Bullet for 6BR Calling Gun

[Zale]

I have a 6BR with a ten twist barrel that I am trying to use as a calling gun for coyotes. I already have a 223AI which I'm sure is better, but I wanted to play with the BR.

I was wondering your thoughts or experiences on bullets for coyotes, mostly around 50 yard shots. I am looking for a quick kill bullet with minimum fur damage. I know this is a tall order and may not be possible.

I would like to know your thoughts and experience.
Thanks for any help you can offer

 

[12man]

Zale, I am building a new 6 BR with a 1-10 twist for the same purpose varmints and coyote calling. I plan on shooting 75 Vmax 80 Gr bergers. I have a variety of bulets & powders ready to go Just waiting on my gunsmith:cry: should be end of the month before I can really get loading & shooting. I have used my 22-250 & AR with pretty good luck shooting the Ballistic Tips & Sierra 52 gr. I 'll keep you posted on my results

 

[Ogre6br]

I'm having a Tikka .243 cut and shut to 6 BR for the same purpose.

I plan to use a 58 or 65 V-max or 70 TNT.
One of the guys here in AU who has one suggested meplatting the nose of 66-68 FBHP match projectiles to make the hollow point larger to get quick expansion.
I haven't tried this, no meplat trimmer)but it might be worth considering.

later
p

 

[tootalloutdoors]

Mine is a 14 twist so ths is kinda like apples and oranges. But I've been playng around with Berger 65gr MEF bullets. No experience on critters yet but the hollow point is really large and I believe they would work well. tootalloutdoors

 

[Zale]

I have thought about the 70 TNT as I might be able to stop this one on the inside. Howver, I'm also concerned with this bullet fragmenting on grass. I may be better off going with a heavy bullet as most anything is going to exit. I have shot two of them with the 75 V-Max so far. The first worked well, small in, small out. The second was at an angle and the exit wasn't pretty. I know it may not be possilbe to find the perfect bullet for the application. I'm thinking about some Speer 85gr Boat Tails...Who knows.... Any more experience out there???

Here is the stick I"m tuning...

 

[dkopriva]

I started out using the 87gr V-max in my BR to shoot coyotes. Killed them good and fast but often left a large hole. I went to using the 65gr V-max's and the results are much better. Kills great and generally doesn't leave a large exit. I've shot probably 25 coyotes with the 65 and am pleased enough with the results.

Daryl

 

[Zale]

Daryl, thanks....Just wondering if most of yours have been the double lung shots without hitting much bone? Also wondering what distances you have been shooting them at? Maybe I should try going down to the 65 or maybe even the 58... What powder are you using with the 65? I kinda stayed away from the 65's as when my girl was shooting them in her 243 we blew some pancake size holes on the outbound side....Maybe a little less speed is taming them down.. Again, thanks..

 

[dkopriva]

Most of the shots are within 100 yds many of them being 50 or less. Most of the time they are broadside or quartering towards me. I'm using 32 grains of N-135. I've never chrono'd the load but it is very accurate and you can still hold right on them out to 200. I have got a few head on and the bullet has stayed in coyote.

 

[Zale]

Daryl, sounds good.. I just loaded up 10 of them and 10 70gr Nosler BT.. Will give them a try..

Daryl, on the broadside through the ribs are you getting about an inch exit? Also, have you caught the should with any?

Thanks for the real world experiences.....Thats the kind of stuff I was looking for... Z

 

[dkopriva]

I suppose an inch would be a good estimate there is a hole but its not blowing out a big chunk. Never caught one in shoulder directly broad side but on quartering shots they can make it out and will leave a bigger hole. I don't think it is too bad but still don't like the mess. For this reason I usually try to take them in the chest since those shots most always stay in. Any time you hit much bone almost any bullet is going to do pelt damage. Good luck I hope you get something your happy with.

Daryl

 

[Coleridge]

I already have a 223AI which I'm sure is better, but I wanted to play with the BR.

What would make it better? Less pelt damage? I couldn't imagine it to be a better killer...?



Good thread. I have a 6br,1-10 also) that I'm going to use as a calling rig. Looks like I may give the 65's a try. Seem like they work.

 

[Zale]

Coleridge.... I'll start by saying that over the years, I have shot or seen shot, a lot of coyotes.. I have seen most of them shot with bigger calibers, such as the 243 Winnie... I built the 223AI on the recommendations of several, however, I followed the guidance of Steve Timm. I was pleasantly surprised and am shocked by the magical qualities of this round. As for why I think it is better so far,it is for the two reasons you pointed out. 1.) Less damage to fur which I am thinking directly correlates to number two..,Thinking it has to do with retaining and releasing all the energy, thus providing electrifying kills)...I guess you could say this is the "holy grail" that I'm chasing in the 6BR. and 2.) The electrifying kills that I get.. I have shot a lot of coyotes with the 223AI now, most of them short range. Death comes like throughing a light switch.. Most simply fall over with stiff outstretched legs and never even twitch.. I have settled on Sierra #1330 bullets.... These are tough bullets,never once thinking one detonated on grass), but still expand at the velocity of the 223AI and most do not exit.. I had one exit on a sickly yote and one exit on a bobcat..

