Sierra 1505 .243 70 gr matchking vs 70 gr ballistic tip on coyotes

[Majday]

I was wondering how people have fared loading these for coyotes. I've read a few answers here and there but would like to hear from more people. This would be a load for a 243 and strictly for hunting.

Also how would these compare to the 70 gr ballistic tip? I know the but is a varmint bullet but just asking.

Thank you

 

[RussellJ]

I was wondering how people have fared loading these for coyotes. I've read a few answers here and there but would like to hear from more people. This would be a load for a 243 and strictly for hunting.

Also how would these compare to the 70 gr ballistic tip? I know the but is a varmint bullet but just asking.

Thank you

I have been shooting the 70grn. Ballistic Tip Bullet in a 6BR at about 3200fps. They work extremely well in coyotes. Also look at the Sierra #1515 80-grain Biltz Varminter bullet. Very fur friendly bullet.

 

[AWS]

Sierra doesn't recommend them for hunting, but what do they know. The only way you'll know for sure is to try them.

 

[Gary in MD]

There are quite a few bullets specifically designed and called out to be varmint bullets that are also extremely accurate.
Why use something that the manufacturer doe not recommend? Yea, the matchking will probably kill one if you hit him well but their performance is erratic, sometimes expanding and sometimes not. Use the 70 grain Blitz Kings, 70 grain ballistic tips or 75 grain Vmax.

 

[Majday]

Thank you for the input. I have had great luck in other calibers with vmax and coyotes so maybe like has been said just stick to what a bullet is intended to do.

So one other thought is would you feel comfortable with any of the mentioned bullets, blitzkings vmax or ballistic tip, with a cougar ar reasonable distance, 250 yards and in? I ask because I did see a cougar yote hunting the breaks of a river at 200 yards. Maybe a fluke maybe not but that is in the back of my mind as well.

 

[RussellJ]

Thank you for the input. I have had great luck in other calibers with vmax and coyotes so maybe like has been said just stick to what a bullet is intended to do.

So one other thought is would you feel comfortable with any of the mentioned bullets, blitzkings vmax or ballistic tip, with a cougar ar reasonable distance, 250 yards and in? I ask because I did see a cougar yote hunting the breaks of a river at 200 yards. Maybe a fluke maybe not but that is in the back of my mind as well.

A bullet I'm going to try on coyotes is the Sierra 85 grain HPBT GameKing #1530. My Niece's husband uses that bullet on Whitetail Deer with a 243Win.

 

[AckleymanII]

I prefer any 65-68g benchrest bullet that is made on a J4 Jacket vs a Sierra 70g Match king. 70g Speer TNT and Nosler ballistic tips in 70g work great on coyotes.

 

[K22]

A bullet I'm going to try on coyotes is the Sierra 85 grain HPBT GameKing #1530. My Niece's husband uses that bullet on Whitetail Deer with a 243Win.

You will like it - it's my go to bullet for the 243 Win, a truly all-purpose bullet effective on deer, varmints and predators - used for many years, but good luck finding them.

 

[K22]

The 70 grain Nosler BT is designed for hunting and it's the bullet I would choose, not one designed for target shooting.

 

[B23]

Not a 243 Win but I shoot the 70gr Nosler BT's in my shorty 6mm Creedmoor with RL16 and Fed205M. They shoot crazy good in that gun. Sierra MK's seem to always shoot extremely well in anything I've ever shot them in, the 52/53 SMK's are always scary accurate, but SMK's are a fairly tough jacketed bullet and, using them for coyotes, I'd be concerned they would want to pencil through with little expansion. I've shot a lot of coyotes with 75gr Berger VLD's from a 22-6mm and they don't reliably open up and the Berger's aren't nearly as tough as the SMK's.

 

[nmkid]

A bullet I'm going to try on coyotes is the Sierra 85 grain HPBT GameKing #1530. My Niece's husband uses that bullet on Whitetail Deer with a 243Win.

My most favorite coyote bullet ever! When it hits a coyote, it stays down!

 

[WSnyder]

TMK's or ELD-M's over the SMK

 

[SeabeeKen]

Sierra doesn't recommend them for hunting, but what do they know. The only way you'll know for sure is to try them.

I recall hunting deer with 7mm RM and 168 SMK back in the 70's. Stopped using them. Never had 1 expand. pencil in and out.

 

[Majday]

Great info. I was hoping for using a little faster bullet in the 70 gr area but it sounds like an the 85 bthp would be a better option for the area my father in law would be using the 243 in with me.

 

[Majday]

For those that have used the 85 bthp in a 243 what velo would I expect from a 22" barrel? Im Thinking 3-3100? I know every gun is different. Also powders to play with starting out. Assuming the 85gr. IMR 4064, 4166, 8208, varget, cfe223. These are what I could use to start a load with.

 

[AckleymanII]

85g Sierra BTHP
36-36.8g of IMR 4064, fed 210, very accurate in a lot of 243s.

I switched to the 80g Sierra blitz boat tail with a hot load of 41.0-41.5g of IMR 4064, Rem brass with fed 210, and seat the bullet out to .005 of the lands. Every time you connect on a coyote, it sounds like the bullet hit a solid brick wall with a super loud WHOP! sound. The only other bullet I had this sound happen with was the old Sierra 80g Single shot pistol bullet.

39g of IMR 4064 with the 70g Nosler bT is very accurate in many Rem 700 243's.

 

[Majday]

85g Sierra BTHP
36-36.8g of IMR 4064, fed 210, very accurate in a lot of 243s.

I switched to the 80g Sierra blitz boat tail with a hot load of 41.0-41.5g of IMR 4064, Rem brass with fed 210, and seat the bullet out to .005 of the lands. Every time you connect on a coyote, it sounds like the bullet hit a solid brick wall with a super loud WHOP! sound. The only other bullet I had this sound happen with was the old Sierra 80g Single shot pistol bullet.

39g of IMR 4064 with the 70g Nosler bT is very accurate in many Rem 700 243's.

Thank you. I'll have to try that when I get some bullets in. I can get a few hundred of the 85s so I may use those. It would be nice to have a faster bullet for yotes and one that can double for deer if needed.

 

[WyleWD]

You will like it - it's my go to bullet for the 243 Win, a truly all-purpose bullet effective on deer, varmints and predators - used for many years, but good luck finding them.

+1^^.

From a 243, 6xc, 6-250, the best bullets I've used on coyotes are 75gr Vmax, 80gr Sierra Blitz and 70gr Nosler ballistic tip. I have no doubt the Sierrra 85gr HPBT would work fine too........... if you can find them or beg a few. JME. WD

 

[K22]

+1^^.

From a 243, 6xc, 6-250, the best bullets I've used on coyotes are 75gr Vmax, 80gr Sierra Blitz and 70gr Nosler ballistic tip. I have no doubt the Sierrra 85gr HPBT would work fine too........... if you can find them or beg a few. JME. WD

Yea, I have given up on Sierra because of the supply issues. Haven't seen Nolser 70 BT's either for over 2 years which shot great out of my 243's. So Nosler is on my abandon list. Looking for something to shoot, I purchased some 75Vmax last week. Local shop has a ton of Hornady bullets.

Wow! I like them. First load I tried was sub 3/4 moa, 2 - 5 shot groups at 100. With some load development and tuning I'm confident I can get it down some but for my purposes, that load will work just fine.