Thread: .223 for the Roar

Here's the choices with my new (to me) CZ527:
(Has a 20 inch barrel with 1:12 so this is what I came up with below

70 grain Speer at 2730 fps

55 grain Hornady at 3024 fps

45 grain TSX at 3454 fps

Which would you use on stags at 10 metres to 100 metres...

Will the 70s stabalize in a 1-12 twist ?
Are these Chrono'd speeds ?

Originally Posted by kiwi-adam

Will the 70s stabalize in a 1-12 twist ?
Are these Chrono'd speeds ?

Yes, the Speer 70 grainers stablise (enough for a one inchish group) they are a semi-round nose design and so shorter than what you might think. I read somewhere they were designed for deer in the .223 and to stabilise in the 1:12 barrels of the day. (They will stablise in some .222's as well)

All are chronographed velocities (with a tested accurate chrony)

Id use a 308!
No field experience personally with 223 on rutting stags. But from what I've heard the tsx would be the pick?

Originally Posted by Hunty1

Id use a 308!
No field experience personally with 223 on rutting stags. But from what I've heard the tsx would be the pick?

With the shortage and of powders and bullets, the .223 is the only thing I can afford to run.

I really rate the 50grn TTSX in the .223 so cant see the 45grn being much worse.... if you think of it as a .243/270 with slower cup n core load you wont go far wrong.

The 70gr will not stabilize in a 12 twist. Or very unlikely to. I certainly wouldn't be using them.

Try a 62gr pill instead

Out of the pills you have listed, a 55gr will work with proper placement.
I have used 55gr SP Hornady with good success.
But placement is critical. You need to be very familiar with your rifle and the way it shoots those pills.

Originally Posted by cambo

The 70gr will not stabilize in a 12 twist. Or very unlikely to. I certainly wouldn't be using them.

Try a 62gr pill instead

Out of the pills you have listed, a 55gr will work with proper placement.
I have used 55gr SP Hornady with good success.
But placement is critical. You need to be very familiar with your rifle and the way it shoots those pills.

Hi Cambo - the 70 grain Speer does stablise in a 1:12 twist - it was designed as one of the first deer specific-bullets made for the .223, and they all had 1:12 twists then. (I have found it will stablise in some 1:14 twists as well, depending on the rifle. A Sako Vixen did - a BSA Majestic did not.)

Sorry, I may not have been clear - the loads I listed here are not speculative - I have already confirmed that they shoot into an inch or less and at the chronographed velocities I have listed. The question is, which load do you think is best to shoot a big deer - in the right place- with at 12 metres.

Originally Posted by cambo

The 70gr will not stabilize in a 12 twist. Or very unlikely to. I certainly wouldn't be using them.

Try a 62gr pill instead

Out of the pills you have listed, a 55gr will work with proper placement.
I have used 55gr SP Hornady with good success.
But placement is critical. You need to be very familiar with your rifle and the way it shoots those pills.

The 70 grn Speer do stabilise. That is what they were designed for - slow twist barrels. In fact they will stabilise in a 1/14. They will work fine. Note: Just looked back and JD has said this.

Any of those bullets will work. Careful atlas joint shot/neck shot.
With the 70 speer especially I would be ok with a crease/lung shot too. I would keep away from the main shoulder mass.

You will know this, but if you shoot a stag in the lungs don't chase him. Just let him wonder off and die. It will happen quite quickly and humanly and he won't go far. Chase him and his adrenaline can take him a long way.

Originally Posted by Tahr

The 70 grn Speer do stabilise. That is what they were designed for - slow twist barrels. In fact they will stabilise in a 1/14. They will work fine. Note: Just looked back and JD has said this.

Any of those bullets will work. Careful atlas joint shot/neck shot.
With the 70 speer especially I would be ok with a crease/lung shot too. I would keep away from the main shoulder mass.

You will know this, but if you shoot a stag in the lungs don't chase him. Just let him wonder off and die. It will happen quite quickly and humanly and he won't go far. Chase him and his adrenaline can take him a long way.

Thanks for that Tahr. In the bush I dont like looking for things and I am threading shots through supplejack. I am liable to take a neck shot first, a high shoulder shot second (to drop him and then hit him again if I have to) and a lung shot after that. On a lung shot or a front on shot, when I used to smoke I would have a roll up before I went looking... I have also used a liver shot in the past when it was all I could see, which will also drop them right there, but will need a follow up.

I am conflicted about either using the 70 grain or the high velocity 45 grain TSX. That's the problem with the .22 centrefires - so many accurate loads and interesting bullets.

Just use your 9.3 . ... .

It's giving me a headache whenever I press the button

Nothing wrong with a 223, just take your time and place your shot.
Dropped plenty of deer with a 223 in the late 80s and early 90s back in the day when 100m was a long range shot. 55gr and 50gr soft points was standard ammo then.

The Barnes 45 gr should do the job, so long as you take out the vitals they won't go far and penetration should be good.

I'd go with the 70gr if it was me.... however the 55gr Hornady is well proven to work also tho I would be reluctant to bust a big stag fair in the shoulder with one.