I read here a lot about getting good terminal performance on preditors without damaging the hides. But what if you don't keep hides and you want the critter to go splat, what bullet would you use? I know anyone shooting prarie dogs wants this, but I'm talking 15-30 lb critters and coyotes. I have been using the 55gr Hornady SP in my 220 Swift for Porcupines and if I remember the last one I shot with it the quills went about 4-5 feet in the air. I was only about 125 yards away so got a good show. Last Wednesday I shot one in a tree at only 10 yards with my .223 loaded with a 50gr hornady SX. The result was instant death, wich I like, with a cloud of smoke from his mouth, now exit, splat or bloody show. For shooting them out of a tree I will keep using this load to be sure I don't have to worry about exiting pieces but for the crawlers I like small nucular explosions.

I like any balistic tip or sierra thin jacked projectials. I have not tried them out on yotes, ground hogs, or parrie dogs yet but this summer is on it way to be a great one. I will finally be out of california and back on the east side of the mississippi. I have shot one coyote with a match king on my way back from the range and it did a great job.(he was hit 1/2" below the ear at 125yrds) Droped him like a rock. It is now breeding time now and I will leave them alone for everyone else to have a good summer crop of dumb young dogs to shoot at. Last oct while in ohio on leave I used winchester high velosity hallow point on some ground hogs and it worked really well but there was no red mist of blood. I can't wait to try out these 55gr smp boat tails on them out of my 223. They cut soda cans in half at 200yrds. This is my 2 cents worth.

Ray

For dynamic effect with a 22-250 I will use a Speer 50 grn. TNT (the one you aren't supposed to shoot over 3400 fps)and load them up to as fast as they will go before they come apart in flight. I have pushed them over 3800 and had them stay together but at that speed they creat a grenade effect on just about anything smaller than a dog. To get more effect than that you need a bigger bullet.

I've wondered if about the little TNT at higher velocities. It's my ONLY bullet in a .222, in which it is devastatingly accurate and deadly at 3200 fps; but I've wondered how it would act in a .22-250. How's accuracy at 3800 fps? I know that little bullets can come apart when pushed beyond limits -- I once destroyed a chronograph screen with a 60 grain .257 out of a .25-284 at around 4200 fps.

Stone - To be quite honest I am not at home so as near as I can remember they were 1/2 - 5/8" groups at 100. Which for my old 22-250 was about where it was with most bullets. I actually bought the TNT's last minute before a prairie dog hunt cause my store ran out of V maxs. They were excellent and I can alternate between the two with no sight changes. I really think the twist rate of your barrel probably has more to do with how fast you can shoot them than the actually speed. Rotational force (not a subject I am prepared to debate)My rifle is a 1-14 twist........