T/C pistol 223 meat load sugestions

[NVScouter]

the only .224 cast I have is the 55g Bator and I want to shoot rabbits and gray squirrels for meat.

So far the best I've done is 6g blue dot for a 3" 75 yard group at a calculated 1600fps. Thats about the fastest I want to go since I've shot plenty of ground squirrels at 2200fps with that Bator and know its plenty destructive at those speeds.

Any good loads for pistols that still leave meat to be eaten?

[NHlever]

I have only tried 3 powders in my Remington 700 SPS .223 so far. I have tried 2400, Universal Clays, and Titegroup. The two best loads so far have been 9.0 of 2400, and 6.0 grains of TiteGroup with either the Lyman 22596 (obsolete) or the new 225415, both which are 55 grain boolits. Both are shooting under an inch for 5 shot groups at 50 yards. I will be trying Unique, and perhaps Bullseye, or Red Dot for milder loads when I can get to it. The loads I mentioned aren't 2200 fps., but they aren't .22 LR either. They are perhaps doing 1800 or so out of my 24" barrel.

[leadman]

I have used 700X with the Lyman 45gr roundnose. Do not cast these out of linotype for shooting meat even at low velocity. Leaves about a 4 to 5" hole on the off side in a big jack.
I use ACWW now.
Blue Dot probably won't burn very well in very light loads for hunting. With 700x I can get 1" to 2" accuracy at 75 yards. I'm out of 700X so am going to try AA#2 which has worked well for low velocity loads in other rifles for me.

[MT Gianni]

Are you guys crimping the bator in the crimp groove or trying for a little more length. In the crimp groove i have the gc slightly below the neck which I would prefer not to do.

[leadman]

With cast in a rifle other than semi-auto I seat the boolit so it is just touching or actually engraved by the rifling. I seldom crimp so this is not an issue.

[NVScouter]

I crimp out a bit. I only use the grease grove crimp in my 22 Hornet.

I used 6g of trailboss for about 75% case capacity at an estimated 1500fps. Shot decent enough but the BlueDot shot better. 2400 is next on my list.

No leading now that I preheat before pan lubing so after 25 rounds the barrel was still clean.

[NHlever]

I tried 3.5 grains through 5.0 grains of Red Dot behind my 225415 55 grain cast boolits the other day, and got consistant five shot groups of an inch, or a bit less out of my 700 SPS at 50 yards. That might be closer to what you are looking for, and I was surprised to see that the cases sealed in the chamber pretty well at those low charges. Very fun, and not very noisy to shoot for sure. Good luck, and have some fun!

[HighHook]

I use 6 gr Unique in my super 14 and 700 rem. It is deadly on squirrels.