Heaviest .224 bullet for 'varmints'?

[memilanuk]

What's the heaviest .22 cal varmint bullet that will reliably expand on varmints such as rockchucks and coyotes? Probably more the latter than the former, but one can always hope

 

[2506]

I have used 69 gr Sierra Match Kings in a 223 to pretty good effect on ground hogs. Golf Ball or bigger exits.

 

[AckleymanII]

You did not mention caliber. As velocity slows down, so does terminal energy.

Why do you need to shoot such a big bullet?

 

[memilanuk]

You did not mention caliber.

Did you not read the thread title?

Why do you need to shoot such a big bullet?

Been thinking about a .224V for some long range plinking... it'd be nice to be able to do double duty for 'yotes, within reason. Kinda have my doubts about an 88 ELD-M or 90 VLD on game, but at the same time I have some reservations about flinging 50gn TNTs out of a 6.5 or 7 tw barrel at ludicrous speeds...

 

[AckleymanII]

223, 223 AI, 22/250, 22/250 AI, 22 Middlestead, etc.?

60g Bergers in a 12 twist at 3700 fps out of a 22/250 AI is hell on wheels with Chucks and Coyotes to 450 yards that I shot.

Many, many guys are shooting 22/243, 22 Middlestead, 22-243 AI, and 22-6 Rem AI with 75g to 80g A max with grand results on coyotes. You need the speed to get the bullets to open up and kill effectively.

Figure 900 rounds of barrel life on the big cases with fast twists, heavy bullets depending on the amount of freebore you start with....plinking on steel at yardage will eat up some barrel(s).

Ventac on this site has used the 22 Creed with the 88's with some success on coyotes, how much I don't know.

Good luck!

 

[B23]

I think any of the tipped bullets are probably going to expand more reliably than none tipped bullets. I've shot a lot of coyotes with Berger 75gr VLD's from a 22-6mm and my experience with them has been they do not consistently expand. I'm sure shot placement has a lot to do with it, but I've had them blow holes in the side of coyotes the size or large grapefruits, enter with only a pencil size hole and not even exit, enter with a tiny hole and exit with a big hole, and some straight pass through. I'd say the majority of the time, they leave a large-ish entry or exit hole and are DRT. I've had some run and spin, but it wasn't far and I can't recall ever losing site of one.

Just picked up my 224 Terminator (AKA 22-243 Improved) this week and I'll be shooting the 80gr ELD-M out of that so it will be interesting to see how they perform on yotes.

 

[theallcineyes]

80 gr sierra in a 22-243

 

[357Mag]

Milanuk -

Howdy!

I shot “Soybeanus Digestus” w/ my .22-35 Remington wildcat for 30yr.
The rifle was originally configured w/ a Hart 24” SS 1-14, shooting Hornady 55SX out to 500yd.

After I had gotten a 500yd kill and the barrel had started to keyhole some shots, I re-configured the rifle to be 1,000yd-capable, For either groundhog or target use. I decided to shoot the 75”A”-Max.

I was very happy terminal performance of Hornady’s 75”A”- Max motivates by the .22-35 to 3,420 FPS ( my accuracy/field load ). Higher vel was possible, but this accuracy load worked well; and killed cleanly w/ no drama.

While I never tried them, I suspect the 73”A”- Max might also work.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[pirate ammo]

75gr. open tip match,that's what the SWAT team around here takes out VARMINTS with.

 

[Kurz]

I think I've used just about every cartridge imaginable to kill coyotes, just because the coyotes are available. The bigger the cartridge the more fun it is!

I'm working with an 18"/7" twist .224 Valkyrie right now and loading the 77 grain TMK from Sierra over Re-17. This combination works well down on the desert and at the slightly higher elevations where there is some vegetation. The coyotes drop in the footprints they just made. I haven't tried this combination on ground hogs yet but I don't expect anything different. This is a low pressure load but running about 2,950 fps from the 18" barrel.

I prefer the real deal 75 grain AMAX but my supply is dwindling since Hornady lost their mind and discontinued that bullet.

Enjoy the process!

