Thread: .223: The Ins & Outs of it

Originally Posted by dannyb

I was using a 223 on goats out to 300 yards last week with standard fiocchi 55gn soft points, it was certainly effective and much cheaper to feed than a 243 or 6mm cm
My 2 cents

Bruce uses gucci barnes and noslers. they're up there in price. back when powder was well priced then using a pretty standard projectile a 243 wouldn't be too bad to reload for.

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

What advantage do you perceive in carrying a 223 as opposed to something like a 6mmCM or 243 shooting 100 grains super fast? To me a bigger bullet and larger diameter is always better. both of the 6mm's have a longer effective range and still affordable/able to aquire projectiles.

I only had a 223 as it was cheap shooting in an AR. never seen the point in buying a replacement 223 when they were ban hammered. Never seemed like 223 was effective on goats and pigs but i was using barnaul. @Tahr

Mostly, its the tradition. The meat hunting days and nostalgia for me.

With the 77-80 grn bullets at circa 2.9K in the .223 you are close to 243 performance with half the powder and less noise and fuss. And almost invariably deadly accurate.
And using any .223 bullet you are going to be aware of the energy and range limitations and take more care with the shot placement - that's very satisfying.

And to be honest, when I shoot a deer with the .223 I do feel rather smug.

It's so easy to shoot well from awkward positions, comes in tiny light rifles, and absolutely smokes things with the 75-80gr bullets. What's not to like.

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

Bruce uses gucci barnes and noslers. they're up there in price. back when powder was well priced then using a pretty standard projectile a 243 wouldn't be too bad to reload for.

On deer, yes to the 64 grain Nosler solid base bonded - I have 150 and then they are finished. They went out of production last year.

55 Barnes were good but haven't used them for a couple of years.

One of my .223's is sighted in for the 69grain Targex and thats a good duel load for wallaby and deer.

Mainly use the 77 grain Sierra Tipped on deer now. They are wonderful.

On wallaby Im using what I can get: 69grn Targex (but they are nearly all gone and Targex cant make any more for quite a while because he doesn't have jackets) and 55 grain Sierra GK mainly. Quite a few 52 grain Targex (they are still available).

I have a few hundred 52 ELDM loaded but not used yet, and 300 55 grn Hornady to load.

Great versatile caliber and heaps of fun.

And you don’t need the flash harry high BC heavy .224 bullets either.

A well placed Belmont 62gr softpoint makes a beaut mushroom and red hinds bleed out very quickly or go down DRT if you judge it right and nail the hilar. Just wait for the angle quartering away, tucked in around rib #7 raking across the vitals - unsurvivable. I reload the Belmont / ADI brass with Speer 70gr semi-points and get exactly the same outcome, except the Speer sheds a little more weight.

Just avoid the leg bones… wait for the angle.

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

What advantage do you perceive in carrying a 223 as opposed to something like a 6mmCM or 243 shooting 100 grains super fast? To me a bigger bullet and larger diameter is always better. both of the 6mm's have a longer effective range and still affordable/able to aquire projectiles.

I only had a 223 as it was cheap shooting in an AR. never seen the point in buying a replacement 223 when they were ban hammered. Never seemed like 223 was effective on goats and pigs but i was using barnaul. @Tahr

You’re right. The extra diameter, weight, and speed that a 243 has over a 223 make it a more emphatic killer as far as deer go. Do the numbers on a 243 with a 90gr eldx vs a 223 with a 73gr eldm; the 243 has almost as much energy at 300yd as the 223 at the muzzle. I found that deer hit hard in the chest with a 223 would often run some distance before expiring; not far but far enough to piss me off. Maybe it was the monolithics I was using, and in hindsight I would’ve liked to have tried something like an eldm, I’m sure they would’ve performed better. But there’s no such complication with a 243, just poke a no frills soft point in the boiler room and game over

You are also correct @7.62.

Love my .243....but as many others above have pointed out the .223 can be a deadly, lightweight setup if used within the confines of the cartridge. Like almost every calibre.

Pretty sure @Thar and @gimp know what they are on about.
@gimp I'm sorry if it has been covered before but if you can be bothered could you please give us a run down on that rig?

Would have thought the 69 grain+ bullets rule out the wee Sako Vixen as an action... anyone put a fast twist barrel on a Vixen?

That being said, having both a Rem Model 7 and L461, I'd be very tempted to turn the Rem Model 7 into a 1:7" twist .223AI...

Originally Posted by caberslash

Would have thought the 69 grain+ bullets rule out the wee Sako Vixen as an action... anyone put a fast twist barrel on a Vixen?

That being said, having both a Rem Model 7 and L461, I'd be very tempted to turn the Rem Model 7 into a 1:7" twist .223AI...

My factory Rem M7 stabilises the 69 grn no problem. 1:9 I think.
I use a 1:8 Tikka for 77 grn.

Originally Posted by Preacher

@gimp I'm sorry if it has been covered before but if you can be bothered could you please give us a run down on that rig?

Model 7 stainless action, 18" bartlein 1:8 barrel, dpt mini, Manners EH8 stock, CDI bottom metal with modified Accurate mags allowing long OAL loads, timney trigger. Favourite rifle by far. It has a March 3-24 ffp on it now instead of the Mk4

Cheers for that. I like a lot.

Originally Posted by Tahr

On deer, yes to the 64 grain Nosler solid base bonded - I have 150 and then they are finished. They went out of production last year.

55 Barnes were good but haven't used them for a couple of years.

One of my .223's is sighted in for the 69grain Targex and thats a good duel load for wallaby and deer.

Mainly use the 77 grain Sierra Tipped on deer now. They are wonderful.

On wallaby Im using what I can get: 69grn Targex (but they are nearly all gone and Targex cant make any more for quite a while because he doesn't have jackets) and 55 grain Sierra GK mainly. Quite a few 52 grain Targex (they are still available).

I have a few hundred 52 ELDM loaded but not used yet, and 300 55 grn Hornady to load.

Great versatile caliber and heaps of fun.

The 77 because of the BC? My mate swears by the 55gr Barnes and mates in Auckland scream do not adjust the telly... 60gr Hornady in the Vixen. Last outing with my Barnes mate we got 3 with the 65gr Sierra. You look in the reloading cabinet and there is a whole load of different pills to use and you wonder if it will ever happen.

Bugger you guy no sooner than I get some dosh in the bank I need a fast twist .223 so .224 Valkyrie in 1/7 twist be the go?

Originally Posted by nor-west

Bugger you guy no sooner than I get some dosh in the bank I need a fast twist .223 so .224 Valkyrie in 1/7 twist be the go?

.223 howa mini, ken Henderson stock, 77 TMKs

A bit late to this thread. I love my cheap little Vixen clone, a Zastava mini Mauserish action with a 1:12 twist. It's fairly accurate and small things fall over to it on a regular basis. I nailed a little pig, about the same size as the one Gimp had on the previous page, shot over a rock at 250m and the 55gn Hornady soft point placed just behind the ear dropped it straight down. Such a pleasure to shoot and it's accuracy gives me the confidence with shot placement.

I was looking for a better quality 223, the Savage was at the top of the list at the time, but I just couldn't justify buying it as a replacement for this little thing that cost me $400 very used with a scope several years ago. I know it, ... it seems to know me, ... happy families.