I've used 223/5.56 for whitetail hunting in upper Michigan with great success. The key is the bullet. I use hollow point, or polymer tip. A heart/lung shot does the trick, but I've used my aim point in a neck shot. They go down right where they stand. Solid tip rounds at the rate of speed go right through the deer with minimal damage. Just my hunters opinion. A side note, I loaned my Mini 14 to my son-in-law years ago to try it deer hunting. He was so successful.... I never did get it back. But that's what Dads do. Great video Mr. Spomer.
@@recon1986 Mike, hollow point rifle bullets have been around longer than I have. All Barnes TSX and TTSX have hollow points. Hammer bullets too. Sierra Hollow Point Boat Tails. Speer hollow point varmint bullets.
Barry, you're not alone in your appreciation of the 223 Rem. on deer. It's not legal in many states, however. An important addendum to your polymer tip bullet comment: polymer tip doesn't define the bullet well because polymer tips can be and are put atop frangible varmint bullets, bonded core game bullets, cup-core game bullets, all copper monolithic bullets, etc. I'm guessing the polymer tip you've used successfully on deer sits atop a cup-core or frangible varmint style bullet. When these enter the chest of a deer, they "explode" to create a baseball to softball sized wound cavity. Massive hemorrhaging and quick demise. Good shooting, Barry.
I think we've got to qualify it. There are some hollow point and polymer-tipped bullets that are designed for explosive damage on prairie dogs. They may not penetrate deeply enough to be ethical on deer, especially if they hit a rib. You want a bullet designed for big game; limited expansion. Some of those varmint bullets just completely come apart and will not even exit a prairie dog. People using 223 with varmint bullets on deer is why it's not a legal caliber in many states.
I am a big fan of the 223. One of the things that is often overlooked is that the 223 Remington is an efficient round. One of the things I have noticed when reloading the 223 is that my powder goes a lot further. The 22-250 is king of the varmint cartridges - the 223 can do a lot of what the 22-250 can do (just not as far out range wise). For the 15% increase in velocity the 22-250 gives you, I have to burn about 40% more powder. You aren't giving up much with the 223 Remington.
BULLETS AND STABIITY MATTER RANGE GIVE OR TAKE i USED A .22-250 REM WTHE A POWDER LOAD IMR4895 WITH A HORNADY SUPER EXPLOVSIVE BULLET 50 GRN NOT 55GRN GOT GOOD ACCURCY TOO 3800FT PS IS DAM GOOD A FREIND OF MY SIGHTED THE GUN IN A REM 788 SAID VERY GOOD LOADIT STUED A .225RTEDOUT AS A WILDCAT THEN REM CAME OUT WITH I SOON AFTER THE REMINGTON788 WAS ADAM GOOD RIFLE CLIP FED 2OR 3 SHOT MAG NOT SURE BEEN ALONG TIME SINCE I OWNED ONE HAD 2 OF 22-250 AND .308 WIN THENCOULDNT GET ONE SAVAGE AXIS .223REM DICKS DIDNT HAVE ANY 22-250'S SO BOUGHT THE .223REM THE OTHR SAVAGE I HAD WASA .308WIN ALSOWULD PUT WOULDUED A .225 HAVE 2R WITH A 30.06SPRFLD
You have to remember that in the energy calculation is an equation of mass x velocity squared. That velocity is squared is very important. Going from 900fps to 1000 feet per second is not the same thing as going from 3000fps to 3100. The higher you get in the velocity the more energy it takes to get it to go another 1fps higher. It will take more energy to slow down a 3100 fps projectile 100 fps than it will take to slow a 1000fps projectile to 900. At over 3000 fps a 15% increase in velocity may not sound like a lot but it actually is substantial and it equates to much more than 15% more energy being delivered on the target. That 15% increase in velocity equates to nearly 40% more energy to deliver to the target.
I put together a .223 8 months ago mainly because of a crazy hog problem I was having/lots of cheap ammo available and allow me to say i love this little round. With a 1 in 8 twist rate it stabilizes the heavier bullets and it has taken more hogs in the last 8 months than most men will ever see in their lifetime. I'm not saying it's an optimum hog cartridge but with proper shot placement it gets the job done quite well. Great round
When I went to buy my first ar15. I was confused so just went with the 5.56 barrel to be safe. But honestly mostly shoot .223 since freedom munitions sells 55grain reloads for $17.99 for 50 rounds. ❤ best ammo for the price. Tried every kind they sell and weights. Never once had a bad round or failure to feed or fire. Also I get 55grain sp and 60grain soft points new for 26.00dollars for 50rounds. Keeps me shooting for as long as I want and have stockpiled over 2,200 rounds and now reload them. Great info as always Ron.
Having shot buckets of .223/556 ammo at everything from prairie dogs to antelope and deer, I can say that the key to success with it is bullet selection. Varmint grenades, V-max or ballistic tips for varmints. For Antelope and up, Copper bullets such as Barns Triple Shock or Hornady GMX will do the job. The actual weapon is what comes out of the barrel of the firearm.
@@kevinbillow4185 I haven't used them in 223 but I have used them in 6.5 creedmoor and was very impressed with both on game performance and accuracy, best 100yd group was .25moa 5 shots (ruger american predator, factory barreled action but upgraded everything else), it'll consistently shoot sub .5moa if I do my part, a buddy uses the 64gr 223 xp on deer with good results, this last season I tried out the wolf military classic 55gr hp 223 steel case on deer with great results, another buddy had great results with so.e freedom munitions 223 loaded with the 55gr vmax from an 18" barrel (the barrel length I was using is 16" and the other friend I was talking to I believe has a 22" barrel) So my advice would be to pick up a box and see what you think, at best you found your new favorite 223 ammo, at worst you don't like it and wasted a few bucks on a box of ammo
I have one bolt action 223 (that's about to get a new barrel) two AR15's and third receiver set waiting for what I'm going to build next. If you push a 62 grain gold dot at 3000 fps ( easily done with at least a 20 inch barrel) You will be suppressed at what that cartridge can do. If you have reach out a little bit(nothing crazy) the 75 grain gold dot at 2800 FPS is a nasty round. Inside 200 yards loaded with gold dots, I have no problem taking a 20 inch AR15 for anything white tale and smaller.
The 223 is one of the most popular deer cartridges here in New Zealand for fallow/sika right up to and including red deer. The 55gr Sierra Game King projectile is a honey of a deer bullet
@@EdwardSnortin Bolt action, lever action and semi auto rimfires and bolt and lever centrefires. I'm using an old 1916 .303 British at the moment, I've just uploaded my first hunt with it to my channel. I love the old girl. I have a 223, 308, two 303's and two 22s
Hi Ross, I am from NZ and looking to buy a .223 for hunting Fellow. Can you recommend the best rifle/ammo combo? I have been looking at the Tikka .223 Any advice appreciated.
Ron like you said my first encounter with this round I was a hot young Naval recruit fresh out of basic training that was in 1975. Fast forward to the early 2000’s I bought a Savage model 12 with a 26 inch barrel , man that little.223 and that heavy model 12 just go together like peanut butter & jelly . I’ve spent many a relaxing fun filled day shooting groups as small as dimes.
I have had a 270 and a 375 Ruger for most of my hunting which spans over 30 years in New Zealand and about 3 months ago I bought a Ruger ranch 223 short barrel with a suppressor and attached my Thermal scope to it. Well I have shot over 200 rabbits a few possums and 1 whitetail and Red deer with it and its a neat little gun to use. I did let a large Red go the other day as I wasn't in a good position and didn't want to wound it, if I had had my 375 it would have taken a round as nothing get up after it gets hit with 270gr bullet. Keep up you good videos, cheers from downunder.
If you place your shot right there are very few animals on this planet a single round of .223 would not kill. I stopped using .223 on anything larger that a fox because larger animals take a lot longer to bleed out shooting for lung/heart only. Combine that with the fact that there is verly little blood, sometimes no blood at all and me not havin access to a capable dog its just needlessly hard to find your kill. Rifles like my 8x57IS or 7x65R create nice big exit holes that bleed absolute buckets. Really easy to follow even in bad conditions.
I live in northern Canada, and the 223. Rem is such a good round 👍🏼 I always use it when I hunt seals (ringed, harp, and bearded). I also witnessed my hunting buddies take down a caribou with a 223. 👍🏼
The 5.56/.223 has had a tremendous impact on the shooting/hunting community. In 1998 when I was assigned to Camp Perry most shooters were using the M-1 and M-14 to shoot across the course. A few years later the Army Marksmanship Unit developed long range loads for the M-16 and cleaned up against all comers. Several years later the Marines had caught up and their top shooter was a female E-5. Due to the light weight of the weapon system and the lack of recoil from the 5.56, ladies could now compete across the course on an equal footing. Game changer. Oh, and it does make things very dead.
On average the ladies have better hand and eye coordination than men. If more ladies were to shoot, with equipment suited for them, they would probably dominate competitive shooting.
Thanks Ron, Good video. I have killed white tail and hogs with a 223, but I load my own and shoot 77 grain HPBT. I stay in less than 150 yards and most importantly, I get steady and know pretty much exactly where the shot is going to go. Shot placement is key when using a smaller caliber.
Another great informative video my friend and yes it’s a limited round and I normally Hunt Whitetail with my 6mm I took a beautiful Buck this season with a .556 using Hornady 75 grain BTHP .223 and it dropped in his tracks but the shot was roughly 100 yards and right through the Boiler Room with no exit, the HP instantly fragmented if anyone is curious it was a gooey mess but humane. Stay safe my Friend Semper Fidelis
I don't have a use-case for a bolt-action. My best group so far is .65MOA with the Faxon match .223wylde pencil barrel (called gunner profile) using 77grn in a personally assembled, lightweight AR-15 SPR build.
I’ve taken everything that walks down here in north Georgia with a 22 mag… the 22 mag is really underrated by many… they do a good job as long as your inside of a 100 yards …. Awesome video… thanks buddy…
I knew a man ,now deceased, that had no problem killing all our local animals with a .22 long rifle. I introduced him to the .22 mag and he couldn't believe it. He killed many deer with it and at least one I know of just past 100 yards. I do love the cartridge. If it works in the woods at close range a .223 would be like a magnum indeed.
@@bobgordon1754 oh yeah a 223 is definitely more powerful than a 22 magnum …but the 22 mag is a little more quieter and the rifle’s are usually cheaper to buy and you can carry 100 rounds in your pocket … the 223/556 is a awesome round I also like the 22-250 I’ve shot deer and other game and non game with it … and the 22lr I’ve also killed deer with them years ago… I guess I just love guns in general… almost all of them… thanks for your comment buddy…
The most accurate gun I have ever owned was a .223 TC Contender with a 14 inch bull barrel, and a 2x7 Burris LER scope mounted. When I first sighted it in (off a bench of course) with factory Amer. Eagle 55 grain FMJs, it placed 5 shots at 100 yards you could cover with a dime. I was shocked at the capabilities of that gun and cartridge.
I think most importantly, when using this round on larger game, barrel length is a key factor. If you use a long barrel around 20 inches, then it really allows for the round to get a lot of speed and be absolutely devastating.
Generally speaking, you gain, or lose, about 100 FPS per inch of barrel. With a round traveling 2500 FPS that's really not a whole lot to worry about. That's one reason the military standardizes on a 14.5 or 16" barrel. You just don't lose enough velocity to make the tradeoff in length worth it. I remember clearing buildings in Iraq in the early 90's with a 20" M16. I hear that even in the present the Marines still use the 20"...
@@UI_Shaggy05 True, you can run them hot, that is getting to the upper limit according to the hornady handbook of reloading. Love the higher energy of larger pills myself.
@@TonyWright-tf5zy Even factory 5.56 ammo can reach that velocity. Also, the Hornady 30-06 180 grain SST nearly reached 2,900 ft/s out of a 26 inch barrel!
I have a Remingtin model 700 - 223 with a 24 inch barrel and I have taken more than 50 whitetails a 14 inch antelope and a couple elk with my 223 . Shot selection and distance and bullet selection are critical when using a 223 to take larger game animals .
@@mddunlap03 you can easily brain one at twice the distance any archer can reliably hit the chest with a broadhead. So what's the problem? You can't get half as close as a bowhunter, or you can't hit a 6" disk at 100m, from a braced firing position with a scope?
Having the longer barrel is important to 223 performance IMO, many rounds peak in velocity from a 24" barrel and that gives a benefit in that at 100 yds the bullet can be travelling at the same speed it is from the muzzle on a lot of the shorter barrel AR's that are so popular now. I have a 24" barrel, a 20" and an 18.5" in the 223/5.56 caliber, what I also like with the 24" barrel is how quiet the round is to shoot in the field compared to shorter ones too, makes it a real pleasure to fire, very soft shooting with no noticeable muzzle blast.
