Has anyone loaded these bullets in a .223? How do they work on coyotes? Any good loads, powders?

Thanks

Snapper

Snapper,

I could never get them to be quite as accurate as Ballistic Tips out of my Cooper VE21, but they were still 'minute of prairiedog' and they are cheap if you buy em' buy the 1000. Try H335, the ideal powder for the .223, and meters like a dream.

Maybe we've talked about this one Snapp but for me that is one of the most accurate bullets ever made! In most all of the cal's as well.

"GET TO THE HILL"

And they will be more than adequate for El Bun

Dog

[ 03-12-2003, 09:16: Message edited by: Mark R Dobrenski ]

I won't use them on coyotes anymore. I've hit exactly 3 dogs quartering towards me in the shoulder. All 3 went down, all 3 got up. I knocked one down with a second shot, had to run after one about 200yds. before I could get in a second shot, and lost one. I've lung shot about 10-12 coyotes with it and then it's ok. This has been mostly with a 222. but a couple also with a 223. Shoot lots of TNTs on chucks & groundsquirrels and it works great. Pete

Mad dog,

I remember talking to you about the 55 grain Nosler BT in 6mm and the 70 grain Speer TnT bullets in 6mm. Now I need to put together a load in the .223 for coyotes that I can shoot cats and dogs with that won't blow big hole in them.

I was also thinking about the 52 grain HP bullet. Any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks for all the comments so far guys.

Snapper

The 50 grain TNT is outstandingly accurate in my .222, so much so that I use it exclusively. It is devastating on prairie dogs, but I have not used it on coyotes and can believe that if used on a raking shot it might not provide adequate penetration. But then, I don't use it for elk, either.

The TNT is my favorite .223 P-dog bullet, but never tried it on coyotes. Amazing accuracy with W748.

Mike

snapper: I HAVE TAKEN FOX AND BADGER WITH THE TNT AND IT ENTERS CLEANLY, UNLOADS ALL IT'S ENERGY WITHOUT EXITS. I HIT A COYOTE IN THE SHOULDER 2 WKS AGO WITH 50GR V-MAX IN .22-250 AND HE GOT AWAY. WE WERE UNABLE TO CATCH UP.

THE TNT IS VERY ACCURATE FOR THE $ AND I USE IT FOR ALL MY SQUIRREL OUTINGS. 27 GR H335 AND FED
205M WORK WELL, ALTHOUGH AS A WINTER LOAD I WOULD SWITCH TO VARGET OR H322. I HAVE SEEN SOME ERATIC
PERFORMANCE FROM H335 IN COLD TEMPS.

AT HALF THE PRICE OF V-MAX'S IN BULK, I CAN STAND
A LITTLE LESS PAPER PERFORMANCE.

WE GOT 30" SNOW IN HELENA THIS LAST WEEKEND SO DIDN'T GET OUT FOR TESTING OF MY .223. PLAYING WITH 40 GR PILLS. ENJOY.

The TNT and V-Max are both made for P-dogs/ground squarrels. The bullets are light construction; made to explode on impact. I would choose a FMJ or a soft point bullet so it doesn't come apart if it hits a shoulder blade or such. Just my .02.

Thanks for the comments. I'm looking for a good, light bullet for the .223 that I can use on coyotes.

My friend uses the Sierra 52 grain BTHP with great luck on coyotes at 3900 fps from his swift. The bullets never fail to knock down a coyote. I'm looking for similar performance in my .223 with a lighter bullet.

I've picked up some Winchester 45 gr HP cartridges that maybe moving at 3400 fps, no sure but will try these before I reload my own loads.

I'm not trying to make my .223 into a Swift. I would just like to optimize the performance of this cartridge for coyotes using a good bullet/load combination.

Thanks

My wife and I have literally shot thousands of them and we love them. Yes they will kill coyotes and nicely at that, however, I wouldn't make it my primary coyote killer but it will do the job if you run across one.