 

[fyrewall]

I liked the 75 Amax from my 7.7 twist .22-.250, it swats down small rodents like prairie dogs but gives enough reliable expansion for bigger rodents like rock chucks - never done it but should be just fine for coyotes. Unfortunately , Hornady quit making the .224 75 Amax; possibly the new .224 75 ELD might be equal - I hope to find out next week. I would be very happy if Hornady made a 68 grain .224 boat tail Vmax; this could be driven about 100 fps faster than the 75 gain ELD. Possibly, I might section both Amax & ELD, post photos and report on results.

 

[Mark W]

Another fan of 75 Amax here. It works well at 3600 out of a 1:9 twist 22-243 Improved.

I’ve never been a fan of lobbing heavy 22 caliber bullets out of small capacity cases.

 

[Ken]

My partner and I both killed many a prairie dog with 75 Amaxs out of a 223, some with spectacular results. I got my 500 yd Varmint Hunter Association kill with that set up. When we went for our 1000 yd certificate, I used a 22-250 with the 75 Amax. 1121 yds documented.

 

[memilanuk]

Hornady quit making the .224 75 Amax; possibly the new .224 75 ELD might be equal - I hope to find out next week. I would be very happy if Hornady made a 68 grain .224 boat tail Vmax; this could be driven about 100 fps faster than the 75 gain ELD. Possibly, I might section both Amax & ELD, post photos and report on results.

Maybe the 73 ELD-M would be worth looking at for your purposes?

Sounds like the 75s should be fine from a Valkryie. It'd be nice if the 88s worked as well, but that might be a matter of trading off BC/wind deflection for velocity/drop inside the ranges I plan to use it.

 

[Kurz]

Sounds like the 75s should be fine from a Valkryie. It'd be nice if the 88s worked as well, but that might be a matter of trading off BC/wind deflection for velocity/drop inside the ranges I plan to use it.

I can tell you that the 88grain will work if you can:

1) Get them to shoot with accuracy
2) Get away from the some of the extraordinarily mediocre loads these supporters shoot

There are those who contend that the node to use is right around 2,700 fps but there is another node higher up the scale (as there usually is...). The best part of that node occurs with very reasonable pressure (55K or less) given the velocity. You can even use Varget if you insist but the areas I shoot in allow me to use Re-17 all the time without the supposed drawbacks touted on the internet. By 1,000 yards, it's still chugging along at 1,450+ fps.

 

[284winner]

What's the heaviest .22 cal varmint bullet that will reliably expand on varmints such as rockchucks and coyotes? Probably more the latter than the former, but one can always hope

75 amax will definitely ruin a hide. They blow up and exit violently.

 

[fyrewall]

My impression is that the .224 73 ELD is intended for rifles with COAL restrictions but COAL is no problem for me as my rifles have .243W length magazines. Hornady recommended the 75 ELD for my use. The .224 75 ELDM appears to be the most affordable of the ELD bunch weighing over 73 grains @ under $20 per hundred when on sale. Shooting the 75 Amax from my 7.7 twist made my .22-.250 into a very cost effective, low recoil, long range rifle and hopefully the 75 ELD's will work also. I wonder how much tip melting occurred with that 1121 yard rodent kill??

 

[Gary in MD]

I think it depends on how fast you are going to be able to push the bullets and how far you are shooting.
I shoot eastern ground hogs and foxes and have always found the 55 grain plastic tipped bullets carried the best out to 400-500 yards and still will expand/come apart. I have to have bullets that will come apart and not carry over the next hill after striking the target or ground.
YMMV
Gary

 

[redrockranger]

22 BR Norma. 8 or 9 twist.Good brass available. Proven winner.

 

[JarheadAZ]

This is marketed as a deer load, Federal Fusion 90gr Valkyrie.

I have used the 62gr MSR 223 load in my Mossberg MVP Predator as a General Purpose load. It's good on 'Chucks, I never had a shot open up for a 'Yote, and the reviews peg it as a surprisingly effective deer load.

I'm not hawking it as a varmint load, but I do think it's got a fair to middling chance of doing what you're asking

Accuracy (with the .223 MVP) is outstanding in all my 1:9" twist and faster barrels. The MVP has a Bushnell AR 223 BDC scope and the drops are right on out to 300yd so far. This rifle, scope and ammo seem to be a really good match.

Greg Langelius