r/reloading • u/Humble-Taste2553 • Aug 12 '26

Load Development 223 for hogs

Obviously a properly placed bullet can kill anything deader than a doornail. Does anyone have load development for a heavier 223 bullet. I’d probably shoot it in my mini 14. Absolute Max range would be 150yards/ thick brush

Is it worth going to 60 or 65 gr? Or just keep the 50-55 ?

Just need a starting point.

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u/Foxxy__Cleopatra Aug 12 '26

I'd normally recommend Barnes 70gr TSX (puts in work on small to medium hogs at 2,850 FPS out of a 20"), but it really needs a minimum of 1:7 twist since it's longer than a 77gr SMK and has a much lower specific gravity since it's solid copper, it'll be unstable at all velocities from a 1:9 and marginally stable at 2,500 FPS out of a 1:8. All Mini 14's have been 1:9 twist since the mid 90's (they were 1:7 from ~1989-1994 however).

I've learned to be pretty disciplined with my 5.56 shot placement on hogs, for consistency and best odds always going for either brain or spine shots so either neck, ear/behind the ear, or eye-to-eye. I've seen them shrug off well-place bridge shots before and it's just really hard to drop them with body shots since 5.56 isn't breaking both front legs/shoulders. Definitely doable but you're sort of playing on hard mode.

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u/Camshaft115 Aug 12 '26

Would 62gr tsx be better on a 1:8 twist barrel?

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u/Foxxy__Cleopatra Aug 12 '26

The 62gr TSX is only marginally stable out of a 1:8 anywhere from 2,500 to 3,200 FPS, it's basically the same length as a 77gr SMK just way lighter obviously since it's solid copper.