What Grain .223 Do You Use?

[TedKennedy]

You stated.


You can't go wrong with the V-max and close range stuff that goes bump in the night that I will shoot at will die with whatever round comes at them from a .223/5.56.

I would not want to take a 40 gr or any weight bullet to the chest or face shot from a rifle.

You speak of POI difference but this is also bump in the night shooting.
Not going to be any difference at close range.

But to answer the question I LOVE my 55 v-max it is amazing.
If you like fragmented bullet stuff in your critter you shoot.
If you like a nice controlled mushroom the PSP 55 gr Hornady does that in critters.

If you have only 40's i would not hesitate to use those.
I have shot 40's from my 1:7 16" 5.56.

Not as accurate as a 55gr at 100 yards 55's can stay in the under 1" area and the 40's with no fine tuning are in the 2" group size at 100 yards.
Not taking shots at home at 100 yards though.

I kind of want to do some clothing penetration testing now with the 40 gr at close range.
10 feet from the 5.56 1:7 twist see if it splatters before penetrating.

FYI - I took your advice and ordered some V Max 55s. When they get here I'll load them up and test for accuracy. You take lung shots a lot, or are you neck/head shooting deer? I used to use SSTs in my 7x57, but picking copper pieces out of places far from impact changed my taste in bullets for that one...but man they were accurate.

 

[WoodsCraft]

M193 Ball for almost everything

 

[turkeyrun]

Winchester 64 gr SP has been my deer round for 25 years. Has never failed me.

Best accuracy is 62-64 gr. 55 shoots slightly larger groups. Have never shot heavier than 64.

 

[OKCShooter]

Varmint bullets are for varmints, just like birdshot is for birds.

This stuff makes my head hurt.

Whatever a product is marketed as is the only way you see its potential? Lack of thinking shouldn't be making your head hurt.

To OP: I keep Speer Gold Dot or TAP (although I do have some Winchester defender that seems like it would be very effective as well) in my SBR and that is what I would use in your situation.

 

[Glocktogo]

77gr Mk262 OTM in my longer barreled guns and 62gr MK318 MOD-0 in the shorter ones.

 

[THAT Gurl]

V max is basically a hollowpoint.

I could elaborate further on different bullet lethality etc. but some will argue and I am to busy for that nonsense.

You know I adore you, right?? Lol

And I shoot whatever Grumpy loads in the magazine. Haha! That's one thing I can say good about the man -- he keeps my magazines (and clips) full and ready to go. He's definitely a keeper.

 

[swampratt]

FYI - I took your advice and ordered some V Max 55s. When they get here I'll load them up and test for accuracy. You take lung shots a lot, or are you neck/head shooting deer? I used to use SSTs in my 7x57, but picking copper pieces out of places far from impact changed my taste in bullets for that one...but man they were accurate.

I have sent the 55 V max through the shoulder on 250+ lb hog and have hit them behind the ear and behind the shoulder. All died right there.

On deer I have hit lungs and through the shoulder and into the heart and in the neck many times.
Buddy sent one down the side of a deer worst shot ever.

Deer was on the other side of his truck looking at him as he fired up a smoke.
He had his ar at his hip, walked around the truck and took the shot as the deer was running off.
Bullet went under the hide and made that entire side of the deer a giant bloody jello mess.
It ran 20 feet after being shot and died!

Died of shock I suppose.

When you hit the neck or shoulder with that 55 Vmax you do not get to eat near that area.
It kills quick but do not expect to find any mushroomed stuff as it does come apart.

It is a Laser in my bolt guns so I can put it right where I want it.

 

[Jason Freeland]

Whatever a product is marketed as is the only way you see its potential? Lack of thinking shouldn't be making your head hurt.

To OP: I keep Speer Gold Dot or TAP (although I do have some Winchester defender that seems like it would be very effective as well) in my SBR and that is what I would use in your situation.

I like the Winchester Defender line, but didn't see any on ammoseek, when I looked last night.

 

[diggler1833]

Whatever a product is marketed as is the only way you see its potential? Lack of thinking shouldn't be making your head hurt.

To OP: I keep Speer Gold Dot or TAP

My head hurts more now. Thanks.

You think varmint bullets (or birdshot) are going to penetrate adequately under the majority of situations? Especially when you have to go through an arm because they're pointing a gun at you?

Big time ammo companies with big time contracts that rely on - you guessed it - big time results seem to somehow separate these varmint bullets into their own category...and it's always marketed at the crowd afraid of overpenetration. If it worked better than other designs at reaching the vitals under any and all shot angles, then we'd never see a bonded soft point/TSX etc...

But let's take a look at how these bullets do on bare gel and gel after passing through a barrier such as a massive 3/4" of plywood, or the impenetrable 1/16" sheet metal:

Hmmmm...looks a little short of FBI/IWBA minimal penetration requirements to me...under ANY and ALL circumstances.

We aren't snipers. We don't get to pick our ideal target angle when someone is taking a knife or gun to your loved one.

Not everyone is as ready to quit being 'bad' from a nasty wound as quickly a normal, sane person who isn't on drugs is.

So why limit yourself to a projectile(s) designed and marketed for killing something 1/50th the size of a man?

There's a reason why I don't go wading into big boars at night loaded down with V-MAX bullets.

 

[TedKennedy]

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