Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Coyote, Small Game, Varmints => Topic started by: Fitz on December 20, 2008, 11:28:42 AM

Title: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: Fitz on December 20, 2008, 11:28:42 AM: I have an AR-15 I plan to use for Coyote hunting and would like to know what ammunition you folks are using. It is a 20" heavy stainless barrel with 1:8 twist. I've heard that heavier bullets (60+ grains) work better with such a fast twist rate but am thinking I'd be better off with 50 or 55 gr bullets? What are you using that provide the best in accuracy? What brand and bullet type?

I'm thinking about Hornady, Black Hills, or Winchester with a 55 grain V-Max/Ballistic Tip with a moly coat. Does moly coat work that well?

Any help provide is greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: addicted on December 20, 2008, 11:51:16 AM: i thought 1:8 wasn't too fast. I think my new .223 has a 1:16.

also thought that higher rate of twist was more for heavier(60 +grn) bullets because lighter bullets didnt need as much.

Dont quote me too hard on it cuz i'm at the same point as you, just a different rifle.

I'll skim through for a sec and try to find a chart that smdave sent me......
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: addicted on December 20, 2008, 11:57:15 AM: wait a sec. i might be ass backwards :P

here is a similar chart though
http://www.nfa.ca/content/view/129/197/

sorry i brought smdave's name into my spoof
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: Gutpile on December 20, 2008, 12:12:34 PM: Sounds like you don't reload so it's anybody's guess what will shoot the best. I've always tried to use hollowpoints in my AR. If you can find ultramax 52 grain HP's try those and see how they shoot. They're cheap and my AR loves them. I've shot a couple with them and they seem to do OK. Keep in mind though, I have a 1:10 AR so your may or may not shoot them well. 55 grainers are very popular in all AR's but I've never tried them myself so not sure what to tell you.

I just worked up a load of 60 grn varmint hollowpoints and the one dog I've shot so far didn't even twitch.

You may PM MHWASH and see what he's shooting. I believe he uses 55 grn softpoints but I don't think he's real impressed so far.

There's a couple other AR shooters on here that may have some insight for you.

Lastly, you may want to consider loading for the .223. I can never find the loaded ammo I want in that cal so I started loading it to save the headaches. If you find a factory load that shoots well in your Ar buy as much as you can find. It's very hard to find "your load" as of the last few years.

Anyways pretty vague but it's a start. Good luck
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: FALFire on December 20, 2008, 02:10:23 PM: A 1-8" twist barrel is faster twist than the 1-16". The faster/tighter twist is better for longer bullets. However, longer generally means heavier aswell, so using a 1-8" twist you can reasonably get by with bullet weights up to and including 75 grain and perhaps the 77 grain bullets.

For coyotes, I would stay with the 55 - 60 grain hollow point or polymer tipped bullets as they usually feed better in AR's, I have had good luck with Hornady soft point bulk bullets also.

Black Hills offers several very good bullet loadings that should do well for coyotes. Another factory load I found that does a pretty good job is the Federal 55gr. HP, I've killed a few coyotes out to 200 yards using that load.

I would suggest that you stay clear of the 68 and 69 grain Match ammo as I have had very poor performance on coyotes with those bullets, so much to the point I refuse to use them any longer. I seldom will go after coyotes using a 223 since I have other calibers for my AR's that produce superior results, but I don't collect fur either.

I hope this helps.

Good luck.

Gary
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: Bofire on December 20, 2008, 02:21:44 PM: :)I am with Gary on this one(Falfire) I am real pleased with Hornady 55 and 60 grain VX's, I have found a little better DRT with the 55 and heavier in my 223's.
Carl
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: Fitz on December 20, 2008, 02:25:40 PM: Thanks everyone. I no longer reload and have no desire to start again so am looking for factory loaded ammo. I have no found much of a selection at local stores near Kirkland, are there any suggestions where I could find a wider selection? Sounds like 50 to 60 gr hp or polymer tips is a good starting point.

Any opinions on Moly Coat? Does it help with accuracy or adding life to a barrel?
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: FALFire on December 20, 2008, 02:51:25 PM: Yes, Ben's loan and pawn in Renton on 2nd and Main just off of 405, is a very good place to get 223 ammo, the gun store is in the back of the building. Rob usually keeps a fairly good selection of Black Hills and several other name brands aswell as Mil surplus blasting ammo.

No need for Moly, it does nothing for barrel life, just stay with standard ammo.
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: MHWASH on December 20, 2008, 04:31:07 PM: I've used the bulk Hornady 55s in my reloads. So far I have nothing to complain about, but I've only shot 4-5 dogs with it. I've yet to kill any coyotes this year. :'(

So far I'm not convinced that the AR platform suits me for hunting. Just a little too noisey draging it through the brush. I haven't given up on it yet, just need to do a few changes.
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: BULLBLASTER on December 20, 2008, 08:22:36 PM: i just loaded some 50 grain vmax bullets for mine to try out i have 1:9 barrel
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: bighorns2bushytails on December 21, 2008, 05:02:46 AM: i dont have an AR but i got a 1:9 twist rate rifle and mine doesnt seem to do well with the lighter weight bullets. id suggest atleast a 60 or heavier. just buy a few boxes and see waht works each guns a little different. good luck
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: demontang on December 21, 2008, 09:14:04 AM: I'm starting to shoot 50-55gr bullets in my AR, but it will spit out the 40gr just fine. Black hills, Hornady, Federal, and etc all make great loads but every rifle is different in what it likes. You will want to shot a few different rounds and find the most accurate one. If you are fur hunting and not shooting over 300yd I would look at the 45gr jhp that remington loads, out of all the bullet I have shot coyotes with these by far are the most fur friendly. :twocents:
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: actionshooter on December 21, 2008, 09:25:47 AM: A 1:8 is pretty fast, heavier bullets would be best but you should try the one you want. You might get lucky.
1:8 twist is best with 69+ grain bullets.
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: thinkingman on December 22, 2008, 12:36:11 PM: Quote from: FALFire on December 20, 2008, 02:51:25 PM
Yes, Ben's loan and pawn in Renton on 2nd and Main just off of 405, is a very good place to get 223 ammo, the gun store is in the back of the building. Rob usually keeps a fairly good selection of Black Hills and several other name brands aswell as Mil surplus blasting ammo.

No need for Moly, it does nothing for barrel life, just stay with standard ammo.
I just bought some BlackHills bluebox 60gr vmax's at Bens.
One hole groups, and I'm not kidding.
RRA 1in8 varmint barrel.
No experience on animals but that's what I bought them for.
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: AWS on December 22, 2008, 02:15:28 PM: I've got a 1-9 twist barrel on my bolt gun and 40gr NBT's are the cats butt in it, killed 8 coyotes last Jan with it. All but one was bang-flop. The one was my fault , got a little too far back and had to hit him again when he tried to stand up.

AWS
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: Lowedog on December 22, 2008, 03:13:26 PM: I really like the Black Hills ammo loaded with the 50gr. Vmax out of my Remington 700 VS SF with a 1-12" twist. Very accurate out of this rifle well past 300 yards.

-Lowedog
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: yotesniper on December 22, 2008, 04:20:15 PM: I have rr arms ar with a 16" heavy barrel 1 in 9 twist and blackhills 50 v-max shoot awesome out of this gun, have also tried hornady and federal with 50 v-max bullets and got the same results. Me and my nephew shot the same gun and it was good for 130 coyotes last year and so far we have 29 this year. :hunter: :hunter: :hunter: :hunter:
Title: Re: What 223 Load for AR-15 Coyote Hunting?
Post by: Ray on December 30, 2008, 05:18:05 PM: I got a new one out for my AR that seems good. It has a 1/9 twist...

Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint 60 Grain
Alliant Reloader 10X 21 grains
Winchester Brass
CCI Primer