Killing distance on Coyotes with .22-250?

[Sask Hunter]

how many ft/lbs is required to make a killing shot to the body on a coyote? I ask this because so many guys like to claim accuracy at 600 yards, but my ballistics chart show only like 200 ft/lbs energy left at 600 yds

would that kill?

[KBF]

It has more than enough killing power, shot my longest 1 last year at 530 yds.

[Ormachek]

I've seen coyotes killed dead with a .22lr at 50yds. Thats only about 100ft/lbs.

[Marlin xl7]

Originally Posted by Sask Hunter

how many ft/lbs is required to make a killing shot to the body on a coyote? I ask this because so many guys like to claim accuracy at 600 yards, but my ballistics chart show only like 200 ft/lbs energy left at 600 yds

would that kill?

How far can you accurately shoot?

[LongBomber]

I use 75gr berger VLD in my 22-250 (1:9 twist barrel). A simple bullet switch does wonders that far out, I am around 2230 fps and 800ft/ibs at 600 and don't drop to 200ft/ibs till way further than I can shoot accurately. My 55gr v-max load is down to 1700fps and 340ft/ibs at 600, with almost double the wind drift.

Just for info at 1000yards my vld's should still be going 1611fps and have 432ft/ibs. Not that I could hit a coyote that far, he would need to stand still for well over a second just for the bullet to get there after I pulled the trigger. Never mind the time to setup for a shot that far.

[nimrod]

i can't tell you what my bullet is doing at 600 yards but I did kill one at 615 yards, all on video, no mark on him at all , seemed like the shock killed him.

I think if you can hit him, he's gonna die, no matter the range. Some wicked long shots have been terminal on yotes. My furthest is around 350 but 615 is truly an amazing shot.
On a couple of Randy Anderson's videos, the boys are taking them out to 800 with a swift and a 22-250.

[North of 53]

There is a good point made here on how a bullet change can make a big difference in how many ft/lbs you can carry. I shoot a 22-250 A.I and I do use 75 and 80 grain berger VLDs but for a 75 VLD to be doing the claimed speed of 2330 at 600 yards it needs to have a muzzle velocity of around 3600 ft/sec. I will not say it could never be done but I have shot out two barrels on my gun in four years so I shoot lots and I shoot hot and it is a 22-250 improved not just a 22-250 and I call bull **** on a 22-250 getting a 75 grain berger to 600 yards with 2230 ft/sec still on it.

[LongBomber]

Originally Posted by North of 53

There is a good point made here on how a bullet change can make a big difference in how many ft/lbs you can carry. I shoot a 22-250 A.I and I do use 75 and 80 grain berger VLDs but for a 75 VLD to be doing the claimed speed of 2330 at 600 yards it needs to have a muzzle velocity of around 3600 ft/sec. I will not say it could never be done but I have shot out two barrels on my gun in four years so I shoot lots and I shoot hot and it is a 22-250 improved not just a 22-250 and I call bull **** on a 22-250 getting a 75 grain berger to 600 yards with 2230 ft/sec still on it.

Call BS all you want. Run jbm's ballistica calc with a G7 BC of 0.217 (right off the berger box) and a muzzle velocity of 3375fps, elevation of 3000'. Your 3600fps is a touch high... 3375 out of a 28" barrel is not that tough.

Before you get all testy and pick a fight maybe you should have just punched a few buttons on a ballistic calc.

Just to save you the effort of punching a few buttons here is my drop chart verified out to 1000yards.
Calculated Table
Range Drop Windage Velocity Energy
(yd) (in) (in) (ft/s) (ft•lbs)
0 -1.5 0.0 3382.0 1904.5
100 -0.0 0.5 3173.8 1677.2
200 -2.0 2.1 2970.7 1469.4
300 -7.9 4.9 2773.5 1280.8
400 -18.3 9.0 2583.1 1111.0
500 -33.9 14.6 2399.9 959.0
600 -55.6 21.8 2224.5 823.9
700 -84.4 30.9 2056.8 704.4
800 -121.3 42.0 1896.4 598.8
900 -168.0 55.5 1742.1 505.3
1000 -226.1 71.5 1593.6 422.8
22-250 Berger VLD 3375fps, 0.217 G7 BC


Have a nice day

[North of 53]

Longbombed
I have run the program, but more than that I have fired the rounds at distance on the range and your numbers are wrong. I run the Sierra program and it agrees with my thousands(not hundreds) of rounds at the range. You will not be running the speeds you list at 600 yards if you only start at 3400 ft per sec. If it makes you feel good to think so , go for it. I run 80 grain vlds at 3400 and its a hot load and takes out brass in 2 firings. A 80 grain at 3300 is a nice load and I take deer out to 400 yards with it. Yes its legal here to use on deer. 75 grain vlds run at 3400 nicely but they don't run with your numbers on the range, and again that's thousands of rounds mostly from 500 yards to 800 yards, but some out to 1000 yards. Computer programs are nice but to be sure get the range and test them out over lots of rounds.
You did make a good point that all 22 cals are not equal and not even all 22-250s are equal. Bullet choice can make a big difference and I have taken many coyotes at over 600 yards, I have missed lots as well at that range, but you will never make a 600 yard plus shot unless you take one. These guns have more than enough to take down a coyote at well over 600 yards and that's whom ever you believe has the right numbers either way they will do the job.

