I am help two of our local Scouts, to load up ammo for the rifles that they have been given for making their Eagle ranks..

one has a 223 and the other has a 243.... they picked up bullets per my direction, but bought what was "available"....

53 V Max in 22 caliber... and 70 grain TNT in 6mm.

anyone have any experience with these bullets, in these caliber for taking down deer?

most of our blacktail deer are antelope sized animals...and most shots are within a 100 yds or less...at least on these sized deers.

are they capable of taking down deer? and secondly, for velocity do they have to be slowed down, or fired at the cartridges faster potential range.

any shared experiences would be helpful and appreciated...

Thanks in advance...

johnchr/ seafire

I have no experience with either but both would be about the last that I would choose based off of what they’ve intended for.

I have 20 or so Barnes 55 grain TTX bullets that I’d be happy to send to you along with 50 Hornady 55 grain spire points.

A first deer can be a huge deal to a kid. PM me if you want them.

No experience with either on deer but killed a bunch of p-dogs with both. If you would like I’ve got some 22 cal 60gr hornady sp’s and some 6mm 90gr Nosler accubonds I’d give them. Send me a pm if I can help. Nick

No experience with either of those bullets.

I Have a box of 100gr pro hunters, if you wanna give them a go instead. Im about 20 mins south of you

Those are varmint bullets and not suitable for deer. I have some spare bullets as well in 6mm and .224 that I can send to you. PM me your address.

Hornady 55 gr SP are available for the .223 Hornady 100 gr BTSP are available for the 6mm.....Their picks are NOT what Id use to kill a deer.

I strongly suggest you take up one of the fine offers that have been made here.

gentlemen,

I highly appreciate the generous offers in typical campfire fashion...

I have no shortage of bullets here myself. This is what the boys came up with, and wanted to use because they were proud of coming up with something on their own... local store that sold them the bullets told them, they would work fine. ( Sportsman's Warehouse) This was before I got involved. Per usual around here there is no dad involved in this picture. There is an older Grandpa, but he's not in shape to take them out in the field and has always just bought store ammo...not a handloading type of guy.

I am well stocked to just give them appropriate bullet... but they were set on using what they had bought.

I do admit to being surprised, over the generous offers put forward in response here...thanks and kudos to each of you.

thanks for your input... I'll let the two boys read the thread here, next time they are over....to do some handloading..

will let them shoot some of the bullets they bought over range time... but will send them afield, with proper bullets.

I have multiple boxes of bullets, that Ingwe/Tom mentioned....

the 100 grain Hornady in 6mm, and the 55 and 60 grain SP in 22 caliber from Hornady. I'm supplying the powder, primers and brass already.

thanks to each of you gentlemen once again, and for your generous offers.

cheers and best regards
john chr / seafire

The 53gr Vmax would not be my choice but my cousin killed a very nice buck last year with his 16.5" .223 Rem 783 using the 53gr Vmax. Quartered away around 80yds he hit hit mid rib on the entrance and the bullet broke the off shoulder and he found it in the muscle right before the hide, nice mushroom and fair weight retention. The deer made it about 25yds and then got the low blood pressure shuffles.

Again, probably not the bullet I'd pick but it worked in that instance.

Well at Blue Dot velocities I think the 70 grain TNT would work at speeds of less than 2600 fps. Haven't shot many Vmax's myself. The 90 gr. TNT in the Grendel works well on feral hogs.

In my hands I would be comfortable with either.

Have seen deer killed easily with a 220 Swift and a 55 V-Max.

Also seen em die pretty good with the old Hornady SXSP .243 70 grain.

Lights out instant kills but placement in the soft part of the airbags was used.

No buck fever involved.

But hogs aren't nearly as tough as deer!!

^^ THIS ^^

What twist is the 223???

Hard position to be in.

