User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 5/13/2022 1:36:14 PM EDT
Just curious if there are guidelines on game type/size/distance where such ammo is a sound and competitive choice for game hunting.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/13/2022 1:51:09 PM EDT
[#1]
there are guidelines:
for example: maintaining > 1,000 ft./-lb. is considered ethical for whitetail deer |
|
|
|
WI, USA
|
Posted: 5/13/2022 3:14:09 PM EDT
[#2]
For .223, because it's a fairly high velocity but small projectile, I prefer to stick with a bonded bullet.
The Federal Fusion, which is a 62gr soft point bonded design (Speer Gold Dot projectile) is a fantastic deer round and I have killed numerous whitetails with it. Even a 200+lb live weight buck here in Wisconsin. Through the rib cage they will exit MOST of the time. Unless you hit the shoulder blade or something more significant than ribs. Longest shot has been 100yds. I like to keep them close with the 223. IMO, this is NOT a 'high shoulder' hit that a lot of people like to take on whitetails. It's a chest cavity only round. Just saying 62gr soft point isn't enough though, how is that 62gr soft point constructed? A standard 62gr cup and core soft point isn't going to perform nearly the same as the 62gr bonded soft point. Especially when distances are short, velocity is high, and projectile is small. That is a recipe for a cup and core non bonded bullet to come apart quickly and not penetrate into the vitals reliably. This will result in a poor blood trail, the animal making it a significant distance and potentially not expiring at all. |
|
|
|
Posted: 5/13/2022 3:45:38 PM EDT
[Last Edit: _DR]
[#3]
The cheap softpoint 5.56 I have bought worked fine on hogs.
|
|
|
|
USA
|
Posted: 5/13/2022 6:10:26 PM EDT
[#4]
I wouldn't use a 5.56 for deer. I know people say it's fine, but from personal experience I'm not a fan.
|
|
|
USA
|
Posted: 5/14/2022 11:29:47 PM EDT
[#5]
62gr GD and 55gr TBC work great on deer and fmj for head shots.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 5/15/2022 8:37:33 PM EDT
[Last Edit: OKnativeson]
[#6]
I know its top notch on Oklahoma Whitetails and Hogs. I grade all .223 loads on the Winchester 64gr loading. I've had excellent results with it for decades. we don't take head shots. only chest and lower neck shots.
|
|
|
|
OK, USA
|
Posted: 5/16/2022 9:07:25 AM EDT
[#7]
I know several people in Oklahoma that use .223 for both hogs and deer. It's been very effective on them. I also seen one taken that exhibited more muscle damage that any other 30 cal or larger hit and passed cleanly through the body at an angle (Enter front left shoulder and exited in the rear right quarter). This deer had major bruising and muscle trauma extending from the top of the neck, halfway down the front leg and back pass the end of the rib cage. Bullet selection as mentioned is needed. Any good bonded bullet will do.
|
|
|
TX, USA
|
Posted: 5/21/2022 10:44:41 PM EDT
[#8]
Shot placement....62 green tip will do the job you just have to do your job. If you don't respect the animal enough to wait for a good shot then you don't need to be hunting. 1/3 up and 1/3 back from front of chest dumps all that energy in heart/lungs.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 7/16/2022 9:51:48 AM EDT
[#9]
I use the Federal Fusion 62gr 223 on deer and hogs. Works fine if you can hit your point of aim.
|
|
|
|
FL, USA
|
Posted: 7/16/2022 9:56:04 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By southerncross: I use the Federal Fusion 62gr 223 on deer and hogs. Works fine if you can hit your point of aim. Agree. |
|
|
|
Posted: 7/16/2022 10:23:12 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Capt_Jerry]
[#11]
I have no experience with 62 grain softpoints but have taken game with 65 grain Sierra Game King Bullets in the 65 grain size over 22.2 grains of H322.
Here's an example of a decent Florida buck with this load. The bullet did its job and destroyed the interior of the deer while exiting under the hide on the ‘passenger’ side. I recovered the bullet and found that it retained 71% or 46 grains of the original weight while the end diameter mushroomed to .420 at the widest point. This load is exactly what I had wished for in that it expended all of its energy in the deer and unfortunately did not punch a hole through. I was fortunate as the deer after being hit ran towards me and dropped eliminating tracking.   
|
|
|
|
USA
|
Posted: 7/16/2022 10:54:58 AM EDT
[Last Edit: SteelonSteel]
[#12]
I wouldn’t say much without being bullet specific. I suspect most above 60 grains are built with controlled expansion in mind and are not in the class of explosive varmint bullets.
+1 on win 64 grain, they sold it as a cxp2 light skinned big game bullet and as a LE round just by changing the box The Sierra 65 grain soft point works well too. Neither are bonded but typical construction. If money was not an obstacle I would buy bonded or even a well rated all copper alloy that actually opens. |
|
|
TN, USA
|
Posted: 11/17/2022 8:07:38 AM EDT
[#13]
Barnes 5.56 62 grain or 70 grain TSX will wreck a deer with exits even hitting the shoulder.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/17/2022 3:18:18 PM EDT
[#14]
62gr recovered from a deer after passing through far side shoulder blade.
147 XTP is a water jug recovery.  Attached File Attached File |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 11/17/2022 3:50:53 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AaronR: there are guidelines: for example: maintaining > 1,000 ft./-lb. is considered ethical for whitetail deer This is FUDD nonsense. You will be unable to find any scientific study that backs up the claim of 1000ft/lb. Standard 62gr softpoints are fine for shorter ranges with impact velocities above 2,200 fps as a guess on game such as deer. I would keep it under 200 yards unless I'm shooting at predators. 62/64gr fusion or gold dot can be confidently used down to 1800fps on anything you desire to shoot. I would ask why limit yourself to 62gr soft points? |
|
|
|
UT, USA
|
Posted: 11/17/2022 4:13:13 PM EDT
[#16]
I've used the Federal 64 grain soft points on antelope out to 400 yards. No complaints.
|
|
|
TX, USA
|
Posted: 1/16/2023 1:40:36 PM EDT
[Last Edit: 9over40]
[#17]
Biggest buck I ever took was on a ranch off of 44 about 5 miles from Encinal, Texas. 9 point close to a 175 pounds.
