Shooting sports, hunting, and target shooting typically have different requirements when selecting ammunition. If you are using 223 ammo in your rifle for hunting, the characteristics of the ammunition can vary with use. Choosing the best ammo for your needs is critical, so having some idea of what your requirements are is vital.
Selecting Ammo By Caliber
The most important thing you need to know when selecting ammo is the correct caliber of gun you are using. 223 ammo is a standard rifle round and can be used in any gun chambered for it. It is smaller ammunition but packs enough punch for small game hunting and target shooting.
There are a few specialty handguns on the market also designed to use this ammunition. While they are smaller firearms, they use the same rifle round in them, but beware that these are not easy to handle and should be limited to experienced shooters.
When shopping for 223 ammo, you may find it listed as 223 Remington ammunition because that was the original manufacturer, but the caliber is the same with or without the Remington name. If you are not sure you are looking at the correct ammunition, ask someone working in the store where you buy your ammo for some assistance, and they can help direct you to the right caliber ammo for your gun.
Ammunition Type
Most manufacturers offering 223 ammunition make several types. The most common is a solid lead bullet that is jacketed, partially or completely in copper, to improve the bullet's flight and still compresses well on impact, delivering excellent energy transfer from the round to the target.
Jacketed rounds are excellent for target shooting and hunting in areas with dense brush that you may need to shoot through to hit your target.
Alternatively, hollow-point bullets are also available in 223 ammunition types. These rounds have a semi-jacketed lead bullet with an exposed tip with a pocket or hole that causes the bullet to mushroom out on impact with the target. Often hollow points are reserved for hunting because they are more effective at causing damage after entering the animal's body, killing them quickly and more humanly.
Within the hollow point category, there are several different options that may be different from one manufacturer to the next. If you are shopping for hollow-point 223 ammo for a specific hunt, check out the options at your local ammo supplier. They may have a basic hollow point for small deer and a more aggressive option for animals like wild boar that are harder to take down and far more aggressive toward hunters.