Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Speer 70gr vs Horn 55gr SP for .223 Rem on Deer

I’m setting up my .223 Rem (1-8 twist) for my youngest daughter to learn & play with. Wanted to stock up on a few bullets that could transition her into medium game. I know how well the 55gr Horn SP works but noticed that Speer makes a 70gr SP that I know nothing about. Wanted to get opinions & experiences.

Also, any other bullets I should be looking at for the same purpose would be welcomed.

Parameters: Deer under 200 maybe pigs but lots of targets and rocks.

The Hornady 75 grain amax and hollow points both work very well.

Probably 10 years ago or so I had a 223 set up for 50 grain vmax and 53(maybe 50) tsx. Anyway I had shot a few deer with the tsx load and it worked as well as anything else. A coworker wanted something “that didn’t kick” for his wife to shoot a deer with. So I sent him off with that rifle and a box of the vmax load to let her practice some and the tsx load to shoot deer with. To make a long enough story short he forgot which was which. Because the vmax had the same plastic tip on them like the “shells for his 7 mm” he used them to hunt with. He enjoyed the rifle more than she did and shot several deer with it. When he brought it back I noticed he had shot up almost all of the vmax load and very few of the tsx load. He didn’t know any better and neither did the deer.

I have used the 65 grain Sierra Game King in my 7, 8 and 9 twist .223's for years as an all around bullet. It has worked well for deer. I see that Sierra now has some others in that weight category as well. I'm kind of tempted to try them, but have quite a good stock of the 65 grain SGK's so will probably stick with that.

The 55 Hornady is a reliable performer. I’ve not used the Speer 70 but their 55 is softer than the Hornady of the same weight. I’m curious about the 62 Hornady SP that Midsouth has in stock right now, if it’s like the 55 it should be outstanding.

If you can round up a box I consider the 77TMK the ultimate big game bullet in the 223. Much larger wound channel than the various Barnes offerings but near equal penetration.

For general big game use inside 200 yards, I would go with the 70g Speer.

The first .22 Centerfire deer I ever killed was 40 years ago with the 70g Speer 22-250 handload from a then new Browning B-78 in 22-250 with a 1-14" twist. It was big whitetail doe quartering away at a trot. At the shot she ran a few steps wobbled and tipped over. The range was about 150 yards and it raked trough the last rib and wound up in the offside shoulder.

The big issue back then was most .22 centerfires(including the .223 rifles) has barrels twisted no faster than 1-12" . 70g bullets were long for caliber so Speer designed their bullet with a short rounded nose tor stabilization .As I recall, I was using H380 and got consistent 1" three shot groups at 100 yards from that load. I only used it that few times more on game but none required more than one shot . From then on all my .22 centerfire deer were dropped with whatever varmint load was in my .22-250 at the time and about a dozen other deer fell to various 50 - 55g Varmint or Match bullets placed very precisely in the neck or lungs with shots no longer than 200 yards. The Sierra and Hornady 52/53g Match HP bullets are tough enough they seem to do very consistent work with lung shots on deer. IMHO, when you use a rifle that small on deer bullet placement (neck or broadside lung shots) is key.

I just bought a Winchester XPR .223 bolt gun with a 1-8 twist. I have been mulling over what larger bullets to use for long range and bigger game. The 70 to 80g match type bullets are at the top of the list BUT if I was shooting 200 yards and under and wanted the most forgiving bullet in terms of placement (especially on hogs) I do think I would go with that 70g Speer hands down . In the new faster twist barrels they will be as good as ever. They are still made still available and pretty inexpensive at around $15 per 100 -

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010619848?pid=126472

You guys using the 223 for deer - where are you shooting them?

I recently bought a 223 and am considering whacking a few deer with it even though I didn't buy it for that purpose. I would struggle to hold on the shoulder joint on a quarter to shot with a 22 cal cup/core - but I have no idea. I'd guess a mono would work for big bones - but don't know that either......

I think @ingwe could answer that question very completely. Hopefully he’ll chime in.

62g Speer Gold dots are a fantastic bullet, CFE 223 powder, Rem 7 1/2 or CCI 450.

A ton of good info in here. https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...ll/official-22-caliber-dead-stuff-thread

62 grain Bear Claws are the ticket for deer and pigs with a 223.

CFE powder works great also, 26 grains.

OK, here you go. I have a sample of only a few deer with the Speer 70 grainer and I was not impressed ( at least not in a good way...) A close friend who I actually believe took over 23 deer with that Speer and loves it. There are no flies on the basic 55 gr.Hornady for sure, especially out of a .223

As to where to hit them...the same place you'd hit them with a .30-06


As others have mentioned there are a number of good premium type bullets for this but if you are hanging with the Hornadys,you aren't missing out on much.

I have used the 65gr Sierra's out my 222 with much success. Can not imagine them not working out of a 223.

Thanks Ingwe! I’ve got stacks of the Horn 55 sp. I’ll just stick to those for now.

CZ 527 in 223 rem. I use a max load of H380 with FGMM primer. I get tiny groups. I haven't shot any game with it, but I will, hopefully, maybe, someday.

Thank you! I happen to have 500 52 gr Horn sitting on the bench.

Be aware, the 52 grainers aren't gonna behave on deer like the 55s....the 52s are more frangible.

Do we have a 55gr Horn SP appreciation thread yet? The little bullet is pretty good at everything.

Used both on ME whitetails. .22-250. All strikes behind shoulder, ht/lung shots. No difference in performance. No exits. No blood trails. Short sprints. Pulped innards.

inside or 300 yards and an 8 twist i'm going 77gr tmk

wherever you'd put a 130gr sp from a 270, same with the 223 77tmk combo.

if ur like me and open country is the norm, then go 75gr eld-m for the better BC.

I’ve put many (others many many more) 270/130 in about most conceivable places on many different creatures in many conditions - are you sure that the .224 77tmk is the stuff of legend like any modern 270/130 bullet? I’m not arguing - I have zero experience with the 77tmk but think what you’re suggesting might be requiring a few more years to develop the best flavor.