Full Metal Jacket Legalities?

[tth_12032]

Thought I'd save myself another Fish & Wildlife call and ask you guys. Can full metal jackets be used to hunt coyotes in Alberta? Also, going to see if someone can do handloads for me, what grain for a .270 is ideal for coyotes?

[Battery]

I am not sure about the full metal bullets as i know they're illegal for deer. But a good all around load in a .270 is a 130 gr bullet, good for deer good for coyote.

[catnthehat]

For coyotes yes, you can use them, not for big game.
.270 for coyotes?
Not if you are hunting pelts!
Cat

[Mad_Mikee]

I opened this thread up expecting to see something to do with bullet proof vest penetration.

I've used FMJ's in a 22-250 but I didnt even realise you could get them in larger calibres. Then again I guess I've never really looked.

[Vindalbakken]

hey cat, have you shot coyotes with 270 cal FMJ? I would think they would just punch a neat hole through them with no hydrostatic blow out, but maybe not.

Originally Posted by Vindalbakken

hey cat, have you shot coyotes with 270 cal FMJ? I would think they would just punch a neat hole through them with no hydrostatic blow out, but maybe not.

Depending on the range. I use to shoot a few with my .270 and that's about what happened...in and out...pretty much the same size.



I didn't shoot many so this is just my *limited* experince

[Trav]

Originally Posted by Vindalbakken

hey cat, have you shot coyotes with 270 cal FMJ? I would think they would just punch a neat hole through them with no hydrostatic blow out, but maybe not.

I quit using FMJ's on yotes out of any of my rifles they made more damage than the hp bullets. the fmj's would hit a bone or rib and tumble then you had probs, the hp's went in and never came out only one small hole to sew instead of 2 holes to sew up.

[Dick284]

You really should phone SRD to confirm that FMJ's are legal for use on coyotes.

I used 80gr. FMJ's in a 243 for coyotes years ago, the first couple or 3 went pretty good, poke em in the boiler room watch em run for 60 to 80 yds, lots of snow so tracking was easy.
But then it all un raveled. I mis led a trotting yote and plowed him square in the front shoulder. The result was the off side looked like the yote had through an autopsy, the whole front half was torn wide open.
Then there was the blue bird day when I called one in to about 125yds, took a good hold, poked him in the boiler room and watched puffs of snow for quite a distance as the bullet skipped and ricocheted the length of the quarter in the scope. the coyote went the predictable distance before expiring.
The ricochet thing really woke me up to the inherent problems since the bullets first skip was in line with the coyote, then number 2 was heading in a direction about 10 degrees left of the first strike, number 3 strike was even further to the left.
So much for what's beyond your target.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Vindalbakken

hey cat, have you shot coyotes with 270 cal FMJ? I would think they would just punch a neat hole through them with no hydrostatic blow out, but maybe not.

no, but I have shot them with FMJ .30's and .311's with so-so results.
Hit even a bit of bone or get a quartering shot and strange things can happen if the bullet turns sideways, which happened more than once !

if you are just killing them, I guess it's no problem, but for pelt hunting this is very bad.
As far as the richochet thing goes, I often hunt in farm fields with cattle or sheep, and with houses about, so I make sure I use a frangible , high velocity bullet that will go to pieces as soon as it hits anything at all.
Cat

[gunsnreels]

eol

[yellowknifedave]

I used to use 6.5X55 fmj on coyotes in Sask. I thought they would leave a nice small hole going in and out. Turns out they also left a huge exit wound. Have since changed my coyote round to 223 (cheap walmart varmint ammo) and have never had as much of a problem.

I think 270 is a bit of overkill....but go for it to get started with the sport

YKD

[raised by wolves]

I have used jacketed 308 Win on coyotes that left tiny holes on each side of the cape. The 140 to 168 grain bullets keeps the inertia and velocity to travelling in a clean path.

Even in the light calibres, the jacketed bullets usually make two clean holes. On occassion, I have seen the 243 Win and 6MM Rem make a mess of coyote, even when using jacketed boattails due to a tumble of the round after impact. Despite the occassional tumble from the 243 class, I never had any significant damage to hides from the 223 Rem.