223 or 243

[martin1]

in your guys opinion would it be worth to reload 223 shells and try and get some more performance. and or just buy factory for the 223. or  for my 243 just make up some light loads and get similar velocities. going to be hunting coyotes and the occasional rock chuck 

[buglebuster]

.223

[dscubame]

Factory .223 from what I have observed hot loading on a bench does not make much of a difference.  The factory load is already screaming and the bullet weighs so little there is not much more to work with.

[coachcw]

Not a valid %s URLthe 55 grain hornady vmax  rock a yotes world

[Jim the Plumber]

Depends on several factors. Coyotes going to be the largest game you are going to shoot? What distance will be max? How accurate are the rifles? How accurate are you?
Under 300 and coyotes max, .223.  Bigger/ farther, 243.
You will get more entertainment on the rock chucks with the 243.

[Wazukie]

I reload for both.  My 223 is a single shot, pushing a 55 grn v-max at just over 4000 fps.  I like it because sometimes you are just not aloud to have anything bigger predator hunting.

[wraithen]

Depends on the gun. My savage hates 55's. Loves the 64's but winchester won't sell them in just bullets. Was using sierra 63's but haven't seen them lately.

[Biggerhammer]

Screw .223 on anything but a AR platform. .243 is going to be the ticket to cover you for all varmint scenarios and second as a deer rifle.

[martin1]

 My 243 is my deer rifle and it works great but 100 grain bullets can really tear up a coyote that's very close. A

[Biggerhammer]

My 243 is my deer rifle and it works great but 100 grain bullets can really tear up a coyote that's very close. A

There's a huge selection of V-Max's that will fit any Yote hosing situation you can come up with.

[Fisherdave10]

If this rifle is a dedicated varmint and target shooting, go .223.  Ammunition is relatively cheap and plentiful and .223 is plenty of power for varmints.  There is a wide variety of bullets you can use for .223.

  If you want to also hunt deer with the rifle, you're going to need it to be .243.

If you reload, you shouldn't expect to load anything hotter than what factory ammo would offer.  The small case capacity doesn't allow that.  What is nice is you can create more accurate loads, and use bullets that you like.

[dontgetcrabs]

I reload for both.  My 223 is a single shot, pushing a 55 grn v-max at just over 4000 fps.  I like it because sometimes you are just not aloud to have anything bigger predator hunting.

Wow that's smokin fast. What's your recipe?

[FC]

I reload for both.  My 223 is a single shot, pushing a 55 grn v-max at just over 4000 fps.  I like it because sometimes you are just not aloud to have anything bigger predator hunting.

Wow that's smokin fast. What's your recipe?

Pretty sure he is shooting a .243 or he is running about 100,000 psi through his .223 

[Wazukie]

Screw .223 on anything but a AR platform. .243 is going to be the ticket to cover you for all varmint scenarios and second as a deer rifle.

I agree and shoot my .243 most of the time.  But if you are yote hunting during a MF season and dont have a tag, you cant have that .243 in the field.  Just a thought.

And for those who want to know my recipe for my.223, well the rifle is an old H&R break action with a heavy bull barrel. the load is hornady brass, wolf primer, 55 grn v-max with a heavy load of BL-C(2). 

[FALFire]

I reload for both.  My 223 is a single shot, pushing a 55 grn v-max at just over 4000 fps.

HUH?? 4000 FPS?? .........From a 223???...... I don't think so Tim, ya might just want to speed check your load.....should be more like 3000'ish unless your rifle is chambered in 223WSSM.


For the OP.......Are you saving pelts? If not, the 243 is a better way to go as you can load 55 grain Noslers at smoking fast speeds and have some good effects on groundhogs but will flat anchor a coyote easily out to 500 yards.

[Wazukie]

Well, ok, I just checked and its not a 55gr bullet but a 40 grn in the .223, but still just over 4k fps, that's what my records say anyway.  But what ever.  Again why not have both?

[C-Money]

If you want a pure coyote/varmint gun, .223 is a great way to go. I would shoot the factory ammo, find the one the rifle shoots best and don't look back!

[thinkingman]

Screw .223 on anything but a AR platform. .243 is going to be the ticket to cover you for all varmint scenarios and second as a deer rifle.

It scares me when I agree with TinyHammer...But .243 reloads cover everything under 300lbs and do it well.
For my AR, 6X45 is on the docket.

[FALFire]

Well, ok, I just checked and its not a 55gr bullet but a 40 grn in the .223, but still just over 4k fps, that's what my records say anyway.  But what ever.  Again why not have both?

Just out of curiosity......Have you actually speed tested the loads you are talking about? Because in the nearly 40 years of my reloading I have never been able to get 4000 plus FPS from a 223 using any powder including BLC2 and a 40 grain bullet.


What brand of Chronograph are you using? 

[Wazukie]

I do use a F-1 Master Chrony.  Could it be off a little, yes, but that is what it said, at least what I wrote down 

There are a lot of people on the net who claim to push well over 4k fps, not sure I'd want to push mine much more than what I do.  Wolf primers are known to be hard primers and I do get signs of just beginning flat primer, but no cupping or blow outs.

Nosler gives a max load of 23.5 grs of RL7 with their 40 gr varminter at just over 3.6k fps.  Is it really that un-realistic to push that load another 400 fps?  I don't think so.

Hornady lists there factor 223 Rem 35 gr NTX® Superformance at 4k fps at the muzzle and the 53 gr. at 3.5k fps.  Does it really do that?  Don't know but possible.

Maybe in your 40 years of experience you have not pushed the extremes with your rifle, I have a habit to do so.  Dangerous? yes, very.  I would not recommend it to most, it is something you have to decide for yourself. 

Again back to the OP, I like to have both a 223 and 243 and even the 25-06.  The .223 is nice to have when you can not have anything bigger in the field. just my 

[grundy53]

If it's an AR then go .223. Bolt action I would say .243 although I love my .25-06 shooting CT ballistic silver tips in 85 gr.