i have a friend who reloads for his .204. i'm not sure the powder he uses but the bullets are the hornady v-max. he has shot a couple coyotes and the ENTER hole is ginormous. Has anyone else had problems with the v-max bullet making a huge enter hole? Thanks,
bkmastr

Well, usually if the entrance hole is big, it hit a rib on the way in and exploded a bit soon. Some people call this a "splash" affect.

If you are talking about a gut shot though, this wouldn't be the same thing then.

thanks, i might ask him if he coulda hit a rib and caused the "splash affect
thanks

quote:

Originally posted by bkmastr:
i have a friend who reloads for his .204. i'm not sure the powder he uses but the bullets are the hornady v-max. he has shot a couple coyotes and the ENTER hole is ginormous. Has anyone else had problems with the v-max bullet making a huge enter hole? Thanks,
bkmastr

He reloads so tell him to order some 35 or 40 gr. Berger bullets to load in his .204. The more you research the more information you will find that these two are the most dependable for coyotes. The 35 being the most popular of the two.

May I also suggest trying some IMR 4895 if he isn't using it already. I have found it works quite well with the heavier bullets in the .204.

No bullet is perfect, but the Berger has proven to be the choice of most dedicated coyote hunters. Use the V-max on stuff you want to blow up.

Jim

He is getting splash. Bullet is blowing up just under the hide and blowing things in every direction. Try a Berger as suggested, or slow down the bullet he is using now. Brisket coming dead at you is the best shot if you can get it. Or tell him to stop calling so well and shoot them farther out.

Yes so far the 35 gr bergers are the best ones out there for yotes. You should also get your buddy to try the Hornady 45 gr soft point. I believe these should be excellent yote medicine. They were very accurate out of my Savage 12 VLP. No chance to smack a dog with them yet. Almost had a chance about an hour ago. Two yotes 305 yards off the back of my deck (ranged them). They were about 50 yds into my neighbors property. Phoned over to his house but no answer. Guess I should have made some previous arrangements with them. It was hard to watch them walk off into the bush with my crosshairs dialed in on them.

thanks guys for the help so far. I called him today and got his recipe. the bullets are 30-35 gr hornady v-max with between 27 and 28 grs of winchester 748 i think he said.

I shot a coyote late this summer at 100 yards from my patio door!

Front quartering shot, the 32 grain Hornady V-Max hit right in the crease where the neck meets the shoulder!
The yote of course dropped immediately and never even kicked!
The entrance hole was 20 caliber, of course there was no exit hole!

I have run my reloads through the chronograph and they average 4125 fps.

Chuck White: Nice shooting there on the Coyote. Good for you!
I noticed your "home base" being in Russell, New York and I got curious. Mainly because whenever I hear of a New York state address I "think" of Manhattan, Harlem, Brooklynn and etc.
I went to the Map Quest site and looked up your neck of the woods and saw that you are not far from Lake Ontario, the Catskill Mountains and maybe the Catskills Forest (chincey map!).
I befriended a trio of Hunters from New York back about 6 years ago and they in fact enjoy Beaver Trapping, great Deer Hunting, Turkey Hunting, Grouse and Duck Hunting as well as calling Coyotes - out your way!
Many happy returns of your recent Coyoting day.
Long live New York!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Chuck, Just woundering what you like to load in your 204? I just got a browning a bolt varmiter and I am looking for a few good leads to start working up a few loads? Thanks, Duke