223 62 gr TTSX on roedeer?

[Pirkan]

In a couple weeks I'll finally receive the 223 I've been waiting for for almost a year and this is a completely new caliber for me when it comes to hunting and reloading. I'll mainly hunt roedeer with it so I don't wan't some varmint fragmentation greande bullet and it needs to stabilise with the 1:9 twist of the rifle. I've come to the conclusion that the 62 gr TTSX seems pretty fit for the task but I know that there are people here that have hunted for 3 times longer than I've been alive that would be happy to share their knowledge. Is the 62 gr ttsx a good choice or are there other bullets I should consider?

 

[375Fox]

If it shoots well in your rifle I’d have no problem using it on roe deer. Definitely at least try it if it shoots well. I shoot the 55 gr TSX frequently on 10-15 lb ground hogs here in US and am impressed with it. I’ve shot around 60 roe deer but have always used a rented rifle.

 

[375Fox]

Not sure what bullet choices you have in Sweden but this guy has a lot of interesting bullet tests on YouTube. There are several 223 tests. The federal fusion (that I haven’t shot) looked very impressive as well.

 

[Pirkan]

Not sure what bullet choices you have in Sweden but this guy has a lot of interesting bullet tests on YouTube. There are several 223 tests. The federal fusion (that I haven’t shot) looked very impressive as well.

I'll definitely have to give that video a watch. The availability of us made bullets can vary a bit and it's far from always you can buy them from other eu-countries (itar stupidness) like I usually have to for more hard to find stuff but Barnes is easily available here atleast.

 

[Lance Hopper]

I would look at the lighter weight bullets in the Barnes or Hornady lines. The tipped 62gr. Bullet may be too long for that twist. I have killed several whitetail does with the 40gr. Cutting edge maximus with authority. These are 100-120# deer.

 

[Pirkan]

I would look at the lighter weight bullets in the Barnes or Hornady lines. The tipped 62gr. Bullet may be too long for that twist. I have killed several whitetail does with the 40gr. Cutting edge maximus with authority. These are 100-120# deer.

Barnes claims the 62 gr will stabilise in a 1:9 so I'm not worried about that. Any reason other than that you prefer the lighter stuff?

 

[375Fox]

Barnes claims the 62 gr will stabilise in a 1:9 so I'm not worried about that. Any reason other than that you prefer the lighter stuff?

Any reason you want the 62 gr? With Barnes, the 62 gr will expand to same size as the 50 gr or 55 gr. The 62 gr doesn’t really hit with any more energy since slower and all 3 will be complete pass throughs on broadside roe deer, so I don’t think you are getting anything extra from 62 gr on a roe deer. I’d pick what shoots best in your rifle if you want to stay with Barnes.

 

[DieJager]

Sure no problem. They cannot take much. Just make sure your aim is on target.

 

[Lance Hopper]

Mono metals, take up more powder space than conventional bullets do so with the lighter weight bullet you can load more powder and shoot it faster. I just prefer speed especially with the mono metals.

 

[Elkeater]

I’ve shot a bunch of animals ranging in size from small feral goats to medium size hogs, and whitetail deer and axis deer with a handloaded 63gr hammer bullet. It’s a mono. It kills them just fine. I wouldn’t hesitate to use the 62gr Barnes.

 

[Pirkan]

Any reason you want the 62 gr? With Barnes, the 62 gr will expand to same size as the 50 gr or 55 gr. The 62 gr doesn’t really hit with any more energy since slower and all 3 will be complete pass throughs on broadside roe deer, so I don’t think you are getting anything extra from 62 gr on a roe deer. I’d pick what shoots best in your rifle if you want to stay with Barnes.

Good point. I've always gone with heavy for caliber bullets but that have been bonded lead bullets. I might go with the lighter ones assuming they shoot well.

 

[SRvet]

There are plenty of roe deer shot with 223 and 222 each year in Scotland and the Barnes bullets are reported to work well. As others have suggested you may hamstrung yourself using a heavy for calibre bullet so would look at 50 grain or thereabouts. Velocity is the key with many mono metal bullets and I try to make sure the muzzle velocity in in the 3000-3200fps range and I have had excellent results on Roe deer when doing so.

 

[PerH]

Jens Perot wrote an article that is online or to buy copy from Vapentidningen . About .222,223 and so with Barnes bullets . Some years old now , but good one .

 

[PerH]

Perto , i meant

 

[Neophyte]

I think it’s best to drive the Barnes, or any monometal bullet fast, IMHO.
Hence it’s not uncommon to drop down one or two bullet weights and still get favorable results.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

You should be fine if it shoots out of your rifle.

I shoot the 62gr fusions, 60gr partitions, and 55gr TSX’s with wonderful success on hogs up to and exceeding 300lbs. It’s been used on whitetail along with the above projectiles with great success.

 

[Philip Glass]

In a couple weeks I'll finally receive the 223 I've been waiting for for almost a year and this is a completely new caliber for me when it comes to hunting and reloading. I'll mainly hunt roedeer with it so I don't wan't some varmint fragmentation greande bullet and it needs to stabilise with the 1:9 twist of the rifle. I've come to the conclusion that the 62 gr TTSX seems pretty fit for the task but I know that there are people here that have hunted for 3 times longer than I've been alive that would be happy to share their knowledge. Is the 62 gr ttsx a good choice or are there other bullets I should consider?

I shoot the 70g TSX and it will do everything you need it to do.

 

[spotnspook]

I think you will be just fine, as others have said you might want to look into the lighter bullets since monolithics are so long and your 1:9 twist but ultimately you will just have to see what your gun likes.
A friend of mine is more of a waterfowler and doesn't own a rifle but some years he decides last minute that he wants to deer hunt and I have been loaning him 556 rifles and using him as a guinea pig. The whitetails here are quite a bit bigger than roe deer and I just tell him to keep it close and in the lungs. All of the deer he has taken with my rifles have been 1 shot kills.

20" 1:12 55gr 223 Speer Gold Dot (bonded)

20" 1:7 556 75gr BTHP Hornady FR320 (fragmenting)

Another with 20" 1:7 556 75gr BTHP Hornady FR320

I hear good things about Federal Fusions and Winchesters 64gr Deer Season XP (bonded) as well as the TSX and TTSX (monos) just haven't tried them yet, as well as 77gr SMKs with the right loadings (fragmenting). They don't allow FMJ (fragmenting) projectiles for hunting here so I have no real world data on that. Don't underestimate 223s ability to kill. Most importantly just know your bullet and setup and what it will do ie avoid bones and shoulders with softer bullets etc. Should be totally adequate for Roe deer. Don't forget to let us know how you do

 

[RayAtkinson]

Ive shot many deer on cull over the years with the 222 , 22-250 and 220 Swift and the 60 gr Hornady with perfect results...a few with the Nosler and the Barnes bullets. They all worked well enough but the Hornady killed quicker than the monos or the Nosler as the control factor is not as conducive to a quick kill as the Nosler or Barnes and the 60 gr Hornady expands wider and penetrates just a tad less. on "larger game" the results were quiet the opposite and results go to the Barnes and Noslers..

 

[Sika98k]

Norma, made in Sweden, I believe should have some good offerings for you. Any Norma ammunition I have used in various calibers has produced good results.
Apart from the 120 grain ballistic tip in 6,5x55. That caused excessive meat damage whereas the Oryx bullet is great. There is a 53 grain bullet in 22 caliber available.