53 grain vmax and coyotes...

[DIBBS]

My son is currently expecting our grandchild # 3 and is without a predator rifle. I tossed together a handload/fireforming load with 53 grain Vmaxes and WW 748. MV is 3230 , (12 twist 223 AI), and it stacks em on top of one another. I read a bunch of past posts regarding bullet performance on coyotes, and it appears good (?) if you put it in the boiler room, but at times can be unfriendly to the pelts or disintegrate if you hit bone.

Has anyone shot a number of coyotes in the past couple years with the 53 grain vmaxes, and what have your results been?

 

[bpd459]

Greetings,
I've shot 3 with them in my 22/250. DRT.
Good luck
John

 

[stacy]

THEY WORK VERY WELL

 

[RegionRat]

The VMax are designed to be “explosive” so if you are worried about exit wounds and shrapnel damage, these may not be the ones you want.

I don’t harvest pelts, so hopefully the folks with more expertise in minimizing pelt damage will give more advice. These are very good in terms of terminal ballistics when the impact velocity is above 2200 - 2300 feet per second. Explosive impact is the only way to describe the sound of the chest shots.

 

[K22]

I've shot the 50 and 55 Vmax's years ago. These are varmint bullet designed for an explosive terminal performance. Although I haven't shot the 53 Vmax, I would expect the same results.

I hunt fur bearer predators but don't keep the pelts. The one's I have taken where taken with varmint bullets, namely the 50 and 55 grain Nosler BT's. These blow a fairly large hole in the critters with significant pelt damage.

Sierra claims that 55 grain Full Metal Jacket bullet is design to minimize pelt damage when loaded at medium velocity. I never used this bullet but you may want to give their tech service dept a call and inquire about this bullet. Also, make sure the FMJ's are legal for hunting in your area.

 

[pacificman]

I use the 53 grain v-max in a mini 14 with average velocity of 3244fps. It puts them down solid. In just about every case there is no pelt damage. The v-max seems to turn their insides to mush...LOL. I had one hit on a dog out of a few dozen where there was a 3 inch entry tear in the hide...probably from hitting a shoulder bone at the wrong angle...don't know for sure but that's my experiences with the 53 gr. v-max.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

There are better bullets for coyote, and there are worse. The vmax 50-55 middle of the road, better at 223 velocity then the 22-250 or swift. If shooting a 223 and a vmax I would go heavier, the 60 gr is pretty good for minimal sewing. Northern winter coyote require a bullet to penetrate hair and skin before expanding.

 

[xswanted]

It’s a great bullet. They’ll exit occasionally on broadside shots at slightly longer ranges.

Quartered to you on the point of the shoulder they MIGHT blowup on entry but with your lower speed I think you’ll be okay.
Shouldn’t have any issues.

 

[JB10]

My son is currently expecting our grandchild # 3 and is without a predator rifle. I tossed together a handload/fireforming load with 53 grain Vmaxes and WW 748. MV is 3230 , (12 twist 223 AI), and it stacks em on top of one another. I read a bunch of past posts regarding bullet performance on coyotes, and it appears good (?) if you put it in the boiler room, but at times can be unfriendly to the pelts or disintegrate if you hit bone.

Has anyone shot a number of coyotes in the past couple years with the 53 grain vmaxes, and what have your results been?

I load for a friend same bullet and powder. The performance was great on the one i saw him shoot with it. Was about 40 yards from us charging in hard. Was good placement and no exit. I was impressed. I use 50gr nosler varment tip bullets for my 223.

 

[JB10]

With the 53gr vmax in 223. Dont know speed but its w748 at 26.5gr charge.

 

[JB10]

my 204 with 35gr bergers did more damage and it was at 150 yards. All shot placement. He was bleeding bad on left side but did not tear him up. Just lots of blood out of entry wound.

 

[searcher]

My experience , having shot a number of coyotes with them - is that they are great to kill them - but more often than not make for a good mess of the pelt. If you want one that doesn't, I suggest the "heavier" sintered core lead-free bullets offered by companies like Barnes, Nosler, Hornady and one or two others out there. They tend to dump all the energy into the critter without exiting, though they too will blow up on bones near surface like the shoulder. My favorite coyote bullet would be the Barnes 50 Varmint Grenade. They rarely exit and kills as though hit with lightening. If you just want them dead - use those 53's! I use those, as well as the 50 and 55 V-Max. They all work very well.

 

[boltfluter]

The best bullet for me has been a 40 V-max pushed to about 3750 to 3800 from a .22BR or a .223. If you hit the center they very rarely exit. If they do it is just fragmented jacket with little to no damage to the hide. Good luck!

Paul

 

[hunter67]

I use them out of a 223 ai and am not getting exits with them. Best bullet ive used so far for yotes.