The .223/ 5.56 is an awesome Jack of all trades. It's great for anything from rock chucks to deer with the right bullets. It's incredibly accurate, soft shooting and is excellent for self defense. The .223/ 5.56 is easily in my top 5 favorite cartridges 😊👍
I have owned a nice Ruger #3 .223 for many years and it is a wonderful rifle. It is somewhat heavy though so I bought a nice little bolt action .223 when I could finally find one. It is going to be my new truck gun that rides with me on the ranch. It is one rifle I have components to last the rest of my life.
@Lisa Chavez I actually happen to have a Savage 93 in 17HMR and it's one of my favorite rimfires. Savage makes pretty decent and very accurate rifles for the money and the 17 HMR is a great little cartridge. It's has great accuracy potential, it is great for small game out to 150 yards and has virtually no recoil. So if you're looking for a fun little target rifle or something for small game you can't go wrong 🙂👍
I love it because of the availably and versatility of the round. Of course it's great for coyotes, hogs, but could be used for small game with 40grain and up to whitetail with 77grain along with self defense. If you had to have a single cartridge, this is a good contender.
I used to hate the .223 Remington because I was a proud member of the .22-250 Remington club. Then I turned 18, joined Army ROTC, and entered the world of AR-15s. I’ve built a half dozen or so AR-15 lowers in the short time since then, and currently have 2 in the 5.56 NATO chambering and 1 in the “anemic 6.5”, my precious 6.5 Grendel. I’ve killed an axis doe, 2 aoudad ewes, a wild hog sow, and a whitetail doe with my 16” AR-15s using 62gr soft points and hollow points and Fusion (bonded soft point?). I’ve killed at least 3 times as many animals of similar size (and bigger) with the .22-250, using (overwhelmingly) 55gr Nosler BT and VMAXs. (All the previously mentioned loadings are in their respective factory offerings as I’m not a handloader unfortunately). The bolt 250 is more accurate and harder hitting and flatter shooting than even a 20” AR-15 could ever be. Between the .223 and the .22-250, I think the .22-250 is the better choice in terms of ballistic performance and killing efficiency. But the “fun” of the AR-15 platform, the ease of ammunition procurement even in these crazy times, and the wide range of factory ammunition makes the .223 a better choice for many. In fact I’d say I’m pretty salty about this subject because a 24” 1:9 22-250 with 75gr BTHPs is probably one of the mildest recoiling and effective game killing medicines out there (I live in Texas, so we’ll call it red deer or smaller, with the exception of aoudad, and with a maximum range of 300 yards), but it just isn’t something I have access to. Meanwhile I can enjoy whatever barrel twist rate I want and have factory loadings of 75gr BTHP or 69gr Gold Medal Match or 77gr OTM out of either 5.56 or .223, get a 20” 5.56 or .223 Wylde barrel, and go to town. Yeah I’m “that guy”, the .22-250 apologist in the comments’ section of a .223 video; everyone needs a hobby, I guess. Excellent work as always Mr. Spomer. I’m selling my Grendel and .270 to try and get a lightweight short action in Weatherby’s new Mark V Hunter, and one of your videos a while back has solidified in my mind the 7mm-08 as the best choice for me…although I might end up going with “6.5 man bun” (Creedmoor) instead due to ammo availability and still having a .30-06.
"6.5 Man Bun" 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Thank you TONS for that! Amazing how a 250 Sav Improved, squoze up .007" has gained such a mythical reputation. An optimization for sure, and an excellent cartridge, but not magic.
@@richfinley6017 triggered snowflake alert. If u Dont want it dont buy it. Ur loss not mine. But it's the best cartridge ever squashed into an ar15 reciever. No one here ever claimed 6.5grendel was magic. Ur the one who came up with that assumption. But dont get triggered when someone wants better performance than u.
6.5 grendel out of an 18 inch barrel is magic! It kills out of proportion,out of a light handling semi auto! I have several bigger calibers but the 6.5 grendel is a favorite
My first varmint rifle was a Ruger M77 in .223. It’s a beautiful gun (much nicer than the Remington 700 VS I have in .22-250) and great to carry around, be it for ground hogs or coyotes. In Ohio we’re pretty limited in our uses, but it’s still nice to have.
Hello from Oklahoma! Good Video! I've spent time in Canada years ago. Back in the 70's the 30-30 was very popular up north. As was the '06. I'm sure the 223 is also. Really it boils down to know how to hunt, get close shoot accurately. Shot placement is key with any cartridge.
Not all provinces alow .223 for deer up here. 30-30 and .308 are popular and I think that the possibility of encountering a bear while deer hunting drives the want for larger calibers up here.
I graduated from the 30-06 to the 223 with a Savage model 25 bolt gun. I loved it so much I decided to get an AR which I built myself. Lower recoil, less cost to reload, and darn accurate. Sub MOA out of a good barrel. I use 69 to 75 grain bullets out to 600 yards
.223/5.56 is somehow both the smallest intermediate rifle cartridge you can get and a devastating explosive 50 caliber AP round that kills people if they look at them wrong
Bullet selection is EVERYTHING! Talk to our veterans that relied on this cartridge to survive. There was a lot of concern with the ability to neutralize a threat quickly. It got the job done. No more no less. Our special forces realized the 77 gr ammo was most effective at this. If they needed a longer range solution they let the marksmen handle the situation.
Firstly, another informative, interesting and engaging vid 👍👍👍 The .223 is kind of like the Swiss Army Knife of rifles and it cements the notion that this is another old school round that is difficult to top. An almost infinitive array of rifle brands chamber for it, it’s cheap to shoot, comfortable recoil with pretty impressive and consistent performance…On a side note here in Australia the . 222 is still a popular calibre with plenty of folk using it on vermin / foxes and the like
Best caliber ever made! My 8yo boy took down a Kudu bull, Impala, Bluewildebeest and Bushbuck in one week, each with one lung shot at around 150 yds. The 223 is our go-to rifle on the farm and used around 99.9% of the time, with the 7mm Rem, 308 and 375H&H almost never used collecting dust in the safe... Thanks Mr Spomer for your great videos. All the best
Thanks again Ron: You're becoming a regular thing for me. People could start talking. :) The .223 Rem or 5.56mm is a good little cartridge. I wouldn't use it on anything more than 150 to 180 LBS. I own a Remington model 700 in .223 and love it for all manner of pest. I have heard of Northern Native Americans hunting moose with a .22 Hornet, but I can't say I'd ever try that. Those Natives up north kill to eat, and their shooting reflects that.
A whole lot if your aim is good! Chest/body shots on varmint are just fine, especially with speedy 40-55gn projectiles. Larger critters benefit from headshots, however a well placed heart/lung shot will indeed do the job with a well tailored load and a heavier 55-70gn projectile. Mild recoil and generally good accuracy and efficiency really make this cartridge shine. Hi from Australia, love your stuff!
as a Korean, honestly M-16A1 and K2(Piston driven AR style rifle) are my only two rifle I ever shoot. I shoot lots of 9mm, .38spl, some .357mag, and few 12gauge from O/U shotguns. so I have very little reference to the cartridge, but I know 5.56x45mm NATO is very mild and soft round to shoot for the first time I pull the trigger. I've quite surprised to AR's mild recoils. because I always listen my grandfather's "aemu-wang(of course, he mean M1 garand)"story when he participated in the Korean War(6.25.1950-7.27.1953) - big, long, heavy and powerful to broke his shoulder bone(as just kidding) and enemies's skull(which is not kidding) at the same time when he pull the trigger.
It worked like a charm on a roe deer. My friend uses it on hogs with great success. And the outfitter that took me roe deer hunting uses it on everything up to moose and red deer. He says the only thing that matters is the shot placement.
My cousin was a PH here in South Africa. He used his .222 on all plains game. He had the rifle since he was 16years old and he always said that nothing can survive a .222 in the brain. He was a fantastic shot and I never saw him miss anything during the 35 years we hunted together. I wont advise most people to use a 223 as a hunting rifle but if you have his skill set go ahead!
@@66smithra I can assure you that there are air rifles that can kill a deer. I use real guns but i know there are some super powerful air rifles with larger calibers. You know there are some really poor people with one rifle in one caliber who shoot larger game in order to eat. People shooting elk with. 223 are not recreational hunters, they're hungry. I know a guy who was starving back in the day who shot a whitetail with a. 22 long rifle. He had to chase it a long way but him and his family got to eat.
@@actionjksn Yeah obviously we're not talking about necessity. The point was that the 223 is not a good deer cartridge. We should use better tools if at all possible. The original poster said "the only thing that matters is shot placement," and that's obviously not true.
Hey Ron, best reviews of the Rem .223 and Win .308 I have seen. I appreciate your honesty and candor and presenting the real data!. You are the thinking man's hunter and ballistics expert.
I use a 270 for deer hunting and depending on weather sometimes a 30/30. I use my 223 on coyotes and hogs. I use Hornady V max 55 gr bullets. It drops coyotes where they stand and depending on shot placement has dropped 350 pound hogs in their tracks. It's a great round for what I use it for. Another great presentation 👏
Folded 2 does with Speer gold dots in223 within 30 seconds of each other last week. One ran/ stumbled 30 yards. The other about 15 yards. Autopsy: Exit wounds on both. Each of the chest cavities were obliterated. Shots were inside 100 yards. It’s a good little round especially for newbies, oldies and anyone who just enjoys time on stand.
Now keep me n mind, in north east Oklahoma, a big doe is 85 to 110 pound animal. If I were hunting ag raised midwestern deer I would tend to use a larger caliber. 308 Speer gold dots are very devastating on bigger animals. I have used 169 grain gold dots and dropped many in their tracks. Not sure what I’m going to do with my surplus Cor lokts now!!🤫
223 with a 55 grain ballistic tip is my favorite for woodchuck, fox and coyote. Drops them dead where they stand and no exit wound. Also super fun to shoot woodchuck on alfalfa fields out at 250-300 yards. Gets some long range practice at shorter ranges.
Great video Ron! .223 Rem is a very versatile round, as you said. The .223/5.56 is easy on the shoulder and fun to plink with. Taking NC deer, raccoons and coyotes is absolutely possible with this round. Thanks Ron, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours. Grace & Peace
Amen! I've shot numerous big bucks with the sierra 55 gr sbt....it's like a hammer for a chest shot. Shot a 200lb NC 10 pnt last week.....ran 100 yds and flopped over.Amen!
It should be, it an itty bitty .22 round.. accepted for military service not for its ability but because of corruption and backroom dealings.. Always find it so funny that Yanks love the 'fat' .45 over the 'skinny' 9mm yet go for the .22 round over the .30 family rounds like 7.62x39..
@@TonyWright-tf5zywe don’t even use the 45 anymore haven’t used it since Vietnam and we prefer the 5.56 since it performs very well in warfare there’s a reason the Russian stoped used there 7.62x39 in favor of there 5.45
My CZ 527 in .223 is my favorite rifle. Probably taken 3 dozen groundhogs and a fox. It's a sweetheart. 130 yards is my common distance and 300 yards would be a long shot here so it's perfect for my needs.
Ron I think you are on the right track with the 223. The first center fire rifle I taught my daughter how to shoot with was one of the first Ruger 77 MkII in 223. Have had great success with Varmints, predators, and Javalina. I have not used it on deer but at the right range with a good bullet no problem. Thanks. I always enjoy your podcast and share it with friends and family
Most people here in Nome, Alaska rock a .223 for all winter time hunting use. Works well on seals, caribou, wolves, ect. I've even shot and witnessed others take down both grizzly bears and sometimes moose with a .223. No need for fancy bullets either, 55gn surplus m193 works great on everything. ARs of good quality generally perform well in the arctic and some stay away from the mini-14 after more than one person has had the bolt explode, blowing out the extractor, and yes that is with .223 not 5.56.
@@amramhakohen3923 People have taken everything from Lions bears and even a fucking elephant with 22LR of all things, I don't think there's a single extant animal on earth that 223 won't kill with proper shot placement sans maybe a great whale.
223 62 grain or 75 grain from a 22 inch barrel bolt action OR 62 grain from a 20 inch AR does GREAT at North Alabama whitetail within 150 yards. Longest one has walked after impact was about 30 yards. I believe 223 with the right bullet from the right barrel is a nearly perfect Southeastern whitetail cartridge
When I lived in Alaska (70s) the Eskimo hunters commonly used .222Rem on scoped bolt actions on more open areas/shores. They were excellent shots who took large game (moose, walrus, polar bear) with 222. The Indians I knew, hunted the dense coastal forest mountains. They weren't particularly good shots, but were amazing stalkers. They usually used lever. 30-30s and snuck in real close. Both groups fed there families with their rifles. I used. 30-06 for moose.
40 Years ago I lived in Alaska among the native alaskan's and carried a Ruger Mini 14 along with my 44 Mag side arm. It was not ideal but I took 3 black bear with the .223. One shot one kill each time. My "Alaska Dad" used a .243 for everything from seals, mountain goat, black bear, deer to Moose. He was the most amazing marksman I have ever seen. We used what we had available. I would not recommend it for most of those animals today as I have many other options available but it worked... Love your videos!
