.243 Bullet Choice for Coyote

[swd]

I have had coyotes take 2 hits from a 270 win w/110 Vmax and still get away. One hits with 130 Berger hunting, berger 88 varmint in 243. The Yotes in my neck of the woods are tough, tough, tough, like the rolling stones say.

I've killed a lot of coyotes. More with a Kimber 22 Hornet than anything else. Never lost one to the Hornet, not yet anyways. I have to my 17's with bad shots that hit shoulder bone.

Just because you use a big gun doesn't mean you can get away with sloppy shot placement. Sure, it gives you more leeway than a Hornet or 17, but you still have to put it where it counts. I don't know of ANY animals that respond well and just fall over dead from poor, non lethal shots. Obviously if you hit it with a 270, 243 or a 22 Hornet and they got away you made a bad shot. Hey, we've all been there, but call it what is.

So is a coyote tough enough to take a bad shot from a 270, sure, but they are 100% dead from a good shot with much lesser cartridges.

 

[K22hornet.]

In the 243, I've had very good experience with the 75gr Vmax, from about 20yds to over 400. Out of 33-34 coyotes, only one had pelt damage.
When I switched to the 55gr Nosler Btip, at 3,900+fps, I had runners and floppers, and had one run over the hill, leaking badly and something flapping from his left side, never to be found. I have switched back to the Vmax.

As to the Hornet, it was my first coyote rifle, a Ruger M77 w/20" barrel, and I still use it. Having used it on multi dozens of coyotes over the last 25+ years, my experience has me limiting the facing-me shots to about 100yds, and the rare broadside shot to about 150-175yds. Much beyond those ranges and I start to have runners. My Hornet load is 13.0gr Lilgun, WW case, 45gr Barnes XLC, and a CCI small pistol primer.

Coyotes are tough critters.

 

[A_Gamehog]

I'm about to head west for some coyote hunting

I shot my first called coyote with a mouth call P.S.Olt fawn distress in 1969. Most of my shots are 100 yards or less. Oregon/No. Cali

any accurate load will work. My last called coyote was with a new electronic Foxpro Banshee . It's a great call with loads of volume and range, with simple

menu choices to get them closer.

 

[Mark W]

The 87 VMax at 3100 fps didn't disappoint. I was able go drop one yote at 300 yards. The bullets terminal performance was impressive to say the least.

We also got the chance go spend one afternoon on a prairie dog town. Most of the action was within a couple hundred yards with the .17 HMR. I did take a few between 300 and 500 yards with the .243

Overall we had an awesome trip even though It was short and the wind blew us out Saturday afternoon. I can't wait to go back!