Bullet Choice for Coyotes
Can somebody give me a reommendation on a bullet for a 22-250 and a 243 that will not destroy the hides on coyotes or fox. I reload my own ammo, which gives me more options, but I'm not sure what exact bullet to load to save hides. Thank You
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If you want to save hides the best bet us to use a FMJ . I load 55gr FMJ's fot my firend who hunts foxes. That may be a little light for a coyote... My next choice would be any soft point. They should be controlled enough for good stopping power, but not blowing up pelts. 0 -
Do not use FMJ bullets they go straight through and can keep going. They also tend to wound more than kill. The 22-250 and 243 are both a little big for fox. If you are going to hunt anything use a bullet that will expand and make a clean kill. The 22-250 can almost be to much for saving the fur on coyotes. I have heard from people using ballistic tips soft points and hollow points all with mixed results. 
Guncontrol-The ability to hit what your aiming at.0 -
Blain Eddey is a notable cyote caller and fur hunter up in the northern part of the country. He has a cyote fur processing video out in which he covers what calibers and cartridges are best for fur hunting as he hates sewing up bullet hits. He personally claims to favor 17cal bullets, like the 17Rem and such for fur hunting as they have enough juice to do the job, within their range, but not trash the fur. He also goes on to say he is experimenting with some 14cal loadings. I don't know what he'd think of me and my 25-06 for cyotes but here in the southwest we don't get fur worth skinning. 0 -
With a 22/250 on foxes you are gonna mess them up unless you use something like an FMJ, on coyotes there are a couple of trains of thought some people load a max load using light40-50grain super explosive bullets and hope for no exit, others prefer a more moderate load and a tougher bullet that you know will exit but doesn't expand so violently. I've found that all of the spitzers with exposed lead leave big exits, maybe try a Barnes x bullet? Barnes hold together and don't blow up, you will get an exit though. 0 -
If you use the very lightest bullet that will shoot accurate enough in your rifle at a reasonably slow speed you will not do much damage to the hides...
Speer's TNT comes to mind as does the Hornady SX.
At over 100 yds they do not seem to exit very often.
Usually the lighter 40 gr Ballistic tips are kinda nasty on the entrance hole.
Gun control is hitting what your aiming at.0 -
Anything you want.
Just be sure to shoot it in the eye, Vasili[^]
O Lord,
grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can,
and the supreme firepower to make the difference.0 -
I hit a coyote at 450 yards with a 60-gr soft tip. I hit her a little too far back in the ribs, but the exit wound was above her pelvis. Her spine and viscera were pokin' through a six inch tear in the hide. Sure the 'yote was dead before she hit the ground, but if I was to want the pelt, I was outta luck. I guess the point is, the 22-250 is too much 'yote rifle for me, personally. I'd use a .223. Around here, hide hunters are calling them in and using smaller calibers (Even 17 HMR works fine at close range) to harvest the pelt.
"When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson"0 -
I personally use my 6mm Rem. with Sierra 90 gr. FMJ-BT bullets loaded to 3320 FPS when pelt preservation is my goal. If I don't want the pelt, it is either 40-gr. V-max in .223 loaded to 3840 FPS or 60 gr. V-max in the 6mm loaded to 3635 FPS (I also have some .25-06 loads moving 75-gr. HP's at 3710 FPS). But if you want the pelts, I would stick with FMJ's (or a larger caliber using spitzers, since they have heavier construction: such as a .308 with 150-180 grainers).
Liberal compassion inhibits progress.........think Republican and prosper!0
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