My Thoughts on the .223

[joed]

Well, it was a miserable boating weekend in OH. Windy and cold, a taste of what's coming.

So it was time to stay on land. This weekend was the first time groundhog hunting in quite a few years.

Some time ago I purchased a Savage 10fp in .223 Rem. Bought it to replace a Rem 700 VS in .25-06 with a warn out barrel. Later decided to rebarrel the 700 with a Krieger match barrel. Never shot the .223 much other then the range at 100 yards. I will admit I was amazed at the accuracy this gun has, groups under 1/2".

This weekend saw hunting along railroad tracks in the country.

I learned the .223 is a decent varmint round if you limit ranges to 200 yards. Beyond that the bullet drops to much for my liking. Unfortunately my closest shot of the day was 300 yards, with most at 400 yards. The .223 just doesn't cut it shooting that far at an animal about the size of a housecat. This cartridge is better suited to larger targets at 300 to 400 yards. Maybe that's why the military chose it.

My friends .22-250 outclassed me easily. Next trip the .223 will stay in the safe and the .25-06 will be going. The 06 has never failed me, if I could see a groundhog it was in mortal danger no matter how far away.

Now I have no idea what I'll use the .223 for, it was disappointing.

Another lesson learned this weekend is a 36x power scope is worthless shooting over railroad tracks. Anything over 200 yards and the mirage was terrible. In the early evening it was fine. The Savage now has a 6x18 Leupold on it, but I doubt I'll take it hunting again. It probably has a purpose but I can't see what it is. Maybe I'll convert the Savage to another cartridge. Not sure what but I have no use for the .223.

 

[conhntr]

Joe i agree with your experience. Alot of the people on here and in print are p-dog hunters. For eastern ground hog the advanteges of the 223 (cost and being able to shoot 100 p-dogs in a day) dont apply to us. I hunt ground hogs alot and on a really god day i migh shoot a dozen and alot of shots are long range.

Personally i use a 243 with thr 58gr vmax it turns groundhogs inside out

 

[joed]

conhntr, I have to agree with you. The .223 doesn't turn the barrel cherry red like my .25-06 but it just doesn't cut it on ground hogs at long distance. I never thought of it as a regional thing, probably would be a good performer on prairie dogs at 200 yards.

I'll probably rebarrel the Savage to something more useful, my mind is already thinking.

 

[Sky]

Yep I agree. I do quite a bit of Jack rabbit hunting and out to 200 yards with a good zeroed scope the 223 works most of the time(every time if I can hit the target). Actually 75 to 150 being the best range. I think the 16" barreled AR at 300 yards is minute of a big guy. With a bi-pod and on a good day I can keep the shots on a 14" steal plate @ 300 yards but even in Texas Jacks don't grow that wide. The bullet trajectory from muzzle to impact does quite a bit of messing about and I am honestly thinking about getting either the AR-10 or some variant. I am sure somewhere around here there are people who can shoot a sparrow at 300 yards with the 223. Myself if I did it would just be very small degree of skill and mucho luck.

The wind here is usually blowing not as bad as Oklahoma but a wind of 10 gust to 20 really affects my shot pattern when doing a long range 300 yard shot with the 223. I like the AR for many reasons and like the 223 only because it is used in my ARs and is pretty affordable.

Been thinking about something bigger better but dunno. May just have to be sneaky and get closer.

 

[husker]

i sure would like to know what type of ammo you were using

 

[joed]

My ammo for the groundhogs was Federal 50 gr hps. The Savage doesn't like anything lighter then 50 gr and the groups open up. It will shoot the 69 gr match bullet into tiny little holes at 100 yards but this isn't a bullet I would use for groundhogs.

 

[arizona98tj]

Not being a ground hog shooter....I have to ask.....would the ground hog care if it got hit with a 69 gr bullet vs. a 50 gr bullet?

 

[joed]

The problem with using heavier bullets not designed to disintegrate on impact is richochets. For that reason I've always tried to use the frangible bullets whenever I hunt groundhogs. In the area I'm hunting I don't want any richochets.

 

[Oceans]

Joe, don't throw in the towl on your rig just yet, you have some quality gear there. Have you tried Hornady's 60 grain HP or SP or V-max. You should be able to get 3k fps with any of them out of your Savage with Varget, Win 748,n-140, even H322. I would play around with your rifle till I found out what can be done. Give Sierra a try too, they have a 65 grain load in game king, give 'em a call they have great Techs, tell 'em what rig you have and that you want to nail groundhogs at up to 400 yards. Give 'em a call 1-800 223-8799

 

[husker]

i have to agree with Oceans. 400 yrds with a well tuned rifle in 223 should be instant death for all ground hogs & prairie dogs.

 

[Sky]

Wow I agree it is just trying to see/hit the rascals that far out.

 

[NCsmitty]

joed, you can always buy a barrel and a new bolt head, and convert your Savage to the 22-250 Rem, or 243 Win or any short action cartridge of your choice. That's one of the good things about owning a Savage.




NCsmitty

 

[Geno]

I have no hesitation to 300 yards with a .223 Rem, especially hand loads. Here is my last steel session as I practiced for woodchucks. The two sets of groups on the right (top and bottom) are .223 Rems at 300 yards. The steel gong is 15" by 15". I do, as you can see, also take the .308 Wins for the eventuality of longer shots if they present. I do agree, a 36X is too much for such hunting. I usually keep the scope set around 10X to 12X.

View attachment 503777

 

[52grain]

I think that you may be trying to make .223 something that it isn't. I never viewed it as a hunting round. You could probably use at shorter ranges, but it's really a plinking round. I love mine. You can afford to shoot it all afternoon (both dollar and shoulder wise).

 

[husker]

HMMM. i can tell you that 50 or More Nebraska Coyotes, if they were still alive would disagree about 223 not a hunting round