1. Good on them for sourcing their own
2. Unfortunate it's not exactly right without worrying about results
3. Want to encourage #1
4. Teaching them to reload and understand why some "answers" are better than others is still a valuable skill
5. Good excuse to use the 2 new bullets on something you might be more comfortable with


And I think this is really important

6. You're about to create a "core memory" for these boys and their hunting/shooting futures. It's one thing to have a bad experience with a cartridge or bullet when you're 40 and have 30 years experience and know enough to know 1 result doesn't a rule make but another to have the first experience be less than stellar. I never liked the idea of "get them a 12 ga, they'll grow into it - I don't want to spend money on 2 shotguns" way of doing it. Just me. Spend the money, make that first/best core memory/experience the absolute BEST it could possibly be. How you get them hooked and keep them hooked. Grow the sport/lifestyle and tradition.

If It was me - I'd source proper bullets you feel comfortable with and a great chance to explain the differences for more indepth understanding. A more complete project.

Congrats on the boys making Eagle. Big accomplishment. My girlfriend's 3 boys all did as well with the youngest just getting it this past fall. It's served them well since!

Congratulations to the young men for making Eagle. I'd also be happy to donate some 100 grain Hornady of 95 grain Nosler BT 6mm bullets if your/their supply runs low.
Is the reloading thing part of Boy Scouts? I'd like to get involved in something like that locally.

Why not steer them towards buy quality ammo. That way they aren't dependent in you or anyone else.

Have them load some up and do a bullet test with their bullets and some of yours. Then let them decide.

Both will take deer in the conditions you described and I fairly certain I could keep my family fed if I was so armed. Are they optimal choices, NO.

Do the boys and the deer a favor and have them use bullets designed for killing deer. You are doing good work Seafire, very admirable.

As sneaky as this idea I’m going to float out might be, I think I’d be more comfortable doing this…

Take up someone on the better bullet offers, or use your own. If these kids haven’t taken pictures or committed the components to memory, couldn’t you get the bullets from them…be sneaky and blend them into your supply, and then use the better choices for the ammo loading, with them being none the wiser? Sneaky, yes…but what parent hasn’t been a bit sneaky or done or said something a bit dishonest to try to ensure a more favorable outcome for a child? A premium design deer bullet might result in a quicker more ethical kill if a shot drifts from ideal placement due to excitement or buck fever. At least more so than a bullet designed mainly for varmints. There will never be another “first time” for things like this, and I would “stack the deck” as much as I could personally.

Just my two cents, for what they’re worth.

Happy Hunting!😎

Doc_Holidude

Very good idea!!

That said, the 50gr Vmax was talked about lots here 10ish years ago and the results on deer/bears.

Load their lighter bullets with starting loads for practice but load some more appropriate bullets and resight the rifles before going hunting.

I’m with Navlav8. Shoot them up practicing then have them load up a better bullet for the task at hand. I’d try to make this experience the absolute best it can be. Wounding/ losing a boys first deer might turn him off to hunting.

Good on you by the way for helping these young men out!

I am late to the party and would make a suggestion.

Get about 10-15 gallon jugs of water. Old empty milk jugs work fine. 25 yrd is far enough away. Use a rest so they get a good shot.

fill with water, put 3 in a row, one behind the other with the effort to 'catch' the bullet.

tell the lads that the object of the bullet is to expand and PENETRATE.

shoot the jugs with their loads, and discuss.

tell them you have a selection they may pick from that may be more suitable.

Nothing teaches like a live demonstration.

keep us posted on the results and outcome.

will do.. I've gone over and picked out empty milk jugs from the recycle been over at the dump... ain't no one watching over it..

we'll bring them back anyway...

going to let them try what they picked out...

and then I've got plenty of 90 and 100 grain Speer bullets, gotten for cheap long ago...

will try those out in 6mm.. and also plenty of 63 SMP Sierra and 70 grain SMP Speer...I've taken deer with both of those bullets...
work fine out of a 223, and DAMN fine out of a 22.250...

Beating a dead horse here
But no varmint or match bullets for hunting big game