I harvested an 8 point whitetail in Oklahoma at 397 yards with Barnes vortex factory 223 ammo. The 55gr monolith Passed through the deer's spine and both shoulder blades. complete pass through. The animal dropped in its tracks. Careful shot placement, lots of practice at the range you plan on shooting, and the 223/556 is plenty for game up to 200lbs. Great videos!
A lot of creatures have been harvested with the 22 Savage Hi-Power, which has about the same power as 223 Rem.. I recall watching a film, back when films were actual film, of Native Alaskans taking sea lions, caribou, even polar bears with the 22 Savage. Shot placement and distance, usually close, were paramount considerations as the ammo store was NOT just around the corner. Great video.
Hell, they shot tigers in India with the hi power. I think Newton said it worked best after the tiger had a full belly. 70 grain .227 caliber bullets. I've had one for 40 years and shot several whitetails with it. Savage model 99
Good one William. The 22 "Imp" was famously used to slay an Indian tiger back in the day as an advertising stunt. It's actually a bit more powerful than the 223 Rem., pushing a 70-gr. bullet about 200 fps faster. The 22 High Power also fired .228" diameter bullets, not .224." I suspect .224s would obdurate sufficiently to work well enough in an Imp barrel, but have no proof.
Thanks Ron.My first center fire was a .222 Savage.Could knock the eye from a fly.haha.Love the .223 and hope to find a Remington 700(older)to complete the collection.👍👍
Great video, I love my 223 I can shoot it all day long and for hunting I've shot big mature coyote with it they drop a die instantly I'm very confident a shot in the vitals on a whitetail dear would have the same affect . Thanks Ron
Hi Ron I regularly hunt Springbuck with the .223Rem out to 300m with wind being the limit. I use 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and focus on heart shots. It is cheap and efficient. I would not recommend that you use it on anything larger than Blesbuck but in specific cases it may work... Thus it would be perfect for Pronghorn up to Whitetail both of which would be on a bucket list. Ron I love your work and regards from South Africa 🇿🇦
Fantastic "field gun". By that, I mean a great rifle to carry while in the field for "incidental use". I'm not saying anything about deer or larger game, but more of a "something just popped up" shooter. Also, probably one of the most controversial loads in America. Everyone has an opinion on it, but don't automatically count it out of an application!
I have taken dozens and dozens of white tail deer over the years with 55gr 223 it has never failed me one shot and down out to 180yards. But yes just be wise and understand what your doing
Versatility is exactly right. From both the barrel length to modern technology bullets, the .223|5.56 can be tailored to virtually any use case (except big game in my opinion). Thanks Ron.
Follow up shots? I've heard people say that.... If you mean re shooting what you just shot at? I've been hunting for over 50 years and never once needed to do that.... Or do you mean shooting at animals that are still standing around after you shot at the first one? Yeah, naw.... that's not a good thing I don't think.
I've taken an watched other whitetails of good size bget flat out dropped in their tracks with a 223 and a 60 grain nosler partitions. Would never be afraid to use it for deer within 300 yards. Past that a 243 is good. An so on so fourth. Great video ron.
Hey Ron great description and evaluation of the 223 cartridge. I used my Savage axis 223 with a Burris 4 x12 scope shooting a 50 gr V Max ( 25.6 gr H 335 ) Winchester case and 205 primer to take a coyote this morning . Dropped in his tracks and no exit hole. Have a good Christmas !
I hunt deers and hogs in Texas every year. For deers. 223 winchester deer season xp. For hogs M193. You hit the deers upper shoulder and they drop right on the spot . Hogs behind the ear. I have pictures of my 223 hit the shoulder pass the ribs hit the spine and the lungs passed the ribs again and the other shoulder..223 is plenty for white tails inside 150 yards and I say 150 yards because I never tried at longer range. For home defense is perfect.
He definitely nailed it for me. As a boy growing up in the desert of Arizona I never fired a semi-automatic anything! It was all break open shotguns and bolt action .22's. My Father's philosophy being that if you couldn't get it done in one shot you had no business being out there! Shot placement was everything to him! My first experience with anything bigger came in the Army with an M16. After I got out I hadn't really thought much about one just trying to put my experiences with one behind me. I picked up an AR-15 years later and teared up when I held it at the store. I literally wept when I held it at home. So many memories and experiences came flooding back to me. People and things I hadn't thought about in years just came right back as If it hadn't so long ago! I don't get to hunt as much as I would like to and other than my military experience (which I am not gonna go into!) I really couldn't say or attest to it's prowess for any particular hunting. I agree that shot placement is paramount but over the years I have also come to respect the fact that you need the right kind of bullet/round. If you want or expect a decent and humane kill and don't want to have to track and or chase the animal you shot. Good shot placement and the right bullet will go a long way in making that happen! Always remember to keep your finger out of the trigger well till you are ready to shoot! To be safe and know your target and what's beyond! Once that bullet leaves the barrel, there is no taking it back! God Bless us, each and everyone! In the service I learned that in the bush and outside the wire, all we had is what you carried and each other! In other words, be kind to others and hopefully they will be kind to you! Stay safe in all you do!
Sorry, I forgot this in my earlier post. The reason I wept at home (holding the AR-15) is cause it was like holding a long lost lover! Something that had saved and carried me through some of the darkest and most dangerous times in my life! That is why I wept. It was so familiar and had been there when I really needed it. Can't say that about a lot of people! Anyway, just wanted to clear that up. Happy hunting and shooting! Stay safe and God Bless!
thanks for making this great video i am from new zealand where 223 is very common i have shot alot of hares rabbits goats and deer with the 223 such a good round!
It's a good cartridge for alot of things. I wouldn't hunt anything larger than deer with it personally. But I'm sure you could do it if you needed too. No cartridge is perfect. It's like getting a tool from your toolbox. Your not going to use a flathead screwdriver for a phillips head screw, but in a pinch sometimes you can do it. Use the right tool for the job and if you have to improvise, make sure your well practiced and using your head.
I know a native guy who killed a moose this fall with a 223! 130 yards headshot. As a white guy, I dont have the right to do this, it is mendatory to use 6mm (243) or more for big games here. That said, 223 and 22-250 seems to work pretty well!
@@benoutdoors That's not the same comparison. The 223 "can kill" an elephant of course. But it's not the proper tool for that job. The chances of wounding big game and the availability of proper calibers make it sort of silly to use a 223 for something it wasn't designed for.
Interesting topic, yes the 223 will do the job. I had occasion to live in a very rural area for a while and it was not uncommon for the locals there to hunt deer with 22 LR. what was required was usually a brain or spinal cord shot...and many of the locals had been doing that for years and were very good at shot placement. I suppose that is in the realm of shooting Moose with a .223. When you actually need to put food on the table a lot of things are possible that you would not consider normally.
I think 223 would have the pen needed if you got the brain. Its much smaller than youd think in some animals. But i wonder if it could reach the heart?
@@kane357lynch a hot steel core 5.56 with a 20-24 inch barrel yes it would reach the heart, of course as long as you do your job and don't hit the shoulder blade. However it likly won't have the velocity to damage the heart by just getting close, it would require excellent placement. I'd guess the lung damage would be the deciding factor, problem is with that big of a lung and that small of a bullet how long will it take for a moose to drop? I can assure you I won't be using my 5.56 for moose any time soon, anything bigger then a whitetail is certainly worth grabbing the 270 out of the safe. 270 is also what I use for whitetail, was my first hunting rifle when I got my hunting certificate and I haven't had it fail me yet so haven't ever had a reason to leave it home.
@@jaydunbar7538 do you think hot loaded hardcast could potentially accomplish that? Steel core is overkill and quite hard to come by, but if you need to kill and eat a moose, i would bet ur right
@@kane357lynch 270 hardcast with a headshot, sure thing! I'd be hesitant with a chest shot on something that size. If you dial a load in to be accurate then most any reasonable centrefire will work with hardcast and headshot. If you want a real cast-load performer look at some of the older cartridges like the 45-70, they're just made for casting. Throw some wheel weights in a cast pot and get going! I've got an inch at 100m out of my Marlin 1895 with 405gn hardcast and I'd be confident with using that on pretty much anything.
@@jaydunbar7538 so shoot them in the brain. You can't get within 100m? You can't hit a 6" disk at 100m? Take a braced firing position with a walking stick or sit and use your frame pack as a rifle rest.
Tip selection and accuracy is key to the 223 for harvesting any size animals. I loaded up 50gr varmint tips at max powder and took a couple whitetails down, huge amount of damage but no exit holes. Gonna try some heavier rounds next year to get a little more penatration
I own a 222 and 3 different 223s. My kids took alot of deer with them both at younger ages with a 100% success rate. Its where u place that shot. They're all older now and moved up in calibers but my son and I still do alot of our groundhog n further hunting with this round. I personally have no problem with pa sized whitetail hunters using this round...it has worked for our family over a dozen times out to 150 yards give or take and killed everything its connected quickly
I've probably killed a pickup truck load of central pa whitetail with my 222, as have my grandparents and my mom. A core-lokt through the vitals and I've never had to track more than 50-75 yards, quite a few only went 10-20 yards. I upgraded to a 30-06 years ago, but I'll always have a soft spot for the 222.
i love my M-16 bc this was the rifle I was trained on while in the military. i wouldn't switch to others. i did have 306, I gave it up bc it was too bulky for a small guy to carry around in long distances. Besides, .223 is not as costly as 306 round, and as you said, has less recoil. stripping, and cleaning the AR is the same as the M-16 with identical parts.
Hey Ron, love the videos. I am from South Africa and I know hundreds of people, and most of them are PH’s who shoot Oryx sized game with the .223 rem all the time.
It'll do anything with shot placement. I just don't use it because of the possibility of unforseen variables. Varmint, yes, big game, no. Nothing over 150lbs. Even with modern loads. I've been hunting CO big game for 35yrs and I've seen enough issues with the 243, even with good shot placement, that I'll just keep .223 to smaller animals and 2 legged assailants
Back in the 80's I researched for 2 years before buying my first rifle 30.06. What convinced me was a book titled, Beware of the man that only owns one rifle,,,, he knows how to use it. Later I purchased an AR-15 .556. Now I know how to use both of them. If I had to give one of my rifles up,,,,, bye bye 30.06. Shot placement is paramount! Oh and probably more deer have been taken by a 22LR than any other gun (especially out of season).
Been a fan for years, watched you for years. Thanks for all the fun and informative videos and shows on tv. Good shooting and gods speed to you and yours. 👍🦌🎥🏆🏆🏆
Back in the late '80s I bought a Rem 788 in .223 for shooting rock chucks in eastern WA. Using Sierra 55-grain SPBTs, it was not difficult to drop the varmints at ranges stretching out to 350 yards with a Bushnell 3x9 Sportview scope. While explosive on rock chucks, I found its performance to be a bit iffy on bigger coyotes. Not that it would not drop one dead in its tracks with a good shot, but sometimes, due to either bullets fail or aim fail, it came up a bit lacking. For that reason, I'm not a big fan of the .223 on deer and such. But bullets and powders have improved, so maybe if I were doing it all over again, my opinion might change.
I’ve used the .223 successfully on whitetail and it absolutely does the trick. Bullet construction and shot placement is very important, as with other cartridges
*After using the .223 (5566) in the army and watching the tissue damage this round caused I was hooked. I once shot a combatant in the arm and watched his bicep explode like an egg hitting a brick wall! In Alaska I also took down 2000 lb. Moose with no problems at 500 yards.*
Hey Ron love the vid. Would love to see some ballistic gel tests one day! Comparing varmint, bonded and mono projectiles. Too many people don’t realise how important projectiles are. At the end of they day that’s the only thing that touches the deer and is the most important. Using a varmint projectile on big game doesn’t end well!
You're playing my song when you sing about bullet importance, John. That's the whole reason for the rifle, scope, case, primer, powder... Everything hinges on bullet performance.
@@richardpowell1664 Numerous people used to chide me and my favorite hunting buddy for 'shooting up your ammo'! We tested for bullet performance, as well a finding our rifles favorite loading. We'd shoot 10 rounds out of a box of 20 to make sure it was the right load, then try to kill the next 10 critters in a row, which we did on more than one occasion. We liked the spire point 50 grain 223 bullets better than HP's.
I’ve shot many “large” game in my country with a 223. Anything from rabbits to Red deer and everything in between. Goats, pigs and fallow deer. Professional deer cullers in my country back in the day favoured the 222 before the invent of the 223 because of the weight saving and accuracy of the round. Head and neck shots at moderate distances are the key. Shot placement in any caliber always is. I’ve introduced both my sons and a friends son to the value of a 223 and taught them shot placement to secure food for the family. It’s cheap, has very little recoil and punches above its weight.
