.223 on deer?
- Thread starter trigger45
- Start date
trigger45,
Has been heavily discussed over on www.ar15.com with many shall we say "interesting" comments. It can be done BUT - basically it boils down to 2 points:
1 is it legal in your state?
2 are you confident enough in your shooting skill (and know both your own and the round's limits) to use what most consider a varmint caliber on an animal that can run very far when lethally hit with a much larger more powerful round?
B
Has been heavily discussed over on www.ar15.com with many shall we say "interesting" comments. It can be done BUT - basically it boils down to 2 points:
1 is it legal in your state?
2 are you confident enough in your shooting skill (and know both your own and the round's limits) to use what most consider a varmint caliber on an animal that can run very far when lethally hit with a much larger more powerful round?
B
Head shot.
Oh, my brother did shoot one frontally with a Barnes X bullet. It went into the chest, travelled through the guts and came to rest near the backsides. The deer (albiet a small one) dropped like a rock. The rifle used was a Remington 700 Varminter in .223 Remington. Distance was about 75 yards.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
Oh, my brother did shoot one frontally with a Barnes X bullet. It went into the chest, travelled through the guts and came to rest near the backsides. The deer (albiet a small one) dropped like a rock. The rifle used was a Remington 700 Varminter in .223 Remington. Distance was about 75 yards.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
Accuracy is by far the most important point. If you get buck fever, uses a bigger gun. You may pass up many shots waiting for one that is ....
1. 100 Meters or less (125 tops)
2. Possibly hand loaded (some big boat tails will not fit the mags) as you should use the largest grain your twist will allow.
3. Placement, placement, placement. If exist buck fever goto 30.06.
:END
1. 100 Meters or less (125 tops)
2. Possibly hand loaded (some big boat tails will not fit the mags) as you should use the largest grain your twist will allow.
3. Placement, placement, placement. If exist buck fever goto 30.06.
:END
Mike Spight
New member
damiano:
Your SKS in 7.62x39 will be OK with soft points for deer. If the weapon is not scoped, I'd recommend keeping your shots under 100 yds.
If scoped (and not hunting in thick cover) you can go for a longer shot, but carefully.
The SKS, a fine mass-produced battle rifle, is not going to be exceptionally accurate at longer ranges, IMHO.
Good luck...
Mike
Your SKS in 7.62x39 will be OK with soft points for deer. If the weapon is not scoped, I'd recommend keeping your shots under 100 yds.
If scoped (and not hunting in thick cover) you can go for a longer shot, but carefully.
The SKS, a fine mass-produced battle rifle, is not going to be exceptionally accurate at longer ranges, IMHO.
Good luck...
Mike
I knew several people back in Midland who took whitetail in west Texas and eastern New Mexico with Mini-14's and one who had taken them with his AR-15. No information on loads. Shots were all under 200 yards.
I personally have seen a hunter tag out in 5 hours down in Sutton County (a 4 deer county, BTW) using a bolt action .223 and Winchester(?) softpoints.
Another west Texas buddy killed a mulie with his bolt action .223 on his ranch out near Sierra Blanca. Said he used a 55 gr FMJ and it tore up the deer's throat and smashed his right hindquarter, dropped the critter like a log.
I don't know anyone who has used an SKS for deer. I've always wanted to try my own out, but I always seem to rely on my Ruger M77 .25-06.
I personally have seen a hunter tag out in 5 hours down in Sutton County (a 4 deer county, BTW) using a bolt action .223 and Winchester(?) softpoints.
Another west Texas buddy killed a mulie with his bolt action .223 on his ranch out near Sierra Blanca. Said he used a 55 gr FMJ and it tore up the deer's throat and smashed his right hindquarter, dropped the critter like a log.
I don't know anyone who has used an SKS for deer. I've always wanted to try my own out, but I always seem to rely on my Ruger M77 .25-06.
Great...
thanks for the advice Mike. It helped make my decision. I bought the SKS from gunsmith friend. It's glass bedded, everything refined and polished. I have 2 upper receiver covers, one with scope one with the peep sight assembly mounted. It takes about 3 seconds to change between them.
I appreciate the answers, guys. I'm going deer hunting for the first time, you know, trying to do the male-bonding thing with my Uncle and granddad. We do goose and dove everyear but the deer will be new this year.
