If you HAD to use .223 for deer?

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that's why I sold off ALL my rifles (except for my 22lr) and bought a 6920. Wanted an all-round rifle for hunting and EOTWAWKI. So just wondering why nobody has mentioned the 70+ grs.
 
Another reason is that last I checked all. 224" bullets over 70g are match bullets and not hunting projectiles

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Remember.... a deer is a deer is a deer.... no wait! There is a HUGE difference in body size in the same species in different parts of the country. A .223 IMO, would be plenty with a good solid bullet for the deer I've seen in the TX hill country. There is NO WAY I would hunt the corn and bean fed monsters up here with one.

I tease my friends in TX about their antlered german shepherds, but a 200lb deer is common here.

I think that is why this subject always stirs up strong feelings. Anyone in MN, or northern WI or MI would be savaged for using a .223. In the places where the deer are much smaller, it is no big deal.
 
I have seen one in northern wisconsin taken by neck shot...didnt make it far bleed out pretty quick, it was doe though. However there are quite a few guys in my guard unit that hunt deer with a 6.8mm upper.
 
I don't doubt the cartridge is capable with a good bullet design, it's just not legal where I'm at.
 
It is certainly not legal in CO. It fails the energy and bore diameter test. As for the western edge of the Edwards Plateau: I know people who have taken a lot of deer with at 222 with 50 grain bullets and with a 223 with the 55 grain bullets.

However, the only deer I have ever lost, I shot with the 62 gr Winchester 223 factory load.

While it is legal, for me it is not ethical.
 
I used Rem. 55 gr soft points on mule or whitetail deer. Lots of people here traded their 30-06 for .223 or 22-250. All they hunt is deer. I do the behind the shoulder to the other shoulder shot. Two steps maybe and the farthest shot 220 yards. If you include reloading I see Sierra has 55 and 65 gr. game king heads. Might be better yet. Have fun and bangaway.
 
I wish .223 was legal on antelope, you don't need much gun for them. Whitetails here are not very big (only few in eastern CO).

I've seen mulies I wouldn't dream of using a .223/5.56 on.
 
If I HAD to use a 223 for deer hunting I would use a TSX through the boiler room, or a high speed ballistic tip through the neck. Keep body shots at archery ranges and angles. That said I would never dream of giving up my 270s or 6.5x55 for a 223. I can shoot through any deers boiler room at virtualy any angle with ease even if I hit heavy bone, that is a huge real world advantage over the small bores. Seen 223s used on hogs many times, they never impressed me as far as quick kills go.
 
I'll let you know how 65 grain Sierra game kings work once gun season starts. I load my own, but Federal premium sells loads using that bullet. I'm looking forward to it. Yes I have more potent rifles, but in this case I HAVE to use the .223, because I am hunting a place with special permission, and a pass through that goes a long way will lose me that permission. So in November, I will grab my AR and get this .223 experiment underway. (I built the rifle specifically for this hunt, with this location in mind. 1:7 for long bullets, 14.5" barrel for tame but doable speeds, Riser on a flat top for a standard hunting scope)
 
I bought a NEF Handi-Rifle in .223 (about $129 back then), sawed the barrel down to 16", then sawed the stock down to the correct length for a five year old and mounted a 4X scope on it. The boy proceeded to stack up an impressive pile of deer until he outgrew it. We always used the NP's from Federal and all of the kills were one shot affairs.

Blacktails are smallish deer, but I've no doubt the NP's would work fine on larger deer.
 
I think that is why this subject always stirs up strong feelings. Anyone in MN, or northern WI or MI would be savaged for using a .223. In the places where the deer are much smaller, it is no big deal.
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I agree, somewhat....but the buck I dropped just outside of Clearbrook, MN with a 50gr out of a .22-250 might disagree, if he wasn't dead within a couple seconds of being hit. Albeit, that was a 70 yd shot, completely broadside, which IMO is about the limit of that type of hunting. The damage was impressive, though.
 
I'd buy a crossbow, or use a trap to keep a deer immobile so I could kill it with a knife/bayonet/repeated headshots.

EDIT: I'm not too confident in the 223's ability to quickly or ethically down a deer. I'm not the best or the pickiest shot either, so that's partially to blame.
 
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thousands of poachers cant be wrong, the .22 long rifle works, why not a .223, in my .223s I usually shoot 55 grain soft points, most .223 rifles do not shoot heavier loads too good.
 
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.
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hornady 62 grains are good. and if a 223 can take down a 200 buck at 250 yards(personal experience) then in my opinion it is not a bad idea. just pick a soft tip bullet that's heavier than 55gr and you'll be good to go
 
I don't care how big the deer is there is NO deer in the USA that can't be killed with a 223.
In the state I reside they also won't let you shoot a big horned sheep with anything under 264. That excludes 257 Weatherby Mag, 25 STW, and 25-06. Just because something is a law or reg don't make it right.
 
mshootnit

What state reqires .264 or better for sheep? They quit easy. If I would be shooting at 250 yards or less, a .223 would take them.
 
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