I know one of the toughest critters in America that I've probably killed into the very very high hundreds if not into the thousands and that critter would be the wild hogs... I've killed a big chunk of them with 223 Rem out of an AR15 and many of those was a 1 shot stop. I've seen those same hogs shrug off shots from 308, 30-06, 300WIN up to 338 Lapua and keep running. I'm not saying it's the best for everything and I'm not recommending people trade in their 7mm Rem Mags to go moose or elk hunting or saying you should even use it for that but with proper shot placement and bullet choice you can do a lot of cool things with the 223. I'd also say if you don't own something chambered in it you're wrong... LOL Great video as always keepem coming brother!!!
Id go with 5.56 clambering for the cheap nato plinking rounds, but I agree even if a person doesn't use it for hunting its a great cheap way to have fun at the range. It's what all my kids are training with, I can't afford to buy enough 243 ammunition with current prices to keep them training.
@@jaydunbar7538 yeah I forgot to put that in there personally I like 223 Wylde more then 556 chambered AR's because it's better for 223 but you can shoot 556. I do a ton of reloading and I rarely load to 556 pressures because you're not really gaining anything and if you don't reload you can't find good hunting ammo in 556 either. But you're correct having the option to shoot 556 for the cheap plinking ammo is definitely a good thing. Take care brother!!
My gun is chambered in .223 Wylde. Not sure what the SAMMI specs for pressure is but it’s rated for both cartridges with a 1:7 twist. I’ve got some SRM primers, powder & 69gr HPM pills to work up a good load with. The state I live in doesn’t allow anything below .24 for big game hunting but it’ll drop a hog (farm raised) easily. Make an x between the ears & eyes. As long as they don’t move when the trigger is squeezed, they’ll drop like a rock. Thanks for the great info Ron.
Ron, Thanks for showing the benefits of a small tried and true American caliber. A sturdily constructed .224 bullet with precision accuracy will do a heck of a lot more while hunting than most guys realize. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
In my province (Sk) the 223 is legal for big game which includes up to moose. Personally, not my cup of tea for anything bigger than a coyote but guys here get deer all the time with it. My “lightest” cartridge of choice for big game is really the 243 Winchester but I tend to use my 257 Weatherby for everything up to Elk. After that the 7mm REM Mag or 300 Weatherby comes out. Except for black bear, then it’s the lever 30/30 or my 1886 Winchester in 45/70. But to each his own!
Friend and I were shooting 800 yards with our 223s last weekend at Moosejaw. It is my target rifle. I am also a fan of the 257 WM. This year i got my deer with the 6.5 Swede.
Hey Tac Man I've hunted black bear a lot with lever actions in the timber of the Smokies. I've used both 30-30 & 45-70. I ended up using a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. The 30-30 is a bit light & the 45-70 is a bit much. The 35 is right in the Goldilocks zone for bear. I also used a semi auto 8 mm Mauser that my dad brought back from the Battle of the bulge whose prior owner had moved on too the happy hunting grounds, with great success until its value got to high too high too hunt with. I hunted with hounds so we got quite a few running shots, hence my preference for lever guns & semi-auto.
@@richardpowell1664 very cool! I haven’t had the pleasure of using a 35 Remington but I have heard great things. Other than my Weatherby’s I tend to use “standard” cartridges just because not a lot of different cartridges available in my parts. I do reload so maybe a new Marlin in 35 Remington would be a good investment 👍
I've owned 6 rifles in 222 Remington and another 6 in 223 Remington: From Sako to Remington to Anschutz to Ruger, and found them good for everything up to Cape Buffalo.
It would be interesting to see an opinion on the old .222. After years of shooting a 22-250 and picked up an old .222, I find it great and probably under rated.
I’ve seen what it can do. It’s a good round but it’s uncommon and unless you’re in a .222 cult I don’t see any valid reason to pursue this caliber. Just my opinion
It will do anything the .223 will do, some say more accurately. I don't have one becuase i have several .223's. I've taken gophers up to mule deer with them. Specific bullets for each task. They punch above their weight class. Enjoy your .222!
.222 Remington stood out in Germany as beeing the smallest cartridge you could legally use for deer, which for many hunters in our densely populated country means roe. So while many hunters considered the .243 Winchester the ideal roe round, the .222 was quite popular back then. When I leafed through my uncle's gun and gear catalogues as a teen in the late 70's/early 80's I would find a number of rifles chambered for this round. This has changed a lot, .223 and .308 seem to dominate the market, probably because of good availability and price. While I am sure there are still German hunters killing roe with the .222, most consider it underpowered for wild boar, which is the second kind of bigger game you can find nearly everywhere in Germany, even next to and sometimes inside city areas. So if you are going to buy a more powerful rifle anyway for hunting boar, there is no need to keep a roe-only-rifle in .222.
Love using an AR and hornady TAP 5.56 62gr soft points for whitetail here in idaho. The area we hunt whitetail is pretty dense so a compact handy rifle that I can be very quick on an unexpected opportunity but also be able to stretch out into a field(granted, you aren't getting a shot further than 200 99% of the time out there). Last doe I shot the round punched through the front right shoulder at about 50 yards, did it's job in the vitals, and exited out the ribs, holding a straight flight path all the way through. Doe ran about 20 yards and tipped over. 2 years ago another doe at a similar distance dropped instantly. I'm not saying it's the most terminally capable round out there, but it certainly does the job really well with propper bullet and loading selection
A well presented video here, Ron! This is the first video I've watched of yours. I love the .223 round. I use my rifle for plinking these days, but I have used it for those wonderful little Prairie Dogs 30 years ago, when I was much younger, much stronger, and wildly handsome! lol By the way, I did subscribe to your channel just now.
I've never had an issue dropping Whitetails with the. 223. 55gr soft points (handloads) .... I love the cartridge, my training rifle is chambered in .223.... easily shoot 2in groups at 500yrds. Saves me a ton of money keeping my marksmanship in check without Using my much more expensive rounds out of my competition rifle.
Have an old Win M70 lightweight and a TC Contender to sister up with AR's. They used to be one of the cheapest to shoot is the reason I kept them, glad I did .
And yet, so many don't believe we are being monitored 24/7. How many times have i been talking with someone and that same subject comes up in my recommended list ! ... In talking / texting with close patriots, we often close with "Allie Achbar". Can't tell me our Homeland Defense files aren't as thick as my 4th ex ...
.223/5.56 was designed for putting down/wounding bipeds averaging 175 lbs at up to 500 meters (preferably 300 and in) ...and it's pretty good for that. 😉 Seriously, over here, the 223 is legal for hunting roe deer, foxes and smaller critters only...and that's good. Use enough gun.
Was looking for someone to confirm what I've heard about the military calculus in selecting this caliber -- in addition to the training and field utility of the lighter cartridge that Ron mentioned. A wounded enemy soldier is a greater drain of resources than a fatality. The opposite result in this respect than the hunter is after . . .
I use it on larger deer than roe, but I'm in one of the United States where it's legal to do so. ( Not all States allow this.) I never shoot past 200 yards (approximately 180 meters) and only take broadside shots with properly constructed bullets. Several dozen quick kills without a loss have been the result. If a person is disciplined enough to pick their shot, the .223 will do quite a lot. Not all people are, however, hence the laws regarding muzzle energy, etc. I understand why the laws are written and abide by them when hunting in areas that require a bigger cartridge for hunting certain game.
I think a big part of the .223 being so successful is the AR platform and related parts and accessories being extremely adopted everywhere worldwide. Even most precision bolt guns have AR compatible grips and stocks. Its just such a great platform for so many things. Most people want a semi auto, including for hunting and AR is excellent
Appreciate the perspective & approach. I can't argue with overall conclusion. But I couldn't encourage it for elk & bigger if an individual has other/better options available. We have harvested about a half dozen whitetail with 223/556 in ar-15....mostly at 50 yards and under by youth. I took the first at 40 yards before I considered it for my children. That being said, we aren't terribly pleased with results. Deer do die. Small entrance & exit with not as much blood as most other calibers.
I think it makes a great youth shooting round. I think it makes a pretty bad youth big game hunting round. It’s most certainly an expert level big game round, due to the amount of restraint needed to use it in such a manner. The user needs to select correct loads, be able to get into appropriate ranges, and wait for the perfect shot opportunity, which typically excludes most youth hunters and really any and all beginners.
@@phild9813 We bought a Ruger American Compact 243 last year and practiced out to 150 yards with my youngest. He harvested a young buck @ just under 100 with it. Pretty decent shot placement. Pretty easy recovery.
My wife shot her first white tail deer with a .223. 115 pounds field dressed, perfect shot placement just like we had practiced. The deer ran approximately 80yds, and we watched her fall. We used a 70gr. Speer semi Spitzer. While inspecting the deer after it was skinned I was impressed with what it had done. I could have stuck my thumb in the exit wound.
I have hunted with a .223 as well. AR platform. Kept my shots under 100 yards and have had to track a few but not 80 yards. Last year I switched to a 6.8 spc. Doesnt kick more than a .223 and it drops deer in their tracks. If you can do the upgrade I highly recommend it.
@@markoliver9108 Yeah it happens. I have seen it more often with a poorly aimed "too powerful" caliber or something small like a .223. A .223 can do the job but the margin of error is very small.
I've used 223/5.56 for whitetail hunting in upper Michigan with great success. The key is the bullet. I use hollow point, or polymer tip. A heart/lung shot does the trick, but I've used my aim point in a neck shot. They go down right where they stand. Solid tip rounds at the rate of speed go right through the deer with minimal damage. Just my hunters opinion. A side note, I loaned my Mini 14 to my son-in-law years ago to try it deer hunting. He was so successful.... I never did get it back. But that's what Dads do. Great video Mr. Spomer.
Michigander here too. I 100% agree. It does a fine job on whitetail deer
Hollowpont .223/5.56?? Never in my life have I heard of a hollow point rifle round.
@@recon1986 Mike, hollow point rifle bullets have been around longer than I have. All Barnes TSX and TTSX have hollow points. Hammer bullets too. Sierra Hollow Point Boat Tails. Speer hollow point varmint bullets.
Barry, you're not alone in your appreciation of the 223 Rem. on deer. It's not legal in many states, however. An important addendum to your polymer tip bullet comment: polymer tip doesn't define the bullet well because polymer tips can be and are put atop frangible varmint bullets, bonded core game bullets, cup-core game bullets, all copper monolithic bullets, etc. I'm guessing the polymer tip you've used successfully on deer sits atop a cup-core or frangible varmint style bullet. When these enter the chest of a deer, they "explode" to create a baseball to softball sized wound cavity. Massive hemorrhaging and quick demise. Good shooting, Barry.
I think we've got to qualify it. There are some hollow point and polymer-tipped bullets that are designed for explosive damage on prairie dogs. They may not penetrate deeply enough to be ethical on deer, especially if they hit a rib. You want a bullet designed for big game; limited expansion. Some of those varmint bullets just completely come apart and will not even exit a prairie dog.
People using 223 with varmint bullets on deer is why it's not a legal caliber in many states.
I am a big fan of the 223. One of the things that is often overlooked is that the 223 Remington is an efficient round. One of the things I have noticed when reloading the 223 is that my powder goes a lot further. The 22-250 is king of the varmint cartridges - the 223 can do a lot of what the 22-250 can do (just not as far out range wise). For the 15% increase in velocity the 22-250 gives you, I have to burn about 40% more powder. You aren't giving up much with the 223 Remington.
BULLETS AND STABIITY MATTER RANGE GIVE OR TAKE i USED A .22-250 REM WTHE A POWDER LOAD IMR4895 WITH A HORNADY SUPER EXPLOVSIVE BULLET 50 GRN NOT 55GRN GOT GOOD ACCURCY TOO 3800FT PS IS DAM GOOD A FREIND OF MY SIGHTED THE GUN IN A REM 788 SAID VERY GOOD LOADIT STUED A .225RTEDOUT AS A WILDCAT THEN REM CAME OUT WITH I SOON AFTER THE REMINGTON788 WAS ADAM GOOD RIFLE CLIP FED 2OR 3 SHOT MAG NOT SURE BEEN ALONG TIME SINCE I OWNED ONE HAD 2 OF 22-250 AND .308 WIN THENCOULDNT GET ONE SAVAGE AXIS .223REM DICKS DIDNT HAVE ANY 22-250'S SO BOUGHT THE .223REM THE OTHR SAVAGE I HAD WASA .308WIN ALSOWULD PUT WOULDUED A .225 HAVE 2R WITH A 30.06SPRFLD
You have to remember that in the energy calculation is an equation of mass x velocity squared. That velocity is squared is very important. Going from 900fps to 1000 feet per second is not the same thing as going from 3000fps to 3100. The higher you get in the velocity the more energy it takes to get it to go another 1fps higher. It will take more energy to slow down a 3100 fps projectile 100 fps than it will take to slow a 1000fps projectile to 900.
