This episode releases on the 4th of July, so I thought it was fitting to not only do a cartridge comparison, but focus on two cartridges that have played prominent roles in US military conflicts over the past half century: the 223 Remington and 5.56 NATO on one side vs the 7.62x39mm on the other. The 5.56 vs 7.62x39mm debate kicked off right after military forces using those cartridges first met in the jungles of Vietnam during the 1960s and has never really ended as shooters continue to intensely argue the strengths and weaknesses of each cartridge in sporting goods shops, gun magazines, online forums, and shooting ranges across the country. In this episode, I do my best to sort through the 223/5.56 vs 7.62x39mm debate in an even handed manner in order to help you make an informed decision on which one is right for you.

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Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true at in South Africa’s Limpopo Province where we offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. Plus, we're offering our remaining hunts for October and November 2024 at a fantastic discount! Visit bestsafarihunt.com or contact me directly at john@thebiggamehuntingblog.com to learn more.

Email me at that same address with subject line “podcast hunt” if you're interested in joining us on our upcoming Africa podcast hunt in July 2025.

Sponsor: Go to HuntingGuns101.com and Sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday (along with my weekly ammo supply updates).

223/5.56 vs 7.62x39: Some Unexpected Pros & Cons – Blog article referenced in podcast

Best 223 Remington Ammo For Hunting - 223 Remington hunting ammo recommendations

Best 7.62×39 Ammo For Hunting Deer & Other Big Game - 223 Remington hunting ammo recommendations

Best Hunting Rifles Under $500 - Budget hunting rifle recommendations

Best Hunting Ear Protection For Sportsmen – Ear protection recommendations

Best Rifle Scopes For Hunting - Rifle scope recommendations

Best Hunting Rifle Slings - Rifle sling recommendations

Ryan Hoover of Handgun Hunters International is on the show with us today to talk about hunting with a handgun. We discuss one of his more memorable handgun hunts, reasons why people enjoy hunting with a handgun, why handgun hunting is more challenging than hunting with a rifle in some ways, popular handgun models for hunters, and of course, practical ballistics and caliber selection for handgun hunters.

Sponsor: Go to HuntingGuns101.com and Sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Learn more about Handgun Hunters International here, follow them on Instagram @handgunhuntersint, follow them on YouTube, and/or call/email Ryan at ryan@handgunhuntersinternational.com or 830-456-8613

Master Alaskan guide Phil Shoemaker joins me in this episode to talk about brown bear hunting in Alaska. We discuss how he got started in this business, practical ballistics, caliber selection, and bullet selection as it relates to bear hunting, some of the other, less discussed, though still important aspects of bear hunting, and a couple of noteworthy stories from his long hunting career up in Alaska (including his famous incident from 2016 where he killed an aggressive brown bear with his 9mm handgun).

Learn more about Phil's family's hunting operation Grizzly Skins of Alaska here. Follow them on Instagram @grizzlyskinsofalaska or on Facebook here.

Sponsor: Go to HuntingGuns101.com and Sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Ep 84: Dan Roland On Alaska Bear Hunting – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 92: Dan Roland On Dall Sheep Hunting – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 130: Joseph von Benedikt On Caribou Hunting – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 162: Joseph von Benedikt On Moose Hunting – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 201: Sheep Hunting 101 With Ron Spomer – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 282: Grizzly Bear Hunting With A 6.5 Creedmoor?!? – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 289: Dall Sheep Hunting With Mark Huelsing – Podcast referenced in episode

Ep 316: Dall Sheep Hunting 101 With Tyler Freel – Podcast referenced in episode