# hornady VS Federal



## OutdoorsFan (Jan 17, 2008)

Question for you experience coyote hunters..

What do you feel is the better ammo? Hornady or Federal? Also what grain do you shoot?

I have been reading from this forum all last year and I thank everyone for the input. This is a great informational site


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

As far as brand of ammo, there isn't one that's better than the other. Find which one your gun likes better.

As far as what grain, that depends on caliber, what you want the bullet to do and factory or reloaded ammo. And again find the one your gun likes.

I shoot a 243, light grain bullets don't perform well for me. I found a reload combo of bullet and powder that shoots very well and is very deadly on Coyotes. Very light hide damage. I also worked up aload for Deer hunting that performs very close to the Coyote load. I can shoot both loads and never adjust the scope. It took me a couple years and alot of experimenting to get them.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Good reply Kelly.

I just got into reloading this summer and worked up a load for my 243. I am shooting a Hornady 87 grain BTHP behind 39.2 grains of Win 760 powder. I hope it functions well for a deer/coyote combo load. I just got it finalized for my gun but haven't shot an animal with it yet. I hope to change that in the next two weeks!

In my 223 I shoot Hornady 50 grain VMax. I am currently shooting them in the factory Black Hills ammo but I am in the process of working up my own load using H335 powder. Hope to get that done by December.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

be prepared for some serious damage with them hollow points. I used to use 60 gr hp, I almost cut a fox in half. I don't think I would try a hollow point on Deer.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Kelly Hannan said:


> be prepared for some serious damage with them hollow points. I used to use 60 gr hp, I almost cut a fox in half. I don't think I would try a hollow point on Deer.


Actually that 87 gr hollow point that Fallguy is talking about is recommended by Hornady for medium deer size game. I used it myself for a few years, and the lady I sold my rifle to has knocked down a few nice deer and antelope with the same load data that I gave her husband with the rifle. It was the most accurate bullet in that rifle. I used it for everything. 
I remember when the Barnes X bullets came out. I think I tried them the very first year. Everyone told me how they were going to blow up on the hide of a deer and never give penetration. Now I just purchased some Berger VLD's. They are 150 gr for my 270 Winchester. They are also intended for medium game. I loaded them to 2750 fps, 2863 fps, and 2996 fps. They don't do any better than one inch. The 150 gr Ballistic Tips group about .4 inches. The problem is my rifle must not stabilize heavy bullets well because the group goes all to pot at 800 yards when compared to my 130 gr Ballistic Tips. Oh well.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

maybe the heavier weight HP are ok, but after what I saw with the ones I used NO WAY. I have also wounded and never found Deer with 85 gr bullets, maybe shot placement, maybe a freak thing, but it was enough to convince me they are not big enough. I will stick to my 100 gr for deer, 85 gr for Coyote, and 90 FMJ for Fox with only a well placed shot. Side shot on head, or solid chest.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Kelly

The load I am shooting was actually suggested to me by Plainsman. I didn't load them as hot as he suggested, but worked up a ladder test and found 39.2 grains to be the most accurate for my rifle....and my shooting skills. 

I'll keep you posted on how they perform on coyotes, and the deer that I plan on taking this fall.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

Sounds good. If I remember correctly, I used 40 gr of 760, but I don't remember what bullet. I would have to check my notes


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Ya, some hollowpoints explode like crazy, and some hold together. There are so many bullets today you can buy a hollowpoint and without further checking not know if you have a varmint bullet or a hunting bullet.

If you think about it all the polymer tip bullets are little more than a hollowpoint with a polymer tip stuck into them. As a matter of a fact the tip makes them expand faster. The reason the larger game polymer tips don't blow up like the 22 caliber polymer tips is because they increase jacket wall thickness.

It's getting more confusing all the time. Now days you have to pay close attention. Just 20 years ago you mostly had to worry about what weight bullet and little else.


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