.223 hunting advice

[bisley]

My plans to use my 'new' AR-15 during the 4 day doe season, with Barnes 70 gr. TSX, are pretty much down the drain, because I just don't have the time to get them loaded and tested. My loading/shooting/hunting plans have been disrupted by home remodeling construction, and I don't want to rush through the load development process. I want a near maximum load for this bullet, if I can find the 'sweet spot' for accuracy, and it may be touchy, due to the length of this bullet, so I am deferring this plan until I can take my time with it.

I have plenty of non-hunting ammo loaded, 64 grain steel core FMJ's that shoot 1 MOA, and 68 grain Hornady Match that easily shoot 0.5 MOA. The Hornady's are jacketed hollow points, and I'm seriously considering using them for doe season, even though Hornady makes no claim as to their suitability for hunting. My maximum range would be under 200 yards, and is most likely to be 75 -125 yards.

I would like some input from people who have taken whitetail-like game with a variety of .223 ammo. Should I only take a head or neck shot, or can I take a slam-dunk heart/lung shot. Or should I just forget the whole thing and use the .30-06 that has produced quick one shot kills every time. I have seen several one shot kills with .223 hunting ammo, but none that I know of with match ammo.

My personal assessment is that a properly placed shot in any vital area will be OK, and that I have the ability to make those shots, but I would like more opinions, since my personal .223 experience is limited.

[snake284-1]

My plans to use my 'new' AR-15 during the 4 day doe season, with Barnes 70 gr. TSX, are pretty much down the drain, because I just don't have the time to get them loaded and tested. My loading/shooting/hunting plans have been disrupted by home remodeling construction, and I don't want to rush through the load development process. I want a near maximum load for this bullet, if I can find the 'sweet spot' for accuracy, and it may be touchy, due to the length of this bullet, so I am deferring this plan until I can take my time with it.

I have plenty of non-hunting ammo loaded, 64 grain steel core FMJ's that shoot 1 MOA, and 68 grain Hornady Match that easily shoot 0.5 MOA. The Hornady's are jacketed hollow points, and I'm seriously considering using them for doe season, even though Hornady makes no claim as to their suitability for hunting. My maximum range would be under 200 yards, and is most likely to be 75 -125 yards.

I would like some input from people who have taken whitetail-like game with a variety of .223 ammo. Should I only take a head or neck shot, or can I take a slam-dunk heart/lung shot. Or should I just forget the whole thing and use the .30-06 that has produced quick one shot kills every time. I have seen several one shot kills with .223 hunting ammo, but none that I know of with match ammo.

My personal assessment is that a properly placed shot in any vital area will be OK, and that I have the ability to make those shots, but I would like more opinions, since my personal .223 experience is limited.

Nobody pays any attention to this when i post it. But at risk of repition, go get you some Speer 70 grain Semi Spitzers. They will stabilize with about any twist out there and they will penetrate game from hell. Get a pound of IMR 4064 and regular Small Rifle Primers of your choice and load it with 24.5 grains IMR 4064 and go kill a moose. Well a big deer anyway. That's one killing bullet. Just keep your shots under 200 yards to make sure and you will be loaded for Bear (or bear size deer that is). And it's pretty accurate in any rifle I've used it in.

[cpj]

Nobody pays any attention to this when i post it. But at risk of repition, go get you some Speer 70 grain Semi Spitzers. They will stabilize with about any twist out there and they will penetrate game from hell. Get a pound of IMR 4064 and regular Small Rifle Primers of your choice and load it with 24.5 grains IMR 4064 and go kill a moose. Well a big deer anyway. That's one killing bullet. Just keep your shots under 200 yards to make sure and you will be loaded for Bear (or bear size deer that is). And it's pretty accurate in any rifle I've used it in.

Im betting he wont oay attention this time, since he said he didnt have the time to work up a load that he WANTS to use.....

I guessing thise Hdays would work, but you better be RIGHT in the heart. Or a shot at the base if the head, or the head. It might be a little iffy, but I would love to see the results. Especially a shot ti the heart.

[Jayhawker]

The BTHPs will work...but as cpj said...shot placement is critical...a solid boiler room shot will get the job done...

[knitepoet]

I wouldn't have the slightest problem putting a Hornady 68gr BTHP in the boiler room of the "average" Tx whitetail and expecting it to perform as wanted/expected.
AAMOF, if I get to my AR in my "line-up" for this season, more than likely it will be with 75gr Hornady BTHPs

[bisley]

They aren't ballistic tip - they are just jacketed hollow points.

Snake -what cpj said - I appreciate the suggestion but I already have components I want to try - eventually.

[bisley]

It might be a little iffy, but I would love to see the results. Especially a shot ti the heart.

So would I, but I'm not anxious to spend 4 hours hunting a wounded deer, in case I'm 2-3 inches off, and I'm mostly disgusted by not making a DRT (or something close to it) shot.

I was hoping that someone had actually made a clean kill with a bullet like this. I'm pretty cold-blooded when shooting at game, and can probably make the shot if I wait for the right circumstance, but barring an actual 'testimonial' that encourages me, I'll probably play it safe-er.

