# Heavy .223 Bullets



## UPhiker (Jul 13, 2008)

Does anyone have any experience with 60+gr bullets in the .223 for deer hunting? I'm mainly interested in the Winchester 64gr Powerpoint, 60gr Nosler Partition and the Corbon 62gr DPX. I'm not concerned with lighter varmint bullets or the heavier Match HPBT's.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

Years ago I had an ar15. I shot a deer with it (lung shot) deer ran off. Followed a very poor blood trail, deer quit bleeding. That is 1 of 2 deer I have lost in 30 yrs. I sold it shortly after.........I would not use ANY .223 bullet for deer.


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## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

UPhiker said:


> Does anyone have any experience with 60+gr bullets in the .223 for deer hunting? I'm mainly interested in the Winchester 64gr Powerpoint, 60gr Nosler Partition and the Corbon 62gr DPX. I'm not concerned with lighter varmint bullets or the heavier Match HPBT's.


The 5.56 was never designed or meant to be a large game rifle cartridge/bullet. It was *solely* meant to kill humans at relatively close range *with multiple hits from a light weight low recoil fully automatic military weapon.* There are far, far better deer killing cartridges than the 5.56/.223. Can you kill a deer with a 5.56/.223 - of course. Given the proper motivation you could probably kill an elephant with a butter knife - but there are far, far better ways to accomplish this end. *Exactly why do you want to go deer hunting with a .223 when there are time proven cartridges that are much better deer killers going back to the 19th. century*? Have gone thru this sort of thing numerous times at my gun club and it always strikes me that those who choose the 5.56/.223 to take deer hunting are more enamored with the cartridge and their black rifles then they are with actually hunting deer and making a clean kill. And for what it's worth I have a "black rifle", love to shoot it and I shoot it a lot but if I ever go deer hunting again it would be with my Ruger #1 45/70 and not with my DPMS .223. This 19th. century - nearly 140 years old - 45/70 black powder cartridge is a far, far better deer killer than any late 20th. century high velocity small grain .22 caliber military round. Deer hunting - IMO - should be more about hunting deer and less about what one actually chooses kill the deer with - there is a profound difference.


Hoppe's no.10


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## jarome477 (Dec 28, 2009)

only tried it once but no promblem at all with the 64 grain winchester. rightn behind front shoulder some thing to think about:idea::idea:


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## rotty (Jan 22, 2003)

recommend the 70gr Barnes
loaded by silver state armory they have been getting excellent reviews on deer kills.
read more here :Barnes 70gr deer success story

I have a factory new box of them I want to off load, let me know if your interested.


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## UPhiker (Jul 13, 2008)

Rotty and Jarome- Thank you. That's just what I was looking for.
Swampbuck, what kind of bullet were you using?
9mmHP-Thanks for the editorial. It all depends on the size of the deer, the bullet's construction and the shooter's ability.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I dont know it was probably 20 years ago.......They were the heaviest .223 available then. Most likely remington, as that is pretty much what I have always used. Dont get me wrong a deer can be killed with a .22 in the right circumstances. That was the only deer I ever shot with that caliber and I would not take one hunting for anything bigger than a coyote ever again. I have become a firm believer in "use enough gun" for me that is a .30 cal (.308). I plan to buy a black gun in that caliber in the next couple years.​


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## UPhiker (Jul 13, 2008)

It's not going to be my primary gun. I have a .308 Rem M-7 for that. I just figured since I have the gun already, it can be my emergency backup and I want the best bullets possible for it.


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## thelastlemming (Sep 11, 2009)

I've never shot a deer with a .223 I believe the conventional wisdom that deer hunting rounds start at around .243 Winchester at the minimum. I could be wrong.. but I just read the Barnes link posted by rotty. The two main success story's involve a guy whom makes a 75 yard shot on a deer running at full speed, and a guy shooting a deer with his .223 at 380 yards! IMO those are not the kind of "sportsman" that I would look to for advice on a deer round.


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## MIBIGHNTR (Aug 27, 2002)

Have heard lots of good results on PROPERLY placed shots using the various Barnes bullets. I have also read good reviews of the new 62gn Federal Fusion bullets.

Personally, I just picked up a 6.8 upper and will be running the new Barnes 95gn TTSX at close to 3000fps for whitetail. Will essentially be .270 Win performance in an AR platform.

Mark


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## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

jarome477 said:


> only tried it once but no promblem at all with the 64 grain winchester. rightn behind front shoulder some thing to think about:idea::idea:


And if you had been a bit off and hit a heavy shoulder bone - something to think about. To be redundant - there are far, far better cartridges to kill a deer with than a high velocity, low weight .223. Curious - what is the largest "big game" animal that you would not *purposefully* go after with a .223/5.56 - black bear, elk, moose and what is the definitive determining factor for your answer? What is the maximum range that you would shoot a deer size animal with a .223/5.56 in a hunting as opposed to a "bench rest" controlled situation? In other words what in your admittedly "only tried it once" experience is the limit of the .223/5.56 as a *big game cartridge* in terms of terminal killing power vs. weight/bone structure of quarry? Just curious. 

