Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles .223/5.56 NATO ammo for small meat hogs?

i bought a Diamondback DB15 5.56 NATO mostly for target shooting also would like to use it for small meat hogs what do you use to put them down? Most shots will be under 100 yards.

any dang thing you want, yet if FMJ then head only shots IMHO.

small meat hogs under 100 I'd use suppressed 10/22 and subsonic ammo... but since you said the AR... I actually like the small barnes bullets. Very little damage. Kill well enough. According to some to expensive... of course they have almost 1000 in a gun and optics, 2000 if suppressed... so that theory is out the window for me.

Others... 63 Sierra semi point was always pretty good. Most 55 soft points are too frangible for our tastes. OTOH we have lots of heavier IE 69-77 ish match hollow points around and they have never left us wanting and usually not that much damage though the damage from them tends to be somewhat variable.

You can go frangible. But it might destroy meat...

We run 40 vmax at home since there are so many houses around.. if you can keep it in the ribs it works great. Which is hard on running hogs at night with a thermal. But the first one you can control.

If its 150 pounds or less it won't take a lot of killing for sure.

65 Sierra BTSP. I've shot dozens with this bullet. It has great expansion and pretty good penetration. With smaller pigs its perfect. I've shot a couple large boars with it and it's never left me wanting.

55 FMJ will also work. I'll defer to Rost on headshots only as my experience with them in the shoulders/ribs is convincing, but very limited. Less than a handful.

The 55 Barnes TTSX is an excellent deer and pig round for 223.

Probably shot more with the 55 gr. M193 than all other rounds combined. Worked pretty good with head, neck and shoulder shots. Lost some also but since I was not that interested in recovery most of the time I didn't care. I remember one night killing three with 4 shots, one a finisher all shots in the shoulder. The jacket on the M193 in it's original form was so thin you could sometimes see lead at the bottom of the cannelure.

The various 62-64 gr. bonded bullets like the Federal Fusion and Speer Gold Dot are fantastic for such purposes. I think Winchester and probably Remington have similar loads. The Barnes TSX would be great, I like the 62 gr. version of that. Federal has a 60 gr. Nosler Partition that would be great also.

Shoot 'em in the ear and it doesn't matter what you use.

I've killed a lot of hogs with .223's... But for multiple targets usually running after the first shot, I have a .308 AR10.

I personally don't hunt with FMJ's on any animal.

like the above, it does not matter if you shoot head/ear... I've killed hundreds with FMJ's.

Thanks for the replies,, I did some reading up on hunting ammo for my gun I like the Barnes. My DB15 has a 1:8 twist so I'm trying to decide which would be best to try.
Barnes VOR-TX 5.56/45mmm 70 gr TSX Boat Tail.

Barnes VOR-TX 5.56/45mm 62 gr TSX Boat Tail

It also depends on where you intend to shoot them. If you think it will mostly be shoulder area vitals, the TSX/GMX loads will work fine, although they lean more to penetration and less to fragmentation (pigs likely to run if bone isn't hit). Another option is the heavier-weight cup/cores or bondeds like the 65gr SGK, 77gr TMK, and various Fusions and Gold Dots. They'll work well on shoulders and necks, as well as softer tissue. Varmint-ish loads and FMJ works also, but you better stick to well-aimed hits in the neck/head. I generally keep my truck/buggy AR loaded with the 77TMK or 65SGK, but I'd probably pick up some the Fusion or MSR loads if shooting factory. The Barnes really needs to hit big bones to be most effective, at least at AR15 carbine speeds. My two cents.....

I have used the 62 gr. TSX from a 16" AR on both deer and hogs. It worked with no issues, the vitally struck critters would flinch and run 40-60 yards and pile up. Exit holes were small and I honestly think if I were to use a TSX again I would drop down to the 55 gr. with the idea that the mono bullets need high velocity to really open up and do their work. The 16" barrel limits velocity and the 55 gr. might be a little more dynamic inside the critter.

I like the bonded soft point 62 gr. Fusion and Gold Dot better for an all-around bullet.

75 grain swift scirocco worked for me on several pigs and deers as has the 62 grain tsx shoot for bone with the tsx has worked.

Yep I would have to agree with the 55g Barnes, reason being is that I called Barnes for a recommendation for deer and possibly hogs, ar in 5.56, 16 inch, 1–7 twist and they recommended 55 grain to my surprise.

