john paul
Member
just wondering what to expect if i used it on a medium sized varmint such as a coon or a possum. i'm using winchester brass, winchester small rifle primers, and 21.3 grs. of imr 3031.
has anyone used the 55 grain hornady spsx in .223?
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Tim the student
Member
I've not used it on any varmints, but I find them to be a good buy considering the accuracy versus the price.
I've shot water bottles with them, and they do seem to be more "SX" than softpoints.
I've shot water bottles with them, and they do seem to be more "SX" than softpoints.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
It will depends on what you intend to shoot them out of.
The SX (Super Explosive) line of bullets was designed years ago to give high level destruction in .222 Rem class cartridges, with 1/12 or 1/14 twist rifling. They would not work in faster cartridges such as the 22-250 or .220 Swift with 1/14 rifling.
They have a very thin jacket compared to normal varmint bullets designed for higher velocity of faster twist barrels.
A fast twist barrel such as is commonly found today on AR-15's etc. that run 1/9 or 1/7 will spin the bullet so fast even at .223 velocity it will very likely blow up in the air before it reaches the target.
In that event, they can be loaded down to lower velocity and will probably work.
Since your load of 21.3 IMR-3031 is already below the recommended starting load of 23.0 grains, you might be O.K..
rc
The SX (Super Explosive) line of bullets was designed years ago to give high level destruction in .222 Rem class cartridges, with 1/12 or 1/14 twist rifling. They would not work in faster cartridges such as the 22-250 or .220 Swift with 1/14 rifling.
They have a very thin jacket compared to normal varmint bullets designed for higher velocity of faster twist barrels.
A fast twist barrel such as is commonly found today on AR-15's etc. that run 1/9 or 1/7 will spin the bullet so fast even at .223 velocity it will very likely blow up in the air before it reaches the target.
In that event, they can be loaded down to lower velocity and will probably work.
Since your load of 21.3 IMR-3031 is already below the recommended starting load of 23.0 grains, you might be O.K..
rc
john paul
Member
where did you get 23 grains at? i don't have my manual with me at work but i swear i used a middle of the road load.
ReloaderFred
Member
The Hornady 55 grain SPSX has been my favorite ground squirrel bullet for many, many years in .223 Remington. I load it with Winchester 748, and it's capable of extreme accuracy from my Remington 700 Varmint. I've still got a target that I shot many years ago at 200 yards that has 5 shots in 5/8".
I've never used this bullet on anything larger than a Golden Mantle Ground Squirrel. A large one would weigh maybe a pound or so. They are impressive on this size target, to say the least.
Hope this helps.
Fred
I've never used this bullet on anything larger than a Golden Mantle Ground Squirrel. A large one would weigh maybe a pound or so. They are impressive on this size target, to say the least.
Hope this helps.
Fred
ocharry
Member
i have used the 55gr.sx bullet on whistle pigs in Ohio,,and all i can say is it will devastate one of the hogs,,pretty violent
my old ruger likes them over 21.6gr. of IMR 4198
they are pretty delicate bullet like rcmodel said,,,thin skinned and all
don't know if they would work well with coyotes,,,but they will open a fox up pretty good,,like a DRT
my .02
ocharry
my old ruger likes them over 21.6gr. of IMR 4198
they are pretty delicate bullet like rcmodel said,,,thin skinned and all
don't know if they would work well with coyotes,,,but they will open a fox up pretty good,,like a DRT
my .02
ocharry
john paul
Member
hornady #7 says starting load is 20.5 grs of 3031. i just went and shot a few and they weren't twisting the jacket off at 50 yards so that is out. the reason i asked is the other night i shot a raccoon at about 30 yards and it didn't penetrate at all. would a 15 pound coon be too much for this bullet?
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
You missed, or the bullet fragged in the air before it got there.
If you had hit the coon, he would have been coon-burger, and a pink mist in the air downwind of the remains.
rc
john paul
Member
problem being i did hit the coon, right in the chest at poa. mangled his chest and front leg but did not kill him. i really don't want to wound them, just keep them out of the feed and the garbage. when i shot him it was about 10 at night and about 80 degrees. today at 2 pm they performed fine on a cable reel and it was about 90 degrees. i don't want to keep using the rounds if all it does is tear them up.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Thats what the SX (Super Explosive) bullet is designed to do.
With a lower velocity caliber, and longer range, it would stay together longer and penetrate deeper, then blow up.
I used them in a .222 years ago for coyote hunting.
I don't think I ever saw one come out the other side of a coyote.
But as I tried to explane in post #4, shoot them out of a .223 with a fast twist barrel, and they will be on the ragged edge of blowing up before they even get there.
rc
With a lower velocity caliber, and longer range, it would stay together longer and penetrate deeper, then blow up.
I used them in a .222 years ago for coyote hunting.
I don't think I ever saw one come out the other side of a coyote.
But as I tried to explane in post #4, shoot them out of a .223 with a fast twist barrel, and they will be on the ragged edge of blowing up before they even get there.
rc
NCsmitty
Member
john paul, I'm guessing that the 'coon was shot at a fairly close range.
