.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

[Chet707]

I am shooting a gen 1 ruuger american predator. Can't help with the 5.56 question but I have been using a resilient suppressors simple man 30 cal can on mine and its been great! I use the same can on a gen 1 predator model in 6.5 creedmoor and on the 243.

 

[Chet707]

Also, my mom just filled her AZ cow elk tag. Ruger american gen 2 chambered in 22 arc with a huxworks flow 5.56 k. 88eldm at 125 yards. Heart shot and the cow made it about 10 yards and piled up. No autopsy pics since they are still in the field and im not there to take any.

 

[Hardly_Hangin]

60 ish yards DRT on a whitetail doe. Pass thru with 77tmk aac out of a lightish weight gasser AR i built last year. My 2nd data point with 223.

First pic is the doe for supper - smoked her backstraps and both shoulders whole, then pressure cooked the shoulders and pulled/shredded meat. The wife fixed cream corn, mashd taters and home grown green beans.

 

[zdc1775]

I'm strongly considering buying a Gen 2 Ruger American in either 5.56 (Ranch model) or .223 (standard) with the possibility of adding a can sometime down the road. I already have a gen 1 in 7.62x39 but another rifle for affordable trigger time and deer hunting would be good with more of my four kids wanting to get out. I'm leaning towards the standard 20" model as it would pick up a bit of velocity, be slightly quieter, and well, I like the looks more.

Knowing that the Tikkas are well loved here, I'll just say that I owned one a decade ago. Extremely accurate and great trigger, but the ergos just never did it for me. That rifle was responsible for lots of deer.

A couple questions:
Does anyone have experience shooting 5.56 through Rugers chambered in .223? Any overpressure signs? If they aren't good for 5.56 Ill just opt for the Ranch.

Second, what are some recommendations for relatively budget friendly cans? That would be a whole new world for me but the elimination of the few makes it much more appealing.

I have one of the 20" Gen 2s in 223. So far I have put about 6-700 rounds of factory 5.56 through it and the only issue I've run into was a few flattened primers from one lot of AAC ammo. I can't remember if it was the 75 BTHP or 77 SMK and I only had that issue once this past summer when I was out shooting with a friend when it was right at 100 degrees outside and we were using the bed of his truck as the storage area so the guns and ammo were sitting sun until we were shooting them. I also had the same issue shooting that ammo in a 5.56 AR so can't really blame it on the rifle.

 

[BigWoods]

I have one of the 20" Gen 2s in 223. So far I have put about 6-700 rounds of factory 5.56 through it and the only issue I've run into was a few flattened primers from one lot of AAC ammo. I can't remember if it was the 75 BTHP or 77 SMK and I only had that issue once this past summer when I was out shooting with a friend when it was right at 100 degrees outside and we were using the bed of his truck as the storage area so the guns and ammo were sitting sun until we were shooting them. I also had the same issue shooting that ammo in a 5.56 AR so can't really blame it on the rifle.

That's a great data point! Sounds like I should be good to go then. Especially since I can't imagine going out shooting in 100° weather here in Northern New England. How's the accuracy been for you?

 

[jonandy]

60 ish yards DRT on a whitetail doe. Pass thru with 77tmk aac out of a lightish weight gasser AR i built last year. My 2nd data point with 223.

First pic is the doe for supper - smoked her backstraps and both shoulders whole, then pressure cooked the shoulders and pulled/shredded meat. The wife fixed cream corn, mashd taters and home grown green beans.

That looks tasty!! Nice work.