Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Best deer bullet in .223?

What bullet and weight do you feel is the best for a deer round???

64 grain Power Point or Partition. Whichever is the most accurate in your rifle. Heard good things about 65 grain Sierra Game Kings also.

If twisted fast enough I'd use a 62gr. TTSX.

If not the 53gr. TSX




Travis

I used the AR on 2 deer this year for the first time. I used the 64gr nosler bonded and was impressed.

1 deer broadside behind the shoulder.Ran 50 yds and dropped. Both lungs destroyed and bullet exited.

1 deer broadside/slightly quartering to, through the near shoulder and out behind the opposite shoulder. Dropped, got up and made it 20 yds before dropping for good. Both lungs destroyed.

I have killed some with the 62 TSX.

Good to know. I got some loaded up with CFE 223 that needs testing.

Nosler Bonded Solid Base 64 grain

+1

why anyone would use anything other than a barnes for a small caliber is beyond me.

You are starting small and light to start wiht, and then have to worry about weight loss, teh barnes will keep the most weight 99% of the time.

Proven killers. Proven to give exits most of the time.

Not much more a person could ask for playing with smaller rounds.

Even though I'm partial to barnes period, in smaller calibers they make the most sense to me by far.

I have killed a few with the Sierra 63gr SMP, and have been impressed each time.

If you can get them to shoot, Barnes bullets would be my first pick. My experience with them has shown them to be pretty unforgiving. Still working with them but 1.5 MOA is about as good as I can get.

May add 64 gr. Nosler BSB to the list, although IME, they aren't as accurate as others. They do, reportedly, have excellent terminal performance.

NPT is 60 gr., IIRC.

DF

You trippin'.




Dave

Barnes TSX/TTSX are the best shooting hunting bullets for me in just about every rifle I own.

I may try some 69gr tipped Matchkings this year. Last year I ran the 65gr Gameking, and knocked over a spike with it, shooting out of a DD Mk12 with a 1 in 7" barrel.



The shot was broadside at 90 yards, and the bullet was a touch low, breaking the onside humerus, and was found in the offside hide with the core & jacket separated but together. The spike only went about 30 yards, and had holes in all the plumbing. I'd avoid shoulders if you use the Gameking.

I think a little tougher bullet might have been better - either a Partition or one of the Barnes.

I have a .223 single shot on the way, and I'm really curious to try the 75gr Amax in it.

a friends wife killed a number of B/C bucks with 223 and 69 bthp... know where to shoot em at, with whatever your bullet restrictions are, is more important than a lot of things.

But picking the top bullets lessons the issues.

I'll gladly accept any advise on loading them. Ive tried kissing, jam, and jumping .050". No luck,

My BIL was fond of the Power Points.

Did you add lots and lots of powder?

What weight did you try?



Travis

A) Try even more of a jump

B) Make sure the weight you use will stabilize in your twist...50 TTSX work in almost anything

C) Like Flave said, try lots of powder, they often like to be shot fast.... I use max loads of TAC in two different guns....