Is the 22 LR even a good round for coyote hunting? is a question you must ask yourself before searching for the finest 22LR coyote ammunition. Many of those puppies weigh more than 50 pounds (the largest ever taken weighed 75 pounds). Indeed, a game that size puts a strain on the 22 LR’s takedown powers.
Is the 22LR Enough Cartridge for Coyote?
Many people would argue that the 22 LR is simply too weak and small to guarantee a clean kill on a coyote with anything other than a precisely placed head shot. To avoid a drawn-out tracking session, you must at the very least point a 22 LR at the coyote’s heart/lung region. (Not to mention listening to some whimpering that is just pitiful.)
But in fact, the 22 LR more than makes up for its theoretical shortcomings. With their 22 LR weapons, many people regularly bag ‘yotes at distances up to 75 yards, or at point-blank ranges with handguns if they’re simply dispatching a creature that became caught in a trap.
And one of those is you.
folks! However, there is no excuse for not choosing the appropriate 22 LR coyote hunting ammunition to offer yourself a significant advantage.
We’ll give you a few samples of the kinds of 22 LR ammunition that are appropriate for coyote hunting. This is not a complete list of all viable choices. If none of these rounds are available, simply look for substitutes that have comparable qualities.
Our Picks: Best 22LR Ammo for Coyote
Winchester Super-X 40gr CPHP
Muzzle velocity: 1,280 feet per second
Muzzle energy: 145 foot pounds
The 22 LR ammunition you choose for coyote hunting should at the very least have the characteristics of this ammunition. You have a respectable American manufacturer to start with. Second, you have a muzzle velocity that is 155 fps faster than the speed of sound, giving your bullet enough energy to fly flat and strike powerfully downrange (relatively speaking).
This cartridge’s copper plated hollow point (CPHP) bullet, which is intended for terminal expansion, is significant. It will penetrate your target with a wider wound channel and exert more energy in lateral directions than a standard lead round nose (LRN) bullet could ever hope to.
The Winchester Super-X Hyper Velocity 22 LR is a comparable load produced by Winchester. It exemplifies the advantage brought on by, you guessed it, a muzzle velocity that is even higher. This round’s bullet weight and design are identical to those of the more traditional Super-X round previously stated, however it boasts a 12% quicker muzzle velocity. As a result, its trajectory is even flatter and simpler to aim, and at 100 yards, it delivers 14% more lethal kinetic energy to its target.
CCI Velocitor 40gr CPHP
Muzzle velocity: 1,435 fps
Muzzle energy: 183 ft lbs
Additionally, this ammunition from Idaho has a muzzle velocity that is around 200 fps higher than what is typical for the cartridge, which is something we want to see while hunting coyotes. Since CCI produces excellent rimfire products, you can feel confident using their 22 LR on the trail as long as it has a high muzzle velocity and an expanding bullet.
Browning BPR 37gr Fragmenting HP
Muzzle velocity: 1,400 fps
Muzzle energy: 161 ft lbs
Conventional hollow point bullets are not the only kind of expanding bullet you should use to anchor small game; up to this point, we have solely advised them for coyote hunting. During the initial stage of penetration, the fragmenting hollow point spreads, but after that it disintegrates into smaller pieces of lead. Multiple wound channels are opened up as the victim is concurrently shocked by a rapid energy transfer.
CCI Copper-22 21gr Lead-Free HP 22LR Ammo
Muzzle velocity: 1,850 fps
Muzzle energy: 160 ft lbs
For coyote hunting, don’t be frightened of using incredibly light 22 LR bullets. Because it has such little inertia, the 21 grain copper-polymer bullet in this cartridge, which is still intended for terminal expansion, is able to make up for its modest weight with an incredibly rapid 1,850 fps muzzle velocity. However, because a bullet this light will lose its in-flight momentum more quickly, its impact energy will be dramatically reduced over longer distances. For close-to-medium range coyote hunting, you’re better off utilizing environmentally friendly 22 LR ammo.
Do you only need ammunition to kill coyotes that have been captured? Any old 22 LR round, expanding bullet or not, can do the trick if you’re only a few feet away. Simply drop a hat in Wile’s
