I am pondering the purchase of a left hand Tikka hunter in .223. Now I already have a 22-250, and a .243 both cartridges kill coyotes very dead, but are sometimes pritty tough on the hides. For my calling, I am thinking of shooting a 50gr Balistic Tip at about 3400fps. What are your thoughts on this setup? What are your personal experiances with this cartridge? Am I going to be dissapointed in the performance of this little cartridge on our big Canadian dogs?

Tommy:

Unless you have a hankering for a new gun, a 223 will not give you anything that downloading the 22/250 or 243 won't/.

I shoot all three and my favorite is the 223, for as much as I shoot it. I assume you handload.

Maybe try reducing the velocity and also try another bullet.
Match bullets will reduce a hole thru a coyote, instead of a huge exit wound. You just need something less explosive.
In the 243 try the 75 grain Hornady hollow point at 3,000 fps or so, or the 80 grain SP at 2600 to 3000 fps.

A 22/250 load I would suggest is 32.5 grains of H 4895 with a 55 grain Full metal jacket or 52, 53 grain Sierra match. velocity should be in the 3250 to 3300 range.

good luck, eh?

While I prefer one of my 22-250's for coyotes, a .223 Remington loaded as you suggest will work just fine.

You are hoping to load just about exactly what I use in my .223 Remington. I shoot a 50 grain Ballistic Tip over N130 powder and the chronograph says 3424 fps. The groups are down close to a half inch.

I used to shoot a lot of small varmints with the .223 loaded with 40 grain V-Max bullets at over 3600 fps. I shot a few coyotes with that load. I never had one get away, be it just did not drop them like the 50 grain loads seem to.

Like you say, the larger guns can be hard on pelts. I really do not care, I do not save them. I shot a coyote last Sunday at about a 100 yards with a 22-250 Ackley Improved shooting a 55 grain V-Max at 3900 fps. The entrance hole was about as big as my fist. INSTANT DEATH, though.

Get the .223 Remington, it will work just fine for calling.
I just would not try really long shots with it.

R F

Thomas, with that bullet at those speeds, I believe the .223 will kill'em pretty well. But it may also be tough on hides!!

First, if you want a new rifle get one! With that said, you might just try a Sierra #1365 55gr. SPBT in your 22-250. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Good Hunting,

Bob

You might want to consider a 20 caliber. The 20 caliber bullets devestate prairie dogs and smaller game. At the same time they don't normally pass through larger varmints like coyotes. They turn their insides to gel!!

Ruger's new 204 ruger might be a place to start if you don't want a custom job.

H380

I have a "fur load" for my .223 using the Speer 52 gr. HP and have used several different powders. Mine is a Ruger Mini-14 and current load is using BL-C(2). The bullets vary rarely come out.

Attention Big Nate: I have been told over the last couple of years that the Speer 52 gr. H.P. is an excellent Coyote bullet! The problem being (I found out later after buying some of the "wrong" Speer 52's) there are two distinctly different Speer 52 gr. H.P.'s! One is a flat base with a large H.P. opening and the other is boat-tail with a small H.P. opening. I have brought a new Remington 700 in 220 Swift on-line this past spring it uses the 52 gr. Speer H.P. flat base with the large opening and it does very well on Chucks and Prairie Dogs and is quite explosive (frangible) and accurate. This 52 gr. flat base H.P. is the one that has been recommended to me as a fur friendly Coyote killing bullet. Even (reportedly) in the high velocity 22 centerfires. Do you have any experience with this bullet on Coyotes in the higher velocity 22 centerfires?
Thanks in advance.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy,
I have used the 52gr. Speer flat base h.p. over the last 20yrs. out of a 22/250 and in a Swift for the last 5yrs for coyote calling. Even on broadside shot it will stay inside the dog most of the time. If you hit a shoulder or make a glancing hit lengthways it can really rip the hides. I've switched to a stiffer bullet in the Swift. Either a 55gr. Sierra or some old Nosler solid base 55gr. bullets I have.
A couple of times I've shot a coyote quartering towards me, hit the shoulder, coyote goes down, keep calling and a few mins. later the coyote is up and trying to get away on 3 legs. This with the 52gr. Speer in the Swift.

I shoot a lot of coyotes for the fur market with my .223.I used to use Nosler 55gr.Solidbases but when my supply ran out I switched to 60 Hornady's.So far no large holes.I don't mind 3 stitches.

I use 50gr vmax over w748(26gr) at 3100. Its nearly a one-hole load, thats why I leave te velocity there. I also use 52gr Berger mef over 2015 at 3250. Both are great yote loads. We call the dogs here in the northeast. Shots inside 150yds

Hey Guys,

My friend shoots the 52 grain Sierra HPBT #1410 with great results on Coyotes. Over the past years, he has used just about every bullet and prefers this one on coyotes with his Swift to keep down the hide damage. I saw him take a big coyote last year in the head just above the eye at 50 yds and the bullet did not exit the head. We had trouble finding the hole.

Hope this helps.