Thread: .222 .223 .222mag .5.56.. THE CALIBRE OF CHOICE FOR MANY HUNTERS

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Thanks Scribe, brilliant information. I'm a new shooter (I call it my mid life crisis) and am working my way up slowly. Interested in your views on the 22x range as from what little experience I've had with my little 223 is that it is devastating and devastatingly accurate within it's, and my, range. This was brought to my attention when I shot a wallaby that was facing me in the neck. The little 55gn projectile went the length of its body and pulverised everything inside. I didn't harvest any meat off that one.

This spring/summer I will be having my first crack at deer. I'm very confident with my shot placement but will likely take a 243 along for the deer as I find I'm just as accurate with the slightly bigger calibre and they will probably give me a slight improvement with odds on my ability to pick the right spot to place the shot. Yes, I go by the thinking of "shoot big, aim small." Will have to drag young @TimeRider along with me with her 243 as well, she needs to blood it still. Even she can happily shoot sub 15mm groups at 100m at the range and will place a shot on a rabbit exactly as I describe to her in the field.

Hi Gadget, With the skill to position yourself 250 metres from deer and the patience to walk away and leave them for another day tells me you wont have any trouble filling the freezer with the .223

My other favourite calibre, my big game, long range one I mean, was the 243. For those long tussock shots reaching way down into the basins that run deep into the bush that is.

We reloaded 85 Sierra boat tail, hollow points. Using 48 gr of Norma 205 behind them they were really moving along, but accurate too. Norma 205 has been discontinued for so long now I cant look up the speed they were supposed to be doing. I think 3400+. Norma 205 was a very slow burning powder.

There was always a very satisfactory thud when this bullet arrived at its target. And with shooting every day you became confident and tried the really hard shots and expected a hit. Because of such confidence you mostly did get a hit. Confidence makes up a good part of good shooting. I don't think I have seen a man who is losing confidence in himself or his rifle hit anything much after that.