Thread: What bullet for 223 and goats?

Originally Posted by madmaori

so youre saying a 223 is overkill for goats and he would be better off using a slug gun??!

?? NO idea how you came to that conclusion.

A .223 is def "adequate" as a chambering for goats as long as you don't try Texas heart shots at 300yds, etc
As Beetroot says, you don't need a bigger banger for the job. I've shot literally hundreds with various guns and within 150 yds, they don't drop any better to big guns than a decent shot with a .223 which is now my go-to tool for the job.

If you are shooting goat\small deer sized game use a soft point projectile. If you are shooting rabbits or wallabies use a frangable hollow point or plastic tipped projectile. If you are shooting big stags use a barnes or a bigger caliber. Brand is a lot less important than projectile type although Sierra are awesome.

speer 50 or 52grn hps work great on wallabies of similar size and density and are cheap enough to be handy.

Thats Good Info @mickey Duck as those Walla-bouncy-things are resilient little buggers.

I'm going to try a few of these given that info and put aside a few for a Okataina mission. Thanks for the heads up!

Originally Posted by northdude

Was using core lokts but the supply has stopped so switching to these probably the same bullet they work well in the 222

Bought a pile of those a while back and aboouut ready to load em finally. Roughly how much and what sort of powder were you putting behind them?

Those bulk buy Hornady 55gr SP/WC are hard to beat for the price, haven't had any problems with kill effect or accuracy in my Mod 7 223. Velocity in the 20 inch barrel is only 3070 fps but they work well. As said before most 55gr bullets work so long as they aren't those fragile types or solid.

Originally Posted by Tommy

Bought a pile of those a while back and aboouut ready to load em finally. Roughly how much and what sort of powder were you putting behind them?

hey there im using 21gr 2206h thats safe in my 222 groups well and goats and deer dont like it cci primer and pretty scientific with seating depth i just start a bullet in an unprimed empty case put it in the gun and close the bolt on it then put the case in my press set the seating die up so it just touches the bullet then wind it an 1/8 of a turn down thats what works in this particular rifle

Originally Posted by northdude

hey there im using 21gr 2206h thats safe in my 222 groups well and goats and deer dont like it cci primer and pretty scientific with seating depth i just start a bullet in an unprimed empty case put it in the gun and close the bolt on it then put the case in my press set the seating die up so it just touches the bullet then wind it an 1/8 of a turn down thats what works in this particular rifle

21gr seems quite light?

Pretty much anything will work. 68gr Hornadys and 60gr NBT's are the most consistent bang flop bullets I have seen for use in shorter barrel rifles

Originally Posted by Tommy

21gr seems quite light?

in my book 20 is min and i think 23.5 max which is compressed i dont do compressed loads i load for accuracy not speed shot goats to 230m no probs

just had another look its 21.5gr