BTW, mike I got your email and I'll get back to you today or tommorow.
thanks for the advice Mike. It helped make my decision. I bought the SKS from gunsmith friend. It's glass bedded, everything refined and polished. I have 2 upper receiver covers, one with scope one with the peep sight assembly mounted. It takes about 3 seconds to change between them.
I appreciate the answers, guys. I'm going deer hunting for the first time, you know, trying to do the male-bonding thing with my Uncle and granddad. We do goose and dove everyear but the deer will be new this year.
BTW, mike I got your email and I'll get back to you today or tommorow.
WalterGAII
Moderator
I guess that if deer hunting were really difficult, my son's friend's 8-yr.-old little sister wouldn't have been able to drop several bucks with her SKS. Anything under 100 yds ought to require a handgun. (I'm not serious about that. 
)
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Shoot to kill; they'll stop when they're dead!
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Shoot to kill; they'll stop when they're dead!
Damiano:
I keep the SKS as a truck rifle, and ended up offering it to a guy to use as a deer rifle last year, under the condition that he not shoot at any deer over 110 yards. He ended up using a Sears M-94 at the last minute. He thought it to be more traditional. Well, me too. My SKS is no better than a 4" at 100yd rifle, and I have to work to get that; I'd love to see yours. I don't think I've ever seen a "match grade" SKS before. How did your buddy improve the tolerances of the bolt lockup? What did he do to the barrel?
Hmmmm... I believe I'm a tad off-thread, here!
I once met a little 9 year-old girl in Crockett County TX who had 7 deer to her name with a .222 Remington. Her daddy wanted her to practice chest shots, but she kept head-shooting them. Proves little, given that context, I suppose. We can make a lot of stuff work...
Best,
L.P.
I keep the SKS as a truck rifle, and ended up offering it to a guy to use as a deer rifle last year, under the condition that he not shoot at any deer over 110 yards. He ended up using a Sears M-94 at the last minute. He thought it to be more traditional. Well, me too. My SKS is no better than a 4" at 100yd rifle, and I have to work to get that; I'd love to see yours. I don't think I've ever seen a "match grade" SKS before. How did your buddy improve the tolerances of the bolt lockup? What did he do to the barrel?
Hmmmm... I believe I'm a tad off-thread, here!
I once met a little 9 year-old girl in Crockett County TX who had 7 deer to her name with a .222 Remington. Her daddy wanted her to practice chest shots, but she kept head-shooting them. Proves little, given that context, I suppose. We can make a lot of stuff work...
Best,
L.P.
Daren Thompson
New member
Great Thread!
I have chosen this year to try to get a deer with my AR-15. Bought a 10 round mag and I have 70 grain speer soft point loads. I plan to keep the shot well under 100 yards. It is pretty thick where I hunt. I would like more input from others and will let you know how it goes.
Does any one else get funny looks from other hunters when you show them you will be using a military style rifle? I used my SKS one year ( did not even see one) and other hunters looked at me like I was crazy. Especially when I told them I left my Ruger M-77 .243 at home.
Later
Daren
I have chosen this year to try to get a deer with my AR-15. Bought a 10 round mag and I have 70 grain speer soft point loads. I plan to keep the shot well under 100 yards. It is pretty thick where I hunt. I would like more input from others and will let you know how it goes.
Does any one else get funny looks from other hunters when you show them you will be using a military style rifle? I used my SKS one year ( did not even see one) and other hunters looked at me like I was crazy. Especially when I told them I left my Ruger M-77 .243 at home.
Later
Daren
Gale McMillan
Member In Memoriam
I used to back up a friend who used a 225 Win on Moose. Out of 8 moose 8 were one shot kills. Would you say that made it a moose rifle? As the poster before said Placement!. He never took a shot that there was any doubt. He left those for my 300 Win. I would think nothing about taking deer with a 222. It would be on my terms at ranges I select. That being said there is good reason that most states outlaw the high velocity 22s. Joe Blow six pack can't hit what they shoot at. They shoot less than 20 rounds a year. They have no idea how far it is from here to there. A 223 in their hands would mean a lot of wounded and lost deer