Hoppe's no.10


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## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

UPhiker said:


> Rotty and Jarome- Thank you. That's just what I was looking for.
> Swampbuck, what kind of bullet were you using?
> 9mmHP-Thanks for the editorial. It all depends on the size of the deer,


It was hardly an editorial. In spite of many who post on here: Choosing the right combination of firearm, caliber/gauge, shot size/bullet weight etc. is about 98 % *common sense* and about 2% "rocket science." 

I'd no longer purposefully choose a .223/5.56 cartridge to hunt big game with than I'd purposefully choose a .22 rimfire to defend my life with - regardless of my skill, choice of bullet or the weight/size of my transgressor/quarry. There are a host of *better* choices out there - go for them and pick something *truly* suitable for the job at hand. 

Hoppe's no.10


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## flinch (Aug 10, 2003)

If you are looking into this because you want to use an AR, consider picking up a new upper in a more suitable caliber. I just bought a new upper for deer hunting this year in 6.8 spc.


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## SuperSeal110 (Dec 6, 2003)

These topics heat up quickly. Some ppl are for it and some don't approve it. The people who don't approve and say it doesn't work are people who never tried it or made a bad shot from the past.

53gr TSX, 55gr TSX, 62gr TSX, 64gr PP, 70gr TSX, 75gr SSII's are all excellent choice and I would recommend them. I personally use 75gr Swift, but I know a lot of people running 62gr TXS is EXCELLENT results.

I've shot a handful of deer with a .223 and .223ai and NEVER had a problem. ALL have been ONE shot. Most traveled less then 25yds after being hit. All the shots were lung shots. Use a good bullet and you won't have a problem. 

I've killed deer with .223/.223ai from 50yds to 380yds.

Shot placement is the key, but shot placement is the key for ANY caliber.

Make a bad shot with ANY caliber and you're going to have a wounded deer running around or dying somewhere else.

75gr Swift blew half the heart off and turned the lungs into a red creamy soup. This guy didn't go far after the shot.


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## MIBIGHNTR (Aug 27, 2002)

SuperSeal110 said:


> These topics heat up quickly. Some ppl are for it and some don't approve it. The people who don't approve and say it doesn't work are people who never tried it or made a bad shot from the past.
> 
> 53gr TSX, 55gr TSX, 62gr TSX, 64gr PP, 70gr TSX, 75gr SSII's are all excellent choice and I would recommend them. I personally use 75gr Swift, but I know a lot of people running 62gr TXS is EXCELLENT results.
> 
> ...


SS - Are you running the Swift Sciroccos??


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## 9mm Hi-Power (Jan 16, 2010)

UPhiker said:


> It all depends on the size of the deer... .


Just out of curiosity what size deer *wouldn't* you shoot with a .223/5.56? Can't imagine any size deer I wouldn't shoot with anything from a .243 to a 45/70 and most everything in between.

Hoppe's no.10


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## UPhiker (Jul 13, 2008)

9mm Hi-Power said:


> It was hardly an editorial. In spite of many who post on here: Choosing the right combination of firearm, caliber/gauge, shot size/bullet weight etc. is about 98 % *common sense* and about 2% "rocket science."
> 
> I'd no longer purposefully choose a .223/5.56 cartridge to hunt big game with than I'd purposefully choose a .22 rimfire to defend my life with - regardless of my skill, choice of bullet or the weight/size of my transgressor/quarry. There are a host of *better* choices out there - go for them and pick something *truly* suitable for the job at hand.
> 
> Hoppe's no.10


You're right, it wasn't an editorial. It was a lecture and you're NOT my Dad! You're all hot-and-bothered about the caliber. That means nothing without the correct bullets. Your high and mighty 9mm SUCKS with FMJ's. Put a good +P JHP in it and it makes a decent manstopper. Same with the .223. It's just like hunting with a bow, blackpowder or a single shot. It adds to the challenge and makes you really choose your shot. I've shot highpower at the state team level and know that I can place my shot. Sorry if you don't have that ability.


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## SuperSeal110 (Dec 6, 2003)

Yes, I'm running Swift Sciroccos.


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## UPhiker (Jul 13, 2008)

Thanks SuperSeal, that's all the info I need. I'll probably go with the 64gr PP or 62gr TSX (DPX) since I got out of reloading because I hated it.


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

I guess I look at it like this...a .223 with any bullet is infinitely more lethal than any arrow ever loosed - and people kill a few hundred thousand deer with archery tackle every year.

I've shot dozens of deer with a .223 and 55 grn. V-Max's furthest one traveled was about 30yds and I watched her tip over. All the rest dropped at the shot - lung/high shoulder. I'm going to load a few 55 & 62 gr TSX this summer for deer - I'ver heard good things about both.

Shot placement & patience, just like with any weapon.


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