What is the best factory load .223 for gophers?

C

C5

New member
I just got a .223 Ruger and am looking for which bullet will do the most damage on gophers. Distances will be 100 yards and closer. I know each gun will like a certain bullet but at my ranges of shooting, I think all premium bullets will shoot well enough.
The bullets I am looking at are:

Winchester Ballistic Silvertip Supreme . I can get them in 40 and 50 grain, which would you suggest for the most damage? (I want to see the gophers explode) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Remington 55 grain Power-lokt hollow point

Federal premieum 55 grian with nosler ballistic tip

That is all I have to choose from in the local store, which would you choose for pure exploding power on a small gopher? Thanks!!!
 
Well, at 100 or less, I would not be too concerned about accuracy.

I would go with Supreme 50. I'll bet any would be great.

Good luck, let me know how any of them do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I have a Ruger .223 and use Winchester white box bulk varmint loads in 45 gr. Accurate much further than a hundred and pleasing results. I didn't realize gophers could fly. :eek: :eek:
I would not use this load on coyotes, not a consistent performer. Gophers ... great!
 
Redfrog,

I would have to disagree with part of your post. I have a bushmaster ar15 and I shoot coyotes with the winchester 45 grain hollow point. I do not want the exith hole but I do want the bullet to explode and explode it does, I have not had a coyote run with one in him yet. Seriously this is my choice bullett for coyotes. With praire dogs I would find the fastest and lightest nosler on the market. Speed and explosivness is what you want on the pdogs. Just my view.
 
Gary, you've had better luck than I have. I tried them last season and about 30% of the time, it took more than 1 shot. I also had two coyotes with solid hits,one had two hits and the other three hits, They ran off. I never did recover the one with the 3 hits. I certainly did kill coyotes with them and some of them were very dead, I just couldn't get the consistency I want. If they work for you that's great. I've gone to a heavier bullet, either 52 or 55gr.

For gophers they are cheap and explode quite well. Of course it could be the much larger gophers here react more violently to getting shot than the much smaller American gopher. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
A Factory Load: If you want immediate death-destruction and devastation from a factory load with accuracy go with the "PMC Silver Line Seirra Matchking 52 gr HPBT Match" round. They are extremely accurate in my guns, all Remingtons. They really rip stuff up and leave it in piles.
 
well guys I guess it's really all about shot placement. Last year I went hunting with another pm member. He shot a coyote at about 80 yards with a 58 grain hornady in .243 cal and I mean it was'nt pretty. Hit the coyote in the top of the back but the coyote was not dead when we got to it. Anyway keep makin the fur fly, enjoyed the conversation. Ya know theres not to many people who understand this coyote huntin thang so we've got to stick together.
 
I shoot the 45 grain winchester almost exclusively and have had good results on pdogs, yotes, coons etc. and great accuracy too. It makes the pdogs do all kind of tricks.
 
Scoot down to Wal-Mart and get yerself some a them White Box loads. It is the Winchester Varmint Pak of 40 rounds ( for like $11.87). The 45 grain jacketed hollow point is moving out at 3600 fps. I have used them on prairie dogs and they really turn them inside out
 
Out of the ones you mentioned, the WW 40 or 50's should do well. However, I would check out the White Box WW's cause they are cheaper and offer more shooting for the buck. Black Hills has the largest line up of .223's on the market today. You might check them out too.

www.black-hills.com
 


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