223

[buckmastr229]

CAn any one tell me bout a 223

[KYhunter14]

I deer hunt with a Ruger 223, which my family thinks is crazy. I don't take risky shots in windy conditions, but this is the best shooting rifle I have ever owned. When i put the scope on a deer, it is pretty much over for him. Of course now that I said that I will miss a monster next season. Most wouldnt advise using a 223 to deer hunt, but I am most comfortable with it because I know how it shoots.

[mrfishy34]

i jus bougt one for varmet. work well for deer also. my uncle has shot 3 deer with one and i seen the deer go down jus as well as with his 7mm. and they are very inexpensive to shoot. great varmet rifle.

[TREEDOG]

Great for varmints and coyotes.

[mainehunt]

I have had one for years. A single shot. Has killed a deer, porcupines, groundhogs and a fox. Not real exciting, but very accurate.

Now I have an AR15 Bushmaster. VERY EXCITING, just love that rifle!

[Ridge Runner]

developed for the military and designated as the 5.56x45 nato, it was quickly accepted buy the public when remington started producing it as the commercial 223 remington. a little lower in pressure and a much shorter chamber lead than the 5.56 it is an excellant varmint round. producing around 3000 fps with a 55 gr. bullet it has decent trajectories to about 350-400 yds on varmints. Ammo companies are now loading ammo with bullets geared toward hunting the smaller whitetails. ammo is readily available and very cheap. probably the best value in a varmint rifle so much so that I have 5!!!
RR

[Nomercy]

Mainehunt kinda touched on something that I think is quite important...IT DEPENDS WHICH RIFLE YOU'RE SHOOTING!!! If you're shooting a heavy bbled bolt action "Varmint" rifle with a good glass, a good load, and a LOT of practice, you can take coyotes to around 400yrds easy and other small game to 600yrds, and I'll throw in deer to about 150yrds-it may be able to do more, but I know even with the most accurate rifle, I'd never do more than 150yrds with a .223 or my preference, the .22-250.

If you're shooting a AR-15 type, unless it's a hyped up competition or varminter model, you're not going to be looking at the same accuracy level beyond 100yrds or so, there are a good number of them that can shoot pretty close to equal with some heavy bbl bolt guns, but they're not going to outshoot them on average. I'd probably be comfortable for coyotes to 250yrds, and small game to 400yrds with my AR-15, it's a M-4 variant for 3gun races, incredibly accurate and a little "tricked out", I'd use it for deer to probably 100yrds if it were legal, which it isn't in my state.

I know there are a lot of people that use 22cals for deer at longer ranges that I've described, and that's great for them, I never have because it's not legal for me, but on an moral note, I would use one if legal, just not past 100-150yrds...I know how they perform on small game and just don't trust small diameter, lightweight bullets at a great range, if even just for the fact that I can't be certain EXACTLY where the game was standing by the time I get there, so I might not find a bloodtrail, I'd imagine a .223 would kill deer to 300yrds or more if properly placed, but it might take a day for them to bleed out, and if you don't find the blood trail, you'll never find the deer.

[thndrchiken]

Great cartridge for plinking, target shooting, varmint and predator. Will it kill deer, sure but wouldn't be my choice with more capable guns in the safe. Cheap ammo and accurate. Many different configurations to choose from.