.223 Hornady Whitetail

Picked up some Hornady Whitetail in .223 60gr. Never used it before and was wondering is anyone else had? How'd you like it?

Going to be firing it in my Browing A Bolt .223 1:12" twist

I assume that since it's called "Whitetail", that it's for deer hunting. With the 223 for deer, the cartridge itself is marginal, so it's all about the bullet being used. I don't know what Hornady used, but if the 60 grainer is the Nosler Partition, then you have about as good a bullet as you can get for that cartridge. If you know what specific bullet is being used, then the forum can tell you their experiences with that bullet.

If the bullet is the 60gr Nosler Partition then it is fantastic. I have had very good performance from this bullet. I have taken down deer and hogs with no problem. My barrel is a 20" heavy barrel with 1/9 twist.

I doubt Hornady would use a Nosler bullet in their ammo. Maybe though.

uI also doubt they will use a Nosler. Do not think Hornady loads with anything other than their bullets. Wonder if they have made an Interbond or GMX in 224 and are using it.

Interbond or GMX in .224 would be cool. Especially in a 220 swift or 22-250.

Depending on the purpose, Hornady makes a better bullet than Nosler. No way are they going to put a competitor's bullet in their ammo.

I hope it works though.

Depends on your definition, I will take a partition from Nosler for use on large critters over any bullet Hornady makes.

Looks like they use the 60 grain InterLock bullet.

http://texasguntrader.com/index.php?a=2&b=305238

Very little listed for sale. Alamo Ammo has it for almost $50 per 20!!!

http://alamoammo.com/rifle-ammo/223-5.56...upc-90255380279

Not currently listed on Hornady's website.

If it is the GMX then sure should work fine as long as the bullet exopands.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/178983/...-tail-box-of-20

if it is the interlock then I would be looking for another bullet.

Hornady has a 60 Gr Soft point.

It's an interlock bullet. Didn't get to use them on anything of size this weekend. Just a rabbit when checking feeders. Trapped a hog and used the pistol on it. Maybe next time.

saw these at Academy a few days ago, is this a new one for them?

It an "Interlock" bullet which they have brought back. Awesome bullet. I'd rank it right up there with the Nosler Partition.

Jack

Beg to differ that the "Interlock" is any where close to a partition in toughness and performance on game. Especially when using on large game for the caliber such as a 22cal for deer

Couldnt agree more.

I feel that the "interlcok" is a joke. I have seen zero difference in its performance than any other regular cup and core soft point. I have had several interlocks in a 270 blow up, never lost a deer, but very poor bullet performance.

I have tried several hornady bullets, tried them in 270, 280, 300 wby and 308. Never bought more than one box for each of them and dont even try hornady anymore. In my opinion for game they are worthless.

probably these Hornady 60gr Spire Point:



http://www.midwayusa.com/product/158569/...oint-box-of-100



I'd rather use the 65gr SGK or the 60gr partition; but if those two were out, I'd try these Horanady's in a pinch.

^^^^^^^^^

I tried the Hornady 60gr softpoints from a 22-250 on deer. It was the worst bullet performance I have ever seen. Recovered a doe that required a finishing shot an hour after what appeared to be a perfect frontal neck shot, center of throat patch with her facing me. After over 1/4 mile trail and her jumping one fence that was almost 5 feet we found her and a shot to the head finished the job. The neck shot had given large surface wound and for about 2 inches deep. bullet never reached the backbone.

That was in the early 90's and the Corelocts, Powerpoints, and PMC soft points were a lot better than the Hornady for deer in those days. Not sure about today but they were bad enough then I never tried a Hornady bullet in a 22 cal since.

The best bullet in those days for deer sized game that I tried were the 60gr Nosler Solid Base. Now days we have quite a few choices to select from that will get the job done much better than the bullets of those days.

I used to love that Nosler 60 gr SBBT. Nowdays in my 220 I shoot the 55 gr BT, but as I mentioned in a recent post, it isn't much good on pigs. So I tried the 60 gr Partition in my 220. Won't group worth a darn. So I tried an old favorite, the 63 gr Sierra SMP and it shot wonderfully at near max with 4064. Well..I just love that 65 gr Sierra GK in my 223, so maybe it would stabilize in my 220. Nope. Big Nope! I can't find where the bullet went. No holes in the target that I can find. I'll take that to mean that it isn't stabilizing. I guess I'll have to be happy with the 63 gr Sierra or maybe try the Barnes bullet when they are back on the shelves. I hear they offer a coated Barnes now that doesn't lay down so much copper.

