My father and I burned 1000 rounds of 52 grain Match Kings last summer on prarrie dogs. I was quite impressed with the performance. We didn't get much red mist but we sure didn't have any crawling away and the wounds on the ones I looked at really didn't give up much to the ones I shot two years ago with 55 grain ballistic tips. We are getting ready to reload again for this year and dad wants to use match kings again because they shot so well for us last year. I am thinking I would rather go to another bullet as I have heard bad reports of matchkings used on bigger game and I would rather I had one bullet I could use on coyotes and prairie dogs. Has any one here shot a coyote with match kings and if so how did it work?
I am mainly looking for a bullet that will expand enough to cleanly take prarrie dogs but will punch through a coyote. Dad shoots 55 grain solid base solf point noslers at coyotes and they work exceptionally well for that but the accuracy isn't quite good enough for long shots on P. Dogs. Other bullets I have concidered-
50 grain TNT -not sure it will hold together if I have to shoot a coyote through the shoulder.
52 grain V-Mas - same as TNTs on coyotes, 55 grainers wouldn't shoot well for me.
52 grain A-max- have third the front is frangle and the rear stays together, but really haven't heard much about them.
Any other bullets I should concider?
Thanks
Matt

Moderator,
Somehow I got a triple post (I choice to blame the computer) can you delete the other two?
Thanks,
matt

Yes I have. Worked just fine on the one that I shot at aprox. 100yrds away. He never took another step. Email me and I will show you some pics. I don't know how to put them up on here.

ryan_marine@yahoo.com

Ray

I've used many 55 grain Sierra HPBT's (#1390) on ground hogs in PA and they are usually quite explosive. Shot one eastern coyote with the same bullet and it left an exit wound about the size of a baseball on the offside chest. They work well for me. I shoot them out of a 223 at about 3200 fps. I also shot the same bullet/load on a one day prairie dog shoot in Wyoming a few years ago. Worked well there too. Fired about 350 rounds that day along with a brick of 22 magnums walking around. Loads of fun.

Recently discussed using Sierra 52 and 53 gr. MK's for hunting and the issue of expanding with Dave Brown at Sierra. He indicated that the 50 gr. BlitzKings have a devastating impact on game even better than Balistic Tips. The expansion is controlled by the polymeric tip. Dave also indicated that the quality of the 50 grainer BK's are as good as the MK's or maybe a little better. Just received a box but have not had the opportunity to try out.

The Nosler BT and Horn A-MAX that I have used in 6 mm did not do very well either as their diameter is less than or equal to .2430. My barrel liked .2434 or better. Nosler keeps their bullets to less than or equal to nominal groove diameter.

The new 50 gr. Sierra BK mic out .2241 to .2242. Some shooters like to keep the bullets slightly larger that the groove diameter.
Ron

Hello Ron,

Most of my shooting is from the bench so I always have a lot of Sierra 52gr MK's around. I don't hunt
coyote but have a passion for woodchuck. Body texture is about the same on both animals. I usually
just load up a batch of MK's for field use. Technically they are not hunting bullets, but I use them anyway.
For the most part they make a tiny entrance hole as well as exit hole. However the odd time I've turned
those critters inside out literally. It all depends on where you hit them. You can create an unbelievable
mess, especially with a .22-250. Mind you this is the exception not the rule, but it happens often enough
that if you're saving the pelts you might do better with the Nosler Balistic Tip or another bullet. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Ron:

I've shot allot of coyotes with 69g MK's but never with the 52ger's. The performance is inconsistant, sometimes you get good kills other times you don't. As far as hides go, I can attest first hand knowledge that the nosler ballistic tip is not a hide bullet, expecially out of a 22-250. Unless your a good with a needle and thread that is. I'm going to try just a plane old 50 grain sierra soft nose for hides, also looking at the Berger line of match bullets. I've heard good things about them and larger varmints.

M Jager: I assume that you have found the 52 gr. Sierra Match Kings to be accurate in your Rifle(s). You did not mention the caliber(s).
They are splendidly accurate bullets but they are not Varmint bullets! They are simply much to "hard" for safe Varminting. They are THE most ricochet prone bullet I have ever used! I quit using them decades ago and recommend you quit also. The 53 gr. Sierra is similar in its ricochet propensity.
I would recommend the 50 or 55 grain Sierra Blitz bullets. These bullets are very frangible (not prone to pass through and ricochet) and are very accurate in my Rifles. They are also much cheaper than the Match Kings. I use the Blitz bullets in all manner of calibers in my Varmint arsenal. From 220 Swift on down to 218 Bee! These are superb bullets and will explode inside and kill Coyotes readily! And, while shooting Prairie Dogs you do not have to worry about them ricocheting over the horizon. Contact with the Varmint or the ground and they break up and the shrapnel does not travel far at all!
Nix the Match Kings on Varmints - for safeties sake.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My friend and I are in each < !--color--> in need of a Kifaru Standard Long Hunter Internal Frame pack OR Eureka Large Outfitter or Kodiak internal frame pack for an upcoming brownie hunt.

The Eureka's are no longer sold and the Kifaru's are real expensive.

We are looking for used packs that are in very good or better condition. We probably will only use the packs twice in our lifetime so buying new isn't a cost effective option.

Anyone looking to sell a pack that matches one of the above three or even the larger Kafaru we would be REAL interested in hearing from you.

Thanks

Ok, my first time out at the range with my new Tikka Whitetail hunter in 338 winmag. I loaded some ammo with 180 grain ballistic tips on new winchester brass with Rem M primers. Used 78 grains of R22 which I had to compress slightly when seating the bullet. I shot 2 rounds of 5 shots each, each at seperate targets at 100 yards. First group had 3 within an inch of each other and 2 nasty fliers, one about 3 inches to the right and 2 inches high and the other about 5 inches straight to the right of my group. Secound group of 5 had 4 within 1.5 inches of each other and 1 flyer about 3 inches outside the group. I didnt have much time so I quit at that but jeez those flyers bug me. Maybe Im just that bad of a shot, but I dont really think so. I seated the bullets so they were just starting to get marked by the rifleing when I chambered the rounds but they didnt stick at all when I ejected them with the bolt, it just marred the surface of the bullet. Is that right or should they not touch the front of the chamber at all? Im really new to this whole reloading thing and I dont have anyone that I know to really guide me so Im getting all my information from the net and my reloading book. What do you guys think?