At over 3000 fps a 15% increase in velocity may not sound like a lot but it actually is substantial and it equates to much more than 15% more energy being delivered on the target.
That 15% increase in velocity equates to nearly 40% more energy to deliver to the target.
I put together a .223 8 months ago mainly because of a crazy hog problem I was having/lots of cheap ammo available and allow me to say i love this little round. With a 1 in 8 twist rate it stabilizes the heavier bullets and it has taken more hogs in the last 8 months than most men will ever see in their lifetime. I'm not saying it's an optimum hog cartridge but with proper shot placement it gets the job done quite well. Great round
When I went to buy my first ar15. I was confused so just went with the 5.56 barrel to be safe. But honestly mostly shoot .223 since freedom munitions sells 55grain reloads for $17.99 for 50 rounds. ❤ best ammo for the price. Tried every kind they sell and weights. Never once had a bad round or failure to feed or fire. Also I get 55grain sp and 60grain soft points new for 26.00dollars for 50rounds. Keeps me shooting for as long as I want and have stockpiled over 2,200 rounds and now reload them. Great info as always Ron.
Having shot buckets of .223/556 ammo at everything from prairie dogs to antelope and deer, I can say that the key to success with it is bullet selection. Varmint grenades, V-max or ballistic tips for varmints. For Antelope and up, Copper bullets such as Barns Triple Shock or Hornady GMX will do the job. The actual weapon is what comes out of the barrel of the firearm.
Exactly. Well said brother. Makes a world of difference.
No doubt, goes for all cartridges beyond 223/556 too. Also… Know what you are shooting in general and it’s limitations and stay within them.
Have you ever tried the Winchester "Deer Season" 64gr 223s? I've debated getting a box to try next year out of a 18" AR
I’ve not used them, tried an older version of them and my gun at the time didn’t group them well. I’ve only used TSXs on big game.
@@kevinbillow4185 I haven't used them in 223 but I have used them in 6.5 creedmoor and was very impressed with both on game performance and accuracy, best 100yd group was .25moa 5 shots (ruger american predator, factory barreled action but upgraded everything else), it'll consistently shoot sub .5moa if I do my part, a buddy uses the 64gr 223 xp on deer with good results, this last season I tried out the wolf military classic 55gr hp 223 steel case on deer with great results, another buddy had great results with so.e freedom munitions 223 loaded with the 55gr vmax from an 18" barrel (the barrel length I was using is 16" and the other friend I was talking to I believe has a 22" barrel)
So my advice would be to pick up a box and see what you think, at best you found your new favorite 223 ammo, at worst you don't like it and wasted a few bucks on a box of ammo
I have one bolt action 223 (that's about to get a new barrel) two AR15's and third receiver set waiting for what I'm going to build next. If you push a 62 grain gold dot at 3000 fps ( easily done with at least a 20 inch barrel) You will be suppressed at what that cartridge can do. If you have reach out a little bit(nothing crazy) the 75 grain gold dot at 2800 FPS is a nasty round. Inside 200 yards loaded with gold dots, I have no problem taking a 20 inch AR15 for anything white tale and smaller.
Shot placement is everything.
The 223 is one of the most popular deer cartridges here in New Zealand for fallow/sika right up to and including red deer. The 55gr Sierra Game King projectile is a honey of a deer bullet
All the Adi manufactured ammo is being rebranded as Adi world class. Other than the name it’s exactly the same ammo.
@@balazra Is that the same as Buffalo river ammo? That's what I use :-)
What kind of rifles do you guys have in NZ?
@@EdwardSnortin Bolt action, lever action and semi auto rimfires and bolt and lever centrefires. I'm using an old 1916 .303 British at the moment, I've just uploaded my first hunt with it to my channel. I love the old girl. I have a 223, 308, two 303's and two 22s
Hi Ross, I am from NZ and looking to buy a .223 for hunting Fellow. Can you recommend the best rifle/ammo combo? I have been looking at the Tikka .223 Any advice appreciated.
Ron like you said my first encounter with this round I was a hot young Naval recruit fresh out of basic training that was in 1975. Fast forward to the early 2000’s I bought a Savage model 12 with a 26 inch barrel , man that little.223 and that heavy model 12 just go together like peanut butter & jelly . I’ve spent many a relaxing fun filled day shooting groups as small as dimes.
Yea. Good times.
And don't forget self-defense... Possibly the #1 reason it's the best selling cartridge.
you know these 5 yard self defense situations with an AR
@@nobodyyyyy556 Kenosha Kyle found it useful as self defense cartridge ;)
Anything good for CQB is good for home defense.
@@zacmiles5342 the BLM loving guy who cried? Okay. luckily the world has never been changed by a Zac or Kyle
@@zacmiles5342 Kyle used 5.56 NATO, which is more potent that a plain old .223 cartridge.
I have had a 270 and a 375 Ruger for most of my hunting which spans over 30 years in New Zealand and about 3 months ago I bought a Ruger ranch 223 short barrel with a suppressor and attached my Thermal scope to it. Well I have shot over 200 rabbits a few possums and 1 whitetail and Red deer with it and its a neat little gun to use. I did let a large Red go the other day as I wasn't in a good position and didn't want to wound it, if I had had my 375 it would have taken a round as nothing get up after it gets hit with 270gr bullet.
Keep up you good videos, cheers from downunder.
If you place your shot right there are very few animals on this planet a single round of .223 would not kill. I stopped using .223 on anything larger that a fox because larger animals take a lot longer to bleed out shooting for lung/heart only. Combine that with the fact that there is verly little blood, sometimes no blood at all and me not havin access to a capable dog its just needlessly hard to find your kill. Rifles like my 8x57IS or 7x65R create nice big exit holes that bleed absolute buckets. Really easy to follow even in bad conditions.
Do you eat the possums?
@@manofchaitea6904 I'm sure he did. Possum is very tasty. The only problem is it's hard to tell if they're dead.
Why are you shooting rabbits with it? Are you wasting them or eating them?? Wouldn't it blow them to pieces....
@@jumpninthedarkalley Yep they explode real good especially in a thermal scope! Just culling them as they number in there thousands down here
I live in northern Canada, and the 223. Rem is such a good round 👍🏼 I always use it when I hunt seals (ringed, harp, and bearded). I also witnessed my hunting buddies take down a caribou with a 223. 👍🏼
Are these done with head/neck shots?
I'm sorry you live in Canada
@@heathsalter8549 why is that Heath?
@@heathsalter8549 cmon Heath...., squeak up
@@heathsalter8549 yeah c'mon Heath. We're waiting with baited breath. Tell us why "'murica is beddur"
The 5.56/.223 has had a tremendous impact on the shooting/hunting community. In 1998 when I was assigned to Camp Perry most shooters were using the M-1 and M-14 to shoot across the course. A few years later the Army Marksmanship Unit developed long range loads for the M-16 and cleaned up against all comers. Several years later the Marines had caught up and their top shooter was a female E-5. Due to the light weight of the weapon system and the lack of recoil from the 5.56, ladies could now compete across the course on an equal footing. Game changer. Oh, and it does make things very dead.
On average the ladies have better hand and eye coordination than men. If more ladies were to shoot, with equipment suited for them, they would probably dominate competitive shooting.
Yeah, my niece made it to a team in the Marines.
I have always felt the .223 was a glorified squirrel cartridge. But, it is fun,fun,fun.
Ron ur show has no equal!
@@russday1400if you want squirrels and other small game to disappear, not if you want to eat them or have a furr etc
Thanks Ron, Good video. I have killed white tail and hogs with a 223, but I load my own and shoot 77 grain HPBT. I stay in less than 150 yards and most importantly, I get steady and know pretty much exactly where the shot is going to go. Shot placement is key when using a smaller caliber.
Good advice and good practice, Russell. Thank you sir.
Another great informative video my friend and yes it’s a limited round and I normally Hunt Whitetail with my 6mm I took a beautiful Buck this season with a .556 using Hornady 75 grain BTHP .223 and it dropped in his tracks but the shot was roughly 100 yards and right through the Boiler Room with no exit, the HP instantly fragmented if anyone is curious it was a gooey mess but humane. Stay safe my Friend Semper Fidelis
Love the .223 in an accurate bolt action.👍
Custom Remington 700, 223 caliber, all in a dime with hand load ammo at 300 yards. Awesome
I have a Ruger predator, and man it is great
Byron - that is fantastic! Can you give hand load particulars?
I don't have a use-case for a bolt-action. My best group so far is .65MOA with the Faxon match .223wylde pencil barrel (called gunner profile) using 77grn in a personally assembled, lightweight AR-15 SPR build.
I’ve taken everything that walks down here in north Georgia with a 22 mag… the 22 mag is really underrated by many… they do a good job as long as your inside of a 100 yards …. Awesome video… thanks buddy…
Here in my where I live and hunt all my shots are a 100 years and in hard to beat a 22 mag
Yards not years sorry
I knew a man ,now deceased, that had no problem killing all our local animals with a .22 long rifle. I introduced him to the .22 mag and he couldn't believe it. He killed many deer with it and at least one I know of just past 100 yards. I do love the cartridge. If it works in the woods at close range a .223 would be like a magnum indeed.
@@bobgordon1754 oh yeah a 223 is definitely more powerful than a 22 magnum …but the 22 mag is a little more quieter and the rifle’s are usually cheaper to buy and you can carry 100 rounds in your pocket … the 223/556 is a awesome round I also like the 22-250 I’ve shot deer and other game and non game with it … and the 22lr I’ve also killed deer with them years ago… I guess I just love guns in general… almost all of them… thanks for your comment buddy…
@@Wootangtw Thanks for the reply. Good men in the woods get by with what the have. The .22s are enough to get the job done.
The most accurate gun I have ever owned was a .223 TC Contender with a 14 inch bull barrel, and a 2x7 Burris LER scope mounted. When I first sighted it in (off a bench of course) with factory Amer. Eagle 55 grain FMJs, it placed 5 shots at 100 yards you could cover with a dime. I was shocked at the capabilities of that gun and cartridge.
I think most importantly, when using this round on larger game, barrel length is a key factor. If you use a long barrel around 20 inches, then it really allows for the round to get a lot of speed and be absolutely devastating.
Generally speaking, you gain, or lose, about 100 FPS per inch of barrel. With a round traveling 2500 FPS that's really not a whole lot to worry about. That's one reason the military standardizes on a 14.5 or 16" barrel. You just don't lose enough velocity to make the tradeoff in length worth it. I remember clearing buildings in Iraq in the early 90's with a 20" M16. I hear that even in the present the Marines still use the 20"...
@@PaulM-kc2tk Still be a whole lot happier with 150 grains at 2500 than 55 grainers at the same speed..
With a 26 inch barrel, standard 55 grain fmj ammo reaches 3,400 ft/s!
@@UI_Shaggy05 True, you can run them hot, that is getting to the upper limit according to the hornady handbook of reloading. Love the higher energy of larger pills myself.
@@TonyWright-tf5zy Even factory 5.56 ammo can reach that velocity. Also, the Hornady 30-06 180 grain SST nearly reached 2,900 ft/s out of a 26 inch barrel!
I have a Remingtin model 700 - 223 with a 24 inch barrel and I have taken more than 50 whitetails a 14 inch antelope and a couple elk with my 223 . Shot selection and distance and bullet selection are critical when using a 223 to take larger game animals .
Teaches a lot of patients too!
I mean you can drop a grizzly with a 22 if you wanted to but doesn’t make it the best option
@@mddunlap03 you can easily brain one at twice the distance any archer can reliably hit the chest with a broadhead. So what's the problem? You can't get half as close as a bowhunter, or you can't hit a 6" disk at 100m, from a braced firing position with a scope?
A 62 or 77 grain control chaos might be a good choice
Having the longer barrel is important to 223 performance IMO, many rounds peak in velocity from a 24" barrel and that gives a benefit in that at 100 yds the bullet can be travelling at the same speed it is from the muzzle on a lot of the shorter barrel AR's that are so popular now. I have a 24" barrel, a 20" and an 18.5" in the 223/5.56 caliber, what I also like with the 24" barrel is how quiet the round is to shoot in the field compared to shorter ones too, makes it a real pleasure to fire, very soft shooting with no noticeable muzzle blast.
The .223/ 5.56 is an awesome Jack of all trades. It's great for anything from rock chucks to deer with the right bullets. It's incredibly accurate, soft shooting and is excellent for self defense. The .223/ 5.56 is easily in my top 5 favorite cartridges 😊👍
I have owned a nice Ruger #3 .223 for many years and it is a wonderful rifle. It is somewhat heavy though so I bought a nice little bolt action .223 when I could finally find one. It is going to be my new truck gun that rides with me on the ranch. It is one rifle I have components to last the rest of my life.
