Anyone hunting small game with 5.7?

[Dilettante]

We are now hunting with smaller and smaller calibers - not the least of which has been ,223 for deer. I have a pistol and a rifle in 5.7. The bullets a small, fast, and can run through a brick wall without stopping. However, I think I need a bullet that fragments to hunt small game better. Anyone hunt have any suggestions?

 

[Davers]

I have used a .222 Rem. for small game (Squirrels) but not the .223. When I lived in Indiana, we could use any centerfire rifle caliber for hunting Squirrels. My favorite was the .22 Hornet using: 7.0 grains of SR-4759 + a 50 grain High Velocity SP Bullet, velocity around 1,500 FPS. Another centerfire I used was the .25-20 Win chambered in my Winchester 43 Deluxe rifle. Here, I used 10.0 GRS of IMR-4198 + 86 grain SP Bullet. Velocity was around 1,400 FPS. Both calibers were excellent for baging Squirrels and non-destructive, less than a .22 LR Hollow Point. Sadly, here in Kentucky we can't use centerfire ammo for hunting Squirrels or other small game, only .22 Rimfires, .17 Rimfires, or Shotguns only.

 

[snert]

Yep, 4 gr of unique, 222 case, 40 grain Sierra hornet bullet is the cat's behind for squirrels.

As far as using the 5.7 for anything larger than a coyote would seem to me to be an overmatch. It is a purpose driven cartridge and fits a pretty small niche.

Sorry, can't be too helpful, but if you want to load a 224 cal bullet that holds together, you might try the Barnes 52 grain...though Im not sure you could drive it fast enough to open it. Or maybe a 50 grain Sierra or Hornady SP. These bullets were designed for much higher velocity rifles so they would not fragment.