Thread: .223: The Ins & Outs of it

This .223 theme.

2 last night. 77grn Sierra Tipped MK.

Fallow at 250 yds, boiler room.



Big lump of a stag at 100 odd yards. High neck shot. 3 stags together, all still had their head gear on.

@Tahr how far did that fallow make it?

Originally Posted by charliehorse

@Tahr how far did that fallow make it?

Less than 15 yards. Just a bit of a rush down hill. Have just skinned it - hit lowish centre shoulder.

That Red is a big looking animal!

Originally Posted by nor-west

That Red is a big looking animal!

Bit of wap in the red,its big allright.

Originally Posted by nor-west

That Red is a big looking animal!

@nor-west he was a big one alright, and not that old. The cocky was a bit pissed about a group of reds raiding his locked up weaner paddock so I swung past there on the way home - it was dark by then so I used the torch. I saw six and snuck in on 3. One was plenty because it took me 2 40 minute trips fully loaded to carry him out.

@Trout - no wap. They are just big deer in that particular area.

@Tahr Im literally weeks away from taking the .222 on its first jaunt after deer. To say im fizzing would be an understatement .

Originally Posted by Nathan F

@Tahr Im literally weeks away from taking the .222 on its first jaunt after deer. To say im fizzing would be an understatement .

Great! Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Nice bit of nostalgia. Your Dad was a culler wasn't he?

Originally Posted by Tahr

Great! Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Nice bit of nostalgia. Your Dad was a culler wasn't he?

No just nzfs

Originally Posted by Nathan F

No just nzfs

The hills are in your blood.

Last week i did a couple of evening walks with the Serbian 222,expecting to see yearlings,no luck tho.Nice wee rifle on your sholder,hardley know it was there.

For some reason I've only just seen your original post from back in march @Tahr. Very cool post mate and a neat thread.

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

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.

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