Deer Rounds

I've used 62gr for deer. Try and shoot them in the ear.

Whats the best .17hmr load

lots of hunters report the winchester 64grn power point to be an excellent performer on small southern whitetail

I don't know where you are, but I don't have alot of confidence in .223 for deer.

At the minimum, I would use .243/ As it is, I use 8mm Mauser.

I've seen a lot of guys use the .223 for deer though it was never while the season was in and always from across the hood of a truck.

I would never recommend any .223 bullet for deer hunting. Like someone said, you'd have to head-shoot one. I strongly disagree with this philosophy. I've seen a deer with the lower jaw shot completely off because the guy tried a head shot. Luckily he was able to get off another shot to the vitals afterwards.

I also agree that the .243 is about as small of a caliber I would go for deer.

Hey, d........Welcome to THR...Hey, I recently posed this same question and I received a few replies...Check them out as well, and I hope you find the info you're looking for...I'm going with the Winchester 64 gr Power Point...Haven't tried them yet, but they were the most recommended...Good luck with it...!!!
www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=401632

I get a kick out of these threads especially how a .243 shooting a bullet that's .020" larger is great on deer out to 500yds but a .223 won't cleanly kill a housecat even inside 100yds

There are sevaral loads of factory .223 loads geared twards hunting deer at moderate ranges

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=564348

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=467277

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=891153

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=402682

Read the reviews for these products, they serve as a great source of info from those whose been there done that vs the "what I was told at the gunshop"
crowd

Whats the best .17hmr load

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Not even close, and you KNOW it.

I don't know where you are, but I don't have alot of confidence in .223 for deer.

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I don't recall that being the question.

Quote:
"I read your thread earlier. It is interesting how the question is ignored in ss many cases. The question still is which .223 load is best for deer, not if the .223 is acceptable."



Exactly....You'll get a lot of stories about why not, or why they don't, and the original question seems to float on out into cyber space universal somewhere...I still appreciate the replies, though. Sorry I don't have any actual test results as of yet...Like you, I'm looking for that right round for that specific situation...Be sure and post some results and pictures...We should be out testing soon....Good luck

Winchester 55g FMJ

both my does dropped dead last year with one shot. Fully exited on both does, one thru the heart and one through the neck. Range was 80yrds and 65yds. I liked the minimal amount of damage to the meat and not having to track. YMMV.

I retract my comments.

I did not answer the question as asked because the OP has 6 posts. I thought I might offer my thoughts, but the taskmasters are right.

You don't need exotic ammo. Plain old 60gr. Federal Vital-Shok ammo should be just fine.

Yes, you have to be careful about shot placement but you have to do that with a .308 too.

hboy35 Quote:
"Winchester 55g FMJ"


Wow...good shooting...Tracking is never fun(well, hardly ever)...I don't think
that FMJ ammo is allowed here, however...

Here in WV, we can't use under a .25 cal bullet. I've always used an '06 or 7mm

You really should not shoot deer with a 223 it is not humane too great a chance of a wounded animal. The amimal deserves better.

You really should not shoot deer with a 223 it is not humane

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I have to disagree. I have seen more wounder deer with 7mm mags and 300's because of flinching than botched shots with 22 caliber centerfires. A guy I work with has and old .222 that has taken more deer than 95% of the deer rifles out there. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a deer with a .223. I will admit there is less room for error with a 22. You need to pick your shot but a head or neck shot will drop them no problem. I wouldnt take a shoulder shot unless he was fairly close and was angled just right. I am not saying it is the best round to shoot deer with but is plenty to kill a deer. I personally use a 7mm-08 but if I was at my coworkers place without my gun and he offered to let me use his .222 I wouldn't hesitate.

As far as the original poster. I would pick a 55 to 60 grain psp not intentioned for varmints. I reload so I would load up some partitions personally.

Due to injury, I loaned my 7mm to my son and took a ar-15 .223 to the woods last Saturday. My worry was that I'd get a shot at the biggest buck I've ever seen and the .223 wouldn't bring it down. As it happened I did get a shot a 240 lb 14 point buck. I got a quick shot to the Lungs at 60 or so yards between trees. It went about 40 yards and was dead when I found it. I used
55 grain pointed soft points, Black hills brand. The next day my son shot a doe with the 7mm also in the lungs. It went over 100 yards. I am very pleased
with the .223 and the 55 gr bullets.

I agree that the .223 is inadequate for deer. I also think saying so is a very valid answer to the question - which .223 load is best?

As I've posted many times before;
Any 55gr PtSpt or heavier.
Well placed shot. This includes heart/lung shot.

Favorite loads: (I don't use factory ammo, but these will closely mimic my handloads)
1. Hornady 60gr SoftPoint (I saw these at Academy Sports in Opelika,Al last week!) I load them over 26.5gr of either BLC2 or RL15 in .223; 38.0gr of H380 in .22-250. (duplicates the performance of .243 w/100gr Hornady BTSP).
2. Winchester 64gr Pt.Spt. (I use the Sierra 63gr in my .22-250, 65gr BTSP in the .223 which has a faster twist)
3. Hornady 55gr PtSpt. (I use 27.2gr of BLC2 for 3,100fps from 18.5"bbl)

I've had more blow-ups and failure to penetrate with a .243 than either .223 or .22-250 due to the .22's being constructed not to "come apart in flight" from the ultra-fast .22cf's.

Just my observations from 40yrs as a hunter and 30yrs as a Game Warden.........

A 55gr in most older,i.e. rem 788 ,rifles w/1-14" TWIST; faster twist 1-7,8,9 (AR's)handle the 60+gr softpoint well.
75gr hollow points have worked well in a 243 for many a kid around me.

+1 for Win Powerpoint 64 gr

What ranges are you considering your affective ranges? I'd agree ,however .223 would not be my pick as a deer load, with using 55gr within 100yrs... beyond that go with havier if you must.

If a 22LR or 22MAG can down a deer, .223/5.56 will do it better and faster. It's illegal to take deer in VA with a 22 caliber bullet, but only if you're caught.

Doesn't ballistic tips offer deep penetration? Or would the ballistic tips in the .223 expand more rapidly than the ballistic tips in say a .243?