Thread: 222 vs 223 on deer

Originally Posted by Tahr

Get real you old buggers. You can load up a .222 to be like a .233, but you can load up a .223 to be like a .243. Stick that in your pipe


.222 is great though. Shot many deer using 50 grain Hertenburger (sp) ammo. But they were not a patch on what you can do with a .223 nowadays using heavy soft projectiles.

.222 and .223 are only close really using factory ammo.

okay but how many hunters reload and are willing to burn their 223 barrel out by supercharging it

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

okay but how many hunters reload and are willing to burn their 223 barrel out by supercharging it

Don't know about the barrel burning, but you make a point. The majority probably use factory ammo and dont do so well with it.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Don't know about the barrel burning, but you make a point. The majority probably use factory ammo and dont do so well with it.

if a young hunter came to me and said I have a choice between a .222 and a .223 what ya reckon 1) what do you want to shoot - well deer and goats pigs - okay no real difference but I suggest a .308 - make a decent hole yuk yuk

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

okay but how many hunters reload and are willing to burn their 223 barrel out by supercharging it

Me

Originally Posted by Nathan F

Me

I heard of a guy that had to replace his Tikka .223 barrel after 14,000 rounds. Must have been the fact it was never cleaned that accounted for the terribly short barrel life…

Bought my Sako Vixen .222 from the NZFS in the early 70's for $180 if my memory is correct. Still got it. Had it re-blued and re-chequered a few years ago and restored the accuracy by cutting an inch off the barrel and recrowned it.
As the NZFS was slow to adopt .223 I bought a Ruger Mini 14 in 1979 and got Din Collins to modify it to fire .222. It was a great rifle (particularly with the large capacity magazines) and surprisingly accurate.

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

okay but how many hunters reload and are willing to burn their 223 barrel out by supercharging it

Loading heavy bullets inside book load data parameters gets you the performance referred to, with no barrel life reduction

Originally Posted by gimp

Loading heavy bullets inside book load data parameters gets you the performance referred to, with no barrel life reduction

okay reloaders who know what they are doing will I dont doubt use loads that will be all okay for their barrel - but my point was that a new shooter who buys factory ammo will not find any real difference in practical terms between .222 and .223 - so if you can buy a sako vixen in .222 and enjoy the best ever made

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

okay reloaders who know what they are doing will I dont doubt use loads that will be all okay for their barrel - but my point was that a new shooter who buys factory ammo will not find any real difference in practical terms between .222 and .223 - so if you can buy a sako vixen in .222 and enjoy the best ever made

A shooter purchasing factory ammo will indeed notice a very distinct difference between .222 and .223 - there is very little .222 ammunition available to purchase unfortunately