How do you feel about the SAVAGE HMR 17
Hello how do you feel about the SAVAGE 17 HMR
@Lisa Chavez I actually happen to have a Savage 93 in 17HMR and it's one of my favorite rimfires. Savage makes pretty decent and very accurate rifles for the money and the 17 HMR is a great little cartridge. It's has great accuracy potential, it is great for small game out to 150 yards and has virtually no recoil. So if you're looking for a fun little target rifle or something for small game you can't go wrong 🙂👍
I love it because of the availably and versatility of the round. Of course it's great for coyotes, hogs, but could be used for small game with 40grain and up to whitetail with 77grain along with self defense. If you had to have a single cartridge, this is a good contender.
I used to hate the .223 Remington because I was a proud member of the .22-250 Remington club. Then I turned 18, joined Army ROTC, and entered the world of AR-15s. I’ve built a half dozen or so AR-15 lowers in the short time since then, and currently have 2 in the 5.56 NATO chambering and 1 in the “anemic 6.5”, my precious 6.5 Grendel.
I’ve killed an axis doe, 2 aoudad ewes, a wild hog sow, and a whitetail doe with my 16” AR-15s using 62gr soft points and hollow points and Fusion (bonded soft point?). I’ve killed at least 3 times as many animals of similar size (and bigger) with the .22-250, using (overwhelmingly) 55gr Nosler BT and VMAXs. (All the previously mentioned loadings are in their respective factory offerings as I’m not a handloader unfortunately). The bolt 250 is more accurate and harder hitting and flatter shooting than even a 20” AR-15 could ever be.
Between the .223 and the .22-250, I think the .22-250 is the better choice in terms of ballistic performance and killing efficiency. But the “fun” of the AR-15 platform, the ease of ammunition procurement even in these crazy times, and the wide range of factory ammunition makes the .223 a better choice for many.
In fact I’d say I’m pretty salty about this subject because a 24” 1:9 22-250 with 75gr BTHPs is probably one of the mildest recoiling and effective game killing medicines out there (I live in Texas, so we’ll call it red deer or smaller, with the exception of aoudad, and with a maximum range of 300 yards), but it just isn’t something I have access to. Meanwhile I can enjoy whatever barrel twist rate I want and have factory loadings of 75gr BTHP or 69gr Gold Medal Match or 77gr OTM out of either 5.56 or .223, get a 20” 5.56 or .223 Wylde barrel, and go to town.
Yeah I’m “that guy”, the .22-250 apologist in the comments’ section of a .223 video; everyone needs a hobby, I guess.
Excellent work as always Mr. Spomer. I’m selling my Grendel and .270 to try and get a lightweight short action in Weatherby’s new Mark V Hunter, and one of your videos a while back has solidified in my mind the 7mm-08 as the best choice for me…although I might end up going with “6.5 man bun” (Creedmoor) instead due to ammo availability and still having a .30-06.
Keep a look out for a old Olympic arms 22-250 the made a ar for the 22-250
And some in the 223 wssm and 25 wssm
Yep I hunt with 6.5grendel. It's my favorite do it all cartridge. And its lightweight
"6.5 Man Bun" 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you TONS for that!
Amazing how a 250 Sav Improved, squoze up .007" has gained such a mythical reputation. An optimization for sure, and an excellent cartridge, but not magic.
@@richfinley6017 triggered snowflake alert. If u Dont want it dont buy it. Ur loss not mine. But it's the best cartridge ever squashed into an ar15 reciever. No one here ever claimed 6.5grendel was magic. Ur the one who came up with that assumption. But dont get triggered when someone wants better performance than u.
6.5 grendel out of an 18 inch barrel is magic! It kills out of proportion,out of a light handling semi auto! I have several bigger calibers but the 6.5 grendel is a favorite
My first varmint rifle was a Ruger M77 in .223. It’s a beautiful gun (much nicer than the Remington 700 VS I have in .22-250) and great to carry around, be it for ground hogs or coyotes. In Ohio we’re pretty limited in our uses, but it’s still nice to have.
Hello from Oklahoma! Good Video! I've spent time in Canada years ago. Back in the 70's the 30-30 was very popular up north. As was the '06. I'm sure the 223 is also. Really it boils down to know how to hunt, get close shoot accurately. Shot placement is key with any cartridge.
Not all provinces alow .223 for deer up here. 30-30 and .308 are popular and I think that the possibility of encountering a bear while deer hunting drives the want for larger calibers up here.
I graduated from the 30-06 to the 223 with a Savage model 25 bolt gun. I loved it so much I decided to get an AR which I built myself. Lower recoil, less cost to reload, and darn accurate. Sub MOA out of a good barrel. I use 69 to 75 grain bullets out to 600 yards
.223/5.56 is somehow both the smallest intermediate rifle cartridge you can get and a devastating explosive 50 caliber AP round that kills people if they look at them wrong
Bullet selection is EVERYTHING! Talk to our veterans that relied on this cartridge to survive. There was a lot of concern with the ability to neutralize a threat quickly. It got the job done. No more no less. Our special forces realized the 77 gr ammo was most effective at this. If they needed a longer range solution they let the marksmen handle the situation.
Firstly, another informative, interesting and engaging vid 👍👍👍 The .223 is kind of like the Swiss Army Knife of rifles and it cements the notion that this is another old school round that is difficult to top.
An almost infinitive array of rifle brands chamber for it, it’s cheap to shoot, comfortable recoil with pretty impressive and consistent performance…On a side note here in Australia the . 222 is still a popular calibre with plenty of folk using it on vermin / foxes and the like
The 222 is still a great cartridge
Best caliber ever made! My 8yo boy took down a Kudu bull, Impala, Bluewildebeest and Bushbuck in one week, each with one lung shot at around 150 yds. The 223 is our go-to rifle on the farm and used around 99.9% of the time, with the 7mm Rem, 308 and 375H&H almost never used collecting dust in the safe...
Thanks Mr Spomer for your great videos. All the best
Wonderful evaluation of the .223
Thanks again Ron:
You're becoming a regular thing for me. People could start talking. :)
The .223 Rem or 5.56mm is a good little cartridge. I wouldn't use it on anything more than 150 to 180 LBS. I own a Remington model 700 in .223 and love it for all manner of pest.
I have heard of Northern Native Americans hunting moose with a .22 Hornet, but I can't say I'd ever try that. Those Natives up north kill to eat, and their shooting reflects that.
A whole lot if your aim is good!
Chest/body shots on varmint are just fine, especially with speedy 40-55gn projectiles.
Larger critters benefit from headshots, however a well placed heart/lung shot will indeed do the job with a well tailored load and a heavier 55-70gn projectile.
Mild recoil and generally good accuracy and efficiency really make this cartridge shine.
Hi from Australia, love your stuff!
Thanks boingkster.
as a Korean, honestly M-16A1 and K2(Piston driven AR style rifle) are my only two rifle I ever shoot. I shoot lots of 9mm, .38spl, some .357mag, and few 12gauge from O/U shotguns. so I have very little reference to the cartridge, but I know 5.56x45mm NATO is very mild and soft round to shoot for the first time I pull the trigger. I've quite surprised to AR's mild recoils. because I always listen my grandfather's "aemu-wang(of course, he mean M1 garand)"story when he participated in the Korean War(6.25.1950-7.27.1953) - big, long, heavy and powerful to broke his shoulder bone(as just kidding) and enemies's skull(which is not kidding) at the same time when he pull the trigger.
Keep shooting girl. it is wonderful that you are shooting, absolutely wonderful.
It worked like a charm on a roe deer. My friend uses it on hogs with great success. And the outfitter that took me roe deer hunting uses it on everything up to moose and red deer. He says the only thing that matters is the shot placement.
Bingo, any animal with a hole through the lungs and heart won’t last long.
My cousin was a PH here in South Africa. He used his .222 on all plains game. He had the rifle since he was 16years old and he always said that nothing can survive a .222 in the brain. He was a fantastic shot and I never saw him miss anything during the 35 years we hunted together. I wont advise most people to use a 223 as a hunting rifle but if you have his skill set go ahead!
Why not use an air rifle then? Place the shot PERFECTLY behind the shoulder. Should do the trick, right?
@@66smithra I can assure you that there are air rifles that can kill a deer. I use real guns but i know there are some super powerful air rifles with larger calibers.
You know there are some really poor people with one rifle in one caliber who shoot larger game in order to eat. People shooting elk with. 223 are not recreational hunters, they're hungry. I know a guy who was starving back in the day who shot a whitetail with a. 22 long rifle. He had to chase it a long way but him and his family got to eat.
@@actionjksn Yeah obviously we're not talking about necessity. The point was that the 223 is not a good deer cartridge. We should use better tools if at all possible. The original poster said "the only thing that matters is shot placement," and that's obviously not true.
Hey Ron, best reviews of the Rem .223 and Win .308 I have seen. I appreciate your honesty and candor and presenting the real data!. You are the thinking man's hunter and ballistics expert.
Thanks Chet. I appreciate that! Not sure I deserve it, but life's short, so I'll take it!
I use a 270 for deer hunting and depending on weather sometimes a 30/30. I use my 223 on coyotes and hogs. I use Hornady V max 55 gr bullets. It drops coyotes where they stand and depending on shot placement has dropped 350 pound hogs in their tracks. It's a great round for what I use it for. Another great presentation 👏
Folded 2 does with Speer gold dots in223 within 30 seconds of each other last week. One ran/ stumbled 30 yards. The other about 15 yards. Autopsy: Exit wounds on both. Each of the chest cavities were obliterated. Shots were inside 100 yards. It’s a good little round especially for newbies, oldies and anyone who just enjoys time on stand.
What grain gold Dots were you using?
@@victorsmith468 75 grain
Now keep me n mind, in north east Oklahoma, a big doe is 85 to 110 pound animal. If I were hunting ag raised midwestern deer I would tend to use a larger caliber. 308 Speer gold dots are very devastating on bigger animals. I have used 169 grain gold dots and dropped many in their tracks. Not sure what I’m going to do with my surplus Cor lokts now!!🤫
223 with a 55 grain ballistic tip is my favorite for woodchuck, fox and coyote. Drops them dead where they stand and no exit wound. Also super fun to shoot woodchuck on alfalfa fields out at 250-300 yards. Gets some long range practice at shorter ranges.
For the larger game it worth mention a lot of companies and people are loading some hot 77g sierra match king bullets
Great video Ron! .223 Rem is a very versatile round, as you said. The .223/5.56 is easy on the shoulder and fun to plink with. Taking NC deer, raccoons and coyotes is absolutely possible with this round. Thanks Ron, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours. Grace & Peace
Peace and Merry Christmas to you, too, Rev. Steve.
Amen! I've shot numerous big bucks with the sierra 55 gr sbt....it's like a hammer for a chest shot. Shot a 200lb NC 10 pnt last week.....ran 100 yds and flopped over.Amen!
It should be, it an itty bitty .22 round.. accepted for military service not for its ability but because of corruption and backroom dealings..
Always find it so funny that Yanks love the 'fat' .45 over the 'skinny' 9mm yet go for the .22 round over the .30 family rounds like 7.62x39..
@@TonyWright-tf5zywe don’t even use the 45 anymore haven’t used it since Vietnam and we prefer the 5.56 since it performs very well in warfare there’s a reason the Russian stoped used there 7.62x39 in favor of there 5.45
I have been using mine for whitetail deer. 55 TTSX barnes. This years three point went down like a sack of potatoes. Cheap to load. And fun to shoot.
My CZ 527 in .223 is my favorite rifle. Probably taken 3 dozen groundhogs and a fox. It's a sweetheart. 130 yards is my common distance and 300 yards would be a long shot here so it's perfect for my needs.
Ron I think you are on the right track with the 223. The first center fire rifle I taught my daughter how to shoot with was one of the first Ruger 77 MkII in 223. Have had great success with Varmints, predators, and Javalina. I have not used it on deer but at the right range with a good bullet no problem. Thanks. I always enjoy your podcast and share it with friends and family
Most people here in Nome, Alaska rock a .223 for all winter time hunting use. Works well on seals, caribou, wolves, ect. I've even shot and witnessed others take down both grizzly bears and sometimes moose with a .223. No need for fancy bullets either, 55gn surplus m193 works great on everything. ARs of good quality generally perform well in the arctic and some stay away from the mini-14 after more than one person has had the bolt explode, blowing out the extractor, and yes that is with .223 not 5.56.
....and only a 3-round burst to take down the grizz, right?
@@amramhakohen3923 People have taken everything from Lions bears and even a fucking elephant with 22LR of all things, I don't think there's a single extant animal on earth that 223 won't kill with proper shot placement sans maybe a great whale.
223 62 grain or 75 grain from a 22 inch barrel bolt action OR 62 grain from a 20 inch AR does GREAT at North Alabama whitetail within 150 yards. Longest one has walked after impact was about 30 yards. I believe 223 with the right bullet from the right barrel is a nearly perfect Southeastern whitetail cartridge
When I lived in Alaska (70s) the Eskimo hunters commonly used .222Rem on scoped bolt actions on more open areas/shores. They were excellent shots who took large game (moose, walrus, polar bear) with 222. The Indians I knew, hunted the dense coastal forest mountains. They weren't particularly good shots, but were amazing stalkers. They usually used lever. 30-30s and snuck in real close. Both groups fed there families with their rifles. I used. 30-06 for moose.
