pelt friendly bullets

[2shaky]

I'm thinking of getting a fur bearer license this year. The primary target will be bobcats, with an outside chance of finding a cougar. The problem I've been having is finding a pelt friendly bullet that will shoot good in my guns.
What shoots good is anything but pelt friendly
22-250 likes 55 gr speer
55 gr trophy bonded bear claw ( haven't had a chance to try these on a small critter)
257 roberts likes 87 gr speer (will gut, skin, and quarter a rabbit with one shot) :twisted:
110 gr AB's
What I've tried is
22-250 50 gr barnes solid, 36 gr varmint grenade, 55 gr sierra FMJ
257 75 gr and 90 gr barnes solid
these all shoot + - 1 1/2"

What I'm thinking of trying is 270WSM with 120 gr barnes solid
If I found a good 22-250 load the cougar back up gun would be a scoped 44 revolver
I'm open for suggestions

 

[HTDUCK]

Have you tried any of the Hornady Vmax's?
Gotta buddy shooting 87 grainers out of a 2506 and he says he very happy with them.
Very little pelt damage and kills critters like lightning bolts.

 

[Songdog]

I've been running 50 grain NBTs in the Swift... haven't had an exit yet. Also, the VMax in the .25 cal is 75 grains (the 87 VMax is in 6mm)... and they do SERIOUS damage to pelts... so, unless you're good with needle and thread... I'd avoid any of the "Varmint" bullets in the bigger guns. I'd also avoid the "solids" or FMJs... too much risk of ricochet. I've shot a ton of coyotes with the 100 NBT out of the .25-06... it typically leaves about a 1" exit... which isn't too bad. Occasionally it will bust one up pretty bad, but that's usually on a hard quartering shot.

I'd really try to run a 50 grainer in the .22-250... or even a 40 grainer for coyotes/bobcats. Also... avoid shoulders, shoot right behind the shoulder... that way, when you do get an exit it won't be as big as it would if you hit big bones. On cougar... I'd be much more concerned with anchoring the cat... than I would about "pelt damage". If I shot a cougar and it didn't go right down... I'd be much more worried about damage to my own pelt... if you know what I mean.

 

[FOTIS]

A 40 gr BT at 4200 fps out 9of my 22-250 never exits. Or you can get Barnes X or GS Customs..

 

[JD338]

Bobcats are prett thin skinned so any centerfire rifle is going to tear them up. I would condiser a 22 Win Mag rimfire or a shotgun for bobcats.

On coyotes, I use a 22-250. I have shot quite a few with the 50 gr BT, always got an exit through the ribs about the size of a nickel. Had three runners, quartering on shots that hit the point of the shoulder and no eits.
The 55 gr BT also leaves exits through the ribs about the size of a nickel. I killed one coyote with the 60 gr PT, hit it dead center in the chest and the bullet exited just below the vent. One very dead coyote.
Stay away from the shoulders or you will have a mess.

I have also shot coyotes with my 257 Roberts loaded with 115 gr PT and 110 gr AB. These are rough on the pelts.
Here is last years coyote I shot with my M700 Classic 257 Roberts loaded with a 110 gr AB at 140 yds.

JD338

 

[ACLakey]

I spent a lot of time behind a 22-250 and the most fur friendly bullets I used were 52gr Sierra BTHP match(usually did not exit but when they did it was messy) and the 55gr Sierra Gameking. The Gameking has a tougher construction and usually exits with a nickel to quarter sized hole. They put predators down quickly and with the off chance you call in a big cat the tougher construciton will be a big plus. I have recently been experimenting with the new 65gr Gameking out of my 223AI and it is very promising.

 

[jmad_81]

Well I didn't have to bad of luck with the 40 Gr out of my R-15. Killed quick and didn't make a big mess. I really like the 55 BT out of my .243 though. Most bullets will be ok on yotes if you don't hit bone. Best thing for bobcats is a propperly set snare, or a foothold trap. Had real good luck with both in college. They are very thin skinned and it doesn't seem to take much to put a big hole in them. They are pretty easy to catch as well.

 

[Murphdog]

A topic near and dear to my heart, and with fur prices looking up it will become more important. I am very interested in the .224 cal 60 grain partitions. I can live with quarter sized holes but those softball sized holes are just not worth skinning the coyote out. The 100 grain Partition shot out of the 243 is good if you don't hit the shoulder blade or spine. The 60 grain Btip is ok from the .223 rem. The 69 grain custom comps blow big holes. On the other end of the spectrum those 180 grain Partition will blow a coyote apart if you hit the shoulder if you broad side a coyote it doesn't do much to the hide but it does deposit much energy either.

