What is your favorite deer load in the M&P 15?

[15Krounds]

I'm considering using my M&P 15 for deer hunting this year. It will give me another reason to shoot the MOE some more. Where I hunt is pretty thick and brushy and if I do get a shot it will be less than 100 yards.

I'm curious to know what you all would suggest for a load. Was thinking maybe the Nosler ballistic tips.

Cheers

 

[gmiller0737]

If I was to hunt with a .223 I would likely use the Winchester 64 grain ammo


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[Rick_A]

The Remington Hog Hammer is fairly common around here. It uses a 62gr Barnes TSX projectile.

Didn't no one tell you that ain't no hunting rifle!

In jest, of course

 

[15Krounds]

Maybe these?

Cor-Bon DPX Hunter .223 62gr Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullet Lead-Free 20rds DPX22362/20 - .223/5.56mm - Rifle Ammunition - Ammunition

Pretty sure it will do just fine dropping a deer if I do my part. Correct load and well placed shot.

 

[cyphertext]

Anything with the Barnes TSX bullet should be good. I don't use the AR for deer, but I do for hogs. For the hogs I have used cheap Silver Bear 62 gr hollow points.

 

[Chew]

I have a box of the Barnes in case I get a wild hair up my *** and decide to use my Sport for a deer. I use the 150 grain Barnes TTSX bullet in my 30-06 for deer. I've been using it a couple years. Really impressed with its performance. Plus it's all copper, holds together well...I haven't found any fragments anywhere processing the deer I've shot. It's nice not having to worry about lead in your food.

Anyway, the Barnes is what I'd shoot if I was using .223 for deer. I think it could be an ethical round, as long as you're careful and take an ethical shot.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/17...ock-x-bullet-hollow-point-lead-free-box-of-20




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[15Krounds]

I think the Barnes TSX will be the way I go.

The place I hunt is thick brush. I'm in a little valley and when the banging starts on opening morning they come running right past me. The first year I got one there I had my .270 Savage w/3-9 scope on it. Three deer came through my shooting lane, the first one I shouldered the rifle, caught the tail of the second one in my scope and the third completely filled my field of view with brown hair. I pulled the trigger and got a spine shot.

The unfortunate thing was I ruined a fair amount of backstrap and the bullet fragmented. I thought I got it all, but ended up biting into a hunk of bullet a few months later.

My MOE M&P 15 has an Aimpoint Pro on it and would have been better than my 3-9 scope for that situation.

With my situation and the right load, I don't see any problem using the M&P 15.

Thanks for everyone's input. Barnes TSX will be what I try out.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

NOT Nosler Ballistic tips! They are for coyotes, prairie dogs and woodchucks. In 224 caliber, Nosler does not make a BT that is suitable for deer, that I'm aware of. I would recommend Nosler Partitions.

 

[A.O.]

Back when I used a 223 for deer 64gr soft points worked wonders!!

 

[MTKTM]

Roughly six or seven years ago I decided I wanted to try taking a deer with an AR15, in my case a "ban" version Armalite M15 National Match acquired circa 1998. I tried to find a well constructed bullet that would pack a little extra weight, but there wasn't much available locally. I did finally locate a box of 60 grain Nosler Partition bullets, and that's what I used to put down a nice buck at roughly 60 yards. It worked well, but I did decide that I would not do it again, and haven't. It sounds as though the Barnes TSX 62 grainer might be a good choice too, but really, a 223 isn't a proper deer caliber. It does work if your shot-placement is good, but it's marginal at best. Nowadays my choice for deer is a 308, 30-06, 45/70 or, in handgun caliber, 500 S&W.

As a footnote, decades ago when I was a starving college student, my only gun, rifle or handgun, was a 6.5" Model 27 that my dad had given me for Christmas. Over the course of about 9 years of interrupted school and military service, I used the 27 to take a half-dozen deer.....all legally. I was lucky, never had one get away, but did have to search long and hard for a couple of them after taking the shot. So, once again, short of a survival/apocalypse situation, I would not use a 357 handgun for deer either!

 

[11e40]

60 gr. partitions for me. you need a 1/9 0r 1/7 twist & drive them fairly warm.

 

[SickMAK90]

I took a nice 10 point with 62gr power point pluses but it took a long time to die. Same year I dropped a doe at 80ish yards and she got up and ran after laying like she was dead for five minutes. I couldn't even track her because there was very little blood.

Decided to go back to using a marlin 336 in 30-30.

 

[Jaymo]

I used to use the Winchester 64 grain and the Barnes X.
I have since switched back to more appropriate chamberings for deer.

My .444, .303, 6.5x55, .308, and .30-06 deer loads just won't fit into my Magpuls, no matter how hard I shove.
I must be doing something wrong.

I respect the animals I hunt, even the hogs, too much to use a varmint round.
.223 has it's uses. It's a fantastic varmint, coyote, and beaver round.
It's about as well-suited to deer as .30 carbine.
Even less so, at short ranges.

I hear it's a great round for zombies.
Sadly, I only see zombies in movies, video games, and TV shows.

 

[Vinney47]

Ballistic tips are a bad idea for dear. That type of round can do a lot of damage. But because it is designed to fragment, it might not penetrate to the vital organs well and either way it's going to ruin a lot of meat.

A good soft tip or expanding (but not fragmenting or FMJ) round at least 62gr or heavier is the better choice.

 

[MichiganScott]

I use handloaded 60gr Nosler Partitions when I use a .223. Usually when I want to carry an AR I use my RRA 6.8 SPC with handloaded 95gr TTSX. I just prefer the heavier, larger caliber bullet.

 

[15Krounds]

I appreciate all the comments. I guess I'm still on the fence if I will use this rifle for deer hunting. If I do I will be using a 62 grain Barnes TSX.

Someone above mentioned that it wouldn't be good for close range. Could someone explain this? One of the reasons I wanted to use this rifle is because it has an Aimpoint red dot on it. The place that I hunt would be sub 100 yards, most likely sub 50 yards.

The last deer I harvested on that spot was with a scope on 5 power and all I could see was brown hair in the field of view.

 

[15Krounds]

I used to use the Winchester 64 grain and the Barnes X.
I have since switched back to more appropriate chamberings for deer.

My .444, .303, 6.5x55, .308, and .30-06 deer loads just won't fit into my Magpuls, no matter how hard I shove.
I must be doing something wrong.

I respect the animals I hunt, even the hogs, too much to use a varmint round.
.223 has it's uses. It's a fantastic varmint, coyote, and beaver round.
It's about as well-suited to deer as .30 carbine.
Even less so, at short ranges.

I hear it's a great round for zombies.
Sadly, I only see zombies in movies, video games, and TV shows.

Why less so at short ranges?

 

[A.O.]

I appreciate all the comments. I guess I'm still on the fence if I will use this rifle for deer hunting. If I do I will be using a 62 grain Barnes TSX.

Someone above mentioned that it wouldn't be good for close range. Could someone explain this? One of the reasons I wanted to use this rifle is because it has an Aimpoint red dot on it. The place that I hunt would be sub 100 yards, most likely sub 50 yards.

I started my daughter deer hunting with a little 223 single shot carbine, all shots were from about 30-70 yards... none ever got away, nor more than about 50 yards from the shot to point of pile up.

 

[vonn]

You can kill a deer with a small caliber but I don't think it's the best choice and think you will be more successful with a larger cal.

 

[Jaymo]

Why less so at short ranges?

.223 at 3,200 FPS is more likely to fragment and not penetrate enough.
It can be done, but it only works well under perfect conditions.
It is the wrong round for the job.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.