I was out shooting Sage Rats after just taking a day off in the middle of the week to do so.

A rock chuck had wandered out into the alfalfa field ( about a 1,000 acres field). I shot it at about 250 yard with a 223 with a 46 grain hollowpoint Winchester bullet and my 14.5 grains of blue dot load. MV 3250 fps

Not only did that thing go flying about 15 feet when hit, it opened it up like a book. I hit about just an inch or so below midline, of its height.

I would have not been surprised if I had hit him with a 22/250 with a 60 grain or more bullet or a 243 of so. Not with this lower velocity 223 load with the 46 grain hollow point?

So do I credit the 46 grain hollowpoint for the dramatic show, or just rack it up to the fact that rock chucks are like prairie dogs, hit them just right and they are just like the Milk Jugs of water spoken of on the reloading page? Kinda cheaply built?

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

Just got back from montana on monday night. was only shootin an ar-15 with 60gr v-max and 55 gr black hills hp. ammo. i hit three hogs, 1 with the v-max and two with the 55gr. shots were about 250yds. not tnear the drama you described. although the gophers were going in all directions. We spotted a badger tearing up my uncles hay field about 150 yds out, could only see him from the neck up. hit him right under the chin with a 55 gr hp. damage was minimal(surprised). a few years ago one of my inlaws hit had the same shot at one with the same rifle shooting v-max's and the bullet blew up on contact. no exit. i might give the bullets you are using a try. gonna givem hell in june.

I was up in Modoc about three weeks ago doin' the same thing. Ran into a large population of chucks the evening before and in the morning on the way home. Rockchuck + 222Rem/50grPLHP = hamburger on the hill! Also found my CZ 17HRM very effective out to 175ys. Not as spectacular, but they all died real quick, most on the spot.

Bull, these cheap little 46 grain HP Winchester are surprising me. I bought them as they proved to be real accurate with a 223 load. in a Remington VSS.

But the terminal performance is quiet spectacular. I am wondering if I am lucky or what.

I do want to try some of those Calhoon Hollow Points tho.

They are supposed to be real good for that. Not as cheap as the Winchesters are tho.

good luck with them.

cheers and good shooting
seafire