RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

I myself would stick with .243 or bigger. .223 is a varmint round. HCH

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

I wouldn't have any problems using my .223 for deer. I know the limits of both myself and my weapon. For me, it is enough for deer. Although if given the option, I would prefer to have my 25-06. But my general carry gun is the .223, so often times it is the gun I have when I run across deer.

For someone that does not have a lot of experience with a firearm, a .223 is not the correct choice for deer. People on here have asked before about their kids using them. Smaller margin of error and inexperienced shooters don't mix.

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

I dont think it's a good deer round, just my opinion


-Travis-

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

I shoot deer w/ a .223 from a rest in a ground blind. I only take head shots at 200 yds or less, they drop in their tracks.

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

you could think of it this way, the military uses the .223 to attempt to kill a +200lb man so why wouldn't it kill a 200lb deer?

on the Drury videos they have been shooting a T/C encore in .223 and have killed some bing deer with it on video.

if you put a hole in the heart i don't think it matters what size the bullet was.

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

I always get a laugh out of these posts...And wonder how many that answer that it won't have tried???:)

Recently we had this asked at another hunting forum...Many said..Why???
Turns out the guys nephew had cancer...couldn't shoot anything bigger...

I have killed many with a 22-250....back in the '70s for population control...Back then, nobody had a "deer rifle"...They had been wiped out of NC years ago...This was way before we had bullets for a .22 caliber designed for deer...My niece killed two does last year on the same hunt. within 30 minutes of each other...Both dropped on the spot...Killed with a 22-250 and Federal Premium 60gr Nosler Partition...I cleaned both of them...Both were shot through the shoulder blade and had a hole on the offside an inch wide...Just as dead as if killed with a .270.
There are several local guys that like to target shoot, groundhog hunt etc. They have .223s, 22-250 and 220 Swifts....All handload, they can hit a dime at 100 yards...And kill deer...2-3 a year for the freezer...They aren't what we would consider "deer" hunters...They are more target shooters that might own 50-60 acres and kill a deer on the backside of their property...They can pick and choose their target...Don't have gut shots to contend with....

I wouldn't buy a .22 centerfire for deer...But if you are a good enough shot and can pick and choose your angle then yes the .22 centerfires have enough energy to cleanly kill a deer...

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

Worked just fine for me. I killed my first 8 deer with a 223 and never lost one. It's all about shot placement shot angle and keep em within 200yd with a premium bullet and u'll be eating backstrap every season.

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

In most cases I'd say the .223 is barely enough to make a clean kill on an averageadultdeer.

However, I hunt with a guy who has taken half a dozen (andone lost) with his Mini-14 and SL8-1, most of which droppedin its tracks or took a dive a few dozen yards away just insidethe tree line. The issue, again, is shot placement. The .223 witha good HP/SP bullet can shred the lungs orheart if you hit them, but there is not muchmargin for error, in my opinion.

I'd rather have a little more power at my disposal (.30-06 or 12 ga. slug) just to be on the safe side, but I admit I can't help butthing about trying my BM M4A3 with its EOTech 511 and BUIS out for size. Maybe one dayif I'm after whitetail deeper south in a .223-legal hunting area.

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

It don't take much to whack a deer; however....
The "just get by folks" will need topass onColorado as the 223 is not legal for deer here.

RE: .223 enough for deer?
 

good for yote though


-Travis-