Hunting & Fishing .223 hunting range

[eleaf]

What would be a safe place to draw a line for effective/ethical hunting distances for shooting varmints and small game with a .223?

I have very little hunting experience, and none with a centerfire, and I am only interested in making humane kills.

Thanks.

 

[slayer_21420]

Re: .223 hunting range

however far away you can consistently hit them in the vitals...

 

[Dennis_in_VA]

Re: .223 hunting range

I shoot 55gr Blitzkings out of mine and I don't try for more than 600 yards because I know my limitations with this particular rifle.

Had a Groundhog DRT @ 508 yards (cold bore shot) this year... I saw the bullet hit him square in the chest while he was standing up facing me. Tipped him over like a bowling pin. He never twitched.

My advice is to get some trigger time with that particular rifle and shoot at some targets (reactive type, like a steel swinger) at distances that you might encounter.
That is after you have developed an accurate load and verified your drop chart data.

Have fun, be safe, know your target and what's beyond.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: .223 hunting range

I have always considered 275-300yd to be my own max effective range for shooting varmints with 50-55gr bullets in a .223; and 250yd for the .222.

While longer distances would probably work as well, I like to keep my shots where they deliver more terminal energy. For me, this works out to around 500-600FtLb at 275-300yd.

While I was doing this, I also plotted the 165gr Nosler Ballistic Tip at 2900fps from a .30-'06, and interestingly, the 1000yd velocity was about 1300fps, and the energy was also around 500-600FtLb.

Greg

 

[brdeano]

Re: .223 hunting range

Running 75Amax's in a 1-8"tw 223AI I've killed woodchucks out to 500-550yards with good results. I've ran the same rifle/load on whitetails out to 250yds with good results as well.

 

[7mmRM]

Re: .223 hunting range

Ive killed several coyotes and chucks from up close to a tick over 500 with 223/223AIs. 55 BlitzKings, 60 VMAXs, 75 AMAXs. Gunning the 75s, I wouldnt hesitate to stretch that distance considerably.

 

[JamieD]

Re: .223 hunting range

I've shot a good many chucks this year with my 22" .223 running 75 A-max's Furtherest was just over 700, good solid wack but made it down the hole. A couple between 500 and 600 DOA. One was a big 13 lb fat boy at just over 500. In the chest out the back - lots of juice left to that bullet.

Hope it helps.

JamieD
Wolf Precision
All Hogs Go to Heaven

 

[eleaf]

Re: .223 hunting range

Thanks for the replies. Essentially it seems that the answer is "about as far as you can see a small critter". The conservative estimate is ~300 yards (maybe even closer), others say as far as 600 or so yards.

Good stuff.

Thanks.

 

[SNOW]

Re: .223 hunting range

NO issues with 223 out to 300 with 62gr TSXs on deer. Run one through the shoulders and you will not have to track far if at all.

 

[GCMxVeGeTa]

Re: .223 hunting range

As far as humane is concerned with a varmint, about anywhere you hit them with a .223 should tear them apart. You could try 50 grain Barnes varmint grenade.

The only medium game I've shot is a small whitetail deer at 100 yards, dropped it instantly broke ribs on both sides, exited and kept going...it was taken with a 75 grain A-Max.

 

[eleaf]

Re: .223 hunting range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GCMxVeGeTa</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As far as humane is concerned with a varmint, about anywhere you hit them with a .223 should tear them apart. You could try 50 grain Barnes varmint grenade.

The only medium game I've shot is a small whitetail deer at 100 yards, dropped it instantly broke ribs on both sides, exited and kept going...it was taken with a 75 grain A-Max. </div></div>

For now I'm rolling with Hornady TAP 55 grain V-Max. Great accuracy and expansion. I'm mostly interested in using this .223 as a varmint/predator gun. Now all I need is a place to go varmint/predator hunting, and someone to go with! LOL.

 

[Dennis_in_VA]

Re: .223 hunting range

Well if you had a place to go, I wouldn't be waiting on someone to go with me.

I used to be like that. I did a lot of waiting because my friend was hen pecked and I wasn't. I felt that I had to have "Somebody" with me to share the event with. Well if you don't go there wont be any event.

So get out there, verify the dope, set up, call it in and Blast something. Oh yeah, don't forget to bring something to take some pictures with.

Have fun but be safe.

 

[battlestick]

Re: .223 hunting range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chris Snow</div><div class="ubbcode-body">NO issues with 223 out to 300 with 62gr TSXs on deer. Run one through the shoulders and you will not have to track far if at all. </div></div>

Not to hijack, but I am intersted at this. I use the same bullet in handloads from an Ar @ 2800 fps. What velocity are you getting? I draw my line at 250 yds on whitetail.

 

[brdeano]

Re: .223 hunting range

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: battlestick</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chris Snow</div><div class="ubbcode-body">NO issues with 223 out to 300 with 62gr TSXs on deer. Run one through the shoulders and you will not have to track far if at all. </div></div>

Not to hijack, but I am intersted at this. I use the same bullet in handloads from an Ar @ 2800 fps. What velocity are you getting? I draw my line at 250 yds on whitetail. </div></div>

I can't remember is Chris is still running his 223AI or not? But I'm creeping on 3300 with moly'd 62TSX's via 22" 223AI...boltgun.

 

[JamieD]

Re: .223 hunting range

eleaf,
If you start reloading for her. We shot alot of varmint with 22 calibers and the Hornady 52 A-max was incredable. It blows up like a bomb. I ask hornady and they said the 52 was a V-max held to tighter tolerences. This is a hunting freind with his .223 at around 150 yards using the A-max. You should have heard the audible pop : )

JamieD
Wolf Precision
All Hogs Go to Heaven

 

[sscoyote]

Re: .223 hunting range

I would say about 500-600 yds. on coyotes with a tested higher BC system, and at those ranges only under the most ideal of conditions.

 

[QRE23]

Re: .223 hunting range

I think alot of it has more to do with what bullet you're using than is being given credit here so far.

I've been having alot of fun with Nosler 40BT's on yotes with a real stiff dose (28gr) of Benchmark. I also know that probably anything past about 250yds and conditions better be pretty good. No wind that is. I'm shooting both out 2 different 20in bolt guns and they both seem to like the exact same load and one is a 1-12 the other a 1-9.

This is one of the things I love about .223's there are so many bullets and powders that work well in so many different rifles.

 

[Cascade_Sherpa]

Re: .223 hunting range

In eastern montana last summer there were three of us shooting prairie dogs with AR's; 60 grain vmax's and 55 grain soft points. during the course of the weekend there were a couple of kills beyond 600 yds. The dogs were pretty much disembowled, so i know the .223 is leathal well beyond the point of my ability to hit a coffee cup size target.