.223 Remington for Handgun Silhouette?

[Carter]

Just wanting to get some feedback from anyone who's shot handgun silhouette with .223 Rem. and out of a short barrel (e.g., Contender 10" or 14").

I'd like to go play with the big boys and happen to have a 10" .223 Rem. for my Contender pistol, and with it, I'd be ready to go as opposed to having to go find a new barrel in a different caliber plus a new set of dies for reloading.

[Lone Star]

What kinds of silhouette are shot in your area?  The .223 is not legal for Field Pistol/Hunters Pistol, but it is for long range shooting.  It may work well for half-sized silhouettes but will be strained for full-size targets.  It can work if you don't mind ringing a target once and awhile - heavier bullets (60-grains plus) help.  Years ago I shot with a guy who used a 10" .221 XP100 and he scored pretty well on the full-size targets.  He'd lose a few and had to shoot the pigs and rams above body center to knock them down - but he had a lot of fun.  That's what it's all about anyhow.  I say go for it and see if you like it.  Then the fun of buying new barrels begins.....




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[Nobade]

I think you will discover that a 223 will tear up the chickens and not knock over the pigs or rams. I do not allow anyone to shoot the targets at our range with high velocity 22s beacuse of excessive damage to the chickens. If you do shoot that gun in a match, talk with the match director first to make sure it is allowed and watch the targets for damage.

[Lone Star]

Shooting the 70-grain Speer should solve the problem of target damage (ca. 2400 fps MV) and it will help on ringing the mammals particularly if you hit them high.  This bullet is short enough to stabilize in the 1:12" twist barrels at 10" velocities, and has more momentum than the 55-grain FMJ does on pigs and rams.  Not the perfect solution certainly, but with the OP's givens it's not a bad one either.



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[Steve P]

I shot a 12" Hunter barrel for a couple of years.  I used the 50gr ballistic tip on chickens so I would not crater them.  I used a 55 grain Winchester bulk bullet for pigs thru rams.  I shot both half scale and full size out to 200 meters.  I had to take the rams in the upper half to reliably take them over.  Never rang any, but sure watch some go over slow. 

I did not shoot this in state or regional matches as I had better guns.  I used this one for practice mostly.  I do know of ranges in my area where the 55 grain bullets would NOT take over rams.  Another reason I did not take it with me to shoot there. 

The prior posts did mention use of the heavier bullets.  I did not try them, but a buddy of mine is using a 62gr bullet that he is making.  He is doing fine in half scale and has left a few full size rams, but he is center punching everything.  Full size rams have a "dead zone" just below dead center.  If you hit them there, they will not fall, thus the ringing rams.  If you can hit the half scale rams, you can center punch the full size rams in the head no problem. 

Go have a blast.  You can do it.

Steve