Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
sfed, what's unethical about a clean, one-shot kill? A proper shot placement with a .223 is much better than a bad shot placement with a .30-30 or an '06.
Ruger Mini 14 Effective hunting range on Deer?
- Thread starter bushrats
- Start date
- Status
MCgunner
Member
My main concern with the .223 is lack of bullet energy OR bullet mass. Beyond 100 yards, maybe 150, I think "unethical" is a proper term for it. Out to 100 yards, it packs enough energy, at least, with a good controlled expansion heavy for caliber bullet. Shot placement, of course, is critical, but hell, it is critical with the 7 mag, too, just not AS critical. 
I can miss the heart by a few inches with the 7 and he'll still drop, his off side shoulder blown out, but he'll drop.
I can miss the heart by a few inches with the 7 and he'll still drop, his off side shoulder blown out, but he'll drop. Art, true shot placement is the key to the whole thing, just the possibility of wounding with little blood trail to follow should the deer move abruptly. You are right a bad shot with any caliber is worse than a well placed shot with a small caliber. The wound track from a larger caliber may very well take down the animal even if it is off the optimum aim point. You know there are many people that overestimate their abilities especially when they get adrenaline going. That is just my opinion sir.
loose noose
Member
I'm quite sorry fellas' but the .223 is just not a deer rifle, granted a well placed shot with a .223 is better than a misplaced shot with a 30-30, or '06. However the deer is made up of ribs that protect the vitals, and can easily deflect a light bullet such as a .223. Incidentally the 5.56/.223 is not and was not designed to be a humane battle rifle, as it takes the enemy 2 additional soldiers to haul off one wounded soldier. I do know that a heavier projectile can plow thru those ribs and strike the vitals. The least caliber I would honestly recommend is .243/6mm for a humane (ethical) kill.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
"My daddy done tol' me," that if you hit 'em in the white spot, they don't go anywhere.
He was correct.
People kept talking about how great a shooter he was, so I figured, "If he can, I can." I worked at it a bunch. Having a couple of hundred acres in which to practice, and messing around with various loads and lots of shooting over several years, I wound up halfway-competent. With my pet '06, I figured that anything inside of five hundred yards belonged to me. I proved it at 350 and 450, anyhow--although I freely admit that the majority of my kills were inside of 200 yards.
He was correct.
People kept talking about how great a shooter he was, so I figured, "If he can, I can." I worked at it a bunch. Having a couple of hundred acres in which to practice, and messing around with various loads and lots of shooting over several years, I wound up halfway-competent. With my pet '06, I figured that anything inside of five hundred yards belonged to me. I proved it at 350 and 450, anyhow--although I freely admit that the majority of my kills were inside of 200 yards.
shenck
Member
I once thought the same way.
I was in the 22 center fires were too small camp. One of my friend's daughter hunts with a 223, and she has taken many deer with it. In all the years that I have known her, she hasn't lost one. Another of my friend's wife hunts with a 223, again she has taken many deer. When the subject would come up I would say the 223 wasn't enough gun. A few years later my, youngest son is now 10 years old, and wants to hunt. He is small for his age, and I start asking myself what rifle should he use. I have a 30 30 but he was too small to get a good grip on it. He couldn't work the lever very well, and I was afraid the recoil wold be too much. I have an encore rifle in 223. So I started researching bullets and loads. I loaded up some 60 grain nosler partitions, and started him shooting. Long story short he shot his first deer this year with it. In all the years I have been hunting I have only seen two deer drop right where they were shot. One was one I had shot that was almost straight under my stand, shot through the spine. The other was the one my son shot with the 223 this year, shot broadside through the vitals. The early youth season was warm this year, so I took the deer to the butcher to be processed. I would have liked to recover the bullet but could not. He will be using the 223 during the regular season, and if he gets another I will try to examine the bullet. As for now I may have to reconsider my position on the 223.
I was in the 22 center fires were too small camp. One of my friend's daughter hunts with a 223, and she has taken many deer with it. In all the years that I have known her, she hasn't lost one. Another of my friend's wife hunts with a 223, again she has taken many deer. When the subject would come up I would say the 223 wasn't enough gun. A few years later my, youngest son is now 10 years old, and wants to hunt. He is small for his age, and I start asking myself what rifle should he use. I have a 30 30 but he was too small to get a good grip on it. He couldn't work the lever very well, and I was afraid the recoil wold be too much. I have an encore rifle in 223. So I started researching bullets and loads. I loaded up some 60 grain nosler partitions, and started him shooting. Long story short he shot his first deer this year with it. In all the years I have been hunting I have only seen two deer drop right where they were shot. One was one I had shot that was almost straight under my stand, shot through the spine. The other was the one my son shot with the 223 this year, shot broadside through the vitals. The early youth season was warm this year, so I took the deer to the butcher to be processed. I would have liked to recover the bullet but could not. He will be using the 223 during the regular season, and if he gets another I will try to examine the bullet. As for now I may have to reconsider my position on the 223.
Other than "Thats what they told me in boot camp" I have yet to see one credible source that states the M-16/5.56 combo was designed to wound instead of being lethal. Its oft-repeated, but that doesn't make it accurate. If you're going to use THAT argument against using the .225/5.56, you're going to have to try MUCH harder, because, quite simply, that statement has never been proven credible, no mater how often its repeated as fact.
Lloyd Smale
Member
my opinion that if you use a bullet like a 60 grain partition a mini is a good 100 yard deer gun. Maybe two hundred if you get lucky enough to find a mini that will shoot well enough to do it and they are rare. Perfect bullet placement is an absolute nessisity using the 223 at any range though.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Fifteen years back, I too was negative about the ammo available in both .223 and 7.62x39 for deer hunting. I guess it's fair to say that the bullet/ammo manufacturers have caused me to change my mind. Other folks as well, given the positive results posted here for over a decade, now.
- Status
