Heavies for 5.56

The place to discuss ammunition, reloading, ballistics, loads, and chamberings.
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Vonz90
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Vonz90 »

Precision wrote:
Vonz90 wrote:I've got nothing against 223/5.56 in principle. In fact I have one. But I think it is too marginal of a cartridge for deer. (yes I know that it is a legal cartridge in many places.)

My $0.02.

You must get a solid hit in the vitals.
Which is never a guarantee, which is why I like to have some margin for error.

For instance, a number of years ago I hit a six pointer a little low (probably 120 yards or so), it only hit his shoulder, he still dropped within 10 yards or so of where I hit him. That was with a 30-06, 180 gr, the dear dressed our a little under 130#.

Currently I use an 8x57 with 170 grain Speers, which should be around 2600 fps. I'm much more comfortable with something like that on my shoulder for deer.

I know they are smaller down south, and certainly use what you like, but if recoil is not a problem I don't see a down side to going with a more traditional sized round.
Precision
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Precision »

I usually use a 130 grain .270. In general, I agree with your statement. I also believe the average yokel who believes in hosing down the area with lead hoping to hit a deer should not be hunting, regardless of caliber.

For me, .223 is no different then bow hunting in regards to having the discipline to only take high percentage shots. Those who cannot or will not do that, should NOT hunt with .223 (perhaps should not hunt at all). For those of us who are willing to pass up marginal shots, it is a gamble, but IMO no more so then bow hunting.

To each their own, within the law.
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Netpackrat
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Netpackrat »

Vonz90 wrote:Which is never a guarantee, which is why I like to have some margin for error.

For instance, a number of years ago I hit a six pointer a little low (probably 120 yards or so), it only hit his shoulder, he still dropped within 10 yards or so of where I hit him. That was with a 30-06, 180 gr, the dear dressed our a little under 130#.

Currently I use an 8x57 with 170 grain Speers, which should be around 2600 fps. I'm much more comfortable with something like that on my shoulder for deer.
We should at least be honest here. You used a .30-06 because you were more comfortable hunting deer with a full power rifle cartridge. The only real advantage at that point, to switching to the 8x57, is because you are more comfortable with Krupp steel in your hands. Image
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Lokidude
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Lokidude »

Netpackrat wrote:
Vonz90 wrote:Which is never a guarantee, which is why I like to have some margin for error.

For instance, a number of years ago I hit a six pointer a little low (probably 120 yards or so), it only hit his shoulder, he still dropped within 10 yards or so of where I hit him. That was with a 30-06, 180 gr, the dear dressed our a little under 130#.

Currently I use an 8x57 with 170 grain Speers, which should be around 2600 fps. I'm much more comfortable with something like that on my shoulder for deer.
We should at least be honest here. You used a .30-06 because you were more comfortable hunting deer with a full power rifle cartridge. The only real advantage at that point, to switching to the 8x57, is because you are more comfortable with Krupp steel in your hands. Image

One of the reasons I use -06 when I hunt. Marginal hits become good hits. Deer and elk tend to drop where they're hit, and I don't have to track them over hill and dale.
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Vonz90
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Vonz90 »

Netpackrat wrote:
Vonz90 wrote:Which is never a guarantee, which is why I like to have some margin for error.

For instance, a number of years ago I hit a six pointer a little low (probably 120 yards or so), it only hit his shoulder, he still dropped within 10 yards or so of where I hit him. That was with a 30-06, 180 gr, the dear dressed our a little under 130#.

Currently I use an 8x57 with 170 grain Speers, which should be around 2600 fps. I'm much more comfortable with something like that on my shoulder for deer.
We should at least be honest here. You used a .30-06 because you were more comfortable hunting deer with a full power rifle cartridge. The only real advantage at that point, to switching to the 8x57, is because you are more comfortable with Krupp steel in your hands. Image
There is actually a lot of truth to that. 30-06 is a great round. I would say if you don't reload it is a much better round than 8x57 just because good ammo is hard to find on this side of the pond. If you reload, then I would call it a tomato' / toma'to kind of a thing.

However, I like my Mauser much more than I liked my old Savage 110 (it was one of the old pre-accutriger ones with the barrel screwed to the stock). The kicker was that I mostly use 30-06 brass for reloading 8x57 and I did not want to have any opportunity to mix the two into the wrong rifle.
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Precision »

necro

the berger 77gr OTM are now available at Natchez shooting supply if you are interested.

They currently have a lot of other stuff in stock that has been out of stock everywhere. Not sure it that is a function of better global availability or just them.
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HTRN
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by HTRN »

Lokidude wrote:One of the reasons I use -06 when I hunt. Marginal hits become good hits. Deer and elk tend to drop where they're hit, and I don't have to track them over hill and dale.
Which is why I bought a H&H for Moose. 300 grain bonded softpoint through both shoulders, means no spending hours removing a dead moose from a freezing wet Maine bog in a briar patch...

Something that should be pointed out too, is that animals vary widely by location - the typical 90 lb scrub Whitetail in Texas would be 170lbs in the middle of soybean country.. So while a .223 is appropriate to the former, it's really not enough for the latter..
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Greg
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Greg »

HTRN wrote:
Lokidude wrote:One of the reasons I use -06 when I hunt. Marginal hits become good hits. Deer and elk tend to drop where they're hit, and I don't have to track them over hill and dale.
Which is why I bought a H&H for Moose. 300 grain bonded softpoint through both shoulders, means no spending hours removing a dead moose from a freezing wet Maine bog in a briar patch...
True, true. You don't want to take too long retrieving it, or somebody might come along and shoot [strike]your moose[/strike] you. :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Vonz90
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Re: Heavies for 5.56

Post by Vonz90 »

Greg wrote:
HTRN wrote:
Lokidude wrote:One of the reasons I use -06 when I hunt. Marginal hits become good hits. Deer and elk tend to drop where they're hit, and I don't have to track them over hill and dale.
Which is why I bought a H&H for Moose. 300 grain bonded softpoint through both shoulders, means no spending hours removing a dead moose from a freezing wet Maine bog in a briar patch...
True, true. You don't want to take too long retrieving it, or somebody might come along and shoot [strike]your moose[/strike] you. :lol: :lol: :lol:

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/stor ... /19095637/
... or steal your deer. I shot a six pointer a few years ago which ran down the hill a bit and then dropped by the gravel road which runs on the side of my sister's property. Before I could get to it, someone drove up, threw it in their truck and drove away.
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