.223 for bear, deer, elk and moose.

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I’ve got 1k small rifle magnum primers… I guess those would work as long as I did another ladder to find pressure?
No need for that you won’t see much difference
I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.
Yes it is 1 in 12
I have been using the same gun since then
The 55 grain ballistic tip will do anything that you desire and do it really well
 

Benjblt

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Yes it is 1 in 12
I have been using the same gun since then
The 55 grain ballistic tip will do anything that you desire and do it really well
I ended up ordering the 69 gr TMK. So I'm doubting that will shoot well. I do have some 52 grain ELDM's so maybe they would work?
 

Baron85

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53 vmax work great for small Texas whitetail for the typical 100ish yard feeder/blind shots we have on the east side of the state. Neck and head shots, I haven’t tried chest shots and probably wouldn’t with that bullet. No exits but they go straight down and lots of internal damage.
 
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Jim1187

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I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.
Hornady 55 grain cannelure sp product number 2266, Speers 55 grain gold dot, Hornady 60 grain sp (may not stabilize but does in mine), Winchester's 64 power point, Sierra 63 smp, 55 grain gameking sp or hp and if you like lead free the options continue. Speers 55 gold dot would be my first choice but I have and will continue to use any of the above. I just keep shots closer than I might with a TMK or ELD.
The trick is to stick to shooting them in the parts that are vital for life. How long do you have to wait for your son to begin hunting? It's pretty affordable to get a faster twist barrel spun on a 700.
 
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Benjblt

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Hornady 55 grain cannelure sp product number 2266, Speers 55 grain gold dot, Hornady 60 grain sp (may not stabilize but does in mine), Winchester's 64 power point, Sierra 63 smp, 55 grain gameking sp or hp and if you like lead free the options continue. Speers 55 gold dot would be my first choice but I have and will continue to use any of the above. I just keep shots closer than I might with a TMK or ELD.
The trick is to stick to shooting them in the parts that are vital for life. How long do you have to wait for your son to begin hunting? It's pretty affordable to get a faster twist barrel spun on a 700.
What would you suggest? I might just go with a .556 barrel. I don't want to spend $500. Might as well buy another rifle for that.
 
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Speaking of slow-twist-rate guns, my dad has an excellent shooting CZ 527 in .222, I think the twist rate is 1-12 or 1-14. Is there any experience with decent medium game bullets that would stabilize? It wouldn’t be a deer gun but something that would pull double duty on chicken predators and hogs, with maybe some close range opportunistic deer thrown in.
 

Formidilosus

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I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.


Speaking of slow-twist-rate guns, my dad has an excellent shooting CZ 527 in .222, I think the twist rate is 1-12 or 1-14. Is there any experience with decent medium game bullets that would stabilize? It wouldn’t be a deer gun but something that would pull double duty on chicken predators and hogs, with maybe some close range opportunistic deer thrown in.



There plenty of short bullets that stabilize from 1-12” twists and kill deer fine. 55r Speer Gold Dots are probably the easiest choice. However, 62gr Gold Dot or Federal Fusions might as well. 64gr Nosler Bonded Solid Base will, and it’s a very good bullet at higher impact velocities.

As well, you can certainly kill deer with 45-55gr varmint bullets. Put them in the ribs and they die without fuss.
 
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Speaking of slow-twist-rate guns, my dad has an excellent shooting CZ 527 in .222, I think the twist rate is 1-12 or 1-14. Is there any experience with decent medium game bullets that would stabilize? It wouldn’t be a deer gun but something that would pull double duty on chicken predators and hogs, with maybe some close range opportunistic deer thrown in.
I’ve had good results with 55gr ballistic tips out of my 1/14 22-250. A couple javelina and deer went lights out before they hit the ground. I’d honestly prefer the slower velocity of the 222 for less blood shot meat.
 

Benjblt

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There plenty of short bullets that stabilize from 1-12” twists and kill deer fine. 55r Speer Gold Dots are probably the easiest choice. However, 62gr Gold Dot or Federal Fusions might as well. 64gr Nosler Bonded Solid Base will, and it’s a very good bullet at higher impact velocities.

As well, you can certainly kill deer with 45-55gr varmint bullets. Put them in the ribs and they die without fuss.
Got it. I'm looking for less blood shot so that Speer Gold Dot might be the ticket. Is a mono metal a bad idea? Like Barnes?
 

Formidilosus

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Got it. I'm looking for less blood shot so that Speer Gold Dot might be the ticket. Is a mono metal a bad idea? Like Barnes?

Oh no, Gold Dot creates a mess. 50gr Barnes is what you want if you want to limit tissue damage. As long as you understand it isn’t going to do what you see/read in this thread, you ll be good. It kills fine, but not like the heavy fragmenting bullets.
 

Benjblt

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Oh no, Gold Dot creates a mess. 50gr Barnes is what you want if you want to limit tissue damage. As long as you understand it isn’t going to do what you see/read in this thread, you ll be good. It kills fine, but not like the heavy fragmenting bullets.
Makes sense and what I figured.
 
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Oh no, Gold Dot creates a mess. 50gr Barnes is what you want if you want to limit tissue damage. As long as you understand it isn’t going to do what you see/read in this thread, you ll be good. It kills fine, but not like the heavy fragmenting bullets.


Why 50gr? What would the expected differences be between that and say, 70gr tsx?
 
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