6.5 Creedmoor Coyotes & Pelt Damage.

[Nyksta]

Originally Posted by titegroup

the .243 is my champ. Theres also tons of energy to anchor a dog as well -- around 950 ft. lbs. still at 500 yds.

What bullet are you using, and what is your twist rate?

[titegroup]

Originally Posted by Nyksta

What bullet are you using, and what is your twist rate?

I shoot two --.243"s. One is a Savage predator10/ accustock-- previous generation/ 24"-- 1 in 9.25" twist. That gun is assigned to the 87 Berger -VLD - hunting tips. It's terrorizingly accurate. Last time at the range I was just confirming my zero @ 230yds.-- not shooting for group- I was stunned to say the least / the 3 rounds I sent to the 2" sticker measured .284" of an inch. If I knew how to post the pict . of that I would. The other .243 is a T3x Tikka Varmint stainless--23.75" barrel -- 1 in 10 twist-- it is shooting the 90 Berger BT. target tips. Same scenario as the savage - 230yd. zero-- it printed 3 rounds into .314" & 4 rounds into .465"-- Again amazing. -- Cheers.

[trigger7mm]

Take it from a guy who shoots a ton of coyotes, you can’t beat a .204 as a coyote killer. Best of all, it is very fur friendly. My buddies use .22/250’s and although they are a great caliber, they are a little rough on coyote pelts a lot of the time. If past experiance showed me a better all around coyote pelt taker, I would by all means be using one. The .204 is flat shooting, very light recoil, and drops coyotes in their tracks without messing them up.

[catnthehat]

Guys the OP is asking about bullets for use in a Creedmoor not what is possibly better than a Creedmoor!
Cat

[KegRiver]

FMJ or monolithic solids are the way to go.

Two small holes are better then one big hole.

Would I use a 6.5 Creedmoor on Coyotes? Not if I was hide hunting.
I won't even use my 218 with FMJ for that purpose.
For me it's .22 mag FNJ all the way for hide hunting. But you use what ya got and if all you have is a Creedmoor, FMJ or monolithic is the way to go. Anything else will blow big holes in too many pelts.

I haven't tried reduced loads in bigger cartridges so can't comment on what they might do. I'll take cat's word on that. I have no doubt he does know.

[Pioneer2]

Deer bullets that don't expand violently on a 40lb-60lb coyote.Hard to beat a triple deuce with 50 gr SX's.I know not a 6.5

[Nyksta]

Varmint and big game bullets are all designed to expand and cause as much damage as possible while having different depths of penetration. Match bullets are even thinner jackets than big game, and will also blow up. The only easy answer bullet that is not designed to expand is FMJ.

https://www.sellier-bellot.cz/en/pro...mj/detail/560/

That's one FMJ load for 6.5CM that i have seen, might be more if you look.

[krthegunslinger]

Originally Posted by Nyksta

Varmint and big game bullets are all designed to expand and cause as much damage as possible while having different depths of penetration. Match bullets are even thinner jackets than big game, and will also blow up. The only easy answer bullet that is not designed to expand is FMJ.

https://www.sellier-bellot.cz/en/pro...mj/detail/560/

That's one FMJ load for 6.5CM that i have seen, might be more if you look.

Hit the nail right on the head. My thoughts exactly. Even the .243 with FMJ made a mess sometimes on the off side. Carried bone fragments with it and made some big holes. If you want to save the hide buy a varmint rifle suited for the task.

[6.5 shooter]

Originally Posted by amosfella

I've had the best fur luck so far with a 17 hornet and a 20 gr bullet. Verified one shot kill at 297 yards. (checked with a rangefinder). There's one very tiny pin hole going in, and no exit. I've shot coyotes at 50 yards up to just a hair under 300. All were one shot kills. No sewing up damage, no mess. The entry hole won't even fit the whole tip of a pen.

So, if you're looking at a different rifle, or a rifle to trade for, I'd look at a 17 hornet or a 17 remington.

I prefer the 25 gr. pills in the .17 Hornet.....Most underrated caliber/cartridge ever, right next to the .204 with 40 gr. V-Max.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by eric2381

The best fur friendly suggestion I have for you and the 6.5 is to set it aside and use a 204 ruger.

Yup, there is no magic bullet once you get bigger than 22 caliber.
Going to a lighter weight bullet in 6.5 or bigger just makes it worse.

[amosfella]

Originally Posted by 6.5 shooter

I prefer the 25 gr. pills in the .17 Hornet.....Most underrated caliber/cartridge ever, right next to the .204 with 40 gr. V-Max.

I like the 25 gr too. I reload them. However, I've never found the tipped ones. I only find the straight HP ones, and I don't find them as accurate out to 300 yards.

I think if I could find tipped ones, I'd like them better.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Battle Rat

Yup, there is no magic bullet once you get bigger than 22 caliber.
Going to a lighter weight bullet in 6.5 or bigger just makes it worse.

I’ve shot dogs at all ranges with the 6mm’s and the 6.5’s with no issues with bullets under 100 grains
Sure if you get them in too close there can be issues , but if that is the rifle you own that is the rifle you use .
Not all of us can afford to own or carry several rifles at once .
Cat

[teledogs]

My go to coyote rifle is a 223 rem loaded with Nosler 55 gr BTs and it is a great varmint rifle within its limits. I have taken a few dogs with my 7-08 loaded up with 120gr TTSXs and it was always 1 tiny hole in and out!

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I’ve shot dogs at all ranges with the 6mm’s and the 6.5’s with no issues with bullets under 100 grains
Sure if you get them in too close there can be issues , but if that is the rifle you own that is the rifle you use .
Not all of us can afford to own or carry several rifles at once .
Cat

What I said is you can go to the lowest grain bullet in 6.5 or 243 for that matter you will still see greater pelt damage than a 204.
Going to the lightest bullet weight in 6.5 will not make a considerable improvement.
I did not say to stop using a 6.5 but I am saying be ready to accept the results for what they are.
If all you have is a 6.5 try for head shots when ever possible.