40 Years ago I lived in Alaska among the native alaskan's and carried a Ruger Mini 14 along with my 44 Mag side arm. It was not ideal but I took 3 black bear with the .223. One shot one kill each time. My "Alaska Dad" used a .243 for everything from seals, mountain goat, black bear, deer to Moose. He was the most amazing marksman I have ever seen. We used what we had available. I would not recommend it for most of those animals today as I have many other options available but it worked... Love your videos!
The 223 with the 60gr.Nosler partition works very well on deer.Aim small miss small !
I have killed more than one deer with the 60grain nosler partition.
My Dad used that bullet in the 220 Swift to kill a pile of deer and antelope, and the occasional unsuspecting yote.
I harvested an 8 point whitetail in Oklahoma at 397 yards with Barnes vortex factory 223 ammo. The 55gr monolith Passed through the deer's spine and both shoulder blades. complete pass through. The animal dropped in its tracks. Careful shot placement, lots of practice at the range you plan on shooting, and the 223/556 is plenty for game up to 200lbs. Great videos!
A lot of creatures have been harvested with the 22 Savage Hi-Power, which has about the same power as 223 Rem.. I recall watching a film, back when films were actual film, of Native Alaskans taking sea lions, caribou, even polar bears with the 22 Savage. Shot placement and distance, usually close, were paramount considerations as the ammo store was NOT just around the corner.
Great video.
Hell, they shot tigers in India with the hi power. I think Newton said it worked best after the tiger had a full belly. 70 grain .227 caliber bullets. I've had one for 40 years and shot several whitetails with it. Savage model 99
Good one William. The 22 "Imp" was famously used to slay an Indian tiger back in the day as an advertising stunt. It's actually a bit more powerful than the 223 Rem., pushing a 70-gr. bullet about 200 fps faster. The 22 High Power also fired .228" diameter bullets, not .224." I suspect .224s would obdurate sufficiently to work well enough in an Imp barrel, but have no proof.
@@RonSpomerOutdoors the224 works good enough for 50 yards and in
Thanks Ron.My first center fire was a .222 Savage.Could knock the eye from a fly.haha.Love the .223 and hope to find a Remington 700(older)to complete the collection.👍👍
Great video, I love my 223 I can shoot it all day long and for hunting I've shot big mature coyote with it they drop a die instantly I'm very confident a shot in the vitals on a whitetail dear would have the same affect . Thanks Ron
Hi Ron
I regularly hunt Springbuck with the .223Rem out to 300m with wind being the limit. I use 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and focus on heart shots.
It is cheap and efficient.
I would not recommend that you use it on anything larger than Blesbuck but in specific cases it may work...
Thus it would be perfect for Pronghorn up to Whitetail both of which would be on a bucket list.
Ron I love your work and regards from South Africa 🇿🇦
Your analysis sounds about right to me. Impala is as large as I've gone with 223 in Africa.
Fantastic "field gun". By that, I mean a great rifle to carry while in the field for "incidental use". I'm not saying anything about deer or larger game, but more of a "something just popped up" shooter. Also, probably one of the most controversial loads in America. Everyone has an opinion on it, but don't automatically count it out of an application!
Hedge 774. Very well put Sir! It's not overkill for anything, or under kill 'if" common sense is applied when matching cartridge to game size.
I have taken dozens and dozens of white tail deer over the years with 55gr 223 it has never failed me one shot and down out to 180yards. But yes just be wise and understand what your doing
Agreed. It’s my favorite and makes a great truck gun or walking about rifle
Just say it's good for killing bad guys lol
Versatility is exactly right. From both the barrel length to modern technology bullets, the .223|5.56 can be tailored to virtually any use case (except big game in my opinion). Thanks Ron.
Don't forget, that twist rate of the 223 Remington, will also determine the best bullet weight for your rifle.
Fast follow up shots and capacity is awesome
Follow up shots? I've heard people say that.... If you mean re shooting what you just shot at? I've been hunting for over 50 years and never once needed to do that.... Or do you mean shooting at animals that are still standing around after you shot at the first one? Yeah, naw.... that's not a good thing I don't think.
The 222 is still popular in Sweden. I love my 222 Winchester 70.
.223 my favourite cartridge . Capable , comfortable.
Ron you’re right about range, I have a Remington BDL 700 little custom work in trigger on the range with hand loaded ammo all in a dime at 300 yards
I've taken an watched other whitetails of good size bget flat out dropped in their tracks with a 223 and a 60 grain nosler partitions. Would never be afraid to use it for deer within 300 yards. Past that a 243 is good. An so on so fourth. Great video ron.
Hey Ron great description and evaluation of the 223 cartridge. I used my Savage axis 223 with a Burris 4 x12 scope shooting a 50 gr V Max ( 25.6 gr H 335 ) Winchester case and 205 primer to take a coyote this morning . Dropped in his tracks and no exit hole. Have a good Christmas !
I hunt deers and hogs in Texas every year. For deers. 223 winchester deer season xp. For hogs M193. You hit the deers upper shoulder and they drop right on the spot . Hogs behind the ear. I have pictures of my 223 hit the shoulder pass the ribs hit the spine and the lungs passed the ribs again and the other shoulder..223 is plenty for white tails inside 150 yards and I say 150 yards because I never tried at longer range. For home defense is perfect.
He definitely nailed it for me. As a boy growing up in the desert of Arizona I never fired a semi-automatic anything! It was all break open shotguns and bolt action .22's. My Father's philosophy being that if you couldn't get it done in one shot you had no business being out there! Shot placement was everything to him! My first experience with anything bigger came in the Army with an M16. After I got out I hadn't really thought much about one just trying to put my experiences with one behind me. I picked up an AR-15 years later and teared up when I held it at the store. I literally wept when I held it at home. So many memories and experiences came flooding back to me. People and things I hadn't thought about in years just came right back as If it hadn't so long ago! I don't get to hunt as much as I would like to and other than my military experience (which I am not gonna go into!) I really couldn't say or attest to it's prowess for any particular hunting. I agree that shot placement is paramount but over the years I have also come to respect the fact that you need the right kind of bullet/round. If you want or expect a decent and humane kill and don't want to have to track and or chase the animal you shot. Good shot placement and the right bullet will go a long way in making that happen! Always remember to keep your finger out of the trigger well till you are ready to shoot! To be safe and know your target and what's beyond! Once that bullet leaves the barrel, there is no taking it back! God Bless us, each and everyone! In the service I learned that in the bush and outside the wire, all we had is what you carried and each other! In other words, be kind to others and hopefully they will be kind to you! Stay safe in all you do!
Sorry, I forgot this in my earlier post. The reason I wept at home (holding the AR-15) is cause it was like holding a long lost lover! Something that had saved and carried me through some of the darkest and most dangerous times in my life! That is why I wept. It was so familiar and had been there when I really needed it. Can't say that about a lot of people! Anyway, just wanted to clear that up. Happy hunting and shooting! Stay safe and God Bless!
thanks for making this great video i am from new zealand where 223 is very common i have shot alot of hares rabbits goats and deer with the 223 such a good round!
It's a good cartridge for alot of things. I wouldn't hunt anything larger than deer with it personally. But I'm sure you could do it if you needed too. No cartridge is perfect. It's like getting a tool from your toolbox. Your not going to use a flathead screwdriver for a phillips head screw, but in a pinch sometimes you can do it. Use the right tool for the job and if you have to improvise, make sure your well practiced and using your head.
People bow hunt big game, If a broad head can kill it so can a .223
I know a native guy who killed a moose this fall with a 223! 130 yards headshot. As a white guy, I dont have the right to do this, it is mendatory to use 6mm (243) or more for big games here. That said, 223 and 22-250 seems to work pretty well!
@@benoutdoors That's not the same comparison. The 223 "can kill" an elephant of course. But it's not the proper tool for that job. The chances of wounding big game and the availability of proper calibers make it sort of silly to use a 223 for something it wasn't designed for.
@@66smithra it’s funny because my friend just killed 2 deer with a .22 lr.
@@benoutdoors Is he a poacher?
I appreciate your opinion on this subject and agree, shot placement is a key factor.
Interesting topic, yes the 223 will do the job. I had occasion to live in a very rural area for a while and it was not uncommon for the locals there to hunt deer with 22 LR. what was required was usually a brain or spinal cord shot...and many of the locals had been doing that for years and were very good at shot placement. I suppose that is in the realm of shooting Moose with a .223. When you actually need to put food on the table a lot of things are possible that you would not consider normally.
I think 223 would have the pen needed if you got the brain. Its much smaller than youd think in some animals.
But i wonder if it could reach the heart?
@@kane357lynch a hot steel core 5.56 with a 20-24 inch barrel yes it would reach the heart, of course as long as you do your job and don't hit the shoulder blade. However it likly won't have the velocity to damage the heart by just getting close, it would require excellent placement. I'd guess the lung damage would be the deciding factor, problem is with that big of a lung and that small of a bullet how long will it take for a moose to drop?
I can assure you I won't be using my 5.56 for moose any time soon, anything bigger then a whitetail is certainly worth grabbing the 270 out of the safe. 270 is also what I use for whitetail, was my first hunting rifle when I got my hunting certificate and I haven't had it fail me yet so haven't ever had a reason to leave it home.
@@jaydunbar7538 do you think hot loaded hardcast could potentially accomplish that?
Steel core is overkill and quite hard to come by, but if you need to kill and eat a moose, i would bet ur right
@@kane357lynch 270 hardcast with a headshot, sure thing! I'd be hesitant with a chest shot on something that size. If you dial a load in to be accurate then most any reasonable centrefire will work with hardcast and headshot.
If you want a real cast-load performer look at some of the older cartridges like the 45-70, they're just made for casting. Throw some wheel weights in a cast pot and get going! I've got an inch at 100m out of my Marlin 1895 with 405gn hardcast and I'd be confident with using that on pretty much anything.
@@jaydunbar7538 so shoot them in the brain. You can't get within 100m? You can't hit a 6" disk at 100m? Take a braced firing position with a walking stick or sit and use your frame pack as a rifle rest.
The 223 is just fun to target shoot and it doesn't cost a mint.
Tip selection and accuracy is key to the 223 for harvesting any size animals. I loaded up 50gr varmint tips at max powder and took a couple whitetails down, huge amount of damage but no exit holes. Gonna try some heavier rounds next year to get a little more penatration
Get you some 62gr federal fusions !
Absolutely love your videos. You talk like i think! Bought my 1st 223 and I listened to every word of this video! THE BEST!
I own a 222 and 3 different 223s. My kids took alot of deer with them both at younger ages with a 100% success rate. Its where u place that shot. They're all older now and moved up in calibers but my son and I still do alot of our groundhog n further hunting with this round. I personally have no problem with pa sized whitetail hunters using this round...it has worked for our family over a dozen times out to 150 yards give or take and killed everything its connected quickly
I've probably killed a pickup truck load of central pa whitetail with my 222, as have my grandparents and my mom. A core-lokt through the vitals and I've never had to track more than 50-75 yards, quite a few only went 10-20 yards. I upgraded to a 30-06 years ago, but I'll always have a soft spot for the 222.
i love my M-16 bc this was the rifle I was trained on while in the military. i wouldn't switch to others. i did have 306, I gave it up bc it was too bulky for a small guy to carry around in long distances. Besides, .223 is not as costly as 306 round, and as you said, has less recoil. stripping, and cleaning the AR is the same as the M-16 with identical parts.
Remember, when a pistol is equipped with a pistol brace, the .223 becomes more powerful than the .338 Win Mag.
Absolutely. Just speaking the words “pistol brace” and I’m like………”damn…… that sounds like it makes any gun 10x more deadly 👍🏽🤗
Yup those short barrel are platform running 5.56 turns it into a t90 tank
@eriksforestryvision8751 Only three concussion lol 😅
@@eriksforestryvision8751Only the muzzle signature lol
Hey Ron, love the videos. I am from South Africa and I know hundreds of people, and most of them are PH’s who shoot Oryx sized game with the .223 rem all the time.
It'll do anything with shot placement. I just don't use it because of the possibility of unforseen variables. Varmint, yes, big game, no. Nothing over 150lbs. Even with modern loads. I've been hunting CO big game for 35yrs and I've seen enough issues with the 243, even with good shot placement, that I'll just keep .223 to smaller animals and 2 legged assailants
WORD ! 👍
Back in the 80's I researched for 2 years before buying my first rifle 30.06. What convinced me was a book titled, Beware of the man that only owns one rifle,,,, he knows how to use it. Later I purchased an AR-15 .556. Now I know how to use both of them. If I had to give one of my rifles up,,,,, bye bye 30.06. Shot placement is paramount! Oh and probably more deer have been taken by a 22LR than any other gun (especially out of season).
