260 Rem coyote loads?

gerry · Oct 25, 2023

Any reason to load something like a 85 gr Sierra or Speer 90 gr TNT or just stay with deer loads? Not super interested in keeping hides but with a head on shot into the chest would you expect the bullet not to exit with the lighter bullets? Any other options I should be aware of? Might get a 204 Ruger one day but if this would work fine I might just stick with the 260. The 260 would be preferable if a wolf of cougar comes in I would imagine.

JD338 · Oct 25, 2023

Gerry,

I shot quite a few coyotes with the 257 Roberts using the 115 gr BT. I've also used the 115 gr PT, 110 gr AB and 100 gr BT. Always got an exit wound and never had a runner.
I'd just use your regular deer loads and kill some song dogs.

JD338

RL338 · Oct 25, 2023

If you’re not saving hides , dead is dead with any 260 load.

gerry · Oct 25, 2023

Using deer loads would be the easiest. Any advantages or disadvantages using the lightweight varmint style bullets?

TexasLife · Oct 26, 2023

gerry said:
Any reason to load something like a 85 gr Sierra or Speer 90 gr TNT or just stay with deer loads? Not super interested in keeping hides but with a head on shot into the chest would you expect the bullet not to exit with the lighter bullets? Any other options I should be aware of? Might get a 204 Ruger one day but if this would work fine I might just stick with the 260. The 260 would be preferable if a wolf of cougar comes in I would imagine.

Sierra has long discontinued their 85gr bullets in 26cal. I used to shoot a bunch of those out of a 264wm. Now Speer 90tnt is the lightest I have, but did buy some special 92.6gr Sierra's boat-tails. Not sure who special ordered them? I wish Barnes still had the tac-x!

JD338 · Oct 26, 2023

The lighter weight bullets would require some load development and a rezero. Your existing deer load is already set to go. You are set up for deer, coyotes and back to deer without any fuss.

JD338

gerry · Oct 26, 2023

Well I guess for now I'll just go with the 156 gr Norma Oryx that it's sighted in for!

JD338 · Oct 26, 2023

That'll work

JD338

1100 Remington Man · Nov 20, 2023

I would look no further than 120gr BT

lhsako · Nov 20, 2023

95 GR VMAX.

Guy Miner · Nov 20, 2023

I faced this same decision with my 25-06 years ago. Had a great 115 gr deer load, nicely zeroed... Wondered about using it on 'yotes or if I should load some 87's or other lighter bullet...

Nope, the 115's kill coyotes really dead, are accurate, and I never have to change the zero on that rifle. It's always ready for deer season, and if I've been out for coyotes, I've practiced with the same load, same accuracy, same trajectory... I'm content with zapping the coyotes with a deer load.

Guy

gerry · Nov 20, 2023

1100 Remington Man said:
I would look no further than 120gr BT

My wife's 6.5x55 is sighted in with those, great for deer and probably pretty similar to @Guy Miner 's115 gr 25-06 load.

gerry · Nov 20, 2023

lhsako said:
95 GR VMAX.

Since I love experimenting I'm sure I'll try something like this as well.

lhsako · Nov 21, 2023

ive found the V Max to be a fragile bullet. Give them the jug test Gerry

Guybo · Nov 25, 2023

I've taken quite a few coyotes here on the farm with my daughters . 260 rem and she's killed a few herself. We use her deer loads which is a Sierra 120gr PH. Needless to say it's hammers them to the ground pretty quick. I had a couple run on me but i made a bad shot in the mid section but they still didn't go far. I think anything you choose in the . 260 is gonna do an excellent job on coyotes. Mike

JD338 · Nov 26, 2023

Guybo said:
I've taken quite a few coyotes here on the farm with my daughters . 260 rem and she's killed a few herself. We use her deer loads which is a Sierra 120gr PH. Needless to say it's hammers them to the ground pretty quick. I had a couple run on me but i made a bad shot in the mid section but they still didn't go far. I think anything you choose in the . 260 is gonna do an excellent job on coyotes. Mike

Congratulations to your daughter on her coyote. She hammered him. What flavor of 700 is she shooting?

JD338

Guybo · Nov 27, 2023

JD338 said:
Congratulations to your daughter on her coyote. She hammered him. What flavor of 700 is she shooting?

JD338

Thanks. She shoots a Rem 700 SPS .260 that i dropped in a CDL wood stock. She started out at age 8 with a Rem 7 .260 and she wanted a 700 but wanted to stay with the .260 so that's what i bought her. I bedded the action, floated the barrel, squared the bolt face and dropped in a Timney trigger. It's a sweet little rifle and a shooter.

JD338 · Nov 27, 2023

Guybo said:
Thanks. She shoots a Rem 700 SPS .260 that i dropped in a CDL wood stock. She started out at age 8 with a Rem 7 .260 and she wanted a 700 but wanted to stay with the .260 so that's what i bought her. I bedded the action, floated the barrel, squared the bolt face and dropped in a Timney trigger. It's a sweet little rifle and a shooter.

Excellent. You have set her up for success.
Nicely done.

JD338

gerry · Nov 27, 2023

Guybo said:
Thanks. She shoots a Rem 700 SPS .260 that i dropped in a CDL wood stock. She started out at age 8 with a Rem 7 .260 and she wanted a 700 but wanted to stay with the .260 so that's what i bought her. I bedded the action, floated the barrel, squared the bolt face and dropped in a Timney trigger. It's a sweet little rifle and a shooter.

I thought it was a Mountain Rifle but this is better. Those SPS models came with the proper 1 in 8 twist which is nice. Those 120 gr Sierra flat base bullets seem like excellent bullets for deer on down.

PJGunner · Nov 27, 2023

Frankly, I haven't shot at coyote in years. Did a bunch when I lived in Nevada and hides brought in some fair coin. Back then I used an oddball Mauser rifle made by an outfit called Kodiak. It was very accurtare with the 100 gr. Hornday Interlock which I loaded for deer as I let the neighbor kids use it on hunts. Properly placed it didn't mess up hides badly so just stuck with the one load. I'm still kicking myself for giving that rifle away to kid for his birthday I had hisdaddy's OK to do so.
I picked up a post 64, pre68 Winchester M70 with a x9 Simmons on it for $200. It didn't like my Hornady load and I haven't had much luck with the 85 gr. Sierra Game King HP. I haven't even messed with trying to shoot a coyote or two and the hides down he are mangy as hell and some of the yotes look like death warmed over twice. Looks like their lives are hard enough without me sniping them off.
Paul B.