Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Favorite .223 load for deer?

Started a new controversial thread. For those of us who have successfully taken deer or other large game with the impotent .223 I have had success with two loads. One being my favorite Barnes load that was intended for chucks but shot so accurately and penetrated so well I tried it on a fat doe with surprising results.

Barnes 45gr X (XLC) 28gr W748, The other is a factory Federal Premium 62gr bonded SP. The code on the box flap is LE223T3. Both great on deer in good hands.

Just saw your post on the TBBC LE load...impressive..I never got to shoot a Crown Vic
However Ive shot a few deer with a handload and a TBBC and it worked well, but Ive shot a pile with the 53 gr TSX and it works GREAT! 25.0 gr. of IMR4895
Used lots of others, but those were best...
Have lately been using 50 gr TTSX, and made three one shot kills wsith it...so its a contender too..

The 53 gr TSX is on the to order list. I have about 400ct 55gr V-Max which is my go to yote round. I'm working on a reduced load for the 55gr V-max for the trapline but plan on working with the 53 gr Barnes as well. My M77 carbine is quite nice for sitting in a little blind or working in close, tight cover.

That test where we were shooting cars was done to prove how efficient that (New at the time) load would perform. Prior loads would come apart when shooting through glass or metal. After that we were sold, literally and figuratively They were shot from distances ranging from 15 feet to 50 yards from a Colt M4 Carbine. Not super accurate but for deer at about 100yds they work well.

Probably only I would ask this but how did they do on angular shots through auto glass?

Consistent with any ammo; If shooting into the cabin they will hit lower than POA due to the bullet taking on some of the angle of the windshield. But, they held together and went through the seat and into the rear seat. The held a nice pattern as well considering that they went through a windshield. Same scenario shooting from the inside out. They would hit a little high. Yes, we shot the M4 and our Sig 226 .40 cals from inside the cars out at targets. Performed well and made us confident in both M4 and pistol. Use goggles and not just glasses because there is a lot of debris flying when you do this especially from the M4 with it's muzzle blast. The old .223 ammo we used was 55gr and wasn't bonded. It would pretty much come apart after the windshield or door panel and wouldn't do much after that. Also some instances of not even penetrated the whole door panel, getting lodged in the interior plastic portion. The 357 158gr Hydrashoks did well too.

Interesting...I didnt think about the high/low deflection factor...nice to see you guys are training this way..an awful lot have no idea what happens when you fire from inside a vehicle....Thanks mucho for the input.

Any of this stuff tried with TSXs???

Not yet.....YET!

I've killed deer with the old 55 gr. Nosler solid base, 55 gr. Win sp. 55 and 60 gr. Hornady sp. No problems with any of them out of 222,223 and .22-250. Dead deer fast every time.

Done it with 60 gr nosler solid base and 60 gr Horns...I miss that solid base....

26 gr of H335 and a 62 TSX (AI'd chamber)

I've been thinking bout one of those AI's. Not sure how much it would cost to screw one on my M77 carbine. I would like to get one either 18" or 20" and a lil heavier than what it wears now. The way it is now is hard to beat in a smallish blind though and at a 100 or so yards you can't tell the difference between it and the old '06.

As much as I like the AI..if your shooting is at 100 yds, neither you nor the deer will ever notice the difference....

I took my first deer with a 63 gr, Sierra SP loaded with 25.0gr of Varget. Shot placement was perfect. Deer ran 30 yds and collapsed.