SmallCaliberCentral

Well I have always admired the 204 ruger cartridge and when I went looking for a new coyote rifle I stumbled into a deal too good to pass up even though I was looking for a 223 or 22.250. Most of the dogs we get are at or inside 100 yds so I figured what the heck. I got a 700 sps sporter 24" barrel that had been fitted with an older bdl stock

So I bought me a box of 45 gr softpoints as I have not heard a lot of favoring reports on vmax with coyotes. And I was not looking for excessive velocity as while gun shopping I had considered a 223. Well after loading it up and down the spectrum from 24-27 grains of Varget I can get 5 shot clover leafs with 26 grs of varget! I guess I got lucky Anyone have any idea what kind of velocity I am getting?

Who says the 45 wont stabilize I measured the bullet and it is actually shorter than the 40 gr vamx

Welcome aboard. Yes the 45 sp is easier to stabilize than the 40 V-max, at least in my experiences. It is a tad shorter than the v-max.
Here are some photos for comparing lengths of some of the popular 20 cal boolits. Red and black boxes are Alberta made 38 and 48 gr wildcats.
I lined them up from tallest to shortest. The boxes in the background are the order that the standing bullets are in. The two laying down are the 48 and 38gr WC. I took one from overhead to compare the hollow points. The 48 gr is quite long. I bought 6 boxes of 38's and only one box of 48 gr. The 48's will be used for a fast twist project further down the road.

Thanks for the lineup Gube!

Gube, you've shot game with the 45gr SP correct? I recently had one hit a fox in the hip, and was surprised it blew a 5" exit out the gut like you'd expect a only a ballistic tip would do. Made me kind of nervous about whether I'll save any fur using them. More results are needed.

my first trip to the field I killed a double with them and there was very little pelt damage I really had to look for an exit hole on the one but did find it had passed through.

I just like soft points over vamx heard to many people lose dogs if they hit shoulders or bone and get splash. I wouldnt mind trying hollowpoints but as tight of groups as I am getting whats the point!

BabaOriley wrote:Thanks for the lineup Gube!

Gube, you've shot game with the 45gr SP correct? I recently had one hit a fox in the hip, and was surprised it blew a 5" exit out the gut like you'd expect a only a ballistic tip would do. Made me kind of nervous about whether I'll save any fur using them. More results are needed.

I've shot 4 dogs using the 45 sp's. Not enough to quantify a decent test. Of the ones I shot, all were over 100 yds and furthest was about 275. Three broadsides and one frontal. Entrance was fairly small and exits ranged from same as entrance to about the size of a silver dollar. There was no exit on the frontal chest shot. I lost the very first dog using them. It was a frontal shot as he was walking towards me at a slight angle. I'm guessing that one just grazed him. Lots of blood at first and then petered out within 75 yds or so.
As for the huge exit out the gut on your fox, I expect it was because you hit the hip bone. A bigger critter like a yote probably would not have exited after hitting a hip bone. I imagine a broadside shot through the ribs would just give a small entrance and exit.
I switched over to the bergers because they were a bit more accurate but would not hesitate to use the 45's again, just need some more data on hits to decide if they are a good all around yote bullet.
I also shot a few ground squirrels with them and all they did was simply pass through without any of the nice "arial" acrobatics that the ballistic tip or the bergers do.