Lots of focus on the bullet, less on the energy behind it. I've upped the powder charge a full grain without pressure signs and still half a grain below Lyman's max. It's a hopefully better combo coyote/maybe deer load in a light rifle I like to tote. The guy in the panhandle swears they've put over a 100 deer in the freezer with the 55 V Max factory loads, without a single loss. Whatever powder it is, the stated velocity is 3240. The bullet does not seem to fragment as advertised but the plastic tip forces reliable mushroom deformation. Perfect energy transfer. Speed kills. Same bullet might not do so well at say 2800 fps? I've had deer shot with "big game" rifles run 90 yards on 3 legs with a sliced heart. Difficult to find. A neck shot or high shoulder is much more effective, regardless of caliber, chambering, or bullet selection. Dead deer can run a long way sometimes. One thing for sure, 223 is cheap to shoot, and versatile. But it's no 6.5 Creed!
