Sierra 223 65gr gameking

[AWW34]

So I picked up 200 of these as I've heard great things about them. Previously used noslers 64 grain BSB, but they're x2 the cost of sierras. I'll be loading these for AR'S with 5.56 chambers. Sierra recommends using their 63 gr SMP data interchangeably. As always, I'll work my own data, however, what is yalls experience? What powders/charges have worked well for you? Done any hunting with them? I plan to use it for hogs and letting the nephew kill his first deer.

Thanks!

 

[rosewood]

I believe I am using 25.0 grains of H335 and am getting 1/2 or better MOA in my M&P 15 sport with that bullet. I was quite shocked with the results. I bought the gun as a plinker and never dreamed it would shoot that well. It is shooting as well as my Colt HBAR. I have yet to hunt with them. I have heard good things, but I typically shy to larger calibers for deer and hogs, but may try it out on hogs one day. Academy tends to stock H335 by the way.

Rosewood

 

[AWW34]

I believe I am using 25.0 grains of H335 and am getting 1/2 or better MOA in my M&P 15 sport with that bullet. I was quite shocked with the results. I bought the gun as a plinker and never dreamed it would shoot that well. It is shooting as well as my Colt HBAR. I have yet to hunt with them. I have heard good things, but I typically shy to larger calibers for deer and hogs, but may try it out on hogs one day. Academy tends to stock H335 by the way.

Rosewood

That's good to hear. I loaded a few of them last weekend with AR comp and h335. Started at 23 grains for both powders and they were both pretty accurate, however Im gonna work up the charge. If it gets used as a hunting bullet, velocity is key I think. I will ladder test them up to the published max, but from everything I read, h335 right around 25 grains seems to really shine for most folks. I think sierra lists 25.2 as the hunting load in their manual.

 

[rosewood]

I used CFE223 with some 55 FMJ's and iron sites and didn't see good results, but never tried with a scope. I have not tried it with the 65 grains yet, but since I had such good results with H335, I will stick with it. I only bought the CFE223 because I couldn't find H335 during the Sandy Hook ammo drought.

Rosewood

 

[rosewood]

I was getting 2745 out of the 16" bbl with 24.0 grains of H335, I do not have the velocity for the 25.0 grains in my log book. I never did check it on the chrony with my 20" HBAR.

 

[AWW34]

I was getting 2745 out of the 16" bbl with 24.0 grains of H335, I do not have the velocity for the 25.0 grains in my log book. I never did check it on the chrony with my 20" HBAR.

That's pretty good. I have a couple 16" and one 18" gun. I really need to invest in a chronograph. What twist is your 16" guns?

 

[rosewood]

The 20" HBAR is 1:7. The 16" M&P is 1:9.

 

[Flashover16]

I use either Accurate 2015 or Benchmark for the heavier than 55-58 grain projectiles from my AR.
The 55=58 grainer Copper boat tail and regular FMJ seem to fly just a tad better with BLC-2 for some reason.
any of those loads are easily Minute of hog, human or other sized prey.

 

[AWW34]

I use either Accurate 2015 or Benchmark for the heavier than 55-58 grain projectiles from my AR.
The 55=58 grainer Copper boat tail and regular FMJ seem to fly just a tad better with BLC-2 for some reason.
any of those loads are easily Minute of hog, human or other sized prey.

Right on. I'm actually about to head out to the range. I have some loaded with h335 up to 25.2 gr. Will see how they fare.

 

[AWW34]

So it's been a while since I checked in. So for those interested, or for the sake of some archive data, here goes:

Due to time constraints before our hunting trip, I wound up settling on 25.2 grains of h335. I don't own a chronograph, so not sure on velocity, however Sierra lists this as their own "hunting" load in their edition 5 manual. They claim 2950 in a colt 1x7 20". It seemed to group decently in all four of my AR15 style rifles, all staying around 1moa+/_ at 100 yards.

So off hunting we went. My girlfriend hunted the first morning with her PSA 1x7" twist 16" AR. Right at about 9:30am she fired one round on a nice little 8 point basket. She took the shot from about 30 yards. He ran about 40, coming to a "crash" and stayed down. I'll post a few pictures below, however this was her first deer. She's been hunting with me on our two yearly family hunts for the past two years. This being the start of the 3rd. I'm extremely excited she finally got one. (You could tell she was beginning to get annoyed everyone else got deer but her). Needless to say, spirits are high again and she's got buck fever!

Back to the tech. Talk. The gameking entered his left side just behind his shoulder, and slightly lower than your traditionally perfect shot (call it the armpit). It exited on his right (perfect broadside hit, really nice blood trail for .223) , went through his right shoulder, lodging itself in the Hyde in the outside right shoulder. We found it while cleaning the deer, thinking it was a complete pass through. The bullet mushroomed to .5645" and retained 33 grains.

Nothing like taking game with a handload!

Hers is on the left.