Our load is somewhat strange but it shoots in all of our 223's 3 Remington 700 Hvy Bbs, M-4 Bushmaster, H&K M630 and it shoots very accurately in them all. 27.0 grains of IMR-4064, it is a full case and is compressed but pressures are low and vel is about 3200, not a screamer but a nail driver. We use W-W cases and CCI Bench Rest primers (tried Federal but these worked better for us, Remington come close and are less expensive) and an inline bullet seater.

Try 'em I bet you'll like 'em.

Good Hunting, "Z"

I love the Speer TNTs 50 grain in my .223. I load 26grains of Accurate 2230 with Winchester small rifle or CCI small rifle which ever is available. I am unsure of the velocity, but when I shot the other day after trying wipe out in my barrel, I thought, as I shot a 3 shot group, either my 2nd and 3rd missed the paper all the together or it hit the same hole. Sure enough a ragged hole out of my Savage 12bvss with a leupold 3x9x40, at 100yds.

Snapper,
Either of the standard jacketed 45 or 50gr. Sierra spitzers will do a great job on a dog. I have never had a coyote get up after being hit and try to leave on 3 legs with either one of these bullets. I like the 45gr. in my 222 Sako. And it also rips a jackrabbit or groundsquirrel well. Pete

Accuracy-wise, my Handi-rifle .223 doesn't like 'em. The only bullet it seems to like less is the Hornaday SX.

Tryed H335, Win748, IMR4198....to no avail.

It does pretty fair with Remington PLHP, Sierra 40gr HP & the Speer 40gr soft point. Does the best with Nosler BT. But that doggone TNT bullet is just one dog that won't hunt....for me.

Snapper I have not used the TNT's on coyotes yet. Have used them on P Dogs with very good performance there. With BL-C (2) it is one of the better loads in my .223 VSSF. It consistantly shoots low .3's. WW brass, Fed match primers, 26.5 to 27.0 Gr. of BL-C(2).

Hey Snapper, as you can see lots of opinions. I love it. Every barrel is different and everyone's experiences are varied; put it all together and look at the fun everyone's having!

I love the TNT. Also note that Speer has recently added a 55-gr. TNT in 22-cal., which I have on order but haven't tried. I have 3 .223s and a .22-250 and they all like TNTs. In .223, I use 28.0 BL-C(2), 28.0 W748, 26.0 H322, or 27.0 Varget. All of these loads will ALWAYS shoot into a inch or less at 100. When I'm doing it right, all have put 5 into less than 1/2-inch.

I shot a coyote at 370 "old man" paces, broadside, high on the shoulder, with the .223 and he was dead before the sound got to him. Severed spinal column looked like he had stepped on a land mine.

If you like to handload, give the Hornady 50 or 55 SXSP a try. I find them nearly as accurate as match bullets in my .223s and they are truly "Super Explosive". Made with soft lead and slits in the jacket, similar to the TNT, but softpoints. In my Savage 112 BVSS with 1:9 twist, using 25.5 H322, the 50-gr. goes out at 3260 and will shoot into less than 1/2". Crows, chucks and coyotes don't like it very much.

Anyways, as usual, I'm rambling. By all means try the 50 TNT (or SX). Anything I've ever shot was dead between heartbeats.

If you are planning on saving the hides, I wouldn't use them, but otherwise they are excellent. Some other good ones are the Barnes Burners (lead core) and the Barnes X bullets. The Barnes X would be my choice for coyote (I want a taxidermy piece). I have taken two deer with the 50 grain X bullets and they perform like their larger caliber bullets.

If you want to see something weird- Shoot a full load TNT out of a Ruger mini-14. I shot some of my handloads out of my friends Mini-14 and the bullets vaporize in flight from the fast twist. You get a grey streak "contrail" all the way to the target. The 100 yard target only gets hit with bullet "dust".

I have seen those vapor trails, all the way to prarie dogs before and they seem to explode also. Its pretty neat. I also loaded up some SPSX from Hornady and get a nice big puff of smoke about 10-15 feet in front of the barrel but still get nice clean groupings on my paper targets.