pelt friendly.

[shaneman153D]

Are you actually comparing a .223 to a .204?      

Yes I am.

204 Ruger 32 gr. V-MAX 83204 4225/1268 3645/944 3137/699 2683/512 2272/367 1899/256
223 Rem   40 gr. V-MAX 8325   3800/1282 3249/937 2762/677 2324/479 1928/330 1578/221
 

[Big10gauge]

My bad, I thought you wanted to compare apples to apples (40gr .224 to 40 gr .204) 

[wastickslinger]

.204 ROCKS!!!!!

[huntnphool]

40gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips is what I use, they seem to work well with a 1:10 twist and 20" barrel, my bro uses the same with his 24".

[shaneman153D]

My bad, I thought you wanted to compare apples to apples (40gr .224 to 40 gr .204) 

I can't believe the .204 has more energy.

I just looked it up, I didn't know the .204 took a bigger powder charge.

[demontang]

Ok I just looked up my reload data. 3600-3700 for the .204 with the .40gr an 3500-3600 for the .223 40gr. Now with the nosler bt the two 40gr are only a few .01bc apart. I loaded them in my bc program An with both moving at 3600 there's only 3" diff at 500yds.

.204 at 500yds is 43.6 low with 256ftlb
.223 at 500yds is 46.7 low with 222ftlb

so to me they are pretty damn close real mv makes a diff I haven't seen a .204 push a 40 at 3900 though a crono or a 32gr at 4200. An yes I had one for half a year. :p

[bowhunterforever]

.204 ROCKS!!!!!

[shaneman153D]

Ok I just looked up my reload data. 3600-3700 for the .204 with the .40gr an 3500-3600 for the .223 40gr. Now with the nosler bt the two 40gr are only a few .01bc apart. I loaded them in my bc program An with both moving at 3600 there's only 3" diff at 500yds.

.204 at 500yds is 43.6 low with 256ftlb
.223 at 500yds is 46.7 low with 222ftlb

so to me they are pretty damn close real mv makes a diff I haven't seen a .204 push a 40 at 3900 though a crono or a 32gr at 4200. An yes I had one for half a year. :p

Yes they are very similar.  I think I like the .223 because it should leave a bigger hole.  However doping the wind should be easier with the .204, as it has higher sectional density.  Meh, RRA only makes ARs in .223 so I went with that.  I would want one in 22-250 or 220 swift if I could get it!

[wastickslinger]

Ok I just looked up my reload data. 3600-3700 for the .204 with the .40gr an 3500-3600 for the .223 40gr. Now with the nosler bt the two 40gr are only a few .01bc apart. I loaded them in my bc program An with both moving at 3600 there's only 3" diff at 500yds.

.204 at 500yds is 43.6 low with 256ftlb
.223 at 500yds is 46.7 low with 222ftlb

so to me they are pretty damn close real mv makes a diff I haven't seen a .204 push a 40 at 3900 though a crono or a 32gr at 4200. An yes I had one for half a year. :p

Yes they are very similar.  I think I like the .223 because it should leave a bigger hole.  However doping the wind should be easier with the .204, as it has higher sectional density.  Meh, RRA only makes ARs in .223 so I went with that.  I would want one in 22-250 or 220 swift if I could get it!

Bigger hole? I like the 204 cause it leaves a smaller hole. Nothing worse than a blown up cat/yote for the fur buyer (not that there is a big dollar thses days but hey every little bit helps). If you want bigger holes quit messing around and shoot a 300 win mag and really put the hurt on them. 

And I disagree that that 204 and 223 are similar. All the charts I read show the 204 with more energy than 223 and pretty significant less drop. Thats how I read it anyway. 

They all get the job done though. I like 22-250, 223, 243 and 204(thats why I have them all). All for different reasons.

[demontang]

Lol yeah all the charts Ive seen have the 204 pushing the bullet faster then Ive seen one tested on a crono. I know a lot of people love them but there just not practical to me. I had one for a while and it realy never left my safe it didnt do anything my 223 couldnt

A 22-250 or 220 swift would have to be on the ar10 frame the coal is just a hair to long for the mag on a ar15

[Big10gauge]

Oh jeez, Another pissing match over calibers.  Oh well, it's just a friendly debate  

I've got a 40 gr .204 shooting at 3874 fps. with a low Standard Dev out of a 24 in barrel with H335 at 80 degrees. Yes slightly over recommended max load, Slight cratering of primer. And could do better if I throttled the gas port down more and changed to a leaf spring(stiffer) rather than the coil or played with more types of powders. Why would you want to shoot a .204 at 3600 fps at the same velocity as a .223 anyway? IMHO

As for guns never leaving the safe I've got 3 .223's in there that don't know what daylight is, and I've killed quite a few with them.  

The .223 has killed a ton of coyotes no doubt about it and will continue to do so no matter what bullet is used. In my experience the .204 fits my style of hunting better which is shooting the longer ranges on called in coyotes, less wind drift, lead etc. May not be for someone else but it's what I like to do. This year I'm playing with a .243 which so far spanks both of them and my be my new favorite, but I do prefer the AR platform so I'm in the process of building a .20 practical with a 26/27 in barrel, 4100 fps here I come!!!.  

My last

Sorry Shaneman, Didn't mean to jack your thread

[Dirty Mike]

40 is plenty might not buck the wind that well

[demontang]

Lol figured Id get you going

[shaneman153D]

Sorry Shaneman, Didn't mean to jack your thread

No problem brotha!

BTW, while the thread is jacked, do you own this upper?

http://www.model1sales.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=UV24204R&storeid=1&image=uvarm24204ru.gif&CFID=57793056&CFTOKEN=52874182

I saw that you posted that linky on another thread.  I've been wondering what kind of quality/accuracy it has.

[Red Dawg]

no problem. A 40 gr v-max out of the hornet kills them dead on the spot. Unless you blow there leg off. The can still run preatty fast on 3 legs.

[wastickslinger]

no problem. A 40 gr v-max out of the hornet kills them dead on the spot. Unless you blow there leg off. The can still run preatty fast on 3 legs.

3 ?? I have had them out run me with two legs. Ask duckfvr and 509er. Duck had to kill it with a rock. That sucker had no front legs. He just plowed snow for 400 yards and fast!!!

[Big10gauge]

Sorry Shaneman, Didn't mean to jack your thread

No problem brotha!

BTW, while the thread is jacked, do you own this upper?

http://www.model1sales.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=UV24204R&storeid=1&image=uvarm24204ru.gif&CFID=57793056&CFTOKEN=52874182

I saw that you posted that linky on another thread.  I've been wondering what kind of quality/accuracy it has.

I have that upper and so far it's been a a great upper. Seems to be very good quality and is very accurate. Mine's about 2 1/2 yrs old now