31 replies to this topic

[rdsii64]

If you shot a coyote from 30 yards and it ran off, you either missed, made a bad shot, or that was Gods personal pet.If you push a 40 grain lead free bullet out of the muzzle at 3600 or faster and keep the range bellow 300 yards it should work. Just don't hit bone. That bullet at 3600 is very doable in a 223 and depending on your gun you can go faster and still maintain accuracy. The powder you are using is way to slow for a 40 grain bullet. On paper you are barely getting 3100. You need a faster powder for such a light bullet. N133 is very good but its pricey. Benchmark is also very good and doesn't cost near as much. SPEED IS YOUR FRIEND!!

[docskinner]

Load it as fast as you can without any pressure signs and until accuracy is affected, and hunt with it. How fast is too fast... how can you tell!

By reading the reloading manuals and looking at their recommended velocity range. Like many say exceeding NNNN fps will be counter productive or cause bullet disintegration. Had an Uncle that tried to max out his 22-243AI with the bullets available them. Perfect pattern at 25yds. At 100 not a mark on target. backed down to 50 and got a smatter of grey dents. had to walk it back to about 30yards to get a bullet hole again. By that point the bullet was starting to disintegrate in flight. You can also go to slow to where the bullet won't open up and mushroom at all when it hits the game. Just look up velocity ranges in the manuals, and make sure you are in that. Bisley - and then shoot at various ranges to see how much it drops. The chrono helps you figure that out without having long range ranges available. But like you say, the animal isn't likely to be able to tell the difference of being hit with 2500 fps bullet and a 2800 fps bullet, as long as the bullet holds together and mushrooms.