Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints 243win coyote loads

Hey all! I’m usually a 223 shooter, but with pelts being near worthless and me planning to do some summer hunting I don’t really care about added carnage right now.

I have a box of 87 vmax and a box of 55gr varmageddon, I like the high speed idea of the 55’s. Those that have shot one or both, what was your favorite? And what loads do your rifles like?

Shooting in factory model 7, and 700

Thanks!

Steve

Never tried either of those. My best all time .243 coyote load was the 70 ballistic tip with a max load of Varget

A proven performer also, try the 85 Sierra gameking with Varget or IMR 4895

Fastest .243 load I've used was the 60 sierra with ww760. Early 60s version of "shock and awe"...

Think you find heavy and slow will work better than light and fast over the long run. and your barrel will last a lot longer. Rio7

Guess I should’ve stated that I’m very experienced with various 6mm chamberings and heavy bullets. I’m not at all concerned with barrel life in these ones because I have a machine shop and do all my own barrel work. This is purely for speed and “knock down”. It’ll be mostly used at night, with thermal optics and depth perception is non existent so flat shooting is ideal.

OK! Makes sense to me. Rio7

Didn't we just have this thread?

I didn’t see anything mentioned in your 6SLR thread about a 55gr nosler varmageddon, or 87gr vmax.

I was hoping for first hand experience with these specific bullets. Both favorite loads, and on game performance.

On a side note, how do you like your SLR? I’ve been shooting them for several years now. I think I’m on my third or fourth barrel.

It's new to me. We'll see.
I loaded the 55 varms in my 6x47L.i got them to 4000. Only shot one at that speed just to see if it was possible. Bullet hit the target

Im using 45gr of H4350, 70gr Nosler BT. Getting 3450fps. Only a foot low at 400 with a 250 yard zero. Hold on hair on a coyote to 350.

I've used one bullet in the 243 Win. Sierra 87 gr. BTHP shot 1000's of deer and approaching 10'000 of coyotes....there's just one bullet I know and use....

For most small critters I like either the Sierra or Hornady 75gn HP and 41.5gns of Varget.

Shooting Coyotes, doesn't take anything special, speed or bullet wise,unless your a rifle LOONEY, then that changes every thing, i kill more than a few predators every year, and the 6mm bullet is my choice, but my rifles and I choose the 105 gr. Scenar, or the 103 ELD-X i am not saving hides, S.Texas, does not produce good fur. and about 98% of my shots are inside 250 yrds. and there's no such thing as shooting from prone here. Rio7

Thermal gun..... federal 100gr sp has ended many walks of hogs and coyotes.

Daytime predator load.... 70nbt or 75gr accutip have shot and performed well on coyotes out of my Remingtons.

I would think any bullet you shoot for deer would work fine for coyotes and give you some of the best shooting practice you will ever get... If you can hit a coyote with it, especially one moving- you will find deer and easy target...

I shoot a few coyotes with a 240 weatherby, and 65 grain V Max bullets. And sometimes with 70 grain ballistic tips. Both are highly effective, but if you’re saving fur, not so good. As some have said, you don’t need anything special to kill coyotes.

Might want to check those coyote fur prices again. Last two years have been the best in 20 years.

Check Minnesota and east varieties. Lucky if buyers will even take them, a lot of our bigger buyers are not. Best of the best are selling in the $20 range, average is under $10

Interesting array of answers.

I should’ve been more specific I guess, I’m not a stranger to killing coyotes, and I know that just about anything that you shoot them with will kill them as long as you hit vitals. I was just wondering about specific experiences with the 55gr nosler VS 87gr vmax.

Through some additional research I did find that at the upper end of 243 velocity some have experienced near zero penetration, and a big surface splash wound with the 55gr. I’m not into that so I’ll probably keep them for prairie dogs.

I ran some numbers and with either bullet at near the upper end of 243 velocity, and a 200 yard zero I will be able to hold on fur from zero to 350 yards and hit a coyote. I probably won’t be shooting farther than 300 yards with thermal anyway so that’s perfect.

On a side note I did get a nice big male red fox and a big female coyote last night with a 50gr Zmax load from my 223. Fox at 125yds, coyote at 75yds. Both DRT

Not in 243 but my favorite 6mm cartridge the 6mmBR my favorite bullet is the 65 grain v-max. Good combo of velocity and In the few coyotes I've shot I've never had an exit. In a 243 I think it would just be more of a good thing.
Rick