"Do everything" 223 bullet options

JTPinTX

Custom Call Maker
I have a little 223 I am building up. It is a sporter weight 223 Encore chopped to 18" and it has a 12" twist. It will be running a Specwar 556K suppressor and within about a month I plan to have a Photon XT 6.5x50L night vision scope on it. Primarily it will be a night time coyote rifle. Hogs could very well be on the "to do" list as well.

Basically I want to test a few bullets, settle on one and use it for everything. Quick enough expansion to put coyotes down good. Holds together good enough for deer and hogs. Max range of about 200, maybe 225 yards. I'm not looking for a monometal or bonded bullet. Just a good solid cup and core that will stabilize in a 12 twist and get work done reliably without breaking the bank. Good accuracy is always a plus.
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I have some ideas but don't want to taint the answers by throwing them out yet. I want to see if there are some bullets out there I haven't thought of yet or may be passing over.
 
1365 is probably about as good a cup and core for the 12 twist as you'll find. Never shot a hog, not sure how tough they are and not sure how well they would work for that, but coyotes and deer no problem.

- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: DAA1365 is probably about as good a cup and core for the 12 twist as you'll find. Never shot a hog, not sure how tough they are and not sure how well they would work for that, but coyotes and deer no problem.

- DAA

That is the first bullet I plan to try. In all probability, the testing will end there. If it shoots good, and it probably will, I will be done.

But I would still like to hear about other bullets you guys have had good results with. I am always looking for opinions on those bullets that seem to just flat out work a high percentage of the time. The 63 SMP gets mentioned a lot as well. And while maybe not as accurate, the 64 Winchester seems to do good work as far as terminal performance on deer/hogs.
 
I think if you try the 1365 first you'll save yourself a lot of time and money. For a mixed bag rifle, it's the reigning champ.
 
I will get everything worked up and the way I want it first, then throw some Cerakote on it. One nice thing about the Encore is you can chop one down to a really short OAL and still have some barrel on it. It is 37.5" with the can and has an 18" barrel. That length would be SBR territory in an AR.

 
I agree with the above statements regarding the 1365 bullet although I have personally switched over to the Hornady 55 gr soft point w/cannelure several years ago. They seem to be just as tough and accurate as the 1365's but I can buy them in bulk for as little as .07 cents apiece shipped. They just plain kill coyotes and other varmints. Although we cannot hunt deer with .224 caliber in Indiana I am sure they would do the job with a well placed shot at reasonable distances. No experience with hogs but again would probably be OK with well placed shots. These bullets shoot very well, sub-MOA, out of my son-in-laws 12 twist bolt gun too. Good luck in your endeavors!

Mort98
 
Haven't tried the 1365 but have shot a number of coyotes, quite a few hogs and a few deer with the 55 gr. NBT. Only shot one hog broadside shoulder and he was a little feller (35-40#). Rest were broadside head shots near base of ear and the deer were all shot in the white throat patch.

Regards,
hm
 
Thanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it. I'm going to see if my son can pick me up a box of the 1365 in the city today on his way home. If they don't have that one in stock I may have him pick up a box of the 55 Hornady to play with until I can get some of the Sierra ordered in. Not that I don't have several thousand 224 bullets on the shelf for my other 223 and 22-250, but a fella has to try something new in a new rifle doesn't he?

Now I need to decide what powder I want to run in this one. Been running W-748 in my other with pretty decent results, but thought I might want to try something a little more temperature stable in this one.
 
Originally Posted By: Mort98I agree with the above statements regarding the 1365 bullet although I have personally switched over to the Hornady 55 gr soft point w/cannelure several years ago. They seem to be just as tough and accurate as the 1365's but I can buy them in bulk for as little as .07 cents apiece shipped. They just plain kill coyotes and other varmints. Although we cannot hunt deer with .224 caliber in Indiana I am sure they would do the job with a well placed shot at reasonable distances. No experience with hogs but again would probably be OK with well placed shots. These bullets shoot very well, sub-MOA, out of my son-in-laws 12 twist bolt gun too. Good luck in your endeavors!

