Looking for some off season shooting, a friend had suggested varmint hunting and particularly coyotes. I thought it would be a fine thing to try, but I lack a rifle in the usual varmint calibers. Here in Alabama, there will not likely be many very long shots, so I am content with the accuracy of my rifles; but I am looking for quick kills and minimal damage to pelts. I noticed that Hornady makes 110 grain V-Max bullets for both but I was wondering if I should go for explosive expansion and risk a big hole on the other side of my coyote, or use tougher bullets and ensure a small hole on the other side.

That given, 110 grain seems to be the lightest for either 30 or 270 and I think the 270 might be the ticket for the two rifles I have to use. The .308 is set up more like a hog (the pork variety) gun, as it has 1x dot sight and the .270 wears a 3-9x scope.

Seeing as how you're hunting for pelts I gotta say that Bama' coyote pelts suck as far as fur value goes. Just take your .270 and whatever shoots best out of it and go hunting. If you really get into and want to save pelts buy a .17 Rem.

I have a decent 110 grain load for my .270, and it hits to the same POI as my deer load with a 130 grain. You might give it a try, maybe it will work for you.
110 Hornady VM
51.0 grains of H-380
WLR primers
R-P nickeled brass ( for slick feeding and extraction)
I only use this brass because I loaded some of it for my nephew's autoloader, and I wanted to make sure it would work okay, I would try the regular R-P brass for most stuff, if I had any. For my deer loads, I only use WW, it's way better, but for this plinking/varmint load, the R-P stuff is fine, and I don't have to use "the good WW stuff". That load shoots 5/8" in my M70, by the way, it's only going along at around 3100fps, but the coyotes won't care how fast it goes.

Skinner, thanks for the heads up on the pelts. I will forward the info to my shooting buddies. Your location was kinda vague: would you know of any other local info within the state or the southeast, I have heard rumors about bounties.

Glenn Asher, I really like your info, I was looking at the VM bullets but may have to settle for IMR 3031 (that is about the only appropriate powder I have, next being RE-7) as the only rifle that I load for extensively is the 45-70. You can imagine my thoughts that your load goes "only" 3100fps. I usually get my kicks launching 450 grain cast bullets a little over half that speed. I have some brass from the factory loads I have shot and will order dies when I order my bullets. I will look at better powders when I go to the next gun show: I hate paying hazmat fees and I am too much of a small timer to get bulk powders.

I used to use 3031 with the 90gr Sierras in my .270 shot real good, never chrongraphed that load though. My Sierra manual says 50.4grs is max, I was shooting 49gr's Sierra claims 3400fps.

they show 45grs to start 3100fps

max 50.4grs at 3500fps

with a 110gr

imr 3031

start 42.4 grs 2800fps

max 47.5grs 3200fps