Is 5.56 good for deer / boar
im wondering what grain 5.56 you would use for deer or boar or should i just step up and buy a new upper in 6.5 grendal or 6.8 spc. I thank for all answers.
"will" it work? Yeah. Will it work well? No. I have seen quite a few deer fall to a .223, but bullet placement is essential, and unless youre only going to shoot tiny pigs, they are just too solid for any 5.56 bullet to work properly. I'm not too familiar with the 6.5 and the 6.8, butfrom what I recall, they are in the neighborhood of a .243, and thats as light as I would go with on pigs, and even then, stick to smaller meat pigs. If you want a big pig, look into a .450 bushmaster or .50 Beowulf upper. Although factoring inthe costof the upper and relatively hard to find/expensive ammo, a used .308 or 30-06 would be cheaper.
I took a few deer with my ar15s. Shot placement and a 1/8twist that can handle heavier bullets is ideal. If you have a 1/9 carbine twist, leave it at home. I Shoot 77grn Sierra Matchkings and dropped those two deers in their tracks.
no on both. Pigs too tough and the .223 just mutilates the deer. It's not ethical. Save the AR for the coyotes. Get something in the .30 cal that will handle most north american big game.
Life's short . . . Hunt hard
Why tip-toe quietly through life, only to arrive safely at death ?
And, Matchkings are target bullets! Totally inappropriate for big game. Show some respect for the animals you hunt.
It's good to have a plan. That way you have something to change.......
I have killed lots of pigs with a 223, not an AR type but 223 bolt action. we have a depradation permit and shoot them with what ever we have handy. I have killed several 250 pounders with a 22 mag. Shot placement and distance is key. The 22 mag pigs were all less than 50 yards and head shots. The 223 is good out to 150 or so yards but I still shoot for the head with the lighter bullets. I prefer a 243 and 80gr bullet or my 270 with 130's but I dont always have those guns with me. I have seen deer drop when shot with a mini-14 but there again shot placement and distance are the key things. I would prefer a heavier bullet in a 24 cal minimum for a pig/deer gun and still be proficient with accuracy. Just my opinion. :)
Yes it can work, No it is not a good choice.
Is this Calguns? hahaha
Hic Ego Statio
I've had 7mm rem mag rounds bounce off of hogs. One in the head and one on the plate over the shoulder. The bounced head shot was my doing and the bounced shoulder shot was my friends' while I was standing next to him. USE ENOUGH GUN! (That same guy refused to use an M4 in Iraq and carried a Stoner--it worked WAY better)
Last edited by myfriendis410; 06-01-2011 at 12:17 PM.
It's good to have a plan. That way you have something to change.......
yes it is possible. all good info from the guys my two cents is about the 6.5 grendal I have been thinking about going with this round lately I have been hearing a lot of people talking about it being a very versital round not to big or to small. If you go with it give us an update how it worked out.
Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear. ISAIAH 65:24
I've shot at my 1000yds range and the guy next to me was shooting a grendal. He shot pretty well considering it was from an AR platform. Cool thing about the grendal is you can probably load it long with the 140s to fit the mag. I hear armalite is making a 260 now. :-)
An Ar15 in 6.5 Grendel works for me.
http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/...-22-2011/page2
It comes down to good shot placment and correct bullet selection.
I would be curious to know if the above referenced 7mm Rem Mag rounds that bounced off of hogs were reloads or factory rounds. If you choose the wrong bullet, you could have problems with any caliber. Hogs are tough, but the Grendel pushed that little 100gr Barnes TTSX in one side and out the other turning what was in between into soup.
One was a 160 gr. Accubond handload and the other was a 150 TSX handload; both pushed to over 3,000 fps. and shooting in the 1/4" range at 100 yards. Both bullets proven performers on big hogs. Here's a picture of the hog shot with the Accubond and it was a double bank shot. You can just see the cut on the shoulder and it bounced off his noggin behind the ear. The second shot transited three feet of his body and lodged under the off shoulder. That bullet weighed 116 gr. when recovered. Hope this helps.Originally Posted by StoneTower
It's good to have a plan. That way you have something to change.......
223 might be to light, unless you are a sniper, planning to shoot the buck in the head. I have new rifle ill be using this year, it an AR15 customed built by Noveske, chambered in 6.8. Ballastic are great out to 250-300 yards with a good punch behind it. AR15 platform for hunting is growing faster than others can imagine. If you planning to get into 6.5 or espeacially 6.8, go to 68forum.com. Theres alot of info that help you build one. I suggest if you are gonna venture in the 6.8 caliber, stick to a well known company and build it right the first time. I have seen too many low budget AR that cant perform crap.
6.8 yes.
Plenty of stories here.
http://68forums.com/forums/forumdisp...ith-the-6.8-mm
Liberalism is Marxism w/o nads.
I expect to see what the 5.56 will do to a whitetail this season. barnes tsx 62 gr.
Good advice.
Where is it legal to hunt pigs with 22mag in CA? Can you use whatever you want with DEP Permits?
Last edited by weekender21; 09-14-2011 at 06:41 AM.
Coming to a National Forest near you!
I agree. Anything lighter than 6mm or .243 is asking for a lost animal. Especially a bigger pig.
And sometimes the 6mm isn't a good choice. I shot a big hog with a 22-250 years ago, A LOT. Finally expired, but it was a little hairy there for a minute. I'll never do THAT again.
It's good to have a plan. That way you have something to change.......
I think a sharp stick would work. Question is: What if it does not?
If you want a pig gun buy a 375 H and H and call it good! Just kidding....but not really. Large boars are tougher than elk. I would consider a 130gr well constructed .270 bullet (barnes, accubond, bearclaw, etc.) at the low end, work your way up from there. Yes, of course it is possible to kill a large boar with a .223 but why? A sharp stick (arrow) would be a much better choice. My wife and I have killed a few smaller hogs with her .243. We used 85gr Barnes TSX handloads. That would NOT be my first choice on a large boar, not even close.
Last edited by weekender21; 09-14-2011 at 07:13 PM.
Coming to a National Forest near you!
Well said.
It's good to have a plan. That way you have something to change.......
I own two AR's one a 16" and a 20" Hbar. I use them for target and home protection. When I hunt boar and deer I use my Browning BLR .308 Winchester 150 and 165gr bullets. That way no muss no fuss, no sweat and lots of game. AR's kill people well not well but good enough to use as a military cartridge. If you are going to hunt use the right gun and leave the AR's do their job and the hunting rifles do their job.
fknipfer1
fyi 6.8spc is a modified light weight 270 round. I have one and it penetrates bowling pins at 100 yards with fmj 115g remington and accurate but 5.56 is definately too small of a round for pig. Any shoot should be placed good on an animal in my opinion. If you cant hit a paper plate at 200yards you need more practice at the range.
My cousin hunts deer exclusively with his AR. Taken many deer with it without any great loss of meat. Not sure what ammo he uses, but i can ask him if you want. However, longest shot that i can remember was 200 yards with most being within 100. Again, not to be beat a dead horse but its all about placement with any animal.
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