If you HAD to use .223 for deer?

[Owen Sparks]

If you were restricted to hunting deer with a .223, by a goofy local law or whatever, What factory load would you chose?
(I know it is a bad idea.)
Most non-military loads are intended for varmits and use bullets that are too lightly constructed to be practical for larger game.

 

[againstthagrane]

Winchester makes a 64gr PowerPoint load that is supposed to be very effective.

 

[longdayjake]

Some of the professional reloaders put accubonds or tsx bullets in their stuff. Those would work well.

 

[Big Bad Bob]

Black Hills Ammo, 62grain Branes TSX

 

[kanook]

I chose a soft point that is the most accurate in my rifle

 

[rcmodel]

60 gr. Nosler Partitions.
53 gr. Barnes TSX's
64 gr Win Power-Point.

Matter of fact though, and although I don't consider a .223 a suitable deer caliber.

Put any 55 - 60 grain varmint load in the rib cage and they ain't going very far without lungs.

rc

 

[R.W.Dale]

I have used the 55g sierra gameking sp to good effect on small Arkansas deer

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[BADUNAME37]

It is not a bad idea at all.
I use 62g Barnes Triple Shock X bullets I load myself. I could actually go with the lighter ones, but have already settled on the 62g.

 

[Virg461]

With a neck shot, it doesn't matter....

 

[dtalley]

My dad only shot a .222rem when deer hunting in the Texas Hill Country. They are smaller deer (100#'s or so) but he never had a problem taking his limit every year.

 

[Justin Holder]

With a neck shot, it doesn't matter....

I've seen good performance from a Speer/CCI 64gr. Gold Dot soft point. Pretty much anything from 55gr. up in the right spot will kill a deer.

 

[ErikO]

As long as bad/long shots are passed off in favor of one-shots .223 should be fine. It all boils down to shot placement, knowing your own limits as a shooter and having good gear.

 

[Sky]

Having seen what the 223 does on big fat pigs (250lbs is big around here) I would use the 223 on everything but Elephants and Rhinos....< smiles and awaits for the flames hahhaha>

Actually the Lady in Alaska that pops Moose with the 223 and has success; I thought that was amazing but evidently she is a good shot when there are Moose in the garden. It is like anything shot placement makes all the difference....Lady who killed a Grizzly with her .22 pistol etc etc. It is like all the threads about caliber wars....They all will work it is just some work much better with quicker and more humane results.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Nosler Partitions. My son took his first 4 or 5 deer with a .223, starting at the age of five.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Winchester 55 gr sp's have been the most accurate in my AR, I would consider using this load if I HAD to use a 223/5.56.

 

[jerkface11]

Funny that on a website where .45ACP is good enough for bears .223 is still counted as marginal for deer.

 

[redbullitt]

60 grain partitions have killed a few for me. Keep the range fairly close, say under 150 yard.

 

[TonyAngel]

I really believe that many underestimate the capabilities of the little .223. As with most things, shot placement is the most important thing and ultimately the hunter's responsibility.

 

[rori]

I use Sierra 65gr Gamemasters and have no fears about killing a deer with it. Put that bullet in the kill zone and start making meat. Frank

 

[HGUNHNTR]

I use either a Fiocchi 55 gr sp, or the Winchester 64gr power point. Both loads have taken 5-6 deer with none wounded. Thats a better ratio than I had with my .243

 

[squarles67]

I got a single shot .223 for my son at age 7, he killed many a Texas whitetail with 55 grain Remington Core-lokt (what shot best in the rifle) until he moved up to a 30-30 a couple years ago. Never took more than one shot, only lost one deer in 7 years and it was because of poor shot placement.

 

[Cougar]

Heck, back in the early '40s (during WW2 when hunting stopped due to the war and he was an early teenager), my old man used to get deer for the table with his .22LR... Rem 550 autoloader and take a few rapid-fire neck hits to bring it down. So why wouldn't a .223 work?

That said, I myself wouldn't use anything less than a .243 or .244 (6mmRem)...

 

[HammerheadSSN663]

Hey guys, where's the love for 70 and over grains???

 

[R.W.Dale]

Hey guys, where's the love for 70 and over grains???

Except for your average m4gery very few commercial rifles have the twist for them. Like mine






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[mshootnit]

I've shot a few deer with 223. I have used 55 gr plastic tip and I can't remember what else. The deer I shot were all less than 100 yds and dropped like there were struck by lightning. Also I hit a coyote at 235 yards through the throat with a 60 gr partition, judging by the damage, a similar shot would have dropped about any deer at that same range.