I know that dead is dead, however, I have rarely experienced or witnessed this type of death using anything bigger... I thought that I could accomplish this same thing with the 6BR and wanted to try it... So far, and I admit the kill number is limited at this time, I have not witnessed it yet... I still think that with the "right bullet" it will be possible...

I know by now, you have to ask why I ventured into the 6BR for a calling gun.. That is what my wife ask also, lol......Guess it is just something from within that makes us all scratch an itch...

 

[AckleymanII]

Zale, in a 1-10 twist the perfect bullet is the 100g Hornady BTSP. It will leave a tiny hole and kill them graveyard dead.

The lighter bullets may blow up on a shoulder blade or a hip joint.

You will shoot tiny groups, but for 50 yard shots, it really does not matter.

For loads, copy some of the loads that the guys use on the 105g bullets and you will hit a home run on the first trip to the range.

 

[Zale]

Keith, thanks for the input... Looks like that is the Intebond bullet, correct?

Does the fact that this is a bonded or tougher bullet make it better suited than say the Speer or Sierra 100gr BTSP?

I have some 85gr Speer BTSP's loaded that I was going to try, but I wasn't able to call or howl anything in this morning. Still untested..

I will have to experiment some.. It is getting tough calling right now due to breeding season, seems they would rather do that than eat...

Thanks, Z

 

[AckleymanII]

Zale, the 100g Hornady is not an Interbond bullet, just the standard bullet.

Also, the 85g Speer BT is a really tough bullet, more of a deer bullet also instead of a varmint bullet, and it may work just fine. Since you have some loaded, I would love to hear how they work out for you!

Keith

 

[Zale]

Keith, I went out tonight after work and was able to call one in. I shot her with the 85gr Speer BT and this one looked promising. She was coming straight to me and pulled up to have a look at around 60 yards. I shot her in the neck and it was a bang flop. I had to look hard for the entrance wound. While I didn't skin and disect, it had to hit alot of bone and at the angle, it came out the back just above the shoulders. I had to look to find this hole as well. It was between a nickel and a quarter size hole.. Couldn't have asked for anything more on this one. It may not work as well on a double lung shot, but I sure don't know at this time. It does look like it deserves more testing. I will keep you posted, but it is getting pretty hard to call them now. Z

 

[redfeather]

I have a friend in Montana that uses the Speer 80g spire point bullets in his 6BR, and he has taken hundreds of coyotes. He is also retired and he harvests all the pelts for extra income. I just started shooting them, and do not have any coyote reports, yet. Thanks.

 

[rundm]

I shoot the 60gr sierra hollow pts in my 6br. I only have an 18in barrel,,lilja), on mine and it is a little heavier than probably most of the calling rifles out there. 3600+ fps with generous doses of 322 and fed match primers. Thinking about going with the regular primers though because they are cheaper. Did I mention accurate. Don't usually shoot them at long ranges but the 100yd groups routinely go into the .2s. At longer ranges, I will use the 55gr nosler ballistic tips. Hovers around 3700 and 1/2in accurate at 200yds. I must say that I have a tight neck and therefore I have to turn my necks. chamber is .262 and when I first started shooting it, I turned about 150 necks so I would never have to do it again. If I get another 6br I will never get the tight neck, maybe a fitted neck but neck turning is a pain in the butt. Have seriously been thinking about getting the neck opened up a little to regular dimentions on mine. I don't think you need to have them tight necked to get phenominal accuracy out of either the 6 or 22br. Just my two cents, hope it helps. RG ps, if you run the pressures up on 322 in the winter, be careful if you use them when it starts to get hotter outside. I had a couple of blown primers when the temp went up about 30 degrees.

 

[NCVarhtr]

Zale, I too like the .223 AI cartridge and I now have four rifles chambered for that catridge and two specifically for calling rifles.....I also have two 6mmBR rifles that I use for calling and although I haven't tried all the bullets available, I have tried enough to determine that that the 58 Gr. V-Max at about 3700fps is just as effective as the 50 Gr. in the .223 AI. Both are very deadly.. I used the 6mmBR in Alberta a couple of years ago for Coyotes and while I was able to take several, I killed two at slightly over 300 yds. Both were DRT. Both of my 6mmBR rifles have a 1 in 14" twist and the 58 Gr. V-Max is very accurate in those rifles. Hope this helps some...........

 

[Zale]

NCV, I'll have to give the 58gr VM a try next fall. What powder are you using with these? Did you have many of them exit? Thanks, Z