[Sask Hunter]

Thanks guys!!! The comment about .22lr @ 50yds having 100 ft/lbs confirms what I wanted to know. Of course a .22 lr can kill at that range, thus the 22-250 can easily.
I have a TC Icon Precision Hunter coming in this week from Prophet River Firearms and my Vortex Viper 6.5-20x 50 with bdc reticle is waiting for me at Northpro Sports. The Harris Bipod is waiting in my gunsafe.

Nice compact coyote rig, only a 22" barrel (heavy)

Can't wait to practice and see what I can do!

[Arn?Narn.]

I shot one (vid is on youtube) at 587 yrds (if I remember right)

Took two shots, the first shot took him in the mid leg (barely) and he ran a bit and then started spinning. Second shot tore him up pretty bad and killed him within a couple of seconds...

45 gr JHP

[LongBomber]

Originally Posted by North of 53

Longbombed
I have run the program, but more than that I have fired the rounds at distance on the range and your numbers are wrong. I run the Sierra program and it agrees with my thousands(not hundreds) of rounds at the range. You will not be running the speeds you list at 600 yards if you only start at 3400 ft per sec. If it makes you feel good to think so , go for it.
Bullet choice can make a big difference and I have taken many coyotes at over 600 yards, I have missed lots as well at that range, but you will never make a 600 yard plus shot unless you take one. These guns have more than enough to take down a coyote at well over 600 yards and that's whom ever you believe has the right numbers either way they will do the job.

I think I know why our numbers are not matching up. My range is at 3400' elevation. The valley bottom here is roughly 3000'. If I run my fps etc.. at sea level I would get much lower numbers. What elevation are you shooting at? I didn't think to ask... I am also on my 2nd barrel, and have just under 900 of the 75gr vld's down the current pipe, at 300, 600 and 900m. I don't think that I could stabilize anything longer from my 9 twist.

Anyway back to the bullets - if you use something like a 36gr varmint grenade, very good gopher bullet by the way, 600 would be a much tougher shot. They really get blown around past 300 yards, and lack noticable "pop" on gophers past 400 yards. The VLD's may not blow a gopher up, but they definitely make longer shots easier in variable wind conditions. It is surprising how many don't consider the bullet as an important part of the mix.

I haven't tried it on deer yet, but I have used a 223wssm/53gr tsx. I have fired into a box of dry newspaper (actually junkmail..) at 1000yards with several different calibers and rifles. From the penetration into dry newspaper I would say that a 22-250 would likely kill a coyote out to at least 1000, it would basically be down to 22lr speeds. You of course would need a solid chest hit, which is the tough part.

[LongBomber]

Originally Posted by Sask Hunter

Thanks guys!!! The comment about .22lr @ 50yds having 100 ft/lbs confirms what I wanted to know. Of course a .22 lr can kill at that range, thus the 22-250 can easily.
I have a TC Icon Precision Hunter coming in this week from Prophet River Firearms and my Vortex Viper 6.5-20x 50 with bdc reticle is waiting for me at Northpro Sports. The Harris Bipod is waiting in my gunsafe.

Nice compact coyote rig, only a 22" barrel (heavy)

Can't wait to practice and see what I can do!

I have not handled one, but it looks like a very nice rifle. Pretty much exactly what I like in a predator rifle. Heavy enough to be easy to keep steady without being too heavy to pack around, and not over . All the icon's seem to get good accuracy reviews. I also like the idea of integral bases, with weaver style rings, one less thing to have to worry about.

Hopefully you can give a bit of a review on the vortex scope, I am in the market for another scope in that range too.

[ULTRAlite]

Originally Posted by Arn?Narn.

I shot one (vid is on youtube) at 587 yrds (if I remember right)

Took two shots, the first shot took him in the mid leg (barely) and he ran a bit and then started spinning. Second shot tore him up pretty bad and killed him within a couple of seconds...

45 gr JHP

Can you post a link? Would love to check it out.

[gube]

Originally Posted by Sask Hunter

how many ft/lbs is required to make a killing shot to the body on a coyote? I ask this because so many guys like to claim accuracy at 600 yards, but my ballistics chart show only like 200 ft/lbs energy left at 600 yds

would that kill?

You can try this external ballistic calculater. The column on the far right gives you the optimal weight of the critter you should shoot for the amount of down range energy with your bullet. Pretty good ball park figure.
http://www.biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

[Nitro Double Aught]

Furtheest dog I shot was 437 yards. I do shoot rocks and other target out past 650 yards. I am using a 55 gr Sierra Game King.

[mr.pike]

Shooting Coyotes at 600 yards IMO would best be done with more of a hunting bullet than a explosive varmint bullet. It shure is fun splashing gophers all over the side of a hill with 50gr hollow points, but the same bullets on coyotes at long ranges might not get the desired results. Try ballistic tips or heavier hp, if you reload the possibilities are endless. You could cook something up just for coyotes at these ranges for any cal. The more I shoot the more I realize what my guns can do and what I cannot. Every gun I have shot can shoot better than me!

[Pudelpointer]

Farthest shot on a yote was 535 yards with a 55 NBT, MV of 3650. Kills just fine.

Does anyone know what the twist is for the T/C Icon?