Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Favorite factory .223 load for deer

For some reason I've found myself fascinated lately by the thought of killing a deer or two this year with some of that factory-loaded ammo, you know, the stuff that comes with a primer, charge of powder, bullet seated in the case, ready to shoot...It would be the first time in around 25 years, except for the occassional deer knocked off with my dwindling supply of .303 Savage 190 grain Silvertips. Anyway, I thought that if I do it, I'll do it with a .223. 65 grain SGK over 27 grains of Varget has always worked well. I've kind of got factory choices narrowed down to 64 grain WW powerpoints or the Black Hills load with 62 grain TSX. Nine twist barrel on one rifle, 8 twist on the other. I'd like to hear thoughts of those experienced with either or both loads.

I have used the Black Hills load that features a 60 grain soft point.I believe it is a Sierra Pro Hunter.

It has worked well on some whitetails in the hands of a few kids.

I know Federal makes a 60 grain Partition load.

I just bought a Box of Barnes Vortex 55gr.TSX. I want to see what it will do on a 250lb Hog at 100 yards through the Shoulders.

The only factory load that shoots well in my 1:9 is the Federal "Blue Box" 64 grain SP. My sample size of 1 was sending one through a 90-ish pound hog at 80 or 100 yards, & dropping it in place.

It shoots well enough for me that I'd have no qualms about shooting a whitetail with it.

FC

Factory Winchester 64 grain Powerpoints

Personal experience with the 64 gr PP's and 52 gr TBBC. Both shot great and had unreal performance on SW Arkansas whitetails.

Another vote for the 64 grain PP if you are going factory. Hornady 55 grain flat base in factory form is a winner as well. Many guys have tried to get the partitions to shoot well without success. The heavier Barnes bullets have not expanded very well past 200 yards on hogs when shot out of a .22-250. The 53 grain Barnes XLC's are the ones my daughter shoots in .223 and they flat out get it done on mule deer. I don't see why the TSX's in the same weight wouldn't be fabulous. Flinch

62gr Federal Fusion worked on one a couple years ago for me.

Although it's not the loads you questioned, here's a second vote for the 62-gr Federal Fusion load if you're still willing to consider alternatives. The .223 I used on deer last year is a 1-10" twist. I didn't like Federal's Partition load or Cor-Bon's DPX 53-gr with the TSX. Neither would group inside of 2" consistently. It was so-so, maybe 1.5" groups, with Winchester's 64-grain PP load.

The Fusion load always shoots inside 3/4" if I do my part and 1/2" groups aren't uncommon. Velocity tested to an average of 2775 fps out of the rifle's 18" barrel. It also shoots very close to the same POI at 100 yards as Hornady's 55-gr V-Max offering in my rifle, which is a nice perk. The Hornady load prints about 3/4" higher.

The bullet completely penetrated on each deer I took with it last year. Exit holes were nickel-sized. All were broadside, behind the shoulder lung shots. All fell pretty fast.

I like Corbon's loadings on TSXs, Federal's 55 gr. Bearclaws, but have taken more deer using a 22CF with Remington's 55 gr. softpoint. Sounds crazy? More times than not, the bullets exit. If you want tougher factory ammo, shoot the Corbons, they are first class. If not, get the good old yellow and green 55 grs, they flat out work.