I have a remington LRT in a 223. 1:9 twist what everyone would shoot for a store bought cartriage?

[walleye44]

I have a remington LRT in a 223. Just wondering what everyone would shoot for store bought cartiage? Looking for cheap rounds too, but if not much more would move up. I know it does depend on my rifle liking the round. Company & bullet weight? Looking for starting points. It has a 1:9 twist so I was thinking about a 65 grain bullet. It would be nice to have something big enought for hogs/yote/deer, but still good for varmits paire dog range too. Am I asking too much for an all in one split in two then. Thanks in advance.

[picksbigwagon]

While it is legal, I don't feel the 223 is a good choice for deer. a 243 would have been a better route for the game you are talking about. Now, my 1:9 twist AR15 loves my hand loads, but loved the hornady 55 gr. vmax bullets as well....I found the ultramax bulk pack bullets at Richards sporting goods, to be pretty good for plinking and a day on the bench. those were 55 grain soft points.

[Neighbor_guy]

We could argue the merits of .223 bullets all day and we would all be right. Deer hunters in other stated have been killing whitetails with .223rem for years. And while I agree that it is a very small round and at the bottom of what I would consider a deer rifle it is a centerfire .22 and therefore legal.

Remember this... "overnighters" have killed more deer than we care to imagine with the .22rimfire. Shooting a 38 or 40gr pill at 1000fps

All that being said.....

I would vote for the Hornaday vmax in 55gr or the Superformance in 53gr for coyote rounds. I have tried a few of the different "medium size game" loadings in 60gr am on the look for some 65gr and 68gr but just for kicks and giggles. My rifle pukes them all over the place outside of 100yards. It would be a stretch to call them 6" groups. They look good up close, but outside of 100 they just go... away.

The 55gr and 53gr from Hornaday even the 55gr soft points they call "bulk training" in 55gr shoot "minute of coyote" out to 200yards. 1"low at 50, zero at 100, and 1"low at 150yards with the trainers. If I shoot the VMax or Superformance it is zero 50-100.

I plan to stick with my other options for now as far as deer go, .270, .50cal Muzzy, .357, blah, blah, blah. Coyotes are in trouble though, the Oly is getting anxious...

[walleye44]

Thanks guys.. I appreciate the feedback. I have an 243, 30-06 & my favorite finnlight sako 300 wsm. I probably would not use it for deer. I was just curious, since they make some bigger grains now a days. What do you think about hogs with the 223? Can you get those 55 grain v-max of the shelf or is that a handloaded bullet only? I will have to check them out. Thanks again.

[picksbigwagon]

Hornady does make them as loaded ammunition, and sells the bullets for reloading. For hogs, you wouldn't want to use the vmax. Barnes makes a 63 or 68 grain TSX bullet that Black Hills loads. That would be a better bullet for the hog if you were going to use the 223. When I shot my barrel in (breaking it in), I used FMJ's for the first 100 rounds at targets. Cleaned the barrel after even 5 rounds until I had shot 50, then cleaned every 10 until I hit 100....

where are you heading to hunt hogs?

[walleye44]

I have an open invite to come hunt a friend ranch down in Texas. Wow, know that is alot of cleaning. Does that help the barrel life? Basically bought this rifle for paire dogs, buddy talked me into to it too. So these V-max break up easy then? Can a guys use a bullet that holds together better for paire dogs? Thanks I do appreciate all the feedback guys.

[picksbigwagon]

the guy I bought mine from told me to break in the barrel that way and I wasn't about to argue with him about it. He said it helps with cleaning the barrel as shooting ght fmj's and cleaining it helped smooth out the lands and keeps the barrel from getting full of copper. Vmax would be perfect for ground hogs and for crows and coyotes, but pigs are a lot bigger and thicker skinned than those animals. My fear would be you would not get enough pentration...

[walleye44]

the guy I bought mine from told me to break in the barrel that way and I wasn't about to argue with him about it. He said it helps with cleaning the barrel as shooting ght fmj's and cleaining it helped smooth out the lands and keeps the barrel from getting full of copper. Vmax would be perfect for ground hogs and for crows and coyotes, but pigs are a lot bigger and thicker skinned than those animals. My fear would be you would not get enough pentration...

It is sounding Like Vmax might be the one. Main targets will be "ground hogs and for crows and coyotes" Thank you!

[picksbigwagon]

I want to try handloading the tsx bullets, but I haven't pulled that trigger yet.....maybe this winter I will start reloading in earnest again