Best 223/556 ammo for hunting?

[theboyscout]

Who's your choice as a primary ammo for hunting medium to big game? If two different one for medium and one for big post them both.

I'm thinking:

Winchester’s 64-grain Power-Max Bonded.

Or a Remington core-lock in the same weight or higher.

 

[FL-NC]

Hornady 75 grain BTHP Match, through a 16" 1:9 barrel, stabilizes fine and produces 1 MOA. 100% effective on everything I have used it on. According to the internet, this is a poor caliber and a poor choice of bullet for anything but punching holes in paper. The contents of my freezer disagrees.

Different gun, same bullet (mossberg MVP)

 

[MCgunner]

I really prefer something bigger for deer and hogs, something with a .3 ... or if you must be all desktop commando, with a 7. . But, if forced to hunt with an MSR of .223 caliber, I roll my own with a 62 grain TSX. It's taken a deer. Just hunted with it long enough to take a deer. I use it for turkey, too, rifles being legal here. I got over my infatuation with it pretty quick, though. Federal premium ammo loads the Barnes bullets I believe.

 

[Choctaw]

He isn't asking anyone's opinion on whether or not the .223 is sufficient for taking medium sized game but I have no doubt that's where this thread is heading.

As FL-NC said, my rifle loves the Hornady 75 BTHP Match.

 

[MCgunner]

Thing about the Barnes stuff vs lead based bullets, a 62 grain Barnes is longer/higher SD/BC than a 62 grain lead bullet. The 62 grain Barnes gets NEAR, but not quite TOO MOA in my 1:8 Bushmaster M4 carbine. I haven't tried the heavier Barnes, might even GET MOA. But, even with 55 grain FMJ, the cheap stuff, it shoots 1.5 MOA. The accuracy of these rifles/carbines amazes me and to 100 yards out here in the woods, you can definitely thread the needle if need be. Accuracy always wins me over to a new rifle. Work with it long enough and I could get it under 1 MOA I'll bet, and the gun ain't anything special....basic off the rack M4, no floated barrel or anything.

If you can put that bullet where it counts consistently, you'll have freezer meat, at least to woods ranges. .223 poops out way sooner than most bolt action hunting calibers like .308 or my 7 mag. But, in the woods, it doesn't matter as you won't get a shot past 100 yards ever. I have been getting a few opportunities to hunt west of these woods again, even got an expedition for elk planned this winter! Out there, I like flat shooting bigger calibers. I plan to take my 7 mag this winter on my elk expedition and I still am infatuated with that little M7 Stainless in .308 for deer hunting, but around home, these rifles are a bit excessive. Still, I like the wretched excess of that .308 and the bang flops it produces with a 150 Nosler BT on deer and hogs. I don't like having to blood trail game in these woods, haven't had to on deer, but the one I shot with the .223 did keep running for about 20 yards. It didn't head for the thick stuff, fell by the fence, stuff like that does happen. It was a great shot placement, quartering behind the shoulder, took out the heart. He was pretty much dead on his feet until he fell. Range was about 20-25 yards max. However, I have anchored deer at 150 yards with this same shot placement in the past with the 7 mag. It don't mess around, just gets the job done, but it's actually a little too much at close range. For some, too much is never enough, but I do like to retrieve a portion of the meat from a kill without having it all bloodshot.

 

[Varminterror]

For coyotes, the 50vmax has been my go-to for decades. For deer and hogs, the 60 Partition is THE bullet I want.

 

[Choctaw]

Thing about the Barnes stuff vs lead based bullets, a 62 grain Barnes is longer/higher SD/BC than a 62 grain lead bullet. The 62 grain Barnes gets NEAR, but not quite TOO MOA in my 1:8 Bushmaster M4 carbine. I haven't tried the heavier Barnes, might even GET MOA. But, even with 55 grain FMJ, the cheap stuff, it shoots 1.5 MOA. The accuracy of these rifles/carbines amazes me and to 100 yards out here in the woods, you can definitely thread the needle if need be. Accuracy always wins me over to a new rifle. Work with it long enough and I could get it under 1 MOA I'll bet, and the gun ain't anything special....basic off the rack M4, no floated barrel or anything.

If you can put that bullet where it counts consistently, you'll have freezer meat, at least to woods ranges. .223 poops out way sooner than most bolt action hunting calibers like .308 or my 7 mag. But, in the woods, it doesn't matter as you won't get a shot past 100 yards ever. I have been getting a few opportunities to hunt west of these woods again, even got an expedition for elk planned this winter! Out there, I like flat shooting bigger calibers. I plan to take my 7 mag this winter on my elk expedition and I still am infatuated with that little M7 Stainless in .308 for deer hunting, but around home, these rifles are a bit excessive. Still, I like the wretched excess of that .308 and the bang flops it produces with a 150 Nosler BT on deer and hogs. I don't like having to blood trail game in these woods, haven't had to on deer, but the one I shot with the .223 did keep running for about 40 yards. It didn't head for the thick stuff, fell by the fence, stuff like that does happen. It was a great shot placement, quartering behind the shoulder, took out the heart. He was pretty much dead on his feet until he fell. Range was about 20-25 yards max. However, I have anchored deer at 150 yards with this same shot placement in the past with the 7 mag. It don't mess around, just gets the job done, but it's actually a little too much at close range. For some, too much is never enough, but I do like to retrieve a portion of the meat from a kill without having it all bloodshot.

My very favorite rifle is still just a plain ol' 30-06. But my AR goes to work with me, trains with me and also heads out to Haskell for ranch work. I've grown very comfortable with it. But man, that 30-06 will still rock just like it would 100 years ago...

 

[Loyalist Dave]

As FL-NC said, my rifle loves the Hornady 75 BTHP Match.

My Mossberg Predator bolt-rifle likes it fine at the range, so hoping to get a spot where I can use it on deer in the fall.

LD

 

[Choctaw]

My Mossberg Predator bolt-rifle likes it fine at the range, so hoping to get a spot where I can use it on deer in the fall.

LD

I didn't know Mossberg was making the Predator in a rock lock.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

If you can find some 62 or 64 grain Federal Fusion those will work well on deer. Make sure you put it in the right spot and you'll have a down deer. If you happen to find a 75 Speer Gold Dot in .223 try those, I wish I could find them they are rare as hens teeth around me though. The already mentioned 62 Barnes TSX is a great choice too.

 

[jmr40]

In a traditional cup and core bullet anything 60 gr and up will kill any deer that ever walked within 200 yards. I'd not want to take longer shots at deer with a 223. If using solid copper there is no reason to use anything heavier than the 50-55 gr bullets. Those will give more than adequate penetration and I'd much rather have the faster impact velocity.

 

[FL-NC]

If you can put that bullet where it counts consistently, you'll have freezer meat, at least to woods ranges. .223 poops out way sooner than most bolt action hunting calibers like .308 or my 7 mag. But, in the woods, it doesn't matter as you won't get a shot past 100 yards ever.

This is true of any bullet- it needs to hit some vital plumbing in whatever critter is being shot. A poorly placed shot of any caliber/bullet design often results in lost animals. I read somewhere that most deer are taken at 100 yards or closer. I don't know how true this is, but it is true for me where I have hunted. Even though I can hit 8" plates easily to 500 yards and further with either of my 223 rifles I use for hunting, I don't think I would try it on deer past 300, due to energy loss. If I was hunting somewhere that these longer shots were the norm, I would use my Ruger 6.5 CM.