220 SWIFT + 70 GRAIN SPEER = GOOD ,BAD,OK COYOTE,CAT BULLET ?????

S

SAKO220

New member
Hi Guys,I am usually far more of a lurker and i don't post often because i am a really slow typist.

However i really need some help on this one.I am shooting a Sako L579 in 220 swift.It is a 1 in 14 inch twist.I have been shooting 55 grain ballistic tips lately and like them okay.

I got the hankering to try something heavier recently though.I tried the 60 grain partitions and my rifle wouldn't shoot them for crap because of the twist rate i suppose.

So when a buddy gave me a box of the 70 grain speer semi spitzers to load up and try i thought it would probably be a waste of time but to my surprise my rifle shoots them very very well.

Maybe they are shorter then the partitions or something?

Anyways,i searched and searched on here but i can't find any info on them.

Can anyone tell me what kind of on game performance they have.

Are they stoutly enough built say that on a broadside shot on a cat for example will they enter and exit without a large amount of damage ?

or are they a very destructive bullet that would blow all to pieces in that scenario?

Yes, i know that it is not a perfect pelt rifle but i want to keep the damage to the pelt as little as possible with it as i can.

If i was looking at just pelts to sell i would just snare them but i enjoy the hunting part alot more then snaring.

Before anyony suggest it i am not at all interested in a smaller caliber.I will see far more Coyotes than anything else.

The coyotes here in NB(right beside Maine) are quite often very large and don't always present perfect shots.

I have shot them with every thing from a 22LR to a 300WM and i know excactly what i want personally in a rifle.

In the closed season for deer and bear or after your tag for either is filled you cannot hunt with anything larger then the 22 centerfires here or i would probably use a 243 for coyotes.

Some of you guys in Maine like Sleddog if you are reading this will know excactly what i am talking about.

You to Jack Roberts i believe have hunted in the east and will probably understand why i like using the heavier of the various 22 centerfires(22-250,220 swift).

Anyhow,Does anyone have any experience with the speer?

Does it perform well on coyotes?

Could i shoot a bobcat broadside with it witout blowing it to bits,

or should i just stick to the ballistic tips which have passed through the few cats i have shot with them without to much damage( all broadside shots behind the leg).

Like i said i would like to try the heavier bullets though so if anyone can tell me of any experiances with them at all i would be very much gratefull.

Thanks.SAKO220
 
I know that bullet.

It has a heavy jacket, and was designed for small "big game", like white tails, etc. It is a good bullet, and might just be the ticket for 'yotes.


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My buddy shot a bobcat with this exact set-up (70gr. speer and 220 swift)..and, well, just make sure you hit them in the slats and not the shoulders.....it wasn't pretty!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
Thanks for the info guys.I appreciate it.

gil wy, Did your buddy ever shoot any yotes or anything else with it as well?

If so what were the results?

Did he have predator's in mind when he loaded it or was he setting up for deer or something.


Doesen't sound like it would be any better then the ballistic tip when it come's to cats huh ?

Thanks again.
 
Yeah, he killed a bunch coyotes with them and like most everything he shot out of that thing, if he didn't hit the fringes or shoulders it worked well. We loaded those for coyotes and they were pretty hot...the cat was just a bonus but it was a mess....
 
No bone, no problem. If possible wait for the correct shot placement. I've shot cats and yotes with 70 BT's out of my 243. If you miss bone bullet size holes in and out. If you hit bone, in or out, double fist size holes will be the outcome. Try some low velocity loads.
 
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