Mort98

This is my all around bullet of choice as well. I did as Mort when they were on sale I bought two boxes of 6000 so they are .07 cents apiece so cheap and good so they get my vote.
 
Originally Posted By: Mort98I agree with the above statements regarding the 1365 bullet although I have personally switched over to the Hornady 55 gr soft point w/cannelure several years ago. They seem to be just as tough and accurate as the 1365's but I can buy them in bulk for as little as .07 cents apiece shipped. They just plain kill coyotes and other varmints. Although we cannot hunt deer with .224 caliber in Indiana I am sure they would do the job with a well placed shot at reasonable distances. No experience with hogs but again would probably be OK with well placed shots. These bullets shoot very well, sub-MOA, out of my son-in-laws 12 twist bolt gun too. Good luck in your endeavors!Mort98

For many years, the Hornady 55gr SP was all my Dad and brother
used for everything from prairie dogs to deer in .22-250's.
Not one deer or coyote lost, either.
 
The shop in Amarillo has the 1365, I should have some coming home today. If that doesn't work out I will try the Hornady.

Thanks for the input everyone.
 
Originally Posted By: JTPinTXThanks for all the input guys, I appreciate it. I'm going to see if my son can pick me up a box of the 1365 in the city today on his way home. If they don't have that one in stock I may have him pick up a box of the 55 Hornady to play with until I can get some of the Sierra ordered in. Not that I don't have several thousand 224 bullets on the shelf for my other 223 and 22-250, but a fella has to try something new in a new rifle doesn't he?

Now I need to decide what powder I want to run in this one. Been running W-748 in my other with pretty decent results, but thought I might want to try something a little more temperature stable in this one.

In my experience Benchmark has given me the very best accuracy, velocity and temp. stability with 55gr bullet loads in .223. The year before last I had tested the temp. stability of several powers in my 55gr. .223 loads. At 92 degrees I was averaging 2960 FPS out of my 16" barrel with Benchmark. At 5 degrees I was averaging 2956. Varget was the next closest with a 65ish FPS drop at nearly the same temps. Nothing else I tested came any closer than about a 150 FPS difference, some much worse. I did have a very hard time keeping my pro chrony working for more than a few shots at a time in the colder temps. so take this for what its worth. Just my experiences. I only load with Benchmark now for the 55gr bullets which is also all I use for hunting purposes in .223.
 
Well, did a little initial testing with W-748, Sierra 1365, and some Federal brass I had laying around, and it looks like the Sierra will shoot just fine for my purposes. It wasn't bugholes, but pretty solid around the 3/4 MOA level. Did a mini-ladder with it, and then a few 3 shot groups. Only fired 15 rounds but it was enough to momentarily satisfy my curiosity.

I will look for some Benchmark here local tomorrow, and then next week when my Lapua brass gets here I will get serious about dialing this load in. 1/2 to 3/4 MOA is really all I need out of this rifle for the way it will be used. As stretchy and flexible as the Encore frame is I wanted to use good hard brass and the Lapua was on sale.

Thanks guys for turning me on to this bullet. I think it will be exactly what I was looking for.
 
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I cant remember what the 1365 is but i really like the 1395 (65g sgk). I have killed deer to groundhogs with it. I run it with h4895, cci450s, and AE brass. I havent checked the velocity yet for some reason! But that little bullet does kill very well. The deer i got last year was a large 8 point at around 70 yards. It was a uphill shot at a angle and it went through just behind the shoulder and hit the opposite shoulder and left a hole in it about the size of a .50 cent piece. I also got a small doe at about 35-40 yards and it went straight down also but had more damage. A few fragments penatrated through the opposite side. Also it is very very accurate in my RRA 16" gun.
 
If I had a faster twist I would shoot the 65 SGK for sure. A friend of mine shoots that one and it is pretty impressive.

New brass got here today. Time to start serious testing.
 
My bad i didnt catch it was a 12tw. I am not sure what to recomend now as i have never had one. I do like the 55g nbt but some do not. I like them better than the vmaxs for anything bigger than a groundhog. The base will stay together but the rest explodes. I have several bases that was all that was left after shooting them through my wood target backer.
 
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