The concept of light bullets that don't exit might have merit. When I was in high school and coyotes were $100 a wack a buddy and I used a 22 mag with hollow points. Never had one exit or a coyote that was hit get away.

Ok R/D guys at Nosler we could really use a good .224 pelt bullet let's say a 55 grain AB.

 

[JD338]

A topic near and dear to my heart, and with fur prices looking up it will become more important. I am very interested in the .224 cal 60 grain partitions. I can live with quarter sized holes but those softball sized holes are just not worth skinning the coyote out.

Here is the coyote I shot with the 60 gr PT from my 22-250. The coyote was facing me at 60 yds and I hit dead center in the chest.

Here is the exit, just below the vent.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Jim,

That must have churned his insides. I don't imagine he travelled very far.

 

[JD338]

Mike

DRT
The 60 gr PT would be my coyote bullet in my M700 VLS 22-250 but I can't get them to stabilize in the 1:14 twist.

JD338

 

[ACLakey]

The 60PT are a good bullet but expensive. As I shated before, I have been experimenting with the 65gr Gameking and they show promise and are about half the price of PT, TSX, and other "premium" bullets out there. I have had better luck with a "tougher" constructed bullet with a controled expansion and consistant exit rather than a fast expanding and hopfully not exiting light weight bullet. If the heavier bullets won't stabilize for you give a hard look at the 55gr BTSP Gameking #1365 Sierra.

 

[Bob in TX]

+1 for the 55 gr. #1365 Sierra SBT. I switched to them years ago in the 22-250 (use them in my .223 AR too). If you want to use one of the plastic tipped bullets, go with the Nosler 50 gr. BT (Gary Roberson, the owner of Burnham Bros. Game Calls uses them exclusively). They are a bit stouter than the V-Max, et al. As noted above, if you use a plastic tipped bullet, don't hit the shoulder. They will blow up on you. If you have not had it happen, you have not called enough critters yet........

The other thing I would do, is to use a shotgun with #4 buck or copper plated BB's as much as you can.

Good Hunting,

Bob

 

[JD338]

The 60PT are a good bullet but expensive. As I shated before, I have been experimenting with the 65gr Gameking and they show promise and are about half the price of PT, TSX, and other "premium" bullets out there. I have had better luck with a "tougher" constructed bullet with a controled expansion and consistant exit rather than a fast expanding and hopfully not exiting light weight bullet. If the heavier bullets won't stabilize for you give a hard look at the 55gr BTSP Gameking #1365 Sierra.

The 60 gr PT is not that expensive when you buy them as seconds.

JD338

 

[Murphdog]

JD
That is what I was looking for. One could not ask for better performance from a bullet.

Expensive is a relative term, if a cheap bullet destroys a $35 dollar pelt and an expesive bullet does not then suddenly that extra .25 cents is not that big of a deal.

 

[ACLakey]

The 60PT are a good bullet but expensive. As I shated before, I have been experimenting with the 65gr Gameking and they show promise and are about half the price of PT, TSX, and other "premium" bullets out there. I have had better luck with a "tougher" constructed bullet with a controled expansion and consistant exit rather than a fast expanding and hopfully not exiting light weight bullet. If the heavier bullets won't stabilize for you give a hard look at the 55gr BTSP Gameking #1365 Sierra.

The 60 gr PT is not that expensive when you buy them as seconds.

JD338

Good point.

 

[2shaky]

lots of good points and good ideas here. What brings this whole idea into focus is that my wife really wants a full body mounted bobcat on the wall. The way I see it, being the dutiful husband I am, I should do what I can to keep her happy. :lol: The things a person will do just to keep the little woman smiling....... :wink:
I appreciate the input.

 

[Murphdog]

Trap one and shoot it with a .22 short. BE CAREFUL a trapped bobcat would like nothing better then to disembowel anything that gets close. As a rule I second that bobcats are easy to trap. If you call one in a shotgun with lead 2's/ BBs ,steel BB's, BBB's, or T's works well, just don't let them get too close.

 

[SJB358]

I have been messing with the 224 60gr PT's in my 22-250, but I image you are always going to get an exit on anything that small, and probably deer at 22-250 speeds. I have shot alot of stuff with the Speer 52gr HP and that really just put a 22cal hole in and exploded on the inside. This was on Northern coyotes, but it seems like a 22WMR would be your best best. Good luck, hunting the cats is alot of fun! Scotty

 

[ACLakey]

If you are trying to minimize dammage to a bobcat pelt that the best way is to trap them. I have had good success with a shotgun and a 17fierball but the bobcats out here are a little bigger than some.

My 6'3" buddy with a big Tom.