Cartridge Selection - AR

[Militant_Farmer]

Hey Guys and Gals,

I am looking to get back into big game hunting. Still investigating local laws and rules of the draw. But In my head this year will be a white tail, mule, or pronghorn.

My question is this: specifically when using an AR platform rifle chambered in 556, and specifically aiming for a headshot on a deer, would it be better to utilize an expanding round or a penetration round? (i.e. soft tip or green tip)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Dave N]

Better yet, DON'T!

 

[deer_shooter]

While there is nothing wrong with hunting with an AR platform, there are better caliber choices that are more suitable and far better shot choices than head shots.

 

[Bigjay73]

6.5 Grendel through both lungs is a great option. .223 through the chest will work as well

 

[deer_shooter]

6.5 Grendel through both lungs is a great option. .223 through the chest will work as well

Yep, was thinking 6.5G or 6.8 SPC

 

[JLS]

Welcome to Hunt Talk

 

[Bigjay73]

6.8 is great as well. I need to build one, for research purposes of course

 

[Doublecluck]

I would use a 62-64 gr hunting round tsx,psp,fusion,super x etc...

Or this

Noveske Gen III N6 Centerfire Rifles : Cabela's

Noveske’s Gen III N6 Switchblock Centerfire Rifles feature a 16" stainless steel barrel with extended feed ramps and 1:10 rate-of-twist rifling delivers superior accuracy shot after shot. Available: Gen III N6 Switchblock with KeyMod Handguard – NSR-SB-11 KeyMod free-floating handguard with...

www.cabelas.com

 

[SFC B]

First make sure that where you will be hunting the 5.56 is legal. Then DEFINITELY use an expanding bullet. Most state will NOT allow the use of FMJ (and you don't want to use them anyway).

 

[Militant_Farmer]

First make sure that where you will be hunting the 5.56 is legal. Then DEFINITELY use an expanding bullet. Most state will NOT allow the use of FMJ (and you don't want to use them anyway).

I am in Arizona, so for most big game, all centerfire rifles are legal. Haven't seen anything about requirements for the type of ammunition used. But you bring up a good point there.

Thank you for the input though, very helpful!

 

[Militant_Farmer]

Welcome to Hunt Talk

Thank you!

 

[Bigjay73]

I am in Arizona, so for most big game, all centerfire rifles are legal. Haven't seen anything about requirements for the type of ammunition used. But you bring up a good point there.

Thank you for the input though, very helpful!

I'm from Phoenix. Only thing I would consider .223 on is Coues in az. Not saying you can't hurt mulies or pronghorn with one, just wouldn't be in my top 100 of calibers.

 

[Stocker]

Depends on how far you are shooting. 300 AAC blackout works for me in the woods out to 300 yards, plus you can kill coyotes subsonic supressed at 300. 350 legend falls into that same catagory.

6.5 grendel is another good option.


Please whatever you do don’t go the 223 headshot route. I shoot competitive long range matches out to 1400+ yards, but I would never shoot at an animal at that distance. The old saying just because you can doesn’t mean you should applies here.

 

[AggieHunter]

Surprisingly the Hornady V-tip takes deer down very quickly from a heart or lung shot. Have family with land in Texas and that is all they use.

 

[wayno945]

I had good results on antelope last year with this load: https://www.federalpremium.com/rifle/power-shok/power-shok-rifle/11-223L.html
Normally I handload but was impressed with the accuracy / performance of that cheap factory offering. Will probably use it again this year. I am pretty sure the AZ regs say no FMJ so no M855 or M193.

 

[3855WIN]

You’ll eventually pull low on the headshot and shoot a jaw off. Head shot isn’t a good plan, overall. I’ve killed a couple of does at 10-15 yards with it, but that’s about my limit.

 

[Militant_Farmer]

Depends on how far you are shooting. 300 AAC blackout works for me in the woods out to 300 yards, plus you can kill coyotes subsonic supressed at 300. 350 legend falls into that same catagory.

6.5 grendel is another good option.


Please whatever you do don’t go the 223 headshot route. I shoot competitive long range matches out to 1400+ yards, but I would never shoot at an animal at that distance. The old saying just because you can doesn’t mean you should applies here.

Thank you. I appreciate the input. I suppose I should have clarified in my initial post, that this question is mostly just a hypothetical. If and when this instance were to ever occur, it would be within less than 100 yards. But truthfully I am leaning more towards a 308 platform.

 

[buffybr]

Like others have posted, head shots are generally NOT recommended on deer or most big game animals. I have large hands, and a deer's brain is smaller than my fist, and the other lethal target in the head is the spinal chord which would be smaller than my thumb. Those are pretty small targets, especially from field shots, and if the hunter is excited or out of breath.

Years ago I was on a deer hunt in eastern Montana with two twin brothers, both biologists, and they each shot and lost bucks that they had hit in their heads. One was shooting a .30-30, the other a .300 Savage. Those two bucks were never recovered, and they probably suffered a long death.

Even a whitetail doe's heart/lung area is larger than a cantaloupe and any expanding bullet in there will usually be a dead deer within a hundred yards or so.

Also, like others have posted, even if your state's hunting regulations don't prohibit full metal jacket bullets, they are a poor choice for big game hunting. Yes, some varmint hunters will use a FMJ bullet so it won't blow a big hole in the hide, but on deer and larger animals, a FMJ bullet will most likely just punch a caliber size hole through the animal and it will run off.

An expanding .223 bullet through the lungs of a deer will certainly kill it, especially if the shot was less than 100 yards. I've killed several deer and pronghorn antelope with expanding bullets from my .22-250, and I have friends that have killed elk and even buffalo with their .22-250s, but I think that there are better choices.

The OP also mentioned the .308 Win cartridge. An expanding bullet from a .308 Win will make a larger hole and deliver more energy, and IMO would be a better choice.

 

[Militant_Farmer]

Like others have posted, head shots are generally NOT recommended on deer or most big game animals. I have large hands, and a deer's brain is smaller than my fist, and the other lethal target in the head is the spinal chord which would be smaller than my thumb. Those are pretty small targets, especially from field shots, and if the hunter is excited or out of breath.

Years ago I was on a deer hunt in eastern Montana with two twin brothers, both biologists, and they each shot and lost bucks that they had hit in their heads. One was shooting a .30-30, the other a .300 Savage. Those two bucks were never recovered, and they probably suffered a long death.

Even a whitetail doe's heart/lung area is larger than a cantaloupe and any expanding bullet in there will usually be a dead deer within a hundred yards or so.

Also, like others have posted, even if your state's hunting regulations don't prohibit full metal jacket bullets, they are a poor choice for big game hunting. Yes, some varmint hunters will use a FMJ bullet so it won't blow a big hole in the hide, but on deer and larger animals, a FMJ bullet will most likely just punch a caliber size hole through the animal and it will run off.

An expanding .223 bullet through the lungs of a deer will certainly kill it, especially if the shot was less than 100 yards. I've killed several deer and pronghorn antelope with expanding bullets from my .22-250, and I have friends that have killed elk and even buffalo with their .22-250s, but I think that there are better choices.

The OP also mentioned the .308 Win cartridge. An expanding bullet from a .308 Win will make a larger hole and deliver more energy, and IMO would be a better choice.

Thank you for thorough response. I appreciate the feedback!

 

[Danson In The Desert]

I think most other parts of your question have been covered, but here are the rules from AZGFD regarding FMJ/non-expanding bullets.
This is is from last year's regulations, but it can also be found on page 102 of the current regulations.