.223 ball ammo for critters.

[Mohawk]

How effective are the .223 FMJ ammo on critters, what kind of critters, at close range(within 100yds) what kind of damage do they do?

[oso45-70]

Mohawk.
You may kill a Varmint but i doubt you will find them. The FMJ won't expand and do any damage and he will run off and die. I have heard that you can grind the nose off a little and the will expand some. I repete ( I heard ) and it may be a bunch of bull. Good luck........Joe........

[Mohawk]

I was just curious if they would yaw or tumble. I've never used them on anything other than paper. I've heard they have been used when pelt damage was a concern. I think this was before the fragmenting bullets we have today.

[Jerry Lester]

Like oso45-70 said, they're not a very good hunting bullet at all. I've tried them on foxes, and like you, figured they'd be just the ticket. The foxes do die, but usually after a very fast 100 yard or so run, which inevitably will be through the roughest, most impassable briar patch they can find.

I now use 55g SPs in all my 223 fur loads. My favorite is the Sierra 55g SPs at a muzzle velocity of around 2600-2800 fps. They give plenty of punch for coyotes or bobcats, but only blow a nickel sized exit on foxes most times.

[IntrepidWizard]

I have used Ball 223 on Coyotes and Bobcats for over 30 years and they shudder and fall.

[Bob in TX]

......they also have a tendency to ricochet. I personally won't use them on varmints. They are illegal to use in many states. Just a different side of the coin.......

[Elwood]

I have always used soft points for predators because everyone else does and they do work. I also know that a jackrabit is destroyed by a 55 grain fmj and a cottontail is literally blown in half, makes me wonder about all of this talk about bullets zipping right through.
Elwood

[Lawdog]

IntrepidWizard,

I have used Ball 223 on Coyotes and Bobcats for over 30 years and they shudder and fall.

I am sorry but I have tried many FMJ bullets in different .22 centerfires, from .223 Rem. to .220 Swift, on a number of called in Coyotes and never had them shudder and fall.  They would hump up and before you could get in a second shot they were off running.  And when it comes to ricocheting they have to be the worst bullet no matter what the caliber.  Not the best way to make friends of farmers and ranchers where you would like to hunt.  I know on my property I donÂ’t allow their use.

Elwood,

The FMJ bullets were designed for minimal damage and maximum penetration.  Also as stated they are against the law to use for hunting purposes so check your local hunting laws before using them.  Lawdog
 

[Timberghozt]

I have never used a fmj or a Sierra MKHPBT for any animal or for use when I am calling coyotes.I use a rapid expansive bullet driven at high velocity.I have never dealt in the pelt trade but I have some pics of yotes shot with 40 gr VMax and you cant see an entry wound on any of the animals unless it was pointed out and no exit wounds to damage a pelt.For me it is a matter of ethics of sort.Though I dislike coyotes as a nuisance I do respect them as an adaptable survivor and a worthy opponent in the field to hunt.I wouldn`t shoot a yote with a fmj as I consider anything that wounds or doesn`t bring a quick death to an animal when there are better bullets out there as inhumane.Thats a personal call though and everybody is different....
Good Calling....

[IntrepidWizard]

never called them Dog,but when they are after Farm animals I just shoot and I use ball.

[Glanceblamm]

Pro FMJ Here  :eek:
Yes, the solid, or fmj is a poor preformer. This can be verified by shooting
A coyote through the lungs at under 50yds with a .22LR. You will probably kill it but won't be able to recover it.

Enter The Centerfire Rifle: If you double the bullet weight, you double the energy. But if you double the velocity, you quadruple the energy! velocity kills!

I find this to be especially true when hunting the coyotes. I am using a .22-250 and Hornady's #2267 which is a 55gr fmjbt. My loads published velocity is near 3,700fps. I might be getting a bit more than this as my bullet is seated .010 away from the rifling.

Performance is astounding. It's like an instant lights out effect. I thought I had messed up badly when I took the first couple yotes because they were a bloody mess on the far side. Turns out I had a small hole after all and was probably seeing the result of the yotes body going into a hydroful condition.
This caliber and bullet kills so quickly that I have been tempted to shoot one through the big middle just to see what would happen! (note-tempted)
I always take a humane shot.

Shots At 400yds: At this range my velocity is just above that of a .22WMR.
I have a poor bullet choice not to mention that the bullet is striking 13" below point of aim. I might try this on a groundhog but not on a Coyote.