Interesting so what y'all saying is my 16" barrel 1:8 twist would be better with a.223 55gr Barnes instead of 5.56/45mm 62 or 70 gr. Barnes.
I thought the 62's or 70's would do yhe job quite well with all the reviews from people using them hell some swore 70's were a must for quick kills and it's all they would ever use.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

THIS

Granted I've been lucky but if I hit on running shots the 40 vmax has yet to loose a pig. Hits a bit far back IE guts, it tends to dump em quickly anyway.

No flies on the 308 but there is recoil.

The short barrel and attendant lower velocity leads to less expansion and narrower wound channels. If you feel you have to use a mono I’d use light ones. I’d much rather something softer based on having killed a few hundred pigs with about 25-30 different bullets out of 16 and 18 inch 223s.

If not loading your own? Look for Palmetto AAC 5.56 spec OTMs or softpoints on sale. You could probably even use the V-Max for head/neck…..they’re all generally more accurate than FMJs and can be had cheap, too.

So along with Barnes I also contacted Hammer Bullets and asked for same recommendation. They have .223 up to 80g and again to my surprise he recommended 57g HHTs. I'll be going to the range soon bp gas near me

I think it's been said but the 63 grain Sierra SMP would be ideal with a stiff load of Tac.

kwg

mono bullets for smaller stuff I'd always run lighter than normal so to speak.

If I was trying to make the 223 into a huge penetrator I might consider the 62/70 grain mono range.

50 ttsx for us in 223 for the times we dont' use other bullets for other reasons.

Bought these to shoot at range going to shoot these first then decide what hunting ammo I want to use on hogs.

PMC X-Tac 5.56x45MM Ammo 62gr Green Tip LAP 20 Rounds 55
PMC X-Tac 5.56x45mm Ammo 55gr FMJBT 20 Rounds

FMJ can work on lungs. Other times it doesn't do so good. Slow twists help it tumble when it hits.

Some FMJ come apart at the cannelure as noted.

Do not expect accuracy from any FMJ round. Its by far the worst ammo you can get for accuracy.

As a side note about 30 minutes ago a friend called. Pigs on neighbors oats. 52 bthp at the back of the ribs was the only shot I could get in a hurry. I was wanting the big boar gone but you take what you can get on pigs... He fell about 50 yards into the thorns and vines. 30 yard shot. Suppressed bolt gun and you could hear the HP hit hard.

I paid $9.99 a box for the PMC haven't even shot the gun yet,range is 25 miles from home haven't got there yet. also have 3 boxes of Armscor .223 55 gr fmj bought those when I bought gun.

Don't take any of my post as negatives. Just comments.

I"m sorry folks have to drive to a range also. We have been very fortunate that south and north places both have ranges out the door.

I won't be going to range much longer going to setup one in my back yard can get a 100 yards no problem some clearing may be able to get 200 yards. The range I go to is nice but busy and it takes too damn long to sight in or just shooting waiting on the clear sign for everyone to go check their targets. Just hope my nearest neighbors don't complain about noise pollution lol.

If you’re FMJing them try to hit from the shoulder forward. They will kill pretty decisively if you hit some bone and get them to upset or yaw. But like Rost said on pure lung shots they can be unpredictable, sometimes tumbling and breaking up and sometimes penciling.

Not going to use fmj for hunting just for target shooting.

rost, can you smell the envy on me from there?

They can complain all they want. OTOH I"m trying to afford to buy the world out of suppressors... If I can avoid it I don't shoot non suppressed anymore.

The fact that this ignorantly stupid country makes it an expensive hassle RE suppressors just shows the liberal democrat stupidity.

FWIW after I shot the first pig last night with 223 52 bthp it went 50 yards maybe into the vines. I went after that with thermal just to see with the 6.5 Grendel. 123 sst. All 5 hogs I got last night went almost exactly the same distances with the Grendel as with the 223...

Like Iv'e said it just doesn't seem to matter that much..

I have used an AR to kill a lot of hogs, big and small, through the years. Most shot with the Winchester 64 gr SP bullet and a lot of H335.

I have never shot that bullet, but I hear good things. And since the 63 Sierra is good they may well be the same theory bullet wise.
Heard there are bonded 64 might be even better. The 63 would be even better bonded.

Yet so many dead animals with either as is so far speaks worlds.

We never even had to push em to the limit speed wise either.

