.223 for deer?

[wolfkpr]

My younger boy was a but recoil sensitive.. so he started with, and still used a .223 savage axis. He has shot 4 with it, and ive shot 2 with the AR in .223. In our limited sample of 6, one ( liver/lung hit) ran 70 yds, the rest have all been 20-40 yds traveled and down. He of course uses mostly broadside center- lungs hold. I have made a point of using solid copper or bonded bullets to help ensure an exit even on more quartering hits. ( and even with shoulder bone or exits behind the diaphram, they have exited) this is important, because even with .30 cal- sometimes they run. We have used barnes copper 62gr, Wincester factory “ boar xt” solid copper hp, and fed fusion/ gold dot factory 62 gr. I have also shot a couple smaller pigs with the fusion load. By the wound channels you would not think they were .22 diameter bullets. Based on our limited sample i’d have no issues using .223. I do recomend if you cant find copper solids like barnes, or bonded, partition, etc- then at least get sp like the powerpoint, 65gr gameking that are marketed as a medium game bullet..

 

[okieshooter777]

Agree, my daughter shoots a .223 ar, and she has many deer under her belt.

We use to stick with the winchester factory power points, but recently started using the nosler partition

Have not lost a deer yet, she is a good shot, and shoots the crease behind the shoulder consistently.

this helped her not have a fear as a 9 year old 80lb girl of the recoil

 

[swampratt]

55gr V-Max for me has dropped deer and hogs and never had one go more than 20 yards.
Only 2 have gone 20 yards between the ones I shot and my buddy shot with the same 55gr V-max loads.
He shot 2 deer with the 55gr SP Hornady bullet and they ran off a long ways and the bullet mushroomed and retained most of it's weight.
I do not like that bullet.
Instant kills with the V-max.

I have a a .50 cal muzzloader 243,308, 30-06 and 30-30 and have killed deer with all of them.
That super accurate Savage Axis .223 gets taken often to the woods.

Use what works for you but do not underestimate the killing power of the .223.

 

[TedKennedy]

I do NOT recommend this - but...

My family is from the hills of Delaware county. Back in the 40s and 50s there was no deer season there, IIRC. In any case, there weren't many deer. Folks hunted squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, and these were for the pot. No one had a deer rifle, but every family had a .22.
Once in a while some of the men would head off into the woods near the river for a day or three and return with a deer or two.
Dad said .22 Long Rifle was for deer, .22 shorts were for everything else.

Just sayin' - you don't need a cannon to kill a deer.

 

[turkeyrun]

17 deer with .223 Winchester 64 gr PSP

3 were with AR, others Rem 700

All were 1 shot, from 70 to 235 yards.

Shot placement and good bullets.

Fusion, Nosler and Barnes are also good.

60- 65 gr, SP or HP, no VARMIT bullets or FMJ

 

[sklfco]

I do NOT recommend this - but...

My family is from the hills of Delaware county. Back in the 40s and 50s there was no deer season there, IIRC. In any case, there weren't many deer. Folks hunted squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, and these were for the pot. No one had a deer rifle, but every family had a .22.
Once in a while some of the men would head off into the woods near the river for a day or three and return with a deer or two.
Dad said .22 Long Rifle was for deer, .22 shorts were for everything else.

Just sayin' - you don't need a cannon to kill a deer.

Butt, butt
What you described
That’s that’s just not “legal”

 

[TedKennedy]

Butt, butt
What you described............
That’s that’s just not “legal”

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they were more concerned with food than laws at that time.

Those uncles of mine (and Grandpa) had more ways of securing a meal than anyone I ever heard of. Don't write them off as low-life poachers, they lived through some hard times and weren't making money from it, simply putting food on the table.

 

[JEVapa]

Nope

 

[sklfco]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they were more concerned with food than laws at that time.

Those uncles of mine (and Grandpa) had more ways of securing a meal than anyone I ever heard of. Don't write them off as low-life poachers, they lived through some hard times and weren't making money from it, simply putting food on the table.

Was directed towards the fuddz who would of allowed their families to starve
Not your ancestors.

 

[L.C.]

AR-15 in 223 is all I have used for years now. I use Hornady Vmax 55 grain ammunition. Has done a great job for me.