I traded for a Weatherby Vanguard II chambered in 223 Rem. It has a 20 inch barrel with one in 9 twist.

What kind of factory ammo or reloads have anyone used?

I want to stick with 55 - 65 grain hunting rounds, but will definitely use the 69 Grain Sierra Matchking for plinking, etc.

I just don't know where to start velocity wise. I'd like to be able to go for Whitetails and below. I have always had great accuracy @ 2600 fps with the 69 Grain Sierra Matchking, but hate to limit the effective range of the great little gun and cartridge with that.

I plan to use and would like to stick with 748 and H-335 with Sierra Gamekings but am open to suggestion bullet wise. RE-15 is another possible powder, but would like to use finer ball powder in the little case, straight from the powder measure.

I have been happy with CPE 223 powder and the 69SMK.

25.0gr in my Ruger African is a sub MOA load for plinking or ringing steel.

RL-322 for accuracy, H335 for velocity..both great powders..I love the 60 gr. HOrnady for a coyote and deer bullet..Its a hammer and will not disenagrate, I get pretty little mushrooms in the 222, 223 and 22-250 so its a tough little bugger..Hollow point or soft point, both work...It works better than any of the premiums I've used...

The Hornady bullets are indeed good deer slayers as are the Winchester 64 grain PowerPoints. No flies on Cor-lokt either. From there you can go up the price ladder to the exotics and semi-premiums. But deer just aren't that hard to kill and a good reasonably heavy 224 cup and core will do the job. Just a matter of your confidence level with them.

Combined I've shot some and seen almost 90 deer in total shot with the 52 grain Hornady match HPBT from the 220 Swift. Almost all were pass-throughs and no lost/wounded deer.

The only caveat on the big name bullets like Winchester and Remington is they were developed for 223 Remington pressure and velocity and you are technically over-driving them with 5.56 NATO maximum loads. That may not matter in the scheme of things but you should be aware.

I fully agree cup and core bullets are just fine. I also know 2600 fps is very accurate. I also know that the 223 can be driven to ridiculously high velocities.

I am just wondering if anyone has one these guns and what it likes instead of starting from the bottom and working up. If they like them faster, I will start them faster is my point.

I will probably end up using my 2600 fps load with 65-69 grainers or 64 gn Powerpoints if I find any. Sierras are usually on the shelf.

Vanguard II is a new one on me. Is that the fully size action or more like the Howa Mini?

Vanguard II is a series, short action and long action varieties. I am not real sure of what is the difference from an older Vanguard. It has a two stage trigger; a nice one like an Anschutz or Walther, not like a 1903 Springfield or K-98 Mauser.

Also I am just going to start around 2600 and maybe try to like 2800 and use the super accurate choice. Heck it is a 223 not a 220 Swift. I guess it should be a 300 yard max effective range gun if not 250 yard. Thanks to all.

Thanks just wondered if they had latched on to the Mini. Like you I love that trigger. Mine loves most any bullet and a load of 2230

quote:

Originally posted by airgun1:
I fully agree cup and core bullets are just fine. I also know 2600 fps is very accurate. I also know that the 223 can be driven to ridiculously high velocities.

I am just wondering if anyone has one these guns and what it likes instead of starting from the bottom and working up. If they like them faster, I will start them faster is my point.

I will probably end up using my 2600 fps load with 65-69 grainers or 64 gn Powerpoints if I find any. Sierras are usually on the shelf.

I think 2600 by 69 grains will kill deer just fine. The SD of that little bullet makes up for a lot of the lower impact velocity. I'm basing that opinion on the damage I've seen in smaller game. If it shoots good enough faster, so much the better.

You should be able to get 2600 fps plus a bit out of the 75 grain Hornady BTHP with cannelure, a bullet designed to be accurate and tumble with some fragmenting. I use it and like it. My load uses BLC-2 and magnum primers. Start at 23.0 grains and work up. I like Lake city cases but I run 24.0 grains of this powder in almost any case I get my hands on except PPU, very heavy brass there.