As rcmodel mentioned, the Hornady SX and also the Sierra Blitz bullets are designed to fragment at reasonable ranges.
They are also less likely to ricochet for the same reason and are a good choice in a urban setting.
I have used both brands over the years mainly in a 222 Rem, and they have proven deadly accurate and devastating on 'chucks. I have used them more recently in my 223 Contender with excellent results too, but only on targets.
Perhaps you need to try some of the match type bullets that will not blow up as violently as the SX, and will give you the performance and penetration that you want on the larger animals.
NCsmitty
As rcmodel mentioned, the Hornady SX and also the Sierra Blitz bullets are designed to fragment at reasonable ranges.
They are also less likely to ricochet for the same reason and are a good choice in a urban setting.
I have used both brands over the years mainly in a 222 Rem, and they have proven deadly accurate and devastating on 'chucks. I have used them more recently in my 223 Contender with excellent results too, but only on targets.
Perhaps you need to try some of the match type bullets that will not blow up as violently as the SX, and will give you the performance and penetration that you want on the larger animals.
NCsmitty
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
IMO: Just about any normal 55 - 60 grain varmint bullet with a heavier jacket should work better.
The SX & Biltz bullets are not normal!
Neither does a cable reel for that matter.
Bullets won't expand or perform the same unless your target has mosture in it.
Steel penetration is strictly a factor of velocity.
rc
The SX & Biltz bullets are not normal!
Temperature has nothing to do with it.
Neither does a cable reel for that matter.
Bullets won't expand or perform the same unless your target has mosture in it.
Steel penetration is strictly a factor of velocity.
rc
john paul
Member
so i guess i was just too damn close!
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Well, we are now at post #20, and we are still no closer to finding out what rifle, or rifling twist you are shooting them in.
I give up!
rc
I give up!
rc
ocharry
Member
hang in there rc,,,it is coming
i can feel it,,lol
ocharry
i can feel it,,lol
ocharry
john paul
Member
oh.. right.... my bad..... mini 14 with the 1 in 9 i believe, but you could've just asked!
faire bien de...!
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How about putting your feed and garbage in something the raccoon can't get into in the first place? Problem solved.
john paul
Member
it is amazing how quickly they can chew thru a heavy duty trash can. not to mention getting up under the house and tearing around at night. believe me i tried several other options.
old guy using SX for decades
I know this is an old post, but as a long time user and admirer of Hornady SX bullets, I had to reply. I was searching for some 55SX on the web (with no success, Hornady has quit making them, at least for now) and this thread came up in the search.
I have used 50 and 55 SX bullets for 40 years +. Have shot them in rifles with twists from 1-14 to 1-9, always in 222 or 223 cartridges. Have taken coyote, fox, ground hog, crow, coon, and blackbirds with them. In no case have they failed to deliver top accuracy and instant kills out to 250 yards.
Hornady designed them for 1-14 twist at no more than 3500'/sec.The faster the twist, the slower the muzzle velocity must be to prevent disintegration. Currently I am shooting the 55 SX in a 1-9 twist bolt gun at 3200'/sec, with no lost bullets. Took a large male coyote last month with a chest shot, and he dropped like a rock. The exit wound was the size of a baseball (yes, there was an exit wound). My current load is 25.3 grains of 3031, in a rifle with a NATO chamber and throat. In a rifle with a commercial chamber, this load would be over max, so beware.
My favorite groundhog load is a 50 grain SX with 25 grains of 3031 in a varmit rifle with a 1-12 twist and a commercial chamber. Very effective out to 275 yards.
They should work just fine with your intended load, unless you rifle has a very fast twist. A 1-7 twist might require as low as 2700-2800 '/sec max velocity.
I know this is an old post, but as a long time user and admirer of Hornady SX bullets, I had to reply. I was searching for some 55SX on the web (with no success, Hornady has quit making them, at least for now) and this thread came up in the search.
I have used 50 and 55 SX bullets for 40 years +. Have shot them in rifles with twists from 1-14 to 1-9, always in 222 or 223 cartridges. Have taken coyote, fox, ground hog, crow, coon, and blackbirds with them. In no case have they failed to deliver top accuracy and instant kills out to 250 yards.
Hornady designed them for 1-14 twist at no more than 3500'/sec.The faster the twist, the slower the muzzle velocity must be to prevent disintegration. Currently I am shooting the 55 SX in a 1-9 twist bolt gun at 3200'/sec, with no lost bullets. Took a large male coyote last month with a chest shot, and he dropped like a rock. The exit wound was the size of a baseball (yes, there was an exit wound). My current load is 25.3 grains of 3031, in a rifle with a NATO chamber and throat. In a rifle with a commercial chamber, this load would be over max, so beware.
My favorite groundhog load is a 50 grain SX with 25 grains of 3031 in a varmit rifle with a 1-12 twist and a commercial chamber. Very effective out to 275 yards.
They should work just fine with your intended load, unless you rifle has a very fast twist. A 1-7 twist might require as low as 2700-2800 '/sec max velocity.
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