Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles RRA Coyote: what bullets to use?

Just got a lightly used RRA Coyote (20" 1:8 twist). Has 4-14x50 IOR scope.
Will do some reloading soon. Suggestions on bullets/powder?

I already have a decent supply of Varget & H335. Do have a small amount of a couple other powders and would purchase more as needed.

My uses:
1. prairie dogs (would like to use Vmax or similar bullet)
2. targets for fun and would like to try to shoot some long range (300-600).
additional question (based on suggestions on #2): can these bullets be loaded and used in a magazine or used as single shot.

Thanks. I hope my preliminary information is enough to get your answers. If not, what more info can I give?
mark

Coyotes the Hornady 60 gr V-Max with Varget, Prairie Dogs Hornady 40 or 50 gr V-Max with Tac or Benchmark.

MarkD, you have two fine powders for the 223 and RRA makes a great AR. Go with them. As to bullets, the twist should stabilize the 55gr Sierra Blitz Kings and they have a very hi BC.Should work for both, But I think a heavier constructed bullet for yotes at long range would be in order. Not sure about the pelts though; but out to 350 or so , the Sierras should get the job done. Very accurate bullets. Charles

H335 is a great powder in the AR but for high volume shooting of Prairie Dogs you will have to clean more often than with Benchmark or Tac because these two powders burn much cleaner .

I probably won't shoot as much 335 as Varget - how does V burn? I've heard before that 335 is a "dirty" powder.

Any suggestions for distance shooting at targets (not necessarily dogs). More like paper or just fun stuff like bottles of water, etc... Or, just use the same bullets as for the pdogs.

I'm a V-max fan they are death to everything they touch.

I've run some varget in mine with 60 vmax's and don't find it exceptionaly dirty. The black hills blue box, red box and my handloads all shot great out of my bull bbl 18" upper.

Be sure to try the 69 grain Sierra Matchkings. My RRA 1 in 8 really likes them. For lighter weight, you have a ton of choices. Mine loved the old Winchester White Box varmint packs with 45 grain hollow points, many say the lighter weights are not good in the faster twists, but I found that to not be the case in this particular rifle. 50 grain V-MAX should give the little varmints a good launch factor.

Have you taken any coyotes with the 69 grain Sierra Matchkings?

No 'yotes. Just paper, so far.

what load do you use with the 69's?

Actually, the cheap (Back then!)Black Hills Blue Box with that bullet gave close to 1/2" groups. I just tried my first AR handloads with 69 SMK a few weeks ago & used right at 25 gr. Varget, CCI 400 primer and Win. brass (Worked up to it, of course). These went right at an inch, so I need to do some more testing to hopefully find the accuracy that the Black Hills stuff showed, back when I tried it.

There are quite a few guys here who have reloaded for ARs a lot, hopefully they'll add more experience to the thread.

Hey guys,
Have any of you tried any of the nosler ballistic tip varmint 40gr its there lead free bullet. I also have a RRA match grade 24" barrel with 1-8 twist. I was getting ready to load 69grn smk with varget powder, but a friend gave these bullets to me to try. Looks like benchmark or w748 are good powders to use. His theory is because these bullets are lead free they are longer and have a higher bc. I do not have the bc handy but OAL is .804, 40grns just doesnt seem very good for yotes no matter how you dice it.

All opinions welcome

Hunt slow, Hunt smart, Hunt safe
Wade

25.5 Varget, 69 sierra bare, CCI BR-4. 2.250. LC case. If the gun won't shoot that load sub moa there is probably another problem. Tweaking for best accuracy could end up with you being from 25.0 to 26.0 possibly....

Mulepacker, I"d be wary of 748, its temp sensitive. Maybe not in your area, but its a no no here in TX.

As to the 40s, they come apart and blow frags if I understand right... I don't see that being a bad thing. Of course I watched one take a 125 ballistic tip from an AR15 the other week, right in the crease of the shoulder and we never found that one......7.62x39

I have a hundred Sierra 69 gr's MK loaded with Tac and they shoot really great but haven't used them for hunting when calling.

I'll bet they won't buff out! Terminal performance report is expected when you clobber a critter wit 'em.

bea, I've killed a few with the 77SMK's and I wouldn't be afraid of the 69's.

I"ve shot a few with 75 bthps.... and 2 deer with 69 bthps... no issues.

My RRA Coyote is 1/9 twist. Didnt know they offered it in 1/8. The Preditor Pursuit is 1/8 I think.

good catch. Might have missed that. Not sure it matters with the suggestions yet, though.