Reloading .223 for Hunting or Target Shooting - By: Bruce Mackay

One of the other good points is the fact that even if you do have a terrible shot they usually do not wreck a lot of meat. I purchased one just for that reason when I was in deer hunting country. When hunting with a lighter caliber it is easier to find a better looking gun; you do not tend to need such a heavy model to handle the recoil. Less powder is used when reloading the .223, so it is more economical.

I still like my magnum rifle, but the mid range caliber rifles are just so impressive for the job they do. The other thing is you can down load them and still do some long range varmint shooting. The .223 is ideal for rabbit or coyote. I used to walk for hours with my Ruger Model 77 – I never used a sling and I recall that well because I could get off a quick shot when needed. I used to like taking it to the range with a hundred rounds and playing around at shooting the tacks out of the target at close range. From time to time we would set up a practice running deer target on a clothes line and practice for hours. I never was a good shot but if I did my home work I almost always got my game.

I have always heard of the great shots others had made and I just get too nervous, so if I have to shoot game I learned to use a rest or take a sand bag in the vehicle with me. I hunted with an older hunter for a while and he said he would sit in a mud puddle to get a good shot sooner than miss - and that man rarely missed his game. It took a while to learn that lesson and I still get very excited when I come on a big buck, but now I have learned to slow it down and locate a rest. Now even when I look for a place to take a short pause, I look for a good gun rest or tree that will do before stopping. Its habits like this and a constant vigilance that has gotten me my deer many years in a row. Even with a great shooting gun like the .223 that is easy to make good shots with it still works better to shoot from a rest.

Reloading .223 - this is the enjoyable caliber for me. If I had my way I would shoot a lot more of the mid range caliber rifles. The idea of nearly no recoil, cheap to shoot still and decent for long range are all benefits. All these pluses and they are a real dream to practice with. Hitting the cross hairs at two or three hundred yards is just an splendid feeling.

My name is Bruce Mackay, and I have been reloading for years. I invite you to take a look at my sites:
http://www.squidoo.com/reloading223
http://hubpages.com/hub/reloading223