Been a fan for years, watched you for years. Thanks for all the fun and informative videos and shows on tv. Good shooting and gods speed to you and yours. 👍🦌🎥🏆🏆🏆
Thanks Joel. All the best to you and yours as well. Thanks for watching.
Back in the late '80s I bought a Rem 788 in .223 for shooting rock chucks in eastern WA. Using Sierra 55-grain SPBTs, it was not difficult to drop the varmints at ranges stretching out to 350 yards with a Bushnell 3x9 Sportview scope. While explosive on rock chucks, I found its performance to be a bit iffy on bigger coyotes. Not that it would not drop one dead in its tracks with a good shot, but sometimes, due to either bullets fail or aim fail, it came up a bit lacking. For that reason, I'm not a big fan of the .223 on deer and such. But bullets and powders have improved, so maybe if I were doing it all over again, my opinion might change.
I’ve used the .223 successfully on whitetail and it absolutely does the trick. Bullet construction and shot placement is very important, as with other cartridges
*After using the .223 (5566) in the army and watching the tissue damage this round caused I was hooked. I once shot a combatant in the arm and watched his bicep explode like an egg hitting a brick wall! In Alaska I also took down 2000 lb. Moose with no problems at 500 yards.*
Hey Ron love the vid. Would love to see some ballistic gel tests one day! Comparing varmint, bonded and mono projectiles. Too many people don’t realise how important projectiles are. At the end of they day that’s the only thing that touches the deer and is the most important. Using a varmint projectile on big game doesn’t end well!
You're playing my song when you sing about bullet importance, John. That's the whole reason for the rifle, scope, case, primer, powder... Everything hinges on bullet performance.
Yep, at the end of the day our rifles are bullet launchers.
@@richardpowell1664 Numerous people used to chide me and my favorite hunting buddy for 'shooting up your ammo'! We tested for bullet performance, as well a finding our rifles favorite loading. We'd shoot 10 rounds out of a box of 20 to make sure it was the right load, then try to kill the next 10 critters in a row, which we did on more than one occasion. We liked the spire point 50 grain 223 bullets better than HP's.
I’ve shot many “large” game in my country with a 223. Anything from rabbits to Red deer and everything in between. Goats, pigs and fallow deer. Professional deer cullers in my country back in the day favoured the 222 before the invent of the 223 because of the weight saving and accuracy of the round. Head and neck shots at moderate distances are the key. Shot placement in any caliber always is. I’ve introduced both my sons and a friends son to the value of a 223 and taught them shot placement to secure food for the family. It’s cheap, has very little recoil and punches above its weight.
You sound like a fellow New Zealander .
I know one of the toughest critters in America that I've probably killed into the very very high hundreds if not into the thousands and that critter would be the wild hogs... I've killed a big chunk of them with 223 Rem out of an AR15 and many of those was a 1 shot stop. I've seen those same hogs shrug off shots from 308, 30-06, 300WIN up to 338 Lapua and keep running. I'm not saying it's the best for everything and I'm not recommending people trade in their 7mm Rem Mags to go moose or elk hunting or saying you should even use it for that but with proper shot placement and bullet choice you can do a lot of cool things with the 223. I'd also say if you don't own something chambered in it you're wrong... LOL Great video as always keepem coming brother!!!
Id go with 5.56 clambering for the cheap nato plinking rounds, but I agree even if a person doesn't use it for hunting its a great cheap way to have fun at the range. It's what all my kids are training with, I can't afford to buy enough 243 ammunition with current prices to keep them training.
@@jaydunbar7538 yeah I forgot to put that in there personally I like 223 Wylde more then 556 chambered AR's because it's better for 223 but you can shoot 556. I do a ton of reloading and I rarely load to 556 pressures because you're not really gaining anything and if you don't reload you can't find good hunting ammo in 556 either. But you're correct having the option to shoot 556 for the cheap plinking ammo is definitely a good thing. Take care brother!!
My gun is chambered in .223 Wylde. Not sure what the SAMMI specs for pressure is but it’s rated for both cartridges with a 1:7 twist. I’ve got some SRM primers, powder & 69gr HPM pills to work up a good load with.
The state I live in doesn’t allow anything below .24 for big game hunting but it’ll drop a hog (farm raised) easily. Make an x between the ears & eyes. As long as they don’t move when the trigger is squeezed, they’ll drop like a rock.
Thanks for the great info Ron.
I've taken my share of Whitetail with the .22-250 out to 200 yards without any issues.
Pas pour gros gibiers (75/80) kgs
Ron, Thanks for showing the benefits of a small tried and true American caliber. A sturdily constructed .224 bullet with precision accuracy will do a heck of a lot more while hunting than most guys realize. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, too, Brian.
In my province (Sk) the 223 is legal for big game which includes up to moose. Personally, not my cup of tea for anything bigger than a coyote but guys here get deer all the time with it. My “lightest” cartridge of choice for big game is really the 243 Winchester but I tend to use my 257 Weatherby for everything up to Elk. After that the 7mm REM Mag or 300 Weatherby comes out. Except for black bear, then it’s the lever 30/30 or my 1886 Winchester in 45/70. But to each his own!
That 7mag is just a perfect big game round, my absolute favorite.
Friend and I were shooting 800 yards with our 223s last weekend at Moosejaw. It is my target rifle. I am also a fan of the 257 WM. This year i got my deer with the 6.5 Swede.
Hey Tac Man
I've hunted black bear a lot with lever actions in the timber of the Smokies. I've used both 30-30 & 45-70. I ended up using a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. The 30-30 is a bit light & the 45-70 is a bit much. The 35 is right in the Goldilocks zone for bear. I also used a semi auto 8 mm Mauser that my dad brought back from the Battle of the bulge whose prior owner had moved on too the happy hunting grounds, with great success until its value got to high too high too hunt with. I hunted with hounds so we got quite a few running shots, hence my preference for lever guns & semi-auto.
@@prairiefalcon9494 at 800 yrds that .223 is dropping 27 feet.. that’s a lot of compensation…
@@richardpowell1664 very cool! I haven’t had the pleasure of using a 35 Remington but I have heard great things. Other than my Weatherby’s I tend to use “standard” cartridges just because not a lot of different cartridges available in my parts. I do reload so maybe a new Marlin in 35 Remington would be a good investment 👍
I've owned 6 rifles in 222 Remington and another 6 in 223 Remington: From Sako to Remington to Anschutz to Ruger, and found them good for everything up to Cape Buffalo.
yeah and if I scroll even further down, they are shooting elephants with it.😂😂
It would be interesting to see an opinion on the old .222. After years of shooting a 22-250 and picked up an old .222, I find it great and probably under rated.
I’ve seen what it can do. It’s a good round but it’s uncommon and unless you’re in a .222 cult I don’t see any valid reason to pursue this caliber. Just my opinion
It will do anything the .223 will do, some say more accurately. I don't have one becuase i have several .223's. I've taken gophers up to mule deer with them. Specific bullets for each task. They punch above their weight class.
Enjoy your .222!
There's a few other historic cult members in the gun safe.
.222 Remington stood out in Germany as beeing the smallest cartridge you could legally use for deer, which for many hunters in our densely populated country means roe. So while many hunters considered the .243 Winchester the ideal roe round, the .222 was quite popular back then. When I leafed through my uncle's gun and gear catalogues as a teen in the late 70's/early 80's I would find a number of rifles chambered for this round.
This has changed a lot, .223 and .308 seem to dominate the market, probably because of good availability and price. While I am sure there are still German hunters killing roe with the .222, most consider it underpowered for wild boar, which is the second kind of bigger game you can find nearly everywhere in Germany, even next to and sometimes inside city areas. So if you are going to buy a more powerful rifle anyway for hunting boar, there is no need to keep a roe-only-rifle in .222.
@@ralfklonowski3740 7mm is the minimum caliber for wild bore in Germany.
Love using an AR and hornady TAP 5.56 62gr soft points for whitetail here in idaho. The area we hunt whitetail is pretty dense so a compact handy rifle that I can be very quick on an unexpected opportunity but also be able to stretch out into a field(granted, you aren't getting a shot further than 200 99% of the time out there). Last doe I shot the round punched through the front right shoulder at about 50 yards, did it's job in the vitals, and exited out the ribs, holding a straight flight path all the way through. Doe ran about 20 yards and tipped over. 2 years ago another doe at a similar distance dropped instantly. I'm not saying it's the most terminally capable round out there, but it certainly does the job really well with propper bullet and loading selection
A well presented video here, Ron! This is the first video I've watched of yours. I love the .223 round. I use my rifle for plinking these days, but I have used it for those wonderful little Prairie Dogs 30 years ago, when I was much younger, much stronger, and wildly handsome! lol By the way, I did subscribe to your channel just now.
I've never had an issue dropping Whitetails with the. 223. 55gr soft points (handloads) .... I love the cartridge, my training rifle is chambered in .223.... easily shoot 2in groups at 500yrds. Saves me a ton of money keeping my marksmanship in check without Using my much more expensive rounds out of my competition rifle.
I'm out to 800m with my 223 Remington bolt gun. My son killed a nice buck at 200m with it a couple years ago. He was about 275pownds.
Have an old Win M70 lightweight and a TC Contender to sister up with AR's. They used to be one of the cheapest to shoot is the reason I kept them, glad I did .
Amazing! I was just talking with a friend about feral hogs and 223's a couple of hours ago. Thanks!
Yes feral hogs are problematic in some regions, I know 223 does quite well for dealing with them.
And yet, so many don't believe we are being monitored 24/7.
How many times have i been talking with someone and that same subject comes up in my recommended list ! ...
In talking / texting with close patriots, we often close with "Allie Achbar".
Can't tell me our Homeland Defense files aren't as thick as my 4th ex ...
.223/5.56 was designed for putting down/wounding bipeds averaging 175 lbs at up to 500 meters (preferably 300 and in) ...and it's pretty good for that. 😉
Seriously, over here, the 223 is legal for hunting roe deer, foxes and smaller critters only...and that's good. Use enough gun.
Was looking for someone to confirm what I've heard about the military calculus in selecting this caliber -- in addition to the training and field utility of the lighter cartridge that Ron mentioned. A wounded enemy soldier is a greater drain of resources than a fatality. The opposite result in this respect than the hunter is after . . .
I use it on larger deer than roe, but I'm in one of the United States where it's legal to do so. ( Not all States allow this.) I never shoot past 200 yards (approximately 180 meters) and only take broadside shots with properly constructed bullets. Several dozen quick kills without a loss have been the result. If a person is disciplined enough to pick their shot, the .223 will do quite a lot. Not all people are, however, hence the laws regarding muzzle energy, etc. I understand why the laws are written and abide by them when hunting in areas that require a bigger cartridge for hunting certain game.
I think a big part of the .223 being so successful is the AR platform and related parts and accessories being extremely adopted everywhere worldwide. Even most precision bolt guns have AR compatible grips and stocks. Its just such a great platform for so many things. Most people want a semi auto, including for hunting and AR is excellent
Appreciate the perspective & approach. I can't argue with overall conclusion. But I couldn't encourage it for elk & bigger if an individual has other/better options available. We have harvested about a half dozen whitetail with 223/556 in ar-15....mostly at 50 yards and under by youth. I took the first at 40 yards before I considered it for my children. That being said, we aren't terribly pleased with results. Deer do die. Small entrance & exit with not as much blood as most other calibers.
I think it makes a great youth shooting round. I think it makes a pretty bad youth big game hunting round. It’s most certainly an expert level big game round, due to the amount of restraint needed to use it in such a manner. The user needs to select correct loads, be able to get into appropriate ranges, and wait for the perfect shot opportunity, which typically excludes most youth hunters and really any and all beginners.
A heavy rifled 6.5 CM, 7-08, or 243 would be much better suitable for newer hunters.
@@phild9813 We bought a Ruger American Compact 243 last year and practiced out to 150 yards with my youngest. He harvested a young buck @ just under 100 with it. Pretty decent shot placement. Pretty easy recovery.
My wife shot her first white tail deer with a .223. 115 pounds field dressed, perfect shot placement just like we had practiced. The deer ran approximately 80yds, and we watched her fall. We used a 70gr. Speer semi Spitzer. While inspecting the deer after it was skinned I was impressed with what it had done. I could have stuck my thumb in the exit wound.
I have hunted with a .223 as well. AR platform. Kept my shots under 100 yards and have had to track a few but not 80 yards. Last year I switched to a 6.8 spc. Doesnt kick more than a .223 and it drops deer in their tracks. If you can do the upgrade I highly recommend it.
@@alumniduck it was a heart shot, don't know why she ran so far, sometimes they do. She was using a bolt action.
@@markoliver9108 Yeah it happens. I have seen it more often with a poorly aimed "too powerful" caliber or something small like a .223. A .223 can do the job but the margin of error is very small.