5.56mm hunting round

Interesting - AZ doesn't restrict caliber of a centerfire rifle for deer, but the articles suggest a .240 or larger caliber to be used. Please tell me - what size deer have you used this one? Our's down here tend to be smaller and lighter, due to area.

I haven't tried 60 grain Partitions - that might be something to look for, as for some reason this rifle seems to really like a 60 grain slug.
 
I use #1390 Sierra GameKing 55gr BTHP for everything, paper and critters. My daughter deer hunts with that load and has killed a few, never lost one and never recovered a bullet. I have shot coyotes, skunks, etc.

It's a pretty tough bullet (IME) that's not real pricey and my rifle shoots .5" groups with that bullet over 24gr of Benchmark.
 
I use the Sierra 65 grain GameKing bullet over 25.2 grains of W748. That gives me 2,850 pfs out of a 20-inch barreled AR15. This load has been used to kill numerous pigs and deer. This bullet is tough and shoots accurately in all of my .223 rifles. I also like the 55 grain version.
 
I’ve had good luck with several .224 game bullets. I use the 64 gr Winchester Power Points, the 65 gr Sierra Game Kings and 70 gr Speer soft points. All three are quite accurate and shoot well in my older 1/12 twist rifles as well as in rifles with faster twists. They all perform like a game bullet rather than a varmint bullet on game although Speer advertises them as a “varmint” bullet.
I also picked up some of these bonded bullets:

https://rmrbullets.com/product-category/bullets-for-reloading/bullets-for-reloading-224-5-56mm/

I was pleased with the accuracy but haven’t been able to test them on game yet. If they perform well on game, they are a real bargain.
 
My vz-58 was 1-12, IIRC, but the BREN is 1-7. I am newer to the 5.56mm/223 game than many others here, as the vz didn't last long, and this is only my second 5.56mm rifle.
Yes, I know the differences - I load to .223 specs for now - that's what my trimmer goes to.:rolleyes:
Right now getting projectiles is the bottle neck, gotta wait for payday. One thing that HAS been suggested is the Lee cast 55gr slug,

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/61...ber-225-diameter-55-grain-flat-nose-gas-check

Gas checked and powder coated I wonder how well it would do for light game...just a thought. BREN is a piston gun, BTW.
 
I’ve never loaded cast bullets in .223 but, looking in my Lyman manual, the cast loads listed are somewhat anemic. The velocities listed aren’t much more than .22 magnum velocities. I don’t think cast bullets will achieve the velocity that makes the .223 so useful.
 
"I use #1390 Sierra GameKing 55gr BTHP for everything, paper and critters. My daughter deer hunts with that load and has killed a few, never lost one and never recovered a bullet. I have shot coyotes, skunks, etc.
It's a pretty tough bullet (IME) that's not real pricey"

Yes, that bullet is "tough". I found a few boxes of 22/250 factory loads using this bullet and tried them on coyotes--zipped right through. Tried them on a couple of meat deer-didn't zip through but didn't expand all that much either. Considering the velocity advantage of the 22/250, I'd guess performance might be "iffy" from a .223 unless range was very short.
 
Forgot the most basic rule - can't use FMJ hunting in AZ. :( So, now I'm trying some 55gr V Max bullets I found locally, see how they do.
 
I use 55gr Vmax for hunting medium game to deer, I use 55gr FMJBT for killing paper and squeeks. They work great over 25 gr Ramshot TAC.
I have just started casting 55 gr RFN from my Lee mold for killing paper and close up critters with my Mossberg bolt 223. This thing is a tack driver with anything can stuff into it, but is too heavy to go deer hunting. I will be using the ar for that.
 
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