Who uses larger calibers for coyote?

[Bowhunter57]

I have used an AR, in .223, for coyotes. After having several runners, I switched to my .25.06 and the running has stopped.

I really enjoy the ergonomics of the AR platform, for hunting and have been considering one in 6.8spc, 6.5 grendel, .243 Win., .308 Win., etc.

Does anyone use a larger caliber for coyotes?
Do you have any suggestions for a larger caliber?

Your opinions and experiences are appreciated.
Thank you, Bowhunter57

[mrbb]

well I have shot them with .338 ultra mag and down to .22's

bigger isn't always needed
a .223 is plenty, BUT you have to be using the right bullets and well, shot placement

bigger and faster will help a small amount on bad shot placement but is not the solution to the running off problem

are you using Ball .223 ammo, if so thats a big problems right there

you can get some heavy .223 loads that will make a bigger impact, and or you can get better heads in general and reload for what ranges most of your shots are being taken at

too light too fast too solid a tip up close ior far can seriously effect how a bullet performs on a hit!

if your taking head shots, shouldn't matter LOl

but if your shooting them like a deer behind the shoulder, bullet selection is huge deal all the more so UP close, and real far off!

I have killed yotes with a .223 dropped in tracks at 550+ yrds, and as close at about 25 feet

and all the ranges in between

so caliber is fine, its bullets and shot placements

you can sure kill them with bigger calibers, but its not needed

if you want to go bigger upper, I would suggest a .243, or the new 6.8
great calibers, and can then go as a deer gun too, but to be honest, if your thinking a .223 is light for yotes, then these claibers in that thinking make them light for deer!
again sure they will kill deer with right bullet and range and shot placement

but if a .223 is light for yotes then you will need a .30 + cal for deer with that logic

not bashing, just saying

killed a lot of yotes dead in there tracks with a .22 short over the yrs, hit in the head at 50 so yards, no problem!

[Genesis 9:3]

well I have shot them with .338 ultra mag and down to .22's
are you using Ball .223 ammo, if so thats a big problems right there

you can get some heavy .223 loads that will make a bigger impact, and or you can get better heads in general and reload for what ranges most of your shots are being taken at

too light too fast too solid a tip up close ior far can seriously effect how a bullet performs on a hit!

if your taking head shots, shouldn't matter LOl

but if your shooting them like a deer behind the shoulder, bullet selection is huge deal all the more so UP close, and real far off!

I have killed yotes with a .223 dropped in tracks at 550+ yrds, and as close at about 25 feet

and all the ranges in between

so caliber is fine, its bullets and shot placements

you can sure kill them with bigger calibers, but its not needed


In the past I took one with an relative's AR at about 250 yds with wolf hp ammo... the cheap stuff. It seemed to work just fine... but I'm curious if you have any pet loads to use for yotes? You seem to have more knowledge of that than myself...

[mrbb]

well cheap wolf ammo will kill, but its just that cheap bullets, most they sell are more of the full metal jacket type , meant for targets and not made to expand really, so there mostly just zipping through the critters, like a target tip as to a broadhead say!

as for pet loads, well thats a loaded question of sorts
every rifle will shoot something differently, best thing to do is trial and error , till you find what load your gun shoots best with a bullet design you want to use!

you just stick with what type of bullet design you want and work from what your rifles twist is, for grains of bullets to start with and then play with powder and head weights up and dpwn ,and
the same goes with bullet seating depths, till the sweet spot of your gun shows

you some what have to ask yourself, if your looking to just kill them or use there hides, some bullets designs do a lot more pelt damage than others!
bullets selection will be different for each plan then, same goes for picking the bullet placement then too

I am fond of balistic tips from Nosler, they do however do a lot of damage to pelts, if not picky on shot placements, but the accuracy I get I can pick placement pretty well on hits

but again every rifle will have one load it likes best, and you only find it by trying,
or till you get one load your your happy enough with

something to think about
if you have a very accurate rifle/chamber
shooting coated steel cased ammo is very hard on a chamber,steel just doesn't have the give a brass case will, and they are known to erode a chamber a LOT faster, No one I know with a custom rifle will shoot it at all!

and from owning a gun store business for many yrs, I have personally seen a lot of AR's break there firing pins shooting wolf ammo, the lacquer coating on then cases builds up on firing pin's on Ar's for some reason, and then they stick and well break

never seem it bother AK's, but have seen a lot of AR's/m-16's(was a full auto dealer too) break there pins with wolf ammo!

Not bashing wolf Ammo, just saying what I know and seen with it
its not for , well to me to be used in a accurate rifle
to go blast away ammo in a beater AR or AK, or what ever, or say even hand guns
its great for the price!

just something to maybe think about!