[Terry Koupe]

Well, killed my first coyote, yesterday. It was crossing my hay-mow, at about 150yrds. Okay, important safety tip, a .308 Hornady SST bullet weighing 150gr. at about 2800fps renders the pelt unuseable. I have my 30-30 barrel zeroed with 125gr. Sierra(2600fps) FNHC, but I think it will do the same thing. Can anybody recommend a .308 bullet that is not so destructive. for coyotes?

 

[MikeG]

Doubtful. Cast bullet at reduced velocities? Just a thought!

Suspect that even a FMJ bullet, at full rifle velocities, is going to tear a hole. Especially if it hits bone!

 

[kdub]

Agree with MikeG, but if you're using full throttle loads, think the FULL Metal Jacketed (not hollowpoints) bullets will be much better than poly tipped or softnose.

 

[Terry Koupe]

I have some 160gr. hardcast, maybe Ill work up a Trail Boss load, maybe 1500fps. Kinda a rainbow trajectory for 50-200yrd. shots though, maybe Ill buy a .223 barrel for the 'ol G2....Thanks, guys....Terry

 

[soldierofchrist]

I would shoot a 175 grain SMK and when doing shot placement stay away from large bones. If you want to save pelts I believe a change to a smaller cartridge would be the best route.

 

[Sus Scrofa]

Whatever happened to the 'Acclerator' round. Way back in the eighties I shot a lot of the Remington factory cartridges in my 30 06 and they printed near moa, certaionly good enough for me to kill a few hundred foxes with them. I also loaded some accelerator with some sabots I purchased whilst on a visit to the US and they shot near enough the same, but needed a heavier 22 bullet to stabilize. I think I was shooting a 60g in them, but it is a long time since then and of course the 17 Rem and 22 BR appeared and the rest is history. I can't see how a 308 round is not going to make a very large hole, most of the time, with the regular bullets available from 110g upwards. The 110 FMG placed accurately through the lungs would be about the best choice. The dog might not drop on the spot but would not run far with a big hole through both lungs. Stay off the shoulder a inch or two and get them side on. I agree it is a great waste of a low carbon resource to waste the pelts.

 

[kdub]

IMO -the Remington Accelerator ammo went away because of slow sales, high cost and lousy accuracy. Just my thoughts, anyway.

 

[MZ5]

MidwayUSA still lists the 30-06 Accelerator rounds as a seasonal run. I have most of a box of 30-30 Accelerators I bought earlier this year from a local shop. Don't have a 30-30 any more, though. <Doh!>


I'd agree with suggestions to try a much smaller caliber & cartridge if you want to save pelts.

 

[Sus Scrofa]

kdub The Accelerator over here had the same reputation ...price and accuracy. I was probably lucky in that my 30-06 handled them well. My 308 Win at the time didn't shoot too badly but not near moa like the 30-06. When I reloaded I found that lighter powder charges shot best in my rifle and now looking through one of my old reloading record books, see that I loaded some in a 300 win mag and sprayed them all over the county
It was a good idea at the time if your barrel enjoyed them. The muzzle flash was horrendous after dark. I was a police officer at the time and back then gave some thought to the fact that the bullet would have no rifling, no signature, but I do not think any criminals thought that way back then or even today. They just throw the gun away and go buy another at the local bar. If the song dogs are coming to within 200yrds, then I suggest investing in a 17 Rem. I have shot a lot of coyotes in Texas with the 17 up to that range. One or two have done a frenzied dance on the spot for a second or two before expiring , but most have just flipped over dead. Pelt damage was virtually zero.
Picture is of a coyote taken at 185 paces along a pipeline at the Franklin Ranch, South Texas. Encore 17 Rem 16 1/2 inch barrel Remington factory ammo. It just flipped over and didn't wriggle.

 

[MontyF]

IMO -the Remington Accelerator ammo went away because of slow sales, high cost and lousy accuracy. Just my thoughts, anyway.

I believe Kdub pegged it.
Sus you are lucky to have an -06 that would shoot 'em with anything close to accuracy. When they first came out i bought a box for my 30-06, Think I fired 5 rounds and the rest of box is buried in my ammo locker. You are one of the very few people I've heard of who likes 'em.

 

[Sus Scrofa]

Not a bad disguise for an Englishman either, do you think

 

[MontyF]

The 17HMR does a decent job on coyotes up to 200 yards. I haven't taken any with mine yet but my hunting buddy has about 5 or 6 to his credit. Not lights out like when they get lit up with a 22-250 but dead all the same ..... No exit holes yet.

 

[Sus Scrofa]

Monty Not that I liked them so much, it was a case that at the time I had two rifles and could not see the way to lay out cash I didn't have on one of the then rising stars ...the 222Rem. It wasn't until 1986 that I was introduced to the 17 Rem that I realised this was the ideal cartridge for this tiny overpopulated island and my 3006 was sold to finance a Martini actioned rifle with a heavy Douglas barrel, built by a rifle smith up in Michigan. That little rifle accounted for thousands of varmints for twenty years until the groups started to grow and I went over to the T/C Encore. The 17 Rem is still my choice for a foray after foxes. The 30-06 was a Parker Hale, an original whilst they still made rifles in Birmingham. As a police firearms officer, I had access to the factory and got to go into their store room and select whichever one I liked. At that time Parker Hale barrels were some of the best. This was early 80s. My sniper rifle was a T4 and still shot sub moa the day I retired from the unit.

 

[MontyF]

Sus, Have you tried the 17/221 fireball? I've heard some good stuff about them but haven't run onto anyone with experience.

PS The Martini and Parker Hale both sound like sweet rifles.

 

[Sus Scrofa]

Monty No I have no experience with that little cartridge, but believe from what I have read and talked with friends when in the States that it is very effective and real close to the 17 Rem performance wise. There are one or two different 17s that interest me, but of course here we have the ownership/license problem. I have a 17HMR which I also like, but it is only good on fox sized animals up to around 60yrds unless you can guarantee a head shot in the ear, side ways on then a 100 is just about on. I don't like neck/head shots. Seen too many deer walking around with no lower jaws, dying very slowly and in great pain. My present 17 Rem Encore barrel is one from SSK in stainless. The one in the photo was a T/C Custom barrel and is now owned by a friend of mine and still putting down sub moas & I have to say much better than his abilities ...but he is not listening. I hope
I am just looking through seat availability for a (maybe last) visit to Texas next spring. Getting a bit too old for these long journeys these days. Thinking on the folks down on the Gulf coast at the moment. Just looked at the radar print over the Gulf and it don't look pretty.

 

[MontyF]

Just my opinion, you are selling the 17HMR a little short. I routinely shoot prairie dogs at 150 plus some with it. I'd have no qualms of putting that 17 grain pill into a coyote boiler room when the opertunity presents itself.

 

[Sus Scrofa]

I have shot a lot of smaller stuff , rabbits, brown hare(think Jack Rabbit), crows at 150 to 180yrds no problem. I have shot at a couple of foxes(think half way between a grey fox and a female coyote) and know I have hit them in the chest area. They have crawled away before I could get a second or follow them up and I don't like that. I love the 17HMR, I have the CZ American and it almost puts every round through the same hole at a 100. There are occasions over here where I choose the 17HMR for a fox, when the location is surrounded by houses and public access areas and I need to be 99% sure the bullet is going to stay where I put it. The 1% I allow because experience has told me, there will always be 'sods law' as we call it here happening. My 22RF is almost redundant now, only use it for extreme covert business, with sub sonics and moderator.