Coyotes and the .221 Rem Fireball

[McLernon]

I am planning to do some coyote hunting with my .221 Fireball. I reload and have selected 40 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips over 18.2 gr's of RL 7( medium load only). What kind of a job on coyotes do think it will do at 150 to 200 yards?

McLernon

[kyote]

Kill them I reckon if ya hit em in the vitals.but, I am not fond of the plastic tipped bullets in the smaller calibers..ie:.22 center fires they are made to blow up..and that is what they normally do.no penatration.I have found that better constructed bullets work better on larger animals.But by all means have fun and blast em with what ever you are happy with..

[oso45-70]

I am planning to do some coyote hunting with my .221 Fireball. I reload and have selected 40 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips over 18.2 gr's of RL 7( medium load only). What kind of a job on coyotes do think it will do at 150 to 200 yards?

McLernon

McLernon

Your only disadvantage is distance, If you are in a area where long shots are the norm you may have a problem, I have used 221 Fireball and had real good luck with it, But if the shots are more than 200 yds it starts to fall off, Not that you CAN'T make a good kill some of the time  Good luck Sir ...........Joe...........

[Jerry Lester]

At 150-200 yards the combo you've mentioned will kill a coyote just fine with a good chest shot. Personaly though, I think the 50g Balistic Tips are a better choice once you pass 150 yards.

[deathray]

I used 40 Gr. Noslers last year. The first one I hit in the head at about 60 yds and the bullet blew up on the side I hit him, second one I hit head on at 40 yds the bullet hit his chin knocked him down he got up and started to move off second shot put him down for good first shot messed up his jaw but did not penitrate. The last one was a head on shot 40 yds bullet hit right side of chest broke right shoulder did not penitrate to lungs had to shoot again.
     This year I used 50 Gr. seirria spirepoints shot 3 coyotes from 15 to 120 yds all 1 shot kills 1 neck shot , 1 behind the shoulder and 1 througth paunch angling throught 1 lung he ran about 40 yds and dropped the other 2 never moved. There was no fur damage to any of them. I will save my plastic tipped bullets for small varmints and target and use the better bullets for the bigger ones.

[Chuck White]

I'm sitting in my recliner watching TV and just happen to notice something different out through the patio doors! I have about a 500-800 yard view into the meadows of my brothers farm, depending on the direction you look!

I spotted what I thought was two coyotes and confirmed that with my binoculars.
I grabbed my rifle and a bunch of cartridges and headed out the door! I sneaked along the tree-line for the first 175 yards and stopped to check things out and notice that they were both looking at me!
I had a good rest in the crotch of a cherry tree and pulled for the shoulder on the one that presented the best target, relaxed and squeezed off! The coyote went about 3 feet straight up and hit the ground running! I thought I had missed, because I saw snow fly beyond and to the right of the coyote.
I went to where the coyotes stood and I spotted the dead coyote about 30 yards away! I went to check it out and tucked under the right front leg, was the entrance hole, about the size of a dime, on the left side was a hole about half that size! I figure that the bullet core or part of it exited and that's what caused the snow to fly, beyond the coyote.

I was using my Encore in:
Caliber: .221 Remington Fire Ball, 26 inch barrel
Bullet: 40 grain Speer SP (.223 diameter)
Powder: 19 grains IMR 4198 (slightly compressed)
Primer: CCI 400
Velocity: 3700 FPS (3-shots 3707, 3718 & 3692)

DISCLAIMER: I am not recommending that anyone use this load, I'm just saying that it works for me. I therefore assume no responsibility for it's use!

DISTANCE: 325 yards, according to my Bushnell Yardage Pro!

[oso45-70]

Chuck White

That don't surprise me, You have the little feller loaded to about what a 222rem would be. I have made some shots with mine that would boggle your mind but to most i recomend staying in the shorter shot range like 200 yds. I comend you on your shooting ability with the help of a cherry tree which always helps. Johnny Apple seed never made it out to New Mexico and these cactus plants are a bugger to shoot off of, Takes a lot of consontration. Good shooting     ...........Joe..........

[srwshooter]

go up to the 50grn hornady sp , you can buy them way cheaper in bulk 250rd box. i have killed tons of groundhogs and foxes out to 275yds with my xp-100 in 221fb .

[ol mike]

I've killed a couple of coyotes w/221 fb the factory 50gr v-max did a great job.

It seems at longer ranges the plastic tipped bullets "act" more like a regular bullte once they slow down a little.I think they might even expand better than a hunting type bullet at longrange.
My advice if you like shooting the plastic tipped bullets is aim for the area behind the shoulder not the shoulder.
I treat a 221 fb like an overgrown rimfire not a shoulder breaking big caliber.
Best of luck and long live the fireball.Mike