Shots At 300yds: Time to wait a bit. He is probably not going to (Hang-up) at this distance. He might also bring an unseen friend in with him.

Shots At 225 to 250yds: How is he acting? is he spooked or are his hackels up? If the latter, it is time to pour it on hard with the Challenge call from your open reed. I might go as far as three to five series and heckle the dickens out of him. At this time he is either going to come on in or will be when you go to the distress call.
Several variations here. The shyer female will still love to see a fight but you may have chose to do One Series on your squaller or even something as subtle as your mouse squeaker.

150yds and closer: Time To Shoot. Now I could, "and have" shot these yotes with my bullet choice for the smaller varmints. The Sierra gameking #1390 which is a HPBT. I quit using these as being too destructive. Have seen them fail to open which is ok, but have never been lucky enough to have one enter but not exit. Never did have much luck with the soft points either. Is still easy to get a quarter or half dollar hole.
I will continue to use the FMJ but at 250 & under yardages.

[Somerled]

At under 100 yards the FMJ will be moving pretty fast yet. The bullets don't expand but the velocity will still impart some hydrostatic shock. So a FMJ will do better at 100 yards than it would at 300 yards for that reason. But an SP or HP bullet will expand and perform better than a FMJ. Some varmint-weight bullets won't leave an exit hole for pelt hunters. FMJ will drive clear through and make two holes.

As a general rule the white-box FMJ ammunition does not group as well as other ammunition. At ranges past 100 yds. you might just see a cloud of dust when missing a small critter. The FMJ bullets don't break up well. They will sure travel off the side of a rock.

[Elwood]

There are no universal game rules. I know the Arizona game regulations. We are allowed to use full metal jacketed bullets for furbearers  but not big game. The variety of opinions keep the forums quite interesting but we all tend to divide the members into two groups.
1. The geniuses who agree with me.
2. The idiots
The truth of the matter is that most of us fall somewhere in between.
Elwood

[Mohawk]

Amazing the different answers to the same question. Experience, I guess, speaks for itself. I appreciate the answers. In Texas there is no restriction on type of bullet for predators. No seasons, no bag limits, and no caliber restriction.

[prairiedog555]

I use 3006 fmj.  they never move.  I carry a .22 in the truck and have shot a few <100 yd.  and they might not be dead, but they don't run off.
that is my experience.  My friend illegally killed a large buck (stone dead) with a .22.  Judge made him enlist and went to viet nam over it. 
what I mean is there are many variables when dealing with hunting.  this has been my experience.  that might change next trip. 

[skb2706]

With all the better options you have for ammo in a .223 ..why would you use fmj ammo anyway. I don't get it.

I wouldn't  let anyone use them in our pd fields or anywhere around the farm.

[Larry Gibson]

IntrepidWizard,

I have used Ball 223 on Coyotes and Bobcats for over 30 years and they shudder and fall.

I am sorry but I have tried many FMJ bullets in different .22 centerfires, from .223 Rem. to .220 Swift, on a number of called in Coyotes and never had them shudder and fall.  They would hump up and before you could get in a second shot they were off running.  And when it comes to ricocheting they have to be the worst bullet no matter what the caliber.  Not the best way to make friends of farmers and ranchers where you would like to hunt.  I know on my property I donÂ’t allow their use.

Elwood,

The FMJ bullets were designed for minimal damage and maximum penetration.  Also as stated they are against the law to use for hunting purposes so check your local hunting laws before using them.  Lawdog
 

Agree 100% with Lawdog; I've been shooting things with the .223 using fmj bullets since the mid '60s (started in Viet Nam). Called and shot several coyotes, shot lots of rabbits and  rock chucks also with the 5.56 using fmj's. Never had good results with any except when using a 1-14" twist barrel, then it was only so so with close range shots. Never blew any rabbit in two, or even come close, with fmj's. Only found the Speer 55 FMJ (blunt nose) to be somewhat useful.  I also shot numerous critters in Central America with reduced loads (M193 ammo, bullet pulled and powder dumped, powder charge from a .45 ACP or 9mm round substituted, bullet pushed back in and crimped with blasting cap crimpers about 1600 fps) out of M16A1 but they required head shots or a "10X" shot for recovery of dead animal. 

Best to use SPs or HPs for hunting.

Larry Gibson

[Glanceblamm]

This was a great argument that allowed for plenty of discussion.
Tell You What...I still use that Hornady #2267 which is a fmjbt. It still kills like a lightning strike when used at calling ranges and pushed at .22-250 velocitys.