Have another question?
My DB15 is 5.56 NATO but can also shoot .223 rounds but it's said that 5.56 is loaded under more pressure and that gives it an edge on power. But shopping for hunting ammo I see more choices for .223 than 5.56. what's the reason for that? Is it better to use .223 ammo?






































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Millions of .223/5.56 rounds are fired interchangeably every year without a hiccup.

The 5.56 may have higher pressures, but most, if not all factory loads you find in that are FMJ's.

You find lots of FMJ's in .223 also, but the .223 is where you find all the hunting bullets.

There isnt' an ounce of killing difference between the two. I would not worry one bit. Grab what shoots better and don't grab the fastest most powerful kind of thing.

There are some minor reasons and maybe in a really tight custom chambered 223 the Israeli hot 5.56 might give an issue. But for normal day to day in factory guns don't sweat it. Just roll.

FWIW I'd be buying 223 marked.. because it comes with better bullets and accuracy rather than that crappy FMJ stuff for hunting. At least thats what I used to see anyway.

Haven't bought or fired a FMJ in probably 15 plus years.

Looking at those going to try and find some Midway & Sportsman outdoor superstore are out of stock both will notify when they get some.

There are more hunting choices in .223 because it can be shot in the plethora of non-AR/nato based .223 hunting rifles. Most 5.56 is purchased for AR’s and other ‘fighting guns’. The majority of those folks aren’t into the latest hunting loads, and if they are, they can just shoot those loads in .223.

Winchester 64pp has been discontinued.

Found some Hornady .223 55 gr soft points reviews I read said good for hogs & deer. They come in a box of 50 for a fair price.

The ones I'm looking at are Super X 64 gr SP

having read some time back that my favored Winchester 64 grain was discontinued, I searched and found 5 of those 100 round bags. Those are still in the locker and I have probably 300 loaded and ready to go. I bought 500 of the Hornady 55 Grain that Riverc mentioned. I loaded two hundred, and found them accurate enough, but have yet to use them on hogs or deer.

Some 55 sp will barely go through a sheetrock wall. Others penetrate normally. IIRC Hornady were supposed to be decent to hold together. I have no experience with them though. Grab a box and shoot some pigs and let us know. Plenty pigs to test on in most places.

The 55 Hornady SP with cannulure is a great 223 bullet. It’s not as soft as a real varmint bullet at 223 speeds and acts very predictably. You can count on 10-12” of straight penetration with a 1.5” wound channel. I’ve killed a bunch of pigs with them, my favorite cheap bullets for knocking around truck gun use.

The 55 Speer SP is softer and doesn’t give as much penetration, but it kills well on broadside shots.

The Hornady is good enough scenarshooter used them in a 220 Swift for elk and everything else.

Sounds good going to order some hell buying 50 is less than a dollar a round if they are accurate would be better than FMJ I would buy a few hundred rounds.

Yep. Used them on a couple elk myself. 1 per customer

If accurate in your gun, given the actual knowledge of the folks here that the bullet works as I've heard it does, I'd think about 500 rounds minimum.

I have yet to be mad at myself for buying stuff in large amounts. I'm usually mad I didn't buy larger amounts.

Let us know how they shoot.

Took a few days but got a response from Hornady about .223 55 gr sp. Hope it helps anyone needing help.
Charles,

Thank you for your question. The .223 55 gr soft point should be a suitable choice for hunting hogs and deer with an AR-15 16 ' barrel with a 1:8 twist. This bullet weight and type are commonly used for such purposes, and the 1:8 twist rate is versatile enough to stabilize a 55 gr projectile effectively. However, always ensure that the bullet construction is appropriate for the game you are hunting, as you want to ensure adequate penetration and expansion for a humane and ethical harvest.

What a politically stupid reply. Yes it should work. BUT always ensure the construction is sufficient... OK. YOU are the maker of the bullet. Its why we asked you to start with.

Oh well. Maybe its why I stick to Barnes and Berger for most of our choices.

Have you tried the 40g nbt? They have a thick copper base that usually penetrates a bit even when the front of the bullet explodes. I find the penetrate better than the 40g vmax but my testing was done with a 26" 12 twist 22-250 shooting them at 4200.

I've had a 40g vmax create large shallow entrance wounds. The 40g not does it too but a little bit always seems to make it deeper. I'm assuming it's that thick copper base.

Bb