king' s outdoor world - Index

king' s outdoor world - Hunting Illustrated Magazine Dec/Jan 2008 - Coyote Crazy! - Index

(left) Jesse Crump and author Hazer after they won the New Castle,
Wyoming coyote hunt January of 2007 using fast twist rifl es
nice to have the option. A couple
of years ago, we built a couple of
260’s that were as accurate as you
could ask for. After a few months of
coyote encounters, we realized that
2900 fps was too slow for the heavy
bullets to open up. We later found
3200 fps or more was ideal.
If you are going to rebarrel,
stay with the larger 22 cases
or, my favorite, a 243 Win. necked
down to the 22. If you want a 6mm,
try one of these - 243 imp, 6mm-
284, or 6mm-06. I would shy away
from the larger cases, they seem to
be fi nicky and require fi netuned
hand loads. Many
of the bullets have thinner
than normal copper jackets
which gives them velocity
restrictions. If the bullet
reaches too high of a
velocity, the bullet simply
comes apart in mid-air.
The 90-grain 22’s have
failed at 3400 fps, the
105-grain 6mm’s around
3500 fps, and the 75-grain
to 80-grain 22’s at 3600
fps. So, if you try too big
of a case, you would just
have to download to the
mentioned velocities.
Last winter a buddy of mine
called and wanted me to fi lm a morning
of coyote calling. It was late winter, so
many coyotes had already heard calls
or been shot at before. At the fi rst set
up, we were able to lure four coyotes
to within 425 yards and no closer.
My friend, Mike, had just bought a
new 204 Ruger, so we had no choice
but to fi lm them laughing at us. The
very next setup found us walking over
a ridge and jumping two coyotes only
to have the wind blow the bullet on a
quick shot with no time to consider the
chilly 10 to 15 mph breeze. Mike was
converted that day.
I always smile when I read
of someone grabbing a larger caliber
because of the wind. Bullet weight
doesn’t determine wind drift out to
1,000 yards, the ballistic coeffi cient
does. We shoot bullets with a ballistic
coeffi cient around .500 traveling
3500 fps in a 22 caliber. Compare
that with the wind drift of a 300
ultra mag. with a 180-grain ballistic
tip. Higher ballistic coeffi cient also
means increased ft. lbs. of energy
at longer distances. Check out the
energy of our 22’s with a 25-06 at
500 yards - and we have short action
with less recoil!
The older I get the harder it
is to fi nd time to go coyote hunting.
When I do go, I want to do everything
I can to do my part in predator
control. A fast twist in my rifl e has
been the single greatest improvement
I have made to increase the success
of my hunts. I have nearly doubled
my shooting distance for clean kills.
Many people over the years will
invest in a new scope or fancy stock;
but before that, consider upgrading
your ever-important rifl e barrel.
Speed kills, but a high
ballistic coeffi cient rules. Now,
let’s combine the two. Heavy bullets
with a ballistic coeffi cient around
.500 traveling 3200 fps or more…it
all adds up to a bashful coyote’s
nightmare.
100 Yards (wind 10 mph) B.C. Caliber Velocity Energy Drift Drop
50 grain Sierra Blitz 254 @ 3900 .22-250 3443 1316 -.88 .00
80 grain Nosler Comp. .500 @ 3500 .22-243 3322 1960 -.44 .00
100 grain Seirra Spitzer 346 @ 3400 .25-06 3101 2135 -.74 .00
180 grain Seirra Spitzer 435 @ 3200 .300 Ultra 2984 3558 -.59 .00
300 Yards (wind 10 mph) B.C. Caliber Velocity Energy Drift Drop
50 grain Sierra Blitz 254 @ 3900 .22-250 2645 777 -8.78 -6.67
80 grain Nosler Comp. .500 @ 3500 .22-243 2988 1586 -3.8 -5.8
100 grain Seirra Spitzer 346 @ 3400 .25-06 2538 1430 -7.26 -8.61
180 grain Seirra Spitzer 435 @ 3200 .300 Ultra 2582 2663 -5.6 -9.3
500 Yards (wind 10 mph) B.C. Caliber Velocity Energy Drift Drop
50 grain Sierra Blitz 254 @ 3900 .22-250 1935 416 -28.4 -30.31
80 grain Nosler Comp. .500 @ 3500 .22-243 2680 1276 -10.9 -27.1
100 grain Seirra Spitzer 346 @ 3400 .25-06 2019 905 -22.8 -39.17
180 grain Seirra Spitzer 435 @ 3200 .300 Ultra 2213 1957 -16.8 -39.6
December/January 67