Usable range of the .223?

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I'd call the .223 a good coyote cartridge to some 200 yards, for a clean kill with a body shot. Farther, if you know the range pretty close, and there's no problem with wind.

My preference in .223 is a 52- or 55-grain HPBT or SPBT. although I've gotten good accuracy out almost everything from 50 to 70 grains out of my Rugerlator 77 MK II. I disremember the powder, though, and I'm too lazy to go look it up. :)

Art
 
Don't remember exact numbers, but when my buddy was getting started with his new savage we were looking at winchester white box 45 grain varmint loads, advertised 3600 fps at the muzzle and supposed to have less than 8" of drop at 300 yards. I'd think any farther than that and holdover would be getting tough to judge even if the wind wasn't messing you up.
But pretty much anything in the groundhog size range though an I would shoot at any distance I could hit it, it'd still squash em :D
 
Folks in the military, and competitors in NRA highpower seem to be of the erroneous opinion that the .223 is good for 600 yards
Click to expand...

Punching paper is different than punching flesh. Military applications of the .223 are normally limited to 300 meters. They do see the occasional use in close-range sniping (~100 yards).
 
Another opinion on why military opinion is such? A wounded enemy is better than a dead one. He will need help getting to his medics, so enemy force temporary reduction will be greater with a wounded soldier, than a dead one?
 
Also, if you really know your rifle, longer heavier bullets can give advantage at longer distances assuming rate of twist allows use of such.

But as mentioned, paper and the enemy are not the same as humanely killing an animal... I'd have no concern using a 223 I knew well out to about 300 yards on a coyote. Smaller animals are less of a concern because in general, you'll either fatally wound them or you'll miss them.

What game were you planning on taking and at what distances were you hoping?
 
Usable range for varmints out in my neck of the high plains is usally a function of wind velocity. Gusting or swirling winds can make a 100 yard shot pretty iffy sometimes. When it's calm prairie rats out to about 300 or so yards can be in trouble from my 700VS (if I do my job).

I've got a nice load for my rifle with a Speer 50gr TNT bullet, over a full case of Varget. YRMV. That's for prairie dogs and such. The coyotes get some .25-06 or .270 medicine!

JohnDog
 
Folks in the military worry about a clean, ethical kill? Duh? Seems to me that for the military, any hit at any distance is a Good Thing. Doesn't matter if it's survivable or not.

Varmints and game animals deserve respect. Whole different deal.

:), Art
 
200 yards on a coyote is no problem for the 223. I loaded 52 grn HP with 22 grains of IMR 4198 in a Ruger M77 MkII (24" bbl) I used to own. That was Max load in my Lee manual so work up to it. Velocities weren't top of the board but I got good groups. Was getting ready to start experimenting with the 50 grn Nosler balistic tips when I got a good trade for the 223 for a 220 swift in Ruger No 1. :neener:
 
Ground squirrels? I'd reckon that pretty much a hit at any resonable distance (under 600 yards) would either be a pretty quick kill or a miss.

I've seen more than one squirrel die from being hit with dirt from a bullet that landed just about a foot short of the intended target.
 
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