Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints .22 for Coyote...

Need some opinions on a 22 cal projectile and loads that are fur friendly from 50 to 250 yards on Yotes. I have several .22's (swift, 22-243,22-250-223-222,22 Nos..) so I can produce mostly any speed and weight combo.

Seems like one of the all time favorites is Sierra 52 gr HPBT Match I like it too I think it is #1410

Speer 52gr Flatbase HP old time bullet that is quite reasonably price, very accurate and never seems to fail. I use it in my 222 Rem(3), 223, 5.6x50R Mag and 22-250.

22-250 over a moderate load of H-380 or 4320


5.6x50R Mag Combo gun over 4895


222R over 748 I was testing a $90. e-caller to see if they were worth recommending. It called coyotes just fine in fact it will stay in my line-up of callers.


222R over Benchmark


All loads are book loads.

Sorry no pics with the 223 as computers weren't in common use when I was using a 223 and haven't taken any pics of with a recently acquired 223 as I'm still working with getting up and running.

Ive had probably my best results, fur friendly -wise from 50 gr. NBTs in either a .22-250 or a .223 when speaking strictly of coyotes

A basic 50 gr. Hornady Soft Point in my .222 is also good

223-14 twist
55g Winchester at 3050 fps
26.5g of Win 748

Coyotes look like someone sucked the air out their lungs

I would love to use my .222 just didn't think it would be enough but maybe it would?

222 was one of my favorite coyote hunting rifles, Rem 788. 50g Sierra high velocity spt and their lead tip Blitz loaded with H335 at 3400 fps, anchored coyotes really great!

I have not read of many people using H335, Remember that Walt Berger sat a bunch of records with this powder. Use a Rem 71/2 primer, CCI BR4, or a CCI 41 due to thick cups.

.222 Rem is more than enough for coyotes. For saving fur, it may be the best of what you've listed with most any .224 bullet out there. I've had good luck with el cheapo` Wally World special 55 grain power points as well as much more expensive bullets.

If you're sure your max range is going to be around 250 yards, either slow the bullet down, or harden the bullet up.
Stretching the range way out there makes things more complicated as impact velocity has a lot to do with saving fur, but it sounds like that's not going to be a concern for you and your situation.

We will be calling the entire hunt with most shots under 200 and maybe rarely 1 out to 250-300 top. I can take 2 rifles along. I just picked up a grendal in AR platform that I was thinking about taking as the second one...

Absolutely.

50gr. V-Max.

Landyboy: Over the decades I have had two different government predator control agents (one in Ekalaka, Montana and the other in Miles City, Montana) suggest (it is what they use) the Speer 52 grain hollow-point flat base #1035 for Coyote pelt friendly service.
Do not mistake this bullet with the Speer 52 grain hollow-point boat-tail #1036.
I have used this bullet (31035) and have a lifetime supply of them - my latest Speer Manual (#13) shows they still make this bullet.
Be sure and try this bullet for your needs.
Best of luck with whichever you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Do you think I can get enough velocity out of the 222 with th 52 grain speer or the 50 grain Vmax in a 20" Barrel, I also have a bunch of 53 gr Varmeggedons at my disposal.

Lots of coyotes bite the dust every year to 22 magnums and they don’t produce near the speed attainable with the 222.

Don’t overthink things. If you 222 is accurate and you like using it go shoot some coyotes with it. Stay off the shoulders and you likely won’t have any issues with hide damage. When you boil it down they’re just 30lb dogs.

Also if using a swift or 22-250 for that range I'm assuming you want to keep the speeds down?

The 222 Rem is one of my favorites, it gives up little to the 223 except with heavies. My little Sako shown is one of my favorite calling rifles for down in the valley bottoms and sage brush. I stared out in the 70's with a Stevens 840 and have had a few over the years. All I have left are the Sako, a Model 70(selling it to finance another light weight) and a custom target/varmint rig that I won a very nice custom built 20 Practical AR in a shooting match..

For pelt hunting my other favorite is the 40gr NBT in a 22-204 but it dotes on the 40's at 4000fps and they have proven to be deadly on large northern coyotes as well but it is the only rifle I shoot them out of.

21” Sako triple deuce shooting 50 gr v-max is my go to calling rifle. During decoy season I shoot an AR quite a bit with 75 gr bthp. I get exits and they run further with the 75s. Most of the time you put a v-max in the chest of one, they don’t go anywhere but down. Along about the time I was thinking it was the perfect combo last year, I got a big broadside tear/splash. But that’s one out of a bunch. I’ve also shot cats with it and worked great on them too.

Yes, on all of the above.

Maybe.....

Erich is your M70 222 REM factory or custom?

When I lived in eastern Washington I used primarily three centerfires for coyotes. A 220 Swift with the 52 grain Speer 1035 HP driven hard, a 17 Remington with 25 grain Hornady HPs and a 222 with either 50 grain Hornady SX or Speer 50 grain Spitzer. I always hunted for fur. The 52 grain Speer HP likes to be driven fast if it’s going to be a fur bullet. A friend whom I was skinning for tried them in a 223 and found he had large exit wounds with it. I rarely had an exit with that bullet from a Swift nor did my calling partner with his 22-250. The 17 never had an exit unless I made a fringe hit. The 222 piled up a lot of coyotes. Either bullet did well with only very rare exits. I started using the Sierra 1365 GK 55 grain some and liked it. Tougher bullet and does leave an exit but normally only an inch hole. Works in either the Swift or 222.

So yes the 222 works well for coyote, especially in the parameters you specified.