80gr in the .223

[thecowboyace]

Has anyone ever used this bullet in their NEF firearm?  Or any other firearm that has the same twist and same length barrel as the standard .223 barrel NEF puts out?

Thinking about loading these out for deer and coyote.  We have fairly small deer around here so I don't think that I would have a problem with the caliber/wt combo because I dont' take any shot that ain't a good one.

[Major]

I don’t have a .223 Handi but I have heard that none of the Handi’s do well with the heavier bullets in any caliber.   I am sure others will add more here as time goes on.
 
As for a .223 for deer, it is not allowed in most states, including mine so check your hunting regs carefully.

[handirifle]

The 223 is legal in CA.  As for heavy bullets, the Sierra 63gr seems to get a good report.

[mjbgalt]

LOL

and people keep asking is .243 is enough for deer. LOL

[thecowboyace]

The .243 is plenty for deer in my part of the country.  Heck, they aren't much bigger than a great dane for the most part.

[Major]

I am not saying a .223 won't do the job, just make sure it is legal in your location because it isn't in lots of places.

[MtJerry]

Heavier bullet is good for big game, but NOT in the small caliber like the .223.

You will find that the MOST ACCURATE rounds out of a 1-12 twist .223 will be in the 40-55 grain range.

I have a load worked up for a 63gr. bullet in the .223, but it is not NEARLY as accurate as the 55gr. loads I have.

And i doubt seriously will get a bullet of that weight to stabilze for any shot over 50 yards.

[TimJ]

I shot a few Federal 60 gr Noslers just to see what they would do and they would make an "in a pinch" 100 yard load in my Handi, at best. They didn't shoot real well, maybe 3 to 4 inches and my gun will shot better then that. I suppose this would make you keep the shots close. I can't believe a heavier bullet would do any better.

Tim

[safetysheriff]

I believe you're headed in the wrong direction with that bullet weight.    It'll be too slow out of a .223 to open up the bullet quickly -- like you want for a deer cartridge...let alone the problem of stabilizing such a bullet at that velocity with a 1-in-12 twist rate.     Sure, it need not open as quickly as a varminting bullet does in most cases, but still......it is desireable to open the bullet relatively quickly to cut the largest 'permanent wound channel' in that kind of an animal.    Bullets that open slowly in such an animal seem to invite longer tracking jobs unless placed into the central nervous system......from what I've seen and heard.

I've seen 55 and 60 gr' Hornady spire points ( a heavy-duty-type varmint bullet ) used with great success on whitetail deer of up to 225 lbs (?) out to maybe 150 yds'.     And significantly larger deer have been dropped at shorter ranges.     The 60 gr' spire point is Hornady's bullet for deer out of their .22-250 facotory load and is good out of a .223 from where I've seen it used in handloads   Oftentimes deer hit by these bullets drop immediately -- right where they stand.    None of the landowners I've loaded for have seen a deer go 100 yds' when properly hit by one of these rounds.     Then again, Hornady seems to make a good bullet.

Good hunting,

SS'

[Doubletap]

The 80 gr. Sierra is designed for match shooting.  I use it in my AR for the long range (600 yard) leg in high power matches, but it will require at least a 1-8" twist to stabilize it, this out of a 20" barrel.  
  Doubt you would find it to work really well as a game bullet, they tend to either pencil through or open up relatively fast.  
  For a deer load try the Winchester 60 gr. power point load.  Used it in an AR about 3 years ago for culling.  Works OK on broadside chest shots on animals up to a couple hundred pounds.  Forget raking shots from any angle though.  It doesn't have enough mass to go through the paunch on even small (100 lbs dressed weight) deer.
  Years ago I used the 63 gr. Sierra in an AR.  It was adequate but a bit soft, as Sierra's tend to be.  The nosler partition or Barnes X would be a much better choice.

[v8r]

I think that bullet is probably a bit heavy for a.223,put it in a 22-250 case and it would make a great deer round. :grin:

[thecowboyace]

I guess that I will need to carry both of them around, the .223 with some mixtures right now of 52,53,55gr HP, SP and shoot up the 100 rounds or so of them and then then .243 with a bullet in the 90grain mark for it.

I am still looking for an article concerning load development.  talks of starting out at the minimum load working ones way up to maximum load watching for pressure signs and such.  Talks about, say 40 grain first load for 5 -10 rds, then jump up 5%, until max reach.  Then examine all of the targets.  When shooting these, you just shoot them and then you take them home to examine them.  You look for stringing, closure of groups,  From what I remember, there will usually be a couple of 'good' loads, or decent rather.  Then you load each of the 3 but you will have a total of 5 powder charges for ONE decent powder load.  LIke 33grains good.  You load some at 32.0, 32.5, 33.0, 33.5,34.0, one can use .3 or .5 in the workup.  Small total weights use the .3 and the larger cases .5gr measurement.  Shoot them and take them home and measure them out.

I almost have a reloading bench to take to the range but don't want to show off my butt there.  Of course when you start working on tweaking the OAL, it would be easier to take the bench to the range for this.

Can someone point me in that direction?

[safetysheriff]

go to www.rifleshootermag.com ;  or go to www.riflemagazine.com   which are two different sites with some good articles.    

get a library card for a good source of books.    

got to www.findarticles.com and put "handloading" in as your search item.   use the search function on your computer to do the same.  

also put in some names of authors or cartridge designations such as ".44 magnum".   you'll come up with a lot.

Buy a Speer or Hornady reloading manual and study/use it regularly.

[thecowboyace]

Well, I am going to just stick with 40 grain VMax in the .223 and either 85-95 grain VMax or Gameking in the .243.  As light as they are one can keep both in one's stand.

[Deadeye47]

I shot a few molycoated  Boattailed 70 some odd grain high dollar bullets that a buddy gave me to try in my handi and I couldn't tell where I was hitting at 50 yards....I moved the target in to about 25 yards and the bullets were keyholing at 25YARDS!!  :shock:  Nope I don't use um in my handi... :roll: Believe it or don't.... Wolf 62gr. :eek:  shoots pretty dern good in my Handi.... :oops:

[thecowboyace]

I figured that the 80 grain would have really been pushing it but I wanted to see if it might be worth it.  Actually 95 grains is a pushing the .243 in its own right.

As I said, I think that I will go with one of the light A-Max or the new, might not be on market to public yet, but it is "A/danged it I don't remember the next alpha figure......   A/?Max.  It is a combination of the AMax and another bullet design.

Supposed act like a mixer once it gets inside the body.

[handirifle]

think that bullet is probably a bit heavy for a.223,put it in a 22-250 case and it would make a great deer round.

I find this interesting, since most 22-250's also have a 1-12 twist rate as well.

[thecowboyace]

think that bullet is probably a bit heavy for a.223,put it in a 22-250 case and it would make a great deer round.[/quote]I find this interesting, since most 22-250's also have a 1-12 twist rate as well.

Now that is something that I don't understand.  The 22-250 can handle that heavy bullet where as the .223 cannot.  Is it the velocity/CUP s/ignition and its making the bullet jump, rather slam into the lands and making it 'grab hold and start spinning like a top' or what?

Answers, please.

[Donaldo]

Stabilizing a bullet is a function of both velocity and twist rate.  Given the 1/12  twist of the 223 and a lot of 22-250's, the 22-250 will probably stabilize the marginal bullet better than the 223 due to the higher velocity of the 22-250.  If you want the definitive rate of twist on a particular weight of bullet, go to Berger Bullets web site.  They specify the suggested twist rate for each and every one of their bullets.  IMHO, you don't get any better than Berger Bullets.

[thecowboyace]

Thanks for the mention of the Berger site.