5.56 Hog and Deer Rounds
 

This is not a debate if the 5.56 can take hogs and deer. It can, it will, and I have; and it's legal here in Texas.

I'm just curious to hear from folks who have also hunted with thier 5.56 and what rounds they seem to like the best. I've used Green Tips, Black Hills and Winchester Boar rounds in the past but am always looking for something new and improved. I've read some good thing about Hornady's Nosler Partition Deer round.

Thoughts and photos always appreciated!

Nosler Partition has a good reputation, same with the Barnes TSX loads. I'd imagine that Mk. 262 would do well, also.

Green Tip is the LAST thing I would use on any wild game.

Federal tactical Bonded softpoint .223 62 grain...

It holds up through gristle and bone.

Up to what size deer would you take with a 5.56?

More a function of load, platform, and distance than deer size.

I've heard some locals saying the 62gr Fusion out of a 20" barrel does great out to 200 yards, so I'm gonna give it a try this season.

The 70gr TSX also gets fantastic reviews, but it's not available locally and I'm not paying shipping for just a couple boxes.

With 5.56, Shot placement is only thing you need to know.
Don't recall the brand or type my buddy used. but he took a 150Y shot on a doe. Hit her left shoulder blade, Blew it to ****. but she still ran 300 yards.

We found her 6 hours later ALIVE and kicking.

Sounds like a terrible shot.

nah, it was a great shot, his timing was off, and she stepped forward.if she hadn't stepped forward, he would have blown he heart to shreds.

Head shots,..........

I would run a 62grn pointed soft point like a core lokt or similar, or the 77grn offerings.

So, it was a bad shot. That's fine, we all make 'em. Can't blame the round.

That's what he meant, that the shot did NOT hit the vitals. Can't blame the caliber or round for that.

The heaviest soft point you can find.

My experience on hogs with 62 gr Winchester was disappointing.

Biggest problem is little bullets that dont exit big hogs leave no blood trail to follow.

The 6.5 sweede worked much better.

On our tiny va deer the .223 would probably be fine if it were legal.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine

:agree:

64 grain federal tbbc works well on deer never tried it on hogs but would imagine it would work well.

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine

64gr fusion and 70gr TSX handload on things I eat(deer), Hornady 75gr OTM handload on things I don.t(Hogs). Both do the job well.

Haven't taken deer with the AR, but 62gr Silver Bear hollow point worked fine for me on hogs. No need to spend big money on bullets for those critters.

I've shot a fair number of deer size game with Nosler partitions in various calibers and platforms. They have almost universally performed the same way. Complete penetration on classic heart/lung shots. About 15-18" penetration on more oblique shots with bones in the way.

In the few instances where I managed to recover the bullets they all expanded to about 150% of their original diameter and they all universally shed their front core and retained ~60% of their original weight. I don't consider that a failure BTW. Some people will. After all I had to recover the animal to find those bullets!

Having said that, in a 5.56 you simply need as much mass as possible. You really don't want fragmenting bullets. Its not that fragmenting bullets can't kill deer well when they are hit perfectly. They can and will. However hunting will not always present those perfect opportunities and sometime things that appear perfect when the trigger broke go to hell when you hit a branch or the animal takes a half a step etc. So you want a bullet than CAN break shoulders and femurs and keep going.

Deer are not hard to kill at the end of the day.

I don't hunt them with a 5.56 but don't judge you if you do. If I did I'd probably use a solid copper bullet like a Barnes TSX or TTX in the heavier weights (60-80 grains) and I'd keep my shots to under 200 yards particularly if you have a 16" or shorter barrel.

5.56 will cleanly take caribou with a good heart/lung shot, even penetrating both shoulders, or a shoulder and spine.


It will certainly take any size, or breed of deer you're likely to encounter, so long as you place the round in the vitals.


I'd pick a heavy load like the 62-70 grain TSX and run with it.

Reminder:
Once you get into those heavier/longer projectiles,
you MIGHT need a Faster Twist barrel.

been debating this myself lately as im down to just an AR and deer season is coming faster than the rifle budget :( i have a 1:9 twist that doesnt shoot great with the 77gr SMKs. it does however shoot 62gr HP wolf ammo pretty decently. probably wont use them on deer though as i dont trust them to expand.

probably going to load up with some 64gr Fusions and see what happens. if they do good enough on deer, i may start keeping them in my 2 legged critter mags as well.

Where do you people find 64gr Fusions? I'm only seeing 62s, but that's locally.

Cor-Bon DPX cartridges with the Barnes TSX bullet. The round is all copper and expands very well. Being Cor-Bon, velocity is quite impressive.

I've hunted deer with these in an AR carbine before, and plan to do so again next month.

Read the reviews of these on midwayusa.com or the like.

Maybe they are 62s.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine