New handi in 223- which ammo works best?

[montveil]

Just got a Handi in 223 and need to practice and zero and then choose ammo for coyotes from 100 out to 200 yards max
Any advice to a new 223 shooter.
thanks

[Daman]

For factory loads, you can't beat Hornady V-max 55 grain. They are pricey for 223, but they are the best factory ammo made IMO.

Daman

[necchi]

Word on the forum is the Winchester White box ammo found at most walmart works well in the handi
However, I got the Varment High Velocity box and they did NOT shoot well in my 1-12 bull, I gave up on ALL factory ammo and started loading with only one regret;
I should have started loading my own 20 years ago! 

[petemi]

Yeah necchi, I shoulda started fifty years ago.  Just gettin goin now.

Is it a new or used Handi?  The old were 1~12 twist and the new are !~9 twist.  It makes a big difference.  You can chuck bigger slugs with the faster 1~9.  The 12 could shoot better with a lighter bullet.  I guess ya gotta try it.

Anyhow, I got a new .223 standard barrel on the new synthetic checkered stock 1~9 twist.  I was in Dunham Sports and they had Wolf 55 gr. FMJs for under 6 bucks a box.  I said, "Self, get some of those".  So I did to get it on paper.  I mounted the scope and bore sighted it.  Plopped a target out stapled to a cardboard box at about 30 yards to get it on paper.  It was there, and a couple of minor adjustments and I put the rifle away.  It was terrible weather.  Figured I'd finish it off later.  A few days later, a Woodchuck shows up on my south field, between 250 and 300 yards off the porch.  For some dumb reason I can't explain, I grabbed the .223 complete with Russian Wolf...stepped out on the porch and let one rip.  Bang..Flop  I'm glad nobody was watching, cause there I am with jaws agape, eyes bulging and tongue hangin out.  This thing isn't even sighted in   Since then, I've made shots on vermin and varmints from 20 to 200 yards and haven't missed anything yet.  Like reloading....why didn't I do this years ago???

Pete

[necchi]

This is my 1st 223,, 2
 Sure is fun too shoot. Interesting thing I discovered,,I put a cheap mil-dot scope on it, onna them from wallyworld, recomended by one of the gents here, cheap enough I figured I'd try it.
 Well I never messed with the "dot's" part till I found a load I liked,,settled on the 55grn Nos B-tip and decided to see what the dot's would do at different ranges with it cranked to the top magnification (wrong, according to the instructions, sposta be at 10X).
Anyway's, what I discovered about the load, is if the main retical is on at 50,,it's on again at 200!      Now I was messin with the dot's for target and ran out of bullets and time, so I didn't get an exact measure at 100, but it was only about an 1.25-1.5 high.
 223,,it's fun ta shoot 

[torpedoman]

for factory loads mine likes the winch. whitebox 45 gr pretty well.

[montveil]

It's new with a 1:9 twist
I ordered 9 brands of 55 grain in FMJ to try. after I JB the bore. I figure after JB and firing over 100 rounds the barrel should be seasoned and I will then choose a hunting round for coyotes etc

[PawPaw]

I'll pick mine up from layaway this weekend.

I've shot a lot of .223/5.56 from military rifles and iron sights.  I'm really interested to see what this one will do with a good set of bags and a decent scope.

I'm hoping it's a lot more accurate than I am.

[montveil]

I see that some literature states 223/5.56 . Mine only is stamped with 223. Can one use surplus ammo in 5.56?

[quickdtoo]

This warning came with mine.

Tim

[v8r]

Mine came with the same warning as Quick's. If the new ones are any different other than twist rate it would be surprising to me. Mine is a 1-12 twist and it shoots the winchester bulk pack stuff really well, and Remington UMC 55grain fmg stuff pretty well. My old NEF .223 that I sold to a buddy would shoot 45 grain federal premium in to a 5 shot group you could cover with a penny at a 100 yards.That thing was a crow vaporizing machine!