223 Ground Hog " How Far "

[Thunder Stick]

223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

Hi All
I just wanted to get some reply's on Ground hog kills with a 223. I killed one at 450 yards last week with one shot to the head. I missed one yesterday twice at 570 yards. I thought I hit him on the 2nd shot but diddn't find him. The Bean are getting tall here in VA. The place i'm hunting I can see a mile. I'm getting about 3125 fps with a 50 gr V MAX bullet. I know the sky's the limit with a head shot but what about a body shot.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

I have killed MANY @ well over 350 yds with the tiny 40gr B-Tip fired from my custom .221FB. Your 223 should easily do the job in the mid 400's or better providing that the wind is favorable.

For shooting the 223 at extended ranges I would much prefer a heavy/high BC bullet over the 50 grainers. Just my 2 cents though.

 

[Jason D. R.]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

I am shooting a .223 with 52 grain sierra hpbt at 3500 fps. Last week i shot a yellow-bellied marmot (ground hogs western cousin) at 573 yards with a single body shot. The bullets are quite explosive, but really get the job done. So the caliber will work, that is if everything else comes together /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Dan B]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

Last week I used a 50gr V-Max at 3300fps to topple a tiny groundhog at dead on 400yds...his internals were VERY visable from his outside! Imapct velocity was around 1960fps. Got him on the first shot.

I was using a Savage Striker 22-250 w/ a 16" barrel and Burris 3-12x32 EER scope.

 

[reed mosser]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

I shot 10-15 ground hogs last year out to 700 yards with my .223 savage heavy barrel 75 a-max at 2750 FPS. You can shoot them out to a 1000. They aren't the flatest shooting hardest hitting gun, but they are very accuarate. I say they are a poor mans ppc.

 

[Thunder Stick]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

Hi Reed
I also shoot a heavy barrel savage. What is your load recipe for those 75 gr. A-Max bullets and what is the twist rate of the barrel your using.
Thanks Thunder stick

 

[Mikecr]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

I killed one at 480 using a 40gr Vmax at 3500fps. He just tipped over dead with a little hole in his chest. I think this was the absolute stretch in distance for my combo. Probably my best shot ever.

 

[Exhaust3]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

I just killed 2 off the same rock at 526 yds., using 26.0 gr. of Benchmark under a 55 gr. NBT. Don't under estimate the 223 for long shots em' hogs!!

 

[reed mosser]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

My .223 load was 24.0 varget and remington 7.5 primer

 

[Ridge Runner]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

I've got 2 at 550, and an extremely near miss (1" high) at 603, with my 1/8 24" AR, farthest kill with a 223 I've heard about was a prairie dog at 1,115 yds with a 75 gr a-max (check the websight of SSK industries) some guy took it on shot 8.
JS

 

[Nomosendero]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

JS, which AR do you have? I have a RRA Varmiter 24" with the 1-8. I am getting sub half inch 5 shot groups with the 60V-Max & amazing groups with the 77MK. I am about ready to try some long V shots with the v-Max, I am afraid the 77MK will not be explosive enough past 300 yards. I don't want to shoot the 75 A-Max as it has to be single loaded.
Which bullets does your AR like?

 

[sscoyote]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

[ QUOTE ]
I shot 10-15 ground hogs last year out to 700 yards with my .223 savage heavy barrel 75 a-max at 2750 FPS. You can shoot them out to a 1000. They aren't the flatest shooting hardest hitting gun, but they are very accuarate. I say they are a poor mans ppc.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well put. A handgun shooting partner of mine came down last wk. for pr. dog shooting and took 3@ 550, 3@ 650, and 4 shots later killed 1 @ 775 yds.

The 550's were from a custom Contender .223 AI/75 A-Max @ 2770 mv.

The 650's and 775 were from another custom Contender 22-204 AI (similar mv as the .223AI)/8-32X Burris Black Diamond/75 A-Max.

I'm sure had conditions been better he could have gone to at least 900, maybe further.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

I have the same rifle you have, and it shoots anything well, I've shot groups in the .2's with ultramax reman 55 gr. The BH's reman loaded with the 69 gr. smk's are pretty awesome.
JS

 

[Meister]

Re: 223 Ground Hog \" How Far \"

With a custom 1-7 barreled 223 shooting heavy 75-90 grain projectiles, 1000 is a pretty safe bet. You can get close to 1200 with berger VLD's. My pet load is a sierra 77 at about 2800 fps. It got a pdog at 1040 this year.