Thread: what would 223 fmj do to small game ?

so i was thinking i'd like a 17hmr or such but i really cant afford it and the 223 which soft point rounds rips the rabbits up to much it just makes a mess. anyway was wondering if fmj would be a cheaper option (as i wouldn't have to buy another rifle) as it should theoretically not make so much of a mess ?

would certainly make less mess than frangeable projectiles

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Drills straight through them.
You need to head shoot if you are wanting to recover the bunnies.

doesn't make too much mess but they get very dead. no hopping around in circles for a few seconds

Originally Posted by cambo

Drills straight through them.
You need to head shoot if you are wanting to recover the bunnies.

agree head shots are the way to go if your gun presently wont group good enough to head shoot rabits then you need to do some serious woork

Yes definately go for the FMJ's but remember to have a solid backdrop as they will richochet on occasions, I used some on goats so that I could recover more meat but they ran a little more than usual but luckily Ididn't lose any.Carry a few hollows or soft ponts if you're hunting near where there's deer.---""Success favours the prepared mind""
Phil.

I have shot a fair number of bunnys and goats with .223 norinco match fmj (anybody got some they want to sell?) and have been happy with the results when the round has gone where I intended.
Have also tried hornady fmj but it seemed to not be as effective on goats but worked fine on bunnys. Maybe it tumbles differently?

yes I load them, there a little bit better, but coming for a .223 still not great. but like the others say, head shooting is best.

223 : bunnies and hares
40 or 53 gn Vmax


Deer and goats
53 or 55 gn targex

Both with AR2206H

Overlapping groups at 150

Should be more than accurate enough to head job ... Or for goats to neck shot ...

Tim

The Norc Fmj performs like M193 - yaws and fragments with sufficient impact velocity. Have seen it kill goats well.

It made be worth looking at using some reduce loads if you wish to recover the rabbits that you shoot with the 223

As above ... just watch out for ricochets though ... I would assume twice as likely to continue on for up to 800 yards.
Keep safe ... oh yeah ... save up to buy an HMR ... you will NEVER regret owning one. Keep safe. Gunzrrr

On that topic, I shot a rabbit thru the chest at 150 yds the other day, and the targex HP53 went straight thru. .... I know coz the round plowed a furrow behind the animal ...

The Vmax 40/ 53 rips the front chassis to bits and leaves a massive exit wound at the same range ...

So definitely be careful in considering zone behind the target.


Tim

Originally Posted by kiwi39

On that topic, I shot a rabbit thru the chest at 150 yds the other day, and the targex HP53 went straight thru. .... I know coz the round plowed a furrow behind the animal ...

The Vmax 40/ 53 rips the front chassis to bits and leaves a massive exit wound at the same range ...

So definitely be careful in considering zone behind the target.

Tim

As we should no matter what the pill, you may miss

Originally Posted by Gibo

As we should no matter what the pill, you may miss

quite right too ...