which .223?

[sachel.45]

i'm looking at getting a .223 for coyote hunting and am torn between the superlight and just the standard synthetic. i've heard that the superlight doesn't shoot that well i really want the superlight as it is perfect for the type of hunting i do but not if it doesn't shoot well. i'm sorry if this has been discussed in the past please help

[quickdtoo]

I don't have any superlights, but from all reports, they're more finicky on their loads, the .223 isn't near as bad as the .243 due to less barrel heat and the Hornet even more so. I wouldn't let the superlight reputation hold ya back, there are plenty of good shooting .223 superlights here and at PM to warrant getting one if that's whatcha want, just be aware that it may take a little load work to find the best shooter.

Tim

[sureshot2040]

since you asked which is the best .223?

heavy barrel survivor

sureshot

[nomosendero]

Since you did not ask about the bull barrels which is my preference, I would have to say the std. syn.  I know of some of these personally that shoot very well. I would bet that a few of the superlites will, but as Tim said they are more picky & in my view you
will be reducing your chances of getting a shooter with the litewt.(tho I look for someone to say that they won a Benchrest Comp.
with one).
Besides, unless you are setting up a rifle for an 8 year old or somthing, who needs a rifle so petite anyway. If an adult thinks the
std. syn. is too heavy, then there are other problems that need to be addressed first.

[sachel.45]

i looked at a .223 ultra hunter today which i really liked the price didn't seem bad ($238 nib) but the scope rail stuck out past the chamber and had a pin (screw?) that touched the barrel to keep it level i'm assuming. but i thought that with the bull barrel and with the ultra it shouldn't do that. should i worry about it? sorry if this is a stupid question

[quickdtoo]

The Ultra Hunter 223 has a 22" standard contour barrel, not a bull barrel, the Ultra Varmint has a 24" bull barrel, both have Ultra scope rails, the set screw should be .0015" off the barrel, it's just there to support large scopes in case it gets bumped.

Tim

http://hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/hunter.aspx

[ThudThumper]

my ultra varmint is very accurate with the 45 gr jhp winchester white box, and it cost me about $280 if i remember correctly.

i bought my rifle with the intent to use it as a coyote and groundhog getter, but i've heard that some guys have had less than humane kills with the 45 gr hollow points since they're designed for very shallow, explosive penetration (i.e. great for groundhogs, not so great for bigger, tougher varmints).

i haven't crossed paths with a coyote yet, but i can vouch for the cartridge's effectiveness for g-hogs.  since my handi doesn't shoot the heavier 55 and 62 gr fmj bullets accurately, i'm a bit hesitant to try a coyote if i don't have a clear shot at the chest.

[jack19512]

i bought my rifle with the intent to use it as a coyote and groundhog getter, but i've heard that some guys have had less than humane kills with the 45 gr hollow points since they're designed for very shallow, explosive penetration (i.e. great for groundhogs, not so great for bigger, tougher varmints).

I find it very hard to believe that the 45 gr. .223 isn't effective on coyotes.  Especially when a lot of people use the 17 HMR on them.  I'm not saying I agree with using the 17 HMR on coyotes, just that some people do with success.

Not that it was a choice for the original poster but I also have a .223 Ultra Varmint and it is extremely accurate with the 45 gr. bullets and accurate enough with the 55 gr. bullets.

[quickdtoo]

Maybe the 45gr JHP just isn't hide friendly, I don't think it would have a problem killing a yote with proper shot placement. Personally, I wouldn't skin a yote for the hide if you paid me, I tried it once, they stink! Of course this has always been when they're eating gut piles, and the yotes weren't the object of the hunt, just incedentals.

Tim

[jack19512]

I don't think it would have a problem killing a yote with proper shot placement.
Tim

That was my thought also, just didn't want to say it.  A less than quick humane kill can be made with virtually any caliber with poor shot placement. 

[MSP Ret]

The .223 is very capable of humane kills on coyotes, it works great on our eastern coyotes (coydogs?) which seem to be much larger than the western variety. There is some checking going on now ( DNA I think) to determine if a 90 pounder recently shot is really a coyote, which is looks like, or if it is fact a wolf. In any event 50-60 pound coyotes are not uncommon in the northeast, and I in fact use my .22 Mag Sportster for them and want to try my .17 HMR after many seem to have luck with it. If people are losing coyotes or worrying about less than humane kills with the .223 (ever seen a coyote killed animal?) I think it was perhaps a poor shot, don't blame the gun or caliber for that....<><....

P.S. I have 2 H&R .223's I have used for coyotes, the first is a bull barrel, works great but seems a bit heavy to carry in the woods all day. I also have a standard coutour .223 barrel that is wonderful and very accurate. I suggest a standard contour instead of a superlight but if that's what you want and it shoots at least 2 consecutive shots where you aim before cooling, get it, you will be good to go for coyotes!!!!

[ThudThumper]

i'm not knocking the cartridge by any means; i know that it has plenty of energy to stop a yote in his tracks.  i just wanted to pass on some info that a few folks at this forum passed on to me.  they claimed that the hollow points didn't penetrate the hide very well and sometimes maimed the yote.  like i said, i haven't personally seen this...it's just what i've been told.  i'm sure a fmj bullet will have absolutely no problem.

i guess i should clarify why i even mentioned this in the first place.  you didn't say at what range you were going to take the coyotes at, so i just assumed that it could possibly be out to 200 yards.  while a 55 or 62 gr fmj bullet would penetrate very well at that range, they (in my experience) don't group well through the h&r 1-in-9 twist rate barrels.  while the 45 gr jhp bullets do group very well, they don't penetrate nearly as well.  if the yote is taken at relatively close ranges, you've got nothing to worry about with either one.

guys, sorry if i opened a can of worms!   

[jack19512]

  while a 55 or 62 gr fmj bullet would penetrate very well at that range, they (in my experience) don't group well through the h&r 1-in-9 twist rate barrels. 

I'm getting a little confused.    My .223 Ultra Varmint is a 1:12 twist and while the 45 gr. bullets group really well the 55 gr. bullets group well also, maybe not as well as the 45 gr.'s do but well enough I shouldn't have any trouble taking a coyote at 200 yards.

My Armalite M15A2 has a 1:9 twist.  The 55 gr. and 62 gr. bullets should shoot very well through this rifle.  I haven't shot anything heavier than the 55 gr. bullets but they do very well.  Are you saying this is just a problem with H&R 1-in-9 twist rate barrels in particular?

[ThudThumper]

Are you saying this is just a problem with H&R 1-in-9 twist rate barrels in particular?

man, i need to work on my wording.     what i'm trying to say is, yeah they're different.

it's not a problem, but the 1-in-9 h&r barrels are generally different from other manufacturers' 1-in-9 twist barrels.  basically, the rifling in h&r barrels is shallower and less aggressive than other manufacturers, and instead of shooting the heavier bullets well (as other 1-in-9 barrels are designed for) it actually prefers the lighter bullets (around 45 gr).  they make an excellent rifle that groups incredibly well out of the box, if you use the lighter bullets.

some guys calim their rifles will shoot the 55 gr bullets fairly well, but mine isn't one of them.  even at 100 yards, bullets as heavy as 62 gr will give me a 6" grouping (sometimes worse).  keep in mind that the older 1-in-12 h&r twist barrels like the 55 gr stuff really well; it's the 1-in-9 that's really picky.