Ruger Mini-14 with a Winchester 64 grain soft point. Prior to this all of our other game taken was with either a 30/30 or British .303. Solid hit above the left shoulder where it meets the neck. He jumped and ran about 50 yards. When we processed it; my dad was amazed at the damage the round did. My dad served in the USMC during WW2 in the pacific. He saw a lot of stuff but he made a comment later in the truck that no one would have survived that round. That was the last time he went hunting with me in 2007. He passed the following year. I have used Winchester 55 grain silver tips on hogs but wouldn’t recommend them. They fragment too much. Back in the day I bought monarch 55 grain soft point from academy. Works good on pigs, marauding raccoons and coyotes but for deer I will stick with the 64 grain PowerPoint |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/12/2023 12:34:44 PM EDT
[#18]
I've used Barnes factory 62 grain TSX loads or my own 62 TTSX handholds on deer. Never a problem putting deer down, shots on my land are generally under 100 yards.
I've found one expanded bullet, and it weighed 62 grains and expanded to maybe .6" |
|
|
|
MO, USA
|
Posted: 3/15/2023 4:11:41 PM EDT
[#19]
I loaded some Sierra 62 grain Game Kings for one of my son's brother-in-law .223 rifle. He was pretty impressed with them. All three of his kids killed a deer, his wife killed a deer, he killed a couple.
|
|
|
USA
|
Posted: 12/3/2023 4:23:57 PM EDT
[Last Edit: AaronR]
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ARK_Ginger: This is FUDD nonsense. You will be unable to find any scientific study that backs up the claim of 1000ft/lb. Standard 62gr softpoints are fine for shorter ranges with impact velocities above 2,200 fps as a guess on game such as deer. I would keep it under 200 yards unless I'm shooting at predators. 62/64gr fusion or gold dot can be confidently used down to 1800fps on anything you desire to shoot. I would ask why limit yourself to 62gr soft points? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ARK_Ginger: Originally Posted By AaronR: there are guidelines: for example: maintaining > 1,000 ft./-lb. is considered ethical for whitetail deer This is FUDD nonsense. You will be unable to find any scientific study that backs up the claim of 1000ft/lb. Standard 62gr softpoints are fine for shorter ranges with impact velocities above 2,200 fps as a guess on game such as deer. I would keep it under 200 yards unless I'm shooting at predators. 62/64gr fusion or gold dot can be confidently used down to 1800fps on anything you desire to shoot. I would ask why limit yourself to 62gr soft points? arfcom never disappoints..... you basically described keeping the energy near or > 1000ft.-lbs. also guidelines are not always necessarily backed by scientific studies; this guideline for whitetail is attributed to Col. Townsend Whelen |
|
|
|
Posted: 12/10/2023 1:12:47 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AaronR: there are guidelines: for example: maintaining > 1,000 ft./-lb. is considered ethical for whitetail deer Muh bow & arrow |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/10/2023 1:20:33 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Duck_Hunt]
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AaronR: arfcom never disappoints..... you basically described keeping the energy near or > 1000ft.-lbs. also guidelines are not always necessarily backed by scientific studies; this guideline for whitetail is attributed to Col. Townsend Whelen Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By AaronR: Originally Posted By ARK_Ginger: Originally Posted By AaronR: there are guidelines: for example: maintaining > 1,000 ft./-lb. is considered ethical for whitetail deer This is FUDD nonsense. You will be unable to find any scientific study that backs up the claim of 1000ft/lb. Standard 62gr softpoints are fine for shorter ranges with impact velocities above 2,200 fps as a guess on game such as deer. I would keep it under 200 yards unless I'm shooting at predators. 62/64gr fusion or gold dot can be confidently used down to 1800fps on anything you desire to shoot. I would ask why limit yourself to 62gr soft points? arfcom never disappoints..... you basically described keeping the energy near or > 1000ft.-lbs. also guidelines are not always necessarily backed by scientific studies; this guideline for whitetail is attributed to Col. Townsend Whelen You sure about that? I’ll also add that P.O. Ackley said the .220 swift was the greatest killer of game animals in North America. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 12/16/2023 2:22:34 PM EDT
[#23]
I like to use Barnes TSX/TTSX solid copper bullets for deer when I’m using a .223. They’re accurate and the terminal performance is hard to argue with - controlled expansion with nearly 100% weight retention every time. I typically get a clean pass through with a big exit wound but still lots of energy transfer along the way.
I’ve had good results even just using cheap PMC Bronze 55gr. SP’s. Deer aren’t that hard to kill with proper shot placement. |
|
|
|
USA
|
Posted: 12/16/2023 11:35:39 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tnaaron81: Barnes 5.56 62 grain or 70 grain TSX will wreck a deer with exits even hitting the shoulder. Yep, in 5.56 the heavier the better. For me, that’s 70grns, 75grns, or 77grns. The 77grn OTM is explosive on deer and other critters too. |
|
|
FL, USA
|
Posted: 12/24/2023 7:11:27 PM EDT
[#25]
I have used Speer 62gr Gold dot from my 16” AR carbine to take several deer and hogs with very good results. I shoot from close range so I neck shoot. One of the deer or hogs went more than a step or two with most dropping immediately
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
