First off let me start by saying, I'm not trying to start a debate on the .223. It is legal to hunt deer in GA with it and lots of folks here do it with great success. I'm taking my son in a couple of weeks to go deer/hog hunting. I havent picked up any dies yet and need some factory ammo. Can anyone recommend a good factory load? I have heard the Barnes TSX and Partitions work well. Does anyone have any experience hunting with the sport and what grain did ya use?

Thanks so much and sorry if this has already been covered.

Don't limit yourself to finding info for just hunting with a Sport.

You intend to hunt with an AR-15 using the .223 Rem cartridge. I've no doubt there is a ton of hunting info concerning this cartridge on the net.

As you know, what works well in another AR may not do so well in yours, so you'll still need to verify accuracy once you decide on a few candidates. Something with a Barnes bullet would be in the running for a choice for me.

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Stu

I have used 60gr Nosler Partitions and 65gr Sierra Game Kings with good success inside 100yds. If I'm gonna shoot longer distances I take a different caliber. Have not used the Barnes bullets but they are supposed to be bad***. Good luck and happy hunting.

I reload and don't know off the top of my head which manufacturer uses the bullets I mentioned, but some of 'em do. More familiar offerings are Winchester Power Points and Remington Core Lokts. Used the Core Lokts in my Rem 700 .223 back in the day and killed many a deer too.
There a few of us on here that do hunt and hunt often with AR's in .223, as well as many other weapons.

Thanks y'all! I went with the 60gr Nolsers. The Barnes were $29.00 a box at Bass Pro!!! I will post pictures of results if the good lord will provide us with meat this year. Happy Hunting!

I hunt with mine and use basically any weight from 53gr to 75 grain...but most of my hunting is with 55gr and I do well on yotes and pdogs!!

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Grover Oathkeeper

I retired a few years ago from gun writing. I published in Handloader, Rifle, Guns & Ammo, spent over fifteen years as Technical Staff Writer for The Varmint Hunter Magazine, plus writing cartridge lead-in segments for literally every Nosler Reloading Manual. Over one-million published words in all.

The guys in the firearms industry really favor a single bullet above all others, when using the .223 Remington on deer-sized critters.

That bullet is the Winchester 64-grain Power Point. The bullet operates in a standard fashion, literally opening up into a fairly large mushroom. I've killed perhaps a half-dozen mule and blacktail deer, plus a bunch of pronghorn antelope with the 64-grain and they penetrate wonderfully.

Every single deer I've shot with the Winchester .224" 64-grain Power Point simply died on the spot. The old axiom, "Had to track that buck three feet ... straight down" totally applies to the 64.

Other than that, the Speer 70-grain is a decent bullet.

Good luck in your quest.

God Bless,

Steve Timm