We have gotten into night hunting pretty regularly now. Found it’s something that I enjoy very much. Here in W.V we are limited to .22 calibers or smaller for night hunting. For shotguns it’s nothing larger than # 2 shot. We have been running .223s. We are using Barnes 55 gr or 64 grain sierra’s. We have found that unless we break a lot of bone, they are a little lacking. In some areas even with a good shot, they make it to the brush. Looking for something with a little more bullet weight. So far we have come up with the .224 Valkyrie running 88 or 90 grain bullets. Has anyone used this combo and what are the pros and cons of it. Thanks

Look at a 55 grain spritzer . Plus if you hand load why not step up to 22-250 ? But why worry if they get into brush ? Hides are worthless. Fourth rib forward and that 55 spritzer 99.9 ain’t leaving the feild !
My son killed his first 5 deer with that bullet out of a 222 . Granted 3 heart and a 2 neck shot . One buck went about 30 yards

What’s up with the limit on shot size to #2? Is West Virginia running out of deer? Copper platted BB’s are a lethal load in tight country on coyotes. Who comes up with these laws??

Jbyrd63 is right, 22-250 is an awesome coyote caliber.

.45 gr HP in my .22-250 they don't run off much. Pretty fur friendly most of the time as well. Although they don't go far with Hornady 55gr HP in .223 either. I think it may have to do more the style of the bullet than weight on the .223. I had a .204 that was very accurate but I didn't like the results with the 32 gr ammo and didn't want to go heavier since I bought it for it's speed and ultra low recoil so I could see the impact in the scope, which was impressive with the splash they had.

His first deer 24years ago 222 with 55 grain Sierra spitzer

A heavier bullet isn't the answer. You need a better expanding bullet.

Not to be argumentative but the most damage I’ve seen was with ballistic tipped bullets.. I should qualify, my experience is with a .243, sorry for the confusion.

We plenty of deer. Not sure who makes up the laws, but what government agencies make any good ones. But it’s better than it was. Up until a few years ago, a 22 mag was big as you could use. I have the shotgun pretty well figured out. Running 1 1/2 oz of TSS # 4 it’s wicked what it does to them.

We have tired several different bullets. Ran about all weights of the Vmax. Was not overly impressed with the performance of them. Some would be stone dead and others would splash, take multiple shots. The sierra game changer is one of the better ones we have found. I was wondering about the 22-250, but was thinking it’s the same bullet just a little faster. But that may make all the difference. Our test media is just dead coyotes, shot with different rounds. See what seems to do better.

We like to find them for several reasons. A lot of the people we hunt on don’t want dead coyotes stinking
up the place. They like to see what we kill. Other times it’s a tournament format and they have to be weighed in.

try the 223 with a 60 gr v-max or a 55-60 gr berger.

If your 223 has a fast enough twist, I’d recommend the Sierra Tipped Matchking in 69 or 77 grains. If you can find them. I shoot the 77’s in my 1/8 twist 223 and I’ve had excellent results on coyotes and deer.
If your looking at a new rifle, Tikka makes a T3x in 22-250 that has a 1/8 twist. That rifle shooting 88 ELD-M’s has gained a good reputation as of late. I don’t have any first hand experience with the 22-250, but I think it would be a hammer for you.
This is all IMO. Hope it helps. Thanks

A 22-250 with a 55 gr SP bullet will kill any coyote in it's tracks if you can shoot straight. I am not a fan of V-Max bullets. I do use Hornady SP bullets, however.

Keeping the .223 you may want to try a 53gr Hornady Vmax. A good guy here got me spitting those out the barrel and I think they are quite impressive. Night shooting is not the greatest fur friendly type of hunting if that’s what you enjoy but even in daylight they don’t always give you the perfect pose for a fur friendly trigger pull. I’d go lighter and more expansive.
In this area those Hornadys can be found under 20.00 a box and dropping.

Osky

I mentioned the 55 gr only because I know it works . For fur friendly on foxes out of the 222 I shoot a 50 gr hornady SX no exit on most foxes . Never used it on a coyote.


V MAX. Overrated

Yep

50 or 55 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips
52 gr Sierra HPBT

Those are my first through third choices in .224 bullets.

Same here in a 22-250. I never pushed the load till I saw signs of over pressure but I load them within a grain of published max load on Hodgdons site. I use IMR4895 and its a nickle shooter at 100.

x3

That is a good coyote load no doubt, even out to 70-75 yards. I like shooting 3's in case they get a little further. 3's will kill past 90

.22 250 with 52 grain Speer hollow point on top of 38 grains of H-380. I also use the blue Barnes Burner bullets in 50 grain- if I can find them.

The speed of the .22 250 adds way more shock to the coyotes system. I used a 40 grain bullet for years but they didn't have the guts to be reliable over 350 yards. A coyote shot in the chest from 100 to 300 yards with a 40 grain Hornady ballistic tipped bullet does not take one more step. I's light out right now. The .223 is good but if you are looking for superior knock down power the .22 250 / .220 swift is phenomenal. See if someone has one you can borrow? The first two bullets I mentioned will go through them from any angle. They go so fast the shock wave going through their brain knocks them out if it doesn't outright kill them. If you get over 50 yards they all poop out too much to expand much but they will still die if you get one in the right spot.

When I was young I was always looking for something '' better'' but now after 40 years of shooting the .22 250 I am most comfortable with it because I can get reloading supplies for just about any load for it since it is common.

yep 50 or 55 grain nosler and good shot placement there DRT .