22 Magnum for coyotes.

Boot

Senior Member
Please, ladies and gentlemen, let's not turn this into a thread on whether or not the 22 Mag is the ideal coyote caliber. I know there may be better and bigger rounds for taking coyotes at extended ranges, however, due to where I can hunt, the 22 Mag rimfire will be my chosen gun for the task. With that being said, I want to hear from the guys and gals that use the 22 Mag to hunt small game, and varmints. I am specifically looking for info on what ammo you use with success, or have used, and didn't like. I'm not so much concerned with the accuracy of a given round, as I am with the bullet performance on the animal itself. I'll take several of the top recomendations to the range, and see what my rifle likes best, and go from there. I'd very much like to hear from anyone that hunts coyotes, bobcats or other small game, and has first hand reviews on what bullet type/weight/brand has really performed well for them. All of my shots will be at less than 150yds, with most being at 80yds or less. I am very aware that bullet placement is the most important issue, but would like to have an idea of what to expect from a few different types of bullets that folks have had good results with, or what to stay away from. And any of you .17HMR guys out there that want to chime in, please do, as my hunting partner will be using that for our coyote hunts. Thanks in advance, and we will appreciate any help, advice, hints, tips, or tricks of the trade as this is the first time we've seriously wanted to start hunting anything smaller than deer.
 

scoggins

Senior Member
pretty much any of them with Ballistic tips will do the trick if you use proper placement.

especially within 150
 

Randy

Senior Member
I have experience with both the 22 mag and the 17 hmr. While have lost one to the 22 mag, I lost many tobthe 17 hmr. I do not recommend the 17 hmr for yotes.

Just about any of the 22 mag loads will work so I would use the one that is the most accurate in tour gun. Mine like the Remington VMax. I still prefer my 204 Ruger or AR 223 but as you say, some places you have to use the rimfire.
 

ejs1980

Senior Member
I've allways liked a cci maxi mag in a hollow point. Sometimes all you can find are jacketed. I also like the remington v-max. Either one will work inside 100. You may be able to stretch it to 150 but make sure you practice at that range. Most of my experience with the 22 mag on yotes have been hunting gut piles/scraps. My uncles hunting club has a spot where they allways dump the gut buckets and we put a stand about 40 yards from it. Most of the shots I made were 30-60 yards and both the cci maxi mag and remington loads do well at that range but so would a shotgun. If you can shoot a shotgun where you are hunting (it is safer than a 22 mag but louder) and you have a hunting partner you may want one to shoot the 22 mag the other a shotgun. Good luck.
 

FishinMech

Senior Member
I like the remington vmax bullets they are a ballistics tip and the are some awesome bullets.
 
I've got a Ruger 77/22 (Leupold 3x9x40 V II) in 22mag. and it shoots most rounds well. The one I shoot the most is the Win. 40gr. JHP. This is the rifle I have in my truck on any given day. From the bench last weekend I shot 15 rounds at 100yds.( 5 rnds at a time) in a 1" group with only 2 outside the rest of the shots. I have taken a couple yotes, many beaver, tons of squirrels and who knows what else with it. A few years back I dropped a doe in her tracks (head shot) that had a broken hind leg that appeared to have had an injury from a fence or car. I think the 22 mag. is the most under-rated caliber around. I bought some 40gr. solids the other day to use on a hog hunt in a few weeks. I am confident it will do the job with proper shot placement. Needless to say, I am an avid fan of the 22 mag. and would put it up against any of the .22 centerfires within 150 yds. on anything except a big hog.
 

danny-s

Senior Member
iv had more run offs with those remington accutip v mags than anything else , i tested them in ballistics gel and 7 out of 10 failed to expand at all . but of course a fmj in a neck shot will do it. the only round that iv tested that has worked 100% of the time is the winchester supremes. i second you randy , the 17 is a fluke. i wouldnt recommend it to anyone
 
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bfriendly

Bigfoot friendly
Rem Accutip V.......this is the exit hole, but from about 15 yards so no, I dont think it had a chance to Expand:D

At the range we shot a box of Cheap stuff(Winchester in a white box?) that jammed several times.........the Rems and Hornadys smelled better than the cheap stuff too........I have been very happy with any CCI.

I have killed three hogs with the Rem Accutip V. @ fairly Close range <50yards.......

I shoot what I can find, right now I have Hornadys in there, but have not had a shot at anything with them yet. Hopefully that will change SOON!

01-01-09_1014.jpg
 

danny-s

Senior Member
like i said 7 out of 10, maybe you had one of the 3 that does, or of course i could of had a faulty lot of accutips , theres a ton of variables to account for, but at 30 yards the gel doesnt lie
 

JKnieper

Senior Member
Hello all. I am new guy to the forum and would appreciate your help. I have a question for you yote hunters. I plan to shoot some of these critters in the next few months and I was reading the DNR regs last week to make sure I am legal when I hit the woods. If I read the regs correctly it looks like coyotes are considered small game. If they do in fact fall under the small game regs are you not limited to rimfire weapons? I would think that a .22LR is not the ideal bullet to take coyotes and it's certainly not what the hunting community would consider as a typical coyote round. I was hoping to thin down the population and get some practice with my deer rifle at the same time. Thanks.

P.S. I'm hunting on private land.
 
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cmghunter

Senior Member
Hello all. I am new guy to the forum and would appreciate your help. I have a question for you yote hunters. I plan to shoot some of these critters in the next few months and I was reading the DNR regs last week to make sure I am legal when I hit the woods. If I read the regs correctly it looks like coyotes are considered small game. If they do in fact fall under the small game regs are you not limited to rimfire weapons? I would think that a .22LR is not the ideal bullet to take coyotes and it's certainly not what the hunting community would consider as a typical coyote round. I was hoping to thin down the population and get some practice with my deer rifle at the same time. Thanks.

P.S. I'm hunting on private land.
Sent you a PM
 

Buckhead

Senior Member
Under normal circumstances, I think the .22 mag is a 75 yard gun with very little room for error. While I haven't taken a yote with my .22 mag, I have taken a large racoon, a fox and a bobcat. I prefer Remmy Premiers or the CCI TNT 30 grain loads. The Premiers are more accurate in my gun, but the TNT loads perform unlike any other up close. It is a Speer bullet with a large hollow point that really expands, yet holds together. Good penetration and a high poof factor. Go to the Rimfire Central website. There is a forum devoted to .22 mag loads. You will learn more than you wanted to know.
 

c2607

Member
I have only tried coyote hunting once, I used my 22 mag. with 40 grain CCI hollow points and had good luck with them
 

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