[titegroup]

Originally Posted by teledogs

My go to coyote rifle is a 223 rem loaded with Nosler 55 gr BTs and it is a great varmint rifle within its limits. I have taken a few dogs with my 7-08 loaded up with 120gr TTSXs and it was always 1 tiny hole in and out!

Agreed on the .223. I shoot 50 Nosler Ballistic tips out of mine cause there so darn accurate-- Although I'm not a fan of polymer tip anything for coyote. It gives me 3400fps. / 26"barrel. I consider it a bonafide 350yd. coyote round no problem as tested on water jugs last gopher season. Must be aware of its limitations though reg: wind deflection & energy V\S the 6mm's -- unless your shooting fast twist .223 with heavier bullets.--

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Battle Rat

What I said is you can go to the lowest grain bullet in 6.5 or 243 for that matter you will still see greater pelt damage than a 204.
Going to the lightest bullet weight in 6.5 will not make a considerable improvement.
I did not say to stop using a 6.5 but I am saying be ready to accept the results for what they are.
If all you have is a 6.5 try for head shots when ever possible.

Nobody is arguing that the .204 will cause less damage than a 6.5!The OP was not talking about the best coyote rifle he was asking about coyote bullets in a Creedmoor .I would have told him to buy a .223 or deuce if he had asked about general purpose coyote rifles which is what I use .
I have killed lots with a 6.5x55 using the lighter Bullets and they shot flatter fir me than the heavier Bullets in my ‘96’s and if you load them properly the lighter bullets work fine . The Creedmoor is easier to load lighter than even the 6.5x55
Cat

[Pioneer2]

A high end bullet designed to expand on big game pencils through coyotes provided you don't hit a shoulder bone.Most cup + core or Burgers not so much unless you enjoy stitching fur or puzzles missing pieces.I put a 9.3 /286gr Partition through a wolf's chest at 90yards with just about zero damage.

[LKP.80cal]

Tikka stainless grey laminate .222 for sale on the buy and sell. lol

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by LKP.80cal

Tikka stainless grey laminate .222 for sale on the buy and sell. lol

You're right, that is hilarious. People are trying to have a serious discussion and you think it's proper to promote an item you're selling.

[LKP.80cal]

Sorry your thin snowflake skin took offense to it.

[JohnB]

Wonder how fmj would work with the 6.5.

I killed two dogs today using fmj in 223, looks like zero damage. Both dogs didn't take a step. I will see what damage was done once i have them skinned.

[YYC338]

Originally Posted by LKP.80cal

Sorry your thin snowflake skin took offense to it.

No problem, you're nothing special, I always take offense to ignorance.

[6.5 shooter]

95gr V-Max out of my .260 (Ballisticlly the same as 6.5x55)....are UGLY to say the least...pencil in, dinner plate going out...140gr. Bergers have worked well in both rifles.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by 6.5 shooter

95gr V-Max out of my .260 (Ballisticlly the same as 6.5x55)....are UGLY to say the least...pencil in, dinner plate going out...140gr. Bergers have worked well in both rifles.

Slow them down Ray!
Cat

[Couchtater]

120 gr barnes ttsx won't do very much damage to a yote, I'm in the process of working up a load in my 6.5 284 norma for LR coyotes, trying 147 eldm, iv heard good things of the 140 nosler rdf as well, they don't open up easy

[Dean2]

I have shot yotes with everything from 17 Hornet to 460 Weatherby. If you want to use large Caliber then the FMJ or TSX is the only real option if you want the pelts. We used 300 Win Mags for years to shoot yotes, loaded them with 147 grain BT FMJs we pulled out of 308 Military Ball ammo. The loads were doing almost 3400 fps. Worked great and you could reasonable shoot to the half mile line. If you shot one under a 100 yards however there wasn't enough thread in the world to sew one up. So if you want to use the Creedmore just find some BT FMJ Spire points and you will be good to go. Everything else that is designed to expand will be a compromise.

[Foonus]

Originally Posted by Foonus

...After reading some detailed posts about the Hornady V-max vs noslers of same weight ballistic tip equivalent it seems shooters are choosing the latter as the bullet seems to have more weight retention than the Vmax and does not "blow up" as easily if you hit solid bone , it is build with a bit heavier back end to achieve this.
https://www.nosler.com/trophy-grade-varmint-ammunition/

I should clear things up a bit about the 22-250 ammos, it seems I was too hard on the Hornady vmax. It actually seems to be exactly purpose built for fur, just don't shoot the shoulder blade

Shot now almost dozen more coyotes with these 2 ammos since I posted this, the first few with the nosler ballistic tip, and recently this week some more with the Hornady equivalent.
Not one exit with the Hornady past 100 yards. The first few noslers I shot before continued to rip through both sides. Most of these dogs were 1-2 years old, and even with the small size the Hornady didn't punch though.

They are right about the base of the nosler being much more solid, it seems the Hornady has the lead running most of the way though the bullet without that solid base.
Watched a wet paper stack video on YouTube done with 53 grains and the Hornady was the ONLY one of the 5-6 the fella tested including barnes and nosler ballistic tip that DID NOT have any exit wound. Despite the fact the nosler and Hornady ballistic tip look identical, they definitely DO NOT perform the same way in terms of frangibility.

Was able to get some 55grain Hornady vmax from Cabela's at sale price. They have moved to a new style box compared to the old brown paper box, they look similar to the superformance box now.

What have I learned... take the Hornady vmax out for coyotes but the Nosler ballistic for wolves!