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Author Topic: is there a good .223 bullet for close range deer?  (Read 1103 times)

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Offline thelaw

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range deer?
« on: October 18, 2004, 12:36:21 PM »
i plan on taking my son deer hunting this season. he will be hunting with a nef .223. while i personally like something bigger, everyone i know tells me for close in shooting (like 50yards, which is about the max he will be shooting off a rest) that the .223 will do fine as long as it is a behind the shoulder shot. he is a small frame kid and i really don't want him to get recoil shy. the deer we will be hunting, typically weight around 100lbs. i'm in law enforcement and do have a supply of remington 62gr. HP match ammo and winchester 55gr. ranger soft point ammo. will these suffice? i want to use the best bullet possible. also, i handload, but for this season i'm looking at factory loads for my sons hunt. any suggestions?
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Offline MSP Ret

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2004, 12:47:09 PM »
Don't use the HP Match ammo for any hunting you would not use a solid or full jacketed bullet for (it acts like military ball ammo). The HP in match ammo is not to expand but to insure accuracy, it does not expand at all. Besides that, most .223 shooters here state the 62 grain is to heavy to stabilize well with the Handi's twist.  The 55 grain SP might even be a bit heavy, but try it by shooting it at hunting ranges (you should be fine at 50 yards) to familiarize your son with it and you should be good to go. You should be able to keep at least 2" groups at 50 yards with the 55 grain stuff, if so, then do it and good luck, hope your son gets one, and you also....<><....:grin:

If the 55 grain stuff you have just does not shoot well for you and you want some great inexpensive hunting ammo try the 40 round white box "value pack" 45 grain Winchester ammo at Walmart. Make sure they don't sell you the 55 grain solids. It's cheap and the 45 grains hunting stuff shoots GREAT!!!....
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Offline foxcaller

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bullets
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2004, 03:41:12 PM »
If you must go with the 223, try Winchesters 64 grain Power Point or Noslers 60 grain Partition. The Winchester can be had in factory loads, the Nosler will have to be reloaded.
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Offline Fred M

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2004, 03:48:45 PM »
thelaw
I agree with the 55gr SP bullets in either Win or Rem brand. I think they will do much better than 2" at 50yrds. Years ago I killed two deer with 55gr SP bullets out of a 22-250 Varmint rifle. Shot in the head they dropped on the spot. Have the kid shoot for the head if he can but through the ribs is fine too. Good luck.
Fred M.
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Fred M.
From Alberta Canada.

Offline muzzleblast525

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.223
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2004, 04:37:54 PM »
Don't use the LE .223 for hunting.  We shoot the same bullets at work, and these are for rapid expansion to ensure "no pass-thru."  With that said, one of the guys I work with bought a Rossi .223 for his girls to hunt with, and he has actually hunted with it and killed a hog last week off my stand.  Hog took one shot behind the shoulder at about 45 yards, 55g Softpoint.  No exit wound and hog only ran about 20 yards.  He did kill two deer with it last year, furthest one at 100 yards.  Again, one shot behind the shoulder.

Last year I hunted with my 22-250, shot three deer with 50g Nosler BT.  All deer were between 100-115 yards and all were one shot kills, all behind the shoulder.  

Good Luck!
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Offline thelaw

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2004, 04:49:03 AM »
well, i'd be for the .243 with 80grainers if i thought the recoil wouldn't be too bad. i'ver plugged some numbers in to the recoil calulator found on shortmags.org and after entering in numbers from several of my reloadin manuals i come up with roughly 3.5-4ftl lbs.  of recoil for the 223 TO 9-10ft.lbs. of recoil for the .243. is 10ft. lbs. too much. my son is 6yr. old and weighs about 40lbs. i don't want him to get thumped too much.
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Offline Mac11700

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Re: bullets
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2004, 07:37:49 AM »
Quote from: foxcaller
If you must go with the 223, try Winchesters 64 grain Power Point or Noslers 60 grain Partition. The Winchester can be had in factory loads, the Nosler will have to be reloaded.


thelaw:


Actually...this isn't true...you can buy factory Federal  Premium Vital-Shock loaded with the great   60 grain Nosler Partion....they are running around $14.97 a box from  Here....http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=147245

or if you would prefere a Trophy Bonded Bear Claw for $18.97 a box...look Here...http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=147244

The Missouri Dept of Conservation recommends for their Youth Hunts the Handi in 223...and from the results of using these bullets at moderate ranges...they haven't had any problems...and if I were to use a 223 for deer hunting at moderate ranges these  would be my choice of ammo...either factory...or handloads...provided I got reasonable accuracy from them...


Now while I don't hunt deer with a 223...and I know a bunch of folks don't even consider this a viable gun to use... but if used properly...at a 100 yards or less...and using a  properly contructed bullet that was meant for penatration not rapid expansion,or a match bullet...I don't see why it shouldn't work just fine...

Mac
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Offline DanielWGriggs

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2004, 09:30:23 AM »
Next year work up a good reload using the barnesX bullet in 50 grain. The load I use for cull work leaves the muzzel at 2900fps with sub moa groups at 100yds. They have never run off the 11 acre's we protect.
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Offline Donaldo

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2004, 06:34:41 PM »
Either Sierra or Speer has a 224 bullet made for deer hunting and also have loading data for that specific bullet.  Check out their sites.  Can't recall the name of the bullet but think it is 60 or 62 grains and is constructed to expand properly in a deer size animal.
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Offline MtJerry

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2004, 04:20:08 AM »
Donaldo is correct ...

I have a load worked up for my handi that is using the Sierra 63gr SP with IMR 4895 powder that is getting just under 1" groups at 100 yards.  Velocity is about 2700 at the muzzel.  Sierra reloading manual stated that this bullet was specifically designed for the 1-12 twist barrel like the Handi has.

I can post the load if interested.

I would suspect it would work EXTREMELY well for shots on deer under 100 yards.
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Offline thelaw

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2004, 09:46:12 AM »
mtjerry,

please post the load.
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Offline MtJerry

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is there a good .223 bullet for close range
« Reply #11 on: October 21, 2004, 10:27:32 AM »
Here is a cut and past from a previous post I made:

As promised, here are the loads that have been the best for my .223 Handi. Notice that all of them are based on IMR 4895 powder.

40gr. Hornady V-MAX
CCI 400
26.0gr. IMR 4895 Best group was .610
Winchester Brass
COL 2.200

55gr. Hornady SP
CCI 400
25.4gr. IMR 4895 Best group was .444
Winchester Brass
COL 2.200

63gr. Sierra SP
CCI 400
23.9gr. IMR 4895 Best group was .910
Winchester Brass
COL 2.250

I hope this is helpful to someone .....
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