All I shoot is the Vmax in my 22 calibers (varmints and the occasional pig) and the SST in everthing else from 243 to 300 win. All of my rifles shoot very well with it, moa at 100 and sub on most. My wife and I have never lost an animal and bullet performance in our experience has been fantastic from Antelope to Oryx.

I will correct myself, I do like 55 grain v-max in my 223 for plinking/varmeting, but thats it.

Hornady bullets suck in my opinion.

Have any of you tried the 60 gr. Vmax for game? I just picked some up for a hog hunt. It seems like the consensus is the Nosler partitions though. lol

Well so far I have only been able to get rabbit in the sights with these
Bullets. I think because rabbits are so small and not very tough, the bullets are going right through them without expanding at all. I can't wait to get a hog in my sights with them but will have to wait a little longer I guess.

listed as a rapid expansion bullet. Not my first choice.

If it is the old Hornady 60gr Spire Point stay away from it on anything bigger than a Coyote. Tried them years ago in a 22-250 not even fit for neck shots on a doe and will blowup on a shoulder shot and not enter the boiler room. Been there done that never again. If wanting to use a 22 on deer please use a bullet designed for it like the 60gr partition, 62 or 75 gr Swift Sirocco's or even a Barnes TSX

If you want to use a 223 and your gun will shoot it the 70 barnes tsx worked well for me on a medium size doe at 125 yards and a hog abou the same distance/weight.

I got some 62gr Remington Hog Hammer. Can't wait to give them a try.

If your taking anything but neck shots with most standard twisted .224's your setting up yourself for failure. Ill shoot quite a bit of game with .224's but they are fast twist high velo wildcats like the 22-6 ai and 220 swift ai shooting 70 gr+ pills that arent designed for vamint or match use. I've dropped a bull Nilgai with a perfectly placed neck shot at 175yds-180 yds with that 22-6 ai but was shooting a swift sirocco. Ill shoot does with 69 Smk's and 75 amax's out of my ar when culling, but shot placement is critical. I've past on a number of animals because I couldn't get shot placement where I wanted.

I pretty much feel the same way, but a standard twist 223 will shoot partitions just fine and I have yet to find a texas deer they wont kill with either neck head shoulder or behind the shoulder shot with good placement.

Interbond or GMX in .224 would be cool. Especially in a 220 swift or 22-250.

Just for fun.

Here's a 70gn barnes TSX after passing full length through a Sow and lodging in the rare leg. (Right shoulder to left rear leg.)

I'm sitting here with my 2013 Hornady catalog in my lap (it's May already so it's probably obsolete) and at just a quick scan the only 60-grain .223/.224 bullets I see are the NTX (spire point, I think) and V-Max. The NTX is touted as a "Traditional Varmint Bullet," and the V-Max page is touting is "dramatic fragmentation." Neither of these seem to me to belong in a box with "Whitetail" on it, or maybe I'm missing something.

edited to add "60 grain." They do have more than just these two .223/.224 bullets.

I've never used any of these on game, but just reading their catalog I wonder why they didn't go with the 70g GMX? The way they explain it,(I know), it sounds like a much more viable round for the purpose.

That GMX looks decent to me, I'd try it as out to where the speed is over 2200 on impact.

I've taken a lot of deer with my Grandsons 222. It was mine before I gave it to him. I've used both Hornady and Sierra 55gr. I've lost one deer during that time but it was my fault, not the bullets.

But, I don't consider myself an expert. And, I don't take the shot at over 150 yards.

I have had great luck with interlocks in my243 and. 270 dint know in. 223

.223 and "whitetail" is basically an oxymoron anyway.
But, who cares? The .223 a "thing" now and an ammo company's job is to sell ammo.

If you just have to shoot deer with a .223 the Nosler Partition, TSX, or other similarly constructed bullet is the way to go. As others have said.

I have used the interbond bullet in a box of hornady custom .257 Roberts 117gr loads with good results. I know the 117 is a lot more than the 60 gr .223. I reload for the 257 using sierras that are very accurate. With that being said I would still prefer a nosler partition for the .223.

Who makes a .223 factory load using a nosler partition's?

^^^^^^^^^^^

Federal Premium line of ammo one of the elections is 223 60gr NP

It is a little hard to find now but here is one source

http://ammoseek.com/ammo/223-remington/Federal-rifle-60grains-

Waiting to hear the responses.

I'm partial to their Amax and XTP line but that's about it. I've had such good luck with Nosler hunting bullets I usually don't deviate from them.

70gr isn't going to shoot well out of many of the .223s out there due to the slow twist rates.

Kmon1

Thanks. I will keep an eye for some!