.223 enough for deer

I have hunted mule deer for many years. I have used many different calibers, 22LR, 30-30, 30-06, 44Spl, 270, and 222 Rem.

I have killed deer with all of these and probably more with the 222 than any other cartridge. I do insist on a shot to the brain with the little 222. If you can do that the 223 or any of the centerfire 22 rounds will dispatch a deer reliably.

On body shots, it is not enough for deer I am sorry, it is just a poor choice of deer rifle. You will end up with too many wounded deer.

Get a 30-06 or 270 for a deer rifle. My favorite is the 270.
 
223 enough for deer?

It was the last time I shot one. Right bullet, Right shot placement ,reasonable range, thats all it takes. Works every time.
 
We all hunt differently.

Or we could go with #5
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Possibly. Spot and Stalk is possible if the animal is not going anywhere. We all hunt different conditions. Our (Nebraska) firearm deer season usually coincides with the rut in Nov., and bucks are geneally headed someplace, morning and evening. If he's on the move, and you don't know where he's headed (and drive there before he gets there! - thats the way the old timers hunted mulies, and now there are damn few of either.)) you won't likely catch up to him without being spotted. It's not like there is a lot of cover to mask your movements around here...... shots are not always long from a stand, but they CAN be. I am prepared to shoot from contact distance to 500 yards if necessary, as I have the equipment, skills and confidence to use them.

You hunt your way, and I'll hunt mine. Your way is probably better suited to your area. You try still-hunting where I hunt, and you'll be just that: still hunting on the last day of the season, while everyone else has filled their tags, checked their deer in, and started the cutting and wrapping.....
 
Kforkybuck-1.jpg


This is my daughter again but different year. It was a spot & stalk hunt in rough country. This heavy bodied muley fell to a 30-30 bullet shot through the chest organs. It would have been very difficult to haul my heavy barreled .223 around these steep canyons.

We are acquainted with a Mexican shepard who has but one rifle. Its a WW2 German mauser in 8mm. American made ammo is loaded down to 30-30 velocity but that has never been a handicap to this careful hunter. He has taken many elk with this old rifle. Shot placement is a factor which is often ignored by the shooting press.

The 64 grain Winchester bullet and 60 grain nosler Partition are genuine big game bullets. My friend loads the Nosler in his 220 Swift. I've witnessed instant death performed with broadside chest shots. Even big mulies are not armor plated.

Jack
 
It will do work just fine if you do yor part as in a perfect shot. I would use some Barnes x bullets.
 
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Theres alot of contraversy on the ft.lbs. of energy to kill a deer and after much research I have seen that it takes at least 1000 ft lbs of energy in a rifle cartridge to get a good clean kill on a whitetail up to 150 lbs and im sure theres alot dead from lesser but 1000ft.lbs. is the goal. A .223 with the right loads will kill a deer dead with some energy to spare. Im not saying I would use one with the better options out there but if thats all I had I would get some good ammo practice alot and limit my shots to 100yds max and standing broadside only. And remember that alot of states limit the size caliber you can use so check your local laws first.
 
Hogs are much harder to kill than deer. Have killed a lot of hogs with the .223and M193 military ball ammo: If hit right, they usually drop in their tracks.
 
retrieverman, any bullet's effectiveness is controlled in part by thickness of hide and size/density of bone. Hogs, generally, are more heavily built than deer. Penetration can easily be more difficult. What might be a kill-shot on a deer could be a bad-wound shot on a hog.
 
What bullet and grain would one recommend for deer in a .223 cal.? I was thinking along the lines of a Hornady Interlock 60grain soft point or Hornady 75 grain TAP ammo. And another good one is the Barnes 70 grain TSX tripple shock. Im thinking the best would be the Barnes bacause they have reliable expansion and stay together even when hitting bone.
 
Heavy bullets

The heavier bullets will not shoot very accurate in most 223 cal. rifles. You may shoot the 60gr. with some satisfaction but anything larger will probably require A different barrel twist. Most heavier bullets will require A 1 in 9 twist and the lighter bullets will require A 1 in 12 twist which is most common in todays 223 cal. rifles.
 
Obviously this thread garners a lot of interest. One general suggestion to whoever might care. If you have plans to hunt outside of your home turf like say,,,Wyoming. Consider what any other states have as a minimum caliber to use. In Texas, Utah, anything that is not a rimfire is pretty much okay. Wyo has a minimum cal of .243..
Some people are early enough in their gun habit to only afford one or two rifles..Pick a caliber that will match wherever you might hunt.
elkman06
 
The old timers in Nebraska always talk about the giant beaver. It happened in 1902. A farmer shot a 172 pound, six foot long beaver right through the eye, bang-flop. Front teeth were 4" long fangs. The farmer used his rifle loaded with .22 short.

So now you at least know that a .22 short through the eyeball will kill a giant beaver. And it should work just fine for a.....[fill in the blank].

:D
 
A .17 Rem. with proper shot placement will cleanly kill a Grizzly Bear.

A .22 Hornet has been known as a 'poacher's round' because it is relatively quiet - and with proper shot placement...will cleanly kill a deer.

If native americans had .17 Rems. and .22 Hornets 500 yrs. ago , they would have been used successfully as 'Big Game Weapons.'

However, there are cartridges that are far more practical and just better...
for hunting deer sized game.

The problem with the .223 is that it's a small bullet that can be easily deflected by bone...and when the .223 hits bone, it's likely to splinter the bone rather than break through it. A bigger bullet is more likely to shatter the bone and create a more immediatly disabling wound and blood trail.

A broadside shot at 75yds. with a .223 ought not be too problematic...but a less than perfect angle at 200yds.where a lot of penetration is needed - might be a big problem that results in a wounded deer that runs away...
A .243 outclasses a .223 and is just about as pleasant to shoot...
 
223 can and is used with good results by kids in texas all the time. Usually at closer than 100 yards, and no brush.

My 10 year old female cousin shot her first whitetail at 75 yards right in the earhole LOL....It was DRT

But i will have to agree the 243 is a better choice.. I used one regularly out to 250 yds where my feeder was until I was about 30 years old before I decided I needed something "mas bruto" and more macho...:o
 
In FL a 223 is adequate at short range and with a clear shooting corridor. We learned a long time ago that a blade of sawgrass will deflect the light bullets.

It's not my choice for general hunting here.
 
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