Hunting Ammo Recommendation for 20" .223 1:8 Twist

[maidendeth13]

Hi All,

Looking for a hunting ammo (lead is fine as I am not in CA) for my RRA Predator Pursuit upper.

I'd like to shoot some coyotes that are hanging around my sheep but am currently sighted in with Federal Gold Medal Match 77gr Sierra Match King. With that ammo I'm getting ~.75 MOA groups out to 500 but I'm wondering if there's not a hunting load that anyone would recommend that may perform similarly in my setup. Most expanding bullets seem to top out around 62 grains and don't seem to provide "match grade" accuracy (from what I've tested so far). For my .308 I switched to the Hornady Precision hunter and have had great results but they don't make it in .223.

I don't really have an issue shooting coyotes with the match kings but if there was a true hunting bullet that'd be preferred as I'd rather they not run off and die on the neighbors property.

Cheers

[Dave Hoback]

Try some ballistic tips. Pick a brand. The Amax works well, and they make them pretty heavy. I had a heavy 20” 1:9 many years ago and used 60grain Vmax. Never stuck a yote, but they did a number on rabbits.

[870classic]

The quick answer is "Shot placement."

The longer answer is the 1:8 twist "should" shoot everything from 55 grain to 77 grain as the 1:8 twist is the sweet spot for shooting almost everything in .223. With an 0.75 moa out to 500 yards is pretty good accuracy for hunting. You might want to try the Hornady 55 grain v-max projectile with the polymer tip. These have a good reputation for expansion (Fragmentation) at the target. There is nothing wrong with using the 77gr Sierra Match King for hunting as long a shot placement it key.

Best regards,
870classic.

[BajaJames83]

Federal 64gr powershock I think it's called winchester makes a similar one

[Jimi Jah]

350 Legend is getting popular is some states. I have a Legend upper. Seems to be a good deer hunting round.

[maidendeth13]

Grabbed some black hills reman 69gr matchkings and 60 gr V-max from brownells.

Will play with both and see if either is a cheaper alternative to the FGMM. Probably arrive next week so 1-2 weeks before I get a chance to try em out.

Cheers

[sigstroker]

Speer makes 75 gr Gold Dots in .223. Also, Hornady makes 73 gr Critical Defense FTX in .223, Barnes makes 70 gr TSX in 5.56.

[k1dude]

The only way to figure out what hunting load works well out of your rifle is to buy a bunch of different ammo and try it.

Or if you reload, use the FGMM 77 that works well and try to duplicate it with a hunting bullet. You'll have to fine tune your load development with a different bullet though. Might take awhile and it might not work.

But honestly, I'd just use the FGMM on coyotes. But not on pigs or deer.

[maidendeth13]

Did some testing earlier today. Light breeze L-R (full value) but don't think it was enough to really throw off groups that much. All groups shot prone with a pack as my front bag and a midway USA rear bag.

Ammo used was
Black Hills Reman 69 gr Sierra Match King
Black Hills New 60 gr V-max
Hornady Superformance 53 gr V-Max
Winchester Super-X 64 gr power point

Through the Rock River Arms Predator Pursuit (20" SWFA 3-15x42 FFP, SSA-E trigger)


Through the 16" Primary Arms Upper (1-4x Bushnell AR Scope, standard PSA trigger).


Unfortunately the 60 gr v-max is the same price as the 77gr FGMM ($.90/rd). I've shot the FGMM out to 500 and like it but if the 60gr V-max performs just as well at distance I might switch since I don't intend to shoot anything but paper and coyotes with either of these.

I also have some 55 gr american eagle varmint rounds to try but the baby needed to go down for a nap and shooting isn't very conducive to that. I'm hoping the 16" gun likes that round as I've got like 200 rds that I'm not sure what to do with!

Cheers.

[damon1272]

55 gun Hornady Vmax are destructive on coyotes

[5.56Geo]

Barnes TSX or TTSX bullets are devastating. They tend to transfer all the energy and retain most of the weight, over 95% of it in most cases.

[maidendeth13]

Shot out to 200 earlier. Moved target to 250 but baby is napping so on hold for a bit. The pains of being able to shoot in the backyard

Fortunately my PA upper seems to like the American Eagle 50 gr varmint tips. I suck shooting 4x out to 200 but it's definitely minute of coyote if needed. The RRA lives upstairs for that purpose though so the PA will remain the fun gun for now.

100 yards


200 yards. I'm not sure what the people who created the BTR-1 reticle are smoking but their 200 yard hold is about 6" lower than my POI. I just held my 100 yard zero on the bulls-eye (as best I could at 4x) and I'm about 2" low at 200...


The RRA Upper did pretty well out to 200. POA was the bulls-eye with my 100 yard zero. Gives me about .2 Mil at 200. I think I'm maybe .1 Mil high at 100 still but for now it'll work until I can get some more ammo. Will shoot 250 this afternoon and maybe 300 depending on time. I have another rifle I need to shoot at 250 to get some missing dope on.

I just typed that up but apparently never took pics. Picture a 1.5" ish group of 3 that's about 1.5" low. Will snap pics next time I'm at the target.

[maidendeth13]

Here's the black hills at 200.


They started cutting the field behind me so that ended my shooting for the day.

250 and 300 next weekend hopefully.

Cheers.

[k1dude]

I find most of my AR's like Federal 50gr Varmint Tipped, regardless of barrel twist, manufacture, or, length.

[mattmansacto]

My RRA Varminter A4 does really good with fiocchi 50 vmax out to 300 yds . I can get 10 shots into about.75 of an inch darn near a single hole. I’ll have to take it out next time I shoot and take a picture of the grouping but that is a month or two away.