[cpj]

Load up a few of the ones you want to use. Pick the middle powder charge of whatever powder you have. A couple hundred FPS aint gonna matter. Shoot a group. If its good enough, roll with it. If not, use your ought six.
It will only take you a few minutes to load them. Getting out to shoot them might be an issue though. But, you are waisting time here...so get to it.

[knitepoet]

I was hoping that someone had actually made a clean kill with a bullet like this. I'm pretty cold-blooded when shooting at game, and can probably make the shot if I wait for the right circumstance, but barring an actual 'testimonial' that encourages me, I'll probably play it safe-er.

If you'll remember, BPSniper killed a doe with a Mk 262 mod 1 round a year or two ago, which is nothing but a 77gr Sierra Matchking loaded to NATO specs. IIRC he got approximately a quarter sized exit wound on a shoulder shot.

[wildgene]

...buy a .25 WSSM upper...

[bisley]

Load up a few of the ones you want to use. Pick the middle powder charge of whatever powder you have. A couple hundred FPS aint gonna matter. Shoot a group. If its good enough, roll with it. If not, use your ought six.
It will only take you a few minutes to load them. Getting out to shoot them might be an issue though. But, you are waisting time here...so get to it.

It's good advice, but I've got a lot of distractions right now that make me want to hold off on the hand loading till I can get better organized.

I'll probably just ride out the rest of the season with the .30-06. My hunting is all haywire this year, anyway, so I'll probably just go with the proven performer and save the experimental stuff for when everything gets more normal.

[NN]

If you'll remember, BPSniper killed a doe with a Mk 262 mod 1 round a year or two ago, which is nothing but a 77gr Sierra Matchking loaded to NATO specs. IIRC he got approximately a quarter sized exit wound on a shoulder shot.

Yeah, that; use what you got.

[orchidman]

I have shot both Fallow and Red deer with a 222 using Sierra 50gr gamekings. Nearly all were either head or neck shots. The longest none head shot was around 170 yds head on into a fallow does chest. The bullet missed all the vitals and lodged in its back leg. It stunned the deer long enough for me to get a second shot into the base of the neck which dropped it DRT.

I have watched Bloodhound shoot big Reds with his 222......Neck and head shots again and they drop like sacks of coal.

One of my first Fallow bucks ( a big bodied animal) completely flipped upside down at 110yds when I poked the same load through its shoulder and destroyed its heart. Bullet never made it through.

The 223 carries a bit more energy and velocity than the 222 and provided you can place your shots accurately ( head/neck area) I see no problem with using it. A shoulder shot for the vitals is still doable in my view.

If you do score with a head neck shot you will have to get used to all the extra meat as it will all be recoverable......

Here are a couple of pics of a Fallow that I shot a few years back......Anywhere in the area inside the red mark will do the job. This was with a 50gr Sierra psp at 85yds from memory



After I skinned its neck I cut it open to see what the damage was like......I didnt have to cut bone, just the meat that was holding its head on its neck.



Hope this helps.....

[bisley]

Thanks, orchidman - good info.

If I decide to go with the match ammo in .223, I'll probably pass on anything but a neck or head shot. I will be shooting from a semi-rested position, and I typically have time to pick the shot I want. I have been able to avoid shoulder shots, preferring instead a broadside behind both shoulders, down low, that takes out the heart or major arteries, and destroys no meat except in the rib cage, which I don't keep, anyway. This works very well with a 165 grain Nosler BT, and so far, I've been patient enough to wait for this shot to be presented. However, I have my doubts that these Hornady match bullets will expand much in soft tissue, since they appear to be just a FMJ with a small hole in the end. They are made for punching paper, and they do that quite well.

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

[farm boy]

Another option would be to buy a box of Federal Fusion 62gr. I got wonderful groups from that ammo, in fact my .223 is first in the line up come Saturday (rifle season opener.)

[bisley]

Another option would be to buy a box of Federal Fusion 62gr. I got wonderful groups from that ammo, in fact my .223 is first in the line up come Saturday (rifle season opener.)

If it looks like I might get a chance to test them, I might do that, or the Barnes factory ammo. Problem is that I never see anything but 55 grain ammo, locally.

[Wambli Ska]

Any bullet that will make it to the boiler will kill a deer. Even in a big deer the ribs are kind of puny and shatter easily making for extra shrapnel/damage inside. My only .223 deer was a shot to the head with a 45 gr. HP (definitely NOT recommended as suitable for deer by anyone). Target of oportunity, absolute faith in the equipment, comfortable in abilities and accepting of the limitations of what I had.

If for some reason I was forced to shoot a deer with a bullet I know would probably not expand, I think I would be more comfortable shooting in a front quartering angle becaue I would prefer to take the shoulder out on my way to the heart and slow down a critter that will probably give me no or very little blood trail. Neck would be chancy with a FMJ but would work well with just about any SP or HP. Head is a winner as long as you know exactly where to disconnect the brain and you/your equipment are accurate enough.