55 grain .243 Winchester for Fox and Coyote

[coyote trapper1928]

Hi:

   I saw a factory load for the .243 Winchester that was only  55 grains. This is the same weight as a .223 or the 22-250 ammo.  What kind of performance could I expect form a 55 grain bullet in the .243 Winchester on Fox and Coyote?

Thanks,

[Siskiyou]

I suspect on a still day in will take about ten minutes for all the flying hair to settle to the ground.  Depending on the load velocity should range between 3400 fps to over 3800 fps from a 24-inch barrel.  This is a few hundred feet faster then the .223.

My current favorite .243 Win. load with an 80 bullet at 3200 fps makes a lot of hair fly.  So the real hot loads with soft point bullets may not be the best for the hide hunter. :roll:

[kyote]

I have a custom 600 in .243 the barrel is 18", kinda like a truck gun.I have shot coyotes with the 55 gr poly tips.if you want the hides,don't use that combo.It makes very large holes,some times chunks rain down for a while.I kinda like shootin them with it,as most coyotes around here don't have marketable hair.are we don't get a good price for the hides any more.

[Jerry Lester]

Like the others said, it'll be way too hard on a coyote hide. As far as foxes, you could expect an explosion on impact, with likely nothing usable left except maybe the tail.

[buzztail]

I shoot the Sierra #1502 55s in my 6mmBR over ~34grns of Varget getting some pretty exciting results.

[oso45-70]

Hi:

   I saw a factory load for the .243 Winchester that was only  55 grains. This is the same weight as a .223 or the 22-250 ammo.  What kind of performance could I expect form a 55 grain bullet in the .243 Winchester on Fox and Coyote?

Thanks,

I use the 55 grain Ballistic tip in my 6MM Rem and have real good results with them. If you are saving the hides you might not like the results. on fox they will blow them to kingdom come    ..........Joe..........

[victorcharlie]

I haven't tried the smaller grained bullets in .243 but have tried the 70 grain Hornidy several years ago and couldn't make it shoot in my gun.......what kind of accuracy are you getting with the little 55 grain bullet?  I might want to try again.......

[oso45-70]

I haven't tried the smaller grained bullets in .243 but have tried the 70 grain Hornidy several years ago and couldn't make it shoot in my gun.......what kind of accuracy are you getting with the little 55 grain bullet?  I might want to try again.......

I played with my loads until i hit the sweet spot and get good groups with it now. It also works great on P-Dogs. Keep playing with your loads and i think you will be pleased. One of the yotes i killed was at 427yds lazered.

Good luck    .........Joe...........

[kyote]

[I haven't tried the smaller grained bullets in .243 but have tried the 70 grain Hornidy several years ago and couldn't make it shoot in my gun.......what kind of accuracy are you getting with the little 55 grain bullet? I might want to try again.......

Hmmm.if you have not shot the smaller grained bullets and have not had any success with the larger bullets..what grained bullets are you shooting that work??
what is the twist in you rifle??you may never be able to shoot a certain weight bullet if the twist is not there.and with certain weight bullets and the twist rate..the bullets will not stablize untill further down range and you will never get good groups at closer ranges.[/quote]

[Black_Wolf]

Like has been said already you will blow a fox in half with a .243. Not fur friendly at all. I would use a .22mag or even a .17hmr on fox. I use both on Fox and Bobs.
 
For yotes i use 80 grain soft points with a 1&10 twist thru my 69 M70. I dont care about yote furs, its pure revenge. :twisted:

[Siskiyou]

Hornaday sells a .243 dia/6mm 80 grain Full Metal Jacket bullet for hide hunters.  Part # 2430.  I think Mid South has them listed.

[oso45-70]

Hornaday sells a .243 dia/6mm 80 grain Full Metal Jacket bullet for hide hunters.  Part # 2430.  I think Mid South has them listed.

Siskiyou,  You might check the regulations in your State, Most states make it unlawful to use full metal jacketed bullets for any kind of hunting.

      Just my Opinion--- Hate to see anyone in trouble with the law.

  ................Joe................

[Siskiyou]

oso45-70:  You are correct that in some states Full Metal Jacket bullets are not allowed.  

In California full metal jacket bullets are not allowed on "Game Animals."  The coyote is not considered a game animal and there is no season or possession limit on them.

http://www.fgc.ca.gov/2005/nongameseason.html

Chapter 6. Nongame Animals

§472. General Provisions.

Except as otherwise provided in Sections 478 and 485 and subsections (a) through (d) below, nongame birds and mammals may not be taken.

(a) The following nongame birds and mammals may be taken at any time of the year and in any number except as prohibited in Chapter 6: English sparrow, starling, coyote, weasels, skunks, opossum, moles and rodents (excluding tree and flying squirrels, and those listed as furbearers, endangered or threatened species).

(Amendment of NOTE filed 5-13-81; designated effective 5-23-81.

§474. Hours for Taking.

Nongame mammals may be taken at any time except as provided in this section.

.


§475. Methods of Take for Nongame Birds and Nongame Mammals.

Nongame birds and nongame mammals may be taken in any manner except as follows:

(a) Poison may not be used.

(b) Recorded or electrically amplified bird or mammal calls or sounds or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird or mammal calls or sounds may not be used to take any nongame bird or nongame mammal except coyotes, bobcats, American crows and starlings.

The bottom line is to know the requlations for the State and the area you are hunting.  There are so many State, County, and local requlations out there that a hunter does not dare get out of bed in the morning.

Your word of caution is well taken.

[onecoyote]

In California you can't use electronic calls on gray fox, only hand calls. So if you're hunting coyotes with your e-caller and a gray fox shows up in season, you have to let it go....Unless your smart enough to always bring a hand call :roll: