Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Best .204 Factory Ammo to use on coyotes?

I have Rem LVSF in .204 and want to know what factory ammo (I do not reload) work the best for shooting coyotes. Thanks Tom

I have a Rem 700 that was a .222 back in the day. Tired barrel was replaced recently with a 26" Pac-Nor in .204 Ruger. With Hornady 32 gr. V-Max factory ammo, it shoots around 1/2" at a hundred. I'm set up to reload, but because that ammo shot so well (and so fast), I have not reloaded the first round.

Besides, Hornady uses a progressive powder that's not available to handloaders. And, I can't get 4,200 fps, reloading. So, I bought 10 boxes of Hornady ammo. I've never done that before, loading everything I shoot.

Hope that helps.

DF

I have used the 32-35 range bullets on coyotes with a good rate of success.
But watch out for them small blades of grass because they will explode when they hit them.

HSM offers .204 ammo. with both the 35 gr. and the 40 gr. berger bullets. These two bullets are proven to do the job without ever having to worry about bullet "splash" that the Vmax and BK's give from time to time. Here's a link to some ammo.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=968936

I've shot a couple hundred coyotes using both bullets, in my reloads, and I know a couple other guys who also have a couple hundred kills with the same bullets. No complaints from anyone who has used the Bergers.

I've used the Hornady Varmint Express Ammunition 40 Grain V-Max with great results.

I would second any loads you can find with the 35gr Bergers, great killers and very little pelt damage. I have no experience with the 40gr Bergers so can't comment but others have good feedback on them.

A little twist to this question.....what is the best bullet cost-wise for factory ammo?

I mean, with the rise in cost of .223 factory ammo, is the .204 now a better option if you shoot a lot? Heck, from what I have been seeing maybe even a jump up to .243 ammo would be the wiser choice?

I am just basing this off of cost though.

Savage223: Back in 2,004 when the 204 Ruger was new I bought a couple of Varmint weight Rifles in this caliber.
No brass was available and I had to use factory ammo at first.
I killed my first Coyotes using the 204 Ruger and Hornady 32 grain V-Max factory ammo.
This ammo was VERY lethal on Coyotes!
And it shot very well in both Rifles.
Then the 204 Ruger started to gain in popularity and all the 32 grain ammo got spoken for and out came the 40 grain V-Max ammo.
It shot very well also but I do not recall using this ammo on any Coyotes.
The 40 grain V-Max ammo shot just as well in my 204's as did the 32 grain Hornady stuff according to my loading log.
Over the years I acquired three more 204's and used some of my stores of Hornady factory ammo to breakin and then sightin my 204's.
The Hornady factory ammo shot quite well in all of them.
The Hornady brass is excellent brass in my opinion and I seek it out on the once fired market.
One of the first Coyotes I killed back in 2,004 was a big male that had kept me awake all night howling while I was camped near the Powder River in eastern Montana.
I had camped in a remote corner of a huge ranch I was scouting Antelope on and just before sunrise I could take his howling no more - he sounded like he was just 100 yards away.
I got up got dressed (camoed) quietly, then found my Remington 700 VLS and my 32 grain Hornady 204 ammo and got atop a little hill I was camped beside for a wind break.
I quickly spotted the Coyote atop a ridge that was 400 yards distant (Leica lasered), the rising sun was at my back.
The Coyote was sitting on his haunches facing directly at me and I placed the crosshairs of my 6.5x20 Leupold on his forehead used a fist as a rear rest (Harris bi-pod in front!) and squeezed off one shot.
The big male was dead right there, instantly!
I recommend the Hornady factory ammo highly - with this one caveat. I have not used any other brand of factory loaded ammo in any of my 204's.
Best of luck with your 204!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hey Tom,

As a fellow LVSF fan, I have 2 of them chambered for the .204 Ruger. I am pretty much a fan of Hornady ammo as well. One of the little rifles favors the 32 grain V-Max and the other the 40 grainer.

I like the 40 grain better as I just like the stability and momentum that a heavier bullet brings downrange, but a coyote hit by one will certainly never know the difference. It'll ruin his day for sure.

Try those 2 loads from Hornady and feed it what it likes, I say.

Jeff