I've been shooting .270's, 308's, 7mm's, .300WM and 30-30's for over 40 years. I always thought that the little .223 was just too small for big deer and hogs. You know, it's good for women and kids... but not a REAL big game caliber.

I bought a threaded RAR 16" barrel last year, just so I could use a suppressor that I already had for my .22's/AR's. Not only is it dead nuts accurate, with no kick and no blast (from the can) - it is way out of it's tiny caliber in killing power.

I've killed three hogs (245#, 353#, 378#) in the last month, and two 200# bucks with it last year. I'm only shooting 55gr SP's now, but when my last three are gone, I'm switching over to the 64gr Speer Gold Dot SP's, that also shoot amazingly well in this gun.

Absolutely amazing caliber.

Sweet, congrats on the critters, i was at the other end of the spectrum this evening, put 30 rounds through my 45-110 Sharps bull gun, 1 2 3 4, 4 3 2 1 hundred yards on steel gongs with 530 grain paper patch bullets and black powder, I fell in love with it all over again.

Both you guys rock.

Ain't nary the three of us gonna go hungry RG.

Never shot one... on my bucket list.

I will add, that the .223 will NOT result in a DRT animal if you shoot heart/lungs. I shot one buck last year in the neck that, of course, dropped on the spot. All the other game made it 30-45 yards before piling up.

The bigger calibers can take a high shoulder shot and drop them instantly. The trade off is worth it for me (so far).

All my shots are 250 yards or less. I'm not comfortable with the killing power any further than that - yet....

They're a blast in more ways than one.

I didn't know you could kill big stuff with a .223....

Get that scale checked and you'll be well on your way to reality.



Dave

U-CAN, I see'd it.

I zeroed it out and I weight the same as on it, as my home scales. But, I'm sure you are right... lmfao You are a damn joke.

Heres a .223 trifecta..




from 120to 169lbs

I, too, was on the opposite end today out with the 416 Rem practicing.

Bull Buff down, coming up!

i like to shoot volcanic boulders.
with the 223 you can a 'ping'.
with a 45.70 you get shrapnel
much more better.

that doesn't count, isn't a black rifle

Needs to be the AI version.

Stunt shooters.

I learned long ago that the .223 would kill hogs. I load a 64 grain Winchester SP. Accurate and more than adequate.

If, for whatever the reason, I was ever forced to get down to one centerfire rifle, it would be an AR in 223. I figure it would take care of anything around these parts that needed shooting. Now, if I lived somewhere else, and had lions, and tigers, and bears roaming the woods looking to make a meal out of me, the choice would be different.

They are a blast to shoot with a can on.

Learned back when I was a kid the round is good enough for most critters.

Pretty much where I'm at as well.

90% of what I shoot is with a .223 AR.

Damn....

LOL!

Before I got hooked on my AR, I shot everything with a Savage M10FP.

There's absolutely no telling hom many pounds of meat that rifle put on the ground. Or how many coyotes.

I still have that rifle. It's worn, and has lots of bluing missing from years of use.

I think this fella was crowding 300#.





He's the one on the left below:





I put the 'Dober Special' (63 SMP) through his left ear at around 3,100 fps. Then I busted my drag rope handle tryin' to get him outa the woods.





FC

These are not available as components yet?

Joe, heres a couple more with the 63SMP....

Nice.

I fell in love with 'em for the accuracy, but they knock stuff down quite well, too. I think I'd have to burn a lot of powder to see the difference between them and the 55 TTSX in killing stuff.

FC

Does that stock burn your hands?

Wow, how'd you get them to fall like that?

My guess is he waited until they stood lined up and kilt em all with one shot. Yes, the .223 is just that powerful in the right hands.

Guys, save your .223 ammo for big stuff. Buffalo, elephants and such. Most decisive round I've seen for pigs is a 2.75 FFAR. Works great for point plinking, but flechettes are the schizzle for a herd.

Thats the one, the only, infamous " McFlame"


Its killed more game than CWD and EHD combined

Only the top two. The bottom one was facing the other direction and required a whole bullet to himself...

PERFECT size... that's what I'm looking for.

PERFECT size... that's what I'm looking for.

That wood is gorgeous

The 223 has become a favorite as well. It rides to the range everytime I go. It is plenty
for our little SC whitetails.
GreggH

It does alright.

Fixed it for ya.
😜

I have had good success with 62-64 gr SP bullets on deer and hogs. I've got a couple thousand Winchester 64 gr Power Point bullets I snared up at a gun show a few years back, they are the cat's azz. Great thread, btw.

You should see/hear it when a 715 gr paper patch or 750 gr grease groove bullet from my 50-90 Sharps lands, they both carry about a 338" meplat.

I've had more DRT with a 223AI than with anything else I've used.

5.56 or wylde chamber 1-7 or 1-8 Light weight barrel, free floated with a decent fore arm, good bolt carrier group, your choice of uppers/lowers, Geisslee SSA-E, LMT sophmod stock, seekins rings, and maybe that tract toric for a hunting gun or the SWFA 1-6 for other uses.

If you can't find game that went 30-40 yards you have no business... actually about how far most deer went with 257 wtby...for us anyway.

Regardless IF you use good bullets ( a lot of 55 sps are NOT good bullets IMHO) the 223 kills well. But its not a boy scout round.

I have a Rock River Varmint. I load the 62 Barnes TTSX. It will punch through a 200 lb pigs shoulders at 200 yds. I have killed dozens of pigs with it. I have some power points and Bear Claws to try. I'm sure they will work fine too. You can't go wrong with the 62 Barnes. I have better tools to deer hunt with, but I wouldn't be afraid to use the 223.


I have a bunch of pig pics posted in trapping. Sometimes we catch 30 in a weekend. Sometimes none. It's hard to get trap gates set without leaving scent.