Wondering how the 75Amax works on coyotes out of a 223Rem. Any experience with them?

Here is a link that might be of help, although not with the 75 grain a-max, but the .243 caliber 105 grain a-max. This URL shows the terminal effects of the bullet on a fox, roe buck, and a crow. Enjoy!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jacksonrifles.com/images/crow.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jacksonrifles.com/vldvarmints.htm&usg=__29Qy8C0eeqHVzfsI_76DyQJLdHk=&h=311&w=451&sz=50&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=7yWVtAiBwwOwEM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Da-max%2Bon%2Bvarmints%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Braxton

Shot 2 with them, both very dead. Shot placement helps... not a varmint bullet IMHO as I've used them on deer quite a bit too. A hole in the lungs is usually just fine.

I've used them on coyotes to good effect though with larger chamberings-22-250AI and 223WSSM.
Here is a pic of a coyote that almost needed a finisher as the A-max blew up in his shoulder and didn't make it into the boiler.
I was glad that after walking up to him and pondering a bit he stopped breathing just before I added a second.
This experience didn't sour me on them at all but does show they aren't that hard a bullet.
In my experience a great varmint.

Personally, I would not want to shoot a bullet that heavy in a 223 due to a really poor trajectory at ranges of 300 yards and shorter.

A 50 and 55g Bullet will get the job done without having tricky trajectory.

I have killed a bunch of yotes with a 223 using the Sierra 50g Spt, 55g Winchester, 55g Sierra lead tip blitz, and the 55g Sierra BTHP.

You never have to worry about the bullet detonating on the surface with any of these bullets, they will punch holes through both shoulders.

The 55g Winchester is a very soft bullet, loaded with 26.5g of Win 760 is one of the most fur friendly loads in the 223 that I have ever found, and has the omph to take out a lion or javelina also. I also killed two does with the same load, dropped in their tracks. The cheap 55g Win is one whale of a yote bullet.

Today, there is kinda a politically correct thought train that you need to shoot a plastic tip bullet, don't get caught up in it. It is amazing at how a 50g Sierra Sp kills yotes, also.

N-133 with the 50's and N135 powders will maximize the speed with extreme accuracy out of the 223's.

I shoot a load with the 50's at 3500 fps and the 55's at 3400 fps with 1/2" groups at 200 yards.

If you are shooting an AR, then I would go with the Sierra 55g BTHP...unreal accurate bullet and a little tougher for the faster twist that you probably have in the barrel.

I used to shoot High Power (AR-15 at 200-500 yards)

69, and 77 grain bullets do well at 300+ compared to lighter bullets. However it's hard to stabolize anything higher than 77's.

You also need a fast twist 1:9 for a 77 grain bullet in a 223, if your using some slower twist stay with 69's would be my advice.

Spot

The faster you push a bullet, the more likely you'll be to have surface spashes. The 75 A-max at .223 velocities may be perfect. You didn't say whether you were intending to save fur. If you are, you might also want to try the 60 grain v-max. It produces very few exits in my experience. It's just tough enough to get inside and then disentigrates (sp?). If you aren't saving pelts, just use something heavy jacketed enough to make sure it gets into the vitals. Any of the 52 and 53 gr target bullets or the sp's recommended earlier should work well.

Of course those of us that have shot a bit with the 223 at at fair distances(I've never fired a match with the 223 past 1000 yards yet) know that drop is not where its at.. its wind resistance. Anyone can click a rangefinder and adjust, but the wind drift is the guess area, hence the reason that past 200, I'd never choose a light bullet as suggested, My 75s don't drop much, zero'd at 200 you'd hold top of the back at 300, not rocket science..... and I don't recall having any rifles zero'd at less than 100 in many years, in fact my 100 yard bench is rotted away currently.

But to each their own. Some want to see bang flops and red mist and you usually don't get that with heavy bullets. That being said I have yet to miss any coyote this side of 350 or so with my 223s and 75 grain bullets.....

The 75gr .224 AMAX has the same bc as a 165gr .308 Hornaday BTSP. So think of it this way.....it pretty much matches up with a .308 Winchester shooting 165gr pills, which isn't very troublesome for 300 and less. The longer the shot, the more you'll see the 75gr help rather than hinder.

JCM

Forgot to mention, I've used the 75 AMAX on a lot of yote's and it's worked great for me. I don't save the hide though.

JCM

I've used some of the heavier bullets 65 and up out of an AR 223 AI for some longer ranges. The best performer i can remember was the 69 Nosler Comp. and it gave decent terminal ballistics out to 550 yds. (1 coyote shot at that range only).

I actually connected on a coyote at 700-some yds. once with the 75 A-Max (shot i shouldn't have taken), and it yelped and took off running--God knows where i hit it. Never had another long-range opportunity with that bullet--will probably try it again soon.

I had very good results with the 65 JLK Low Drag out to 500 yds., and will probaby continue to use this bullet when i'm not using the 75 A-Max.

If you're using an AR try and get ahold of the old DPMS VLD magazine so u can use the bullets seated out further.

Killed quite a few with 75 AMAXs @3100 FPS out of my 223AIs. From 20yrds to over 500yrds. All were DRT. Bullet performed flawlessly, in both trajectory and terminal performance. I do drive 75 AMAXs in a vanilla 223 @ 2975FPS, but havent had the opprotunity to dust a 'yote with it. Im sure it will do just fine....(grin)

7MMRM how does it perform compared to the 50vmax or similar if you have used that as well?

Partagas,

I havent killed any with 50s out of a 223/223AI. Ive killed a few with 50 BlitzKings @ 3750 via 22/250. Furthest was shade over 300yrds. Closest was 10. IMO, they did a fine job.

Did they do better than the 75s? Depends I guess. They both killed them very dead right away. The 50s hardly ever exited. The 75s always do, and it isnt pretty.

FWIW, I have since dropped the 22/250 all together in favor of fast twisted 223/223AIs shooting the 75 AMAXs. Still run 55/60s in the Varmint AR15s.... simply becasue I cant run the 75s out of the mag

Thanks, so if saving fur probably oughta run the 40s or 50s. For making th efur fly stick with the 75s.
Gotcha.

For fur I run the 52Match HP from Hornaday out of my 223. I was hoping the 75Amax would give me similar performance and not tear the hell out of the furs at longer ranges but it sounds like it tears them up pretty good. Any one have a longer range(slightly heavier bullet) that does not tear the hell out of coyotes??

Best .22 cal fur bullet I've used is the 60 gr v-max. I shoot them at moderate velocity from a .22-250. They should work well at the higher end of the .223 velocity range. I'd have to check my loading log to give you the "exact" velocity.

I doubt the 75 gr. A-max would be very rough on coyotes out of a 223. Give it a try and get back to us.

ballistics 101 a heavy projectile will, can, and does carry better down range and bucks the wind better than a light bullet. I shoot long range regularly 1 22-250 1-8 twist and have witnessed kills on crows out to 600yds, and most resent a gray squrile at 700yds. I can almost promise you that those 55's would not and most likely can not maintain a stable path past 400yds. I also assist farmers with land depervation problems with deer and was able to place a single 69smk into the base of its skull at 437yds, also witnessed by 3 others.So if you are wanting to go long range you will need to go with a fast twist and heavier bullet with a good bc.


"SEMPER FI" MAC

Shot a Grey Fox with a 75 A-Max out of a 22-250AI. Fox is still dead to this day.