223 for deer?
#21

+1...there's a reason several states have 6mm/.243 cal minimums for big game...
PS...On the bloodshot meat issue...I shot 4 deer this year with 140g Nosler AccuBonds from a 270 WSM...ranges varied between 46 and 248 yards...I didn't lose 3 pounds of meat total on all 4 deer combined...shot placement is critical for quick ethical kills and reduction of meat loss. I wouldn't want to chance a 223 round hitting a bone wrong and simply wounding an animal that takes hours to die...or longer.
PS...On the bloodshot meat issue...I shot 4 deer this year with 140g Nosler AccuBonds from a 270 WSM...ranges varied between 46 and 248 yards...I didn't lose 3 pounds of meat total on all 4 deer combined...shot placement is critical for quick ethical kills and reduction of meat loss. I wouldn't want to chance a 223 round hitting a bone wrong and simply wounding an animal that takes hours to die...or longer.
#22

I got to spend time with my family doing what I enjoy. That is a successful hunt to me, getting a deer is merely icing on the cake. I don't feel the need to shoot a deer every year.
I also know better than to use marginal equipment for a job such as this.

Second, leave the politics in the political thread. Where they belong.
Even a "smart liberal" should be smart enough to know that, doncha think?
#23

people, deer don't were bullet proof vests. A .223 will kill a deer with proper shot placement just like other cartridges. People hunt deer with bows...a .223 will do the job. Plus if someone wants to/does hunt with one they obviously have good shooting skills and confidence in their weapon. I'd rather see that than a bunch off ...Deleted by CalHunter... carry a magnum and are scared of the recoil.
Last edited by CalHunter; 11-28-2012 at 10:26 PM. Reason: Foul Language
#24

people, deer don't were bullet proof vests. A .223 will kill a deer with proper shot placement just like other cartridges. People hunt deer with bows...a .223 will do the job. Plus if someone wants to/does hunt with one they obviously have good shooting skills and confidence in their weapon. I'd rather see that than a bunch off ...Deleted by CalHunter... carry a magnum and are scared of the recoil.
The common theme here is...shot placement is critical when using a 223...that alone indicates that the 223 is a marginal option for deer (again why several states don't allow their use on deer)...have I seen deer taken with a 223? Yup...did they all die quickly, yup...where all of the shots perfectly placed? Yup...have I seen deer taken with a 22LR? Yup...same scenario as with the 223. Shot placement and skill level and the ability to restrain ones self from taking a bad shot (when that huge buck presents itself) is most important when using "small tackle", and not everyone is of a high ethical standard and holds the skills to do this...

Last edited by CalHunter; 11-28-2012 at 10:27 PM.
#26

making the "assumption" that "if someone wants to/does hunt with one they obviously have good shooting skills" makes absolutely no sense! Weapon chose has little to do with skills...
The common theme here is...shot placement is critical when using a 223...that alone indicates that the 223 is a marginal option for deer (again why several states don't allow their use on deer)...have i seen deer taken with a 223? Yup...did they all die quickly, yup...where all of the shots perfectly placed? Yup...have i seen deer taken with a 22lr? Yup...same scenario as with the 223. Shot placement and skill level and the ability to restrain ones self from taking a bad shot (when that huge buck presents itself) is most important when using "small tackle", and not everyone is of a high ethical standard and holds the skills to do this...
The common theme here is...shot placement is critical when using a 223...that alone indicates that the 223 is a marginal option for deer (again why several states don't allow their use on deer)...have i seen deer taken with a 223? Yup...did they all die quickly, yup...where all of the shots perfectly placed? Yup...have i seen deer taken with a 22lr? Yup...same scenario as with the 223. Shot placement and skill level and the ability to restrain ones self from taking a bad shot (when that huge buck presents itself) is most important when using "small tackle", and not everyone is of a high ethical standard and holds the skills to do this...

#28

Making the "assumption" that "if someone wants to/does hunt with one they obviously have good shooting skills" makes absolutely no sense! Weapon chose has little to do with skills...
The common theme here is...shot placement is critical when using a 223...that alone indicates that the 223 is a marginal option for deer (again why several states don't allow their use on deer)...have I seen deer taken with a 223? Yup...did they all die quickly, yup...where all of the shots perfectly placed? Yup...have I seen deer taken with a 22LR? Yup...same scenario as with the 223. Shot placement and skill level and the ability to restrain ones self from taking a bad shot (when that huge buck presents itself) is most important when using "small tackle", and not everyone is of a high ethical standard and holds the skills to do this...
The common theme here is...shot placement is critical when using a 223...that alone indicates that the 223 is a marginal option for deer (again why several states don't allow their use on deer)...have I seen deer taken with a 223? Yup...did they all die quickly, yup...where all of the shots perfectly placed? Yup...have I seen deer taken with a 22LR? Yup...same scenario as with the 223. Shot placement and skill level and the ability to restrain ones self from taking a bad shot (when that huge buck presents itself) is most important when using "small tackle", and not everyone is of a high ethical standard and holds the skills to do this...

#29

There are some things here that amaze me. People who think a 223 is a great deer round, but fail to understand the difference between how an arrow kills game, and how a high velocity cartridge kills game. If you do not understand ballistics, then that rules you out as having any qualified opinion on the greatness of a 223 killing big game. While a 223 will kill animals, which no one has questioned, there is the issue of amount of tissue damage, wound channel size, and amount of upset it incurs. While you do need shot placement for even a 300winmag, the size of the wound channel, and expansion, and upset are such, that there is a much larger area affected by a bullet vs the 223. What this means in plain terms, the 223 does not do much damage beyond the size of its expanded bullet, making the margin of error small, and a small killzone. What if that deer moves, or you move, and that 223 strikes the shoulder? Will it penetrate thru the shoulder, and still have enough left to do enough trama to the boiler room to bring the deer down? I do not care what you say about how good of a shot you are. Guns, and people are not 100% perfect. You get the odd bullet that flies off, you twitch when you shoot because you farted, the deer spooked, the wind gusted, etc. If the shot ends off a little with my 300, its still going thru those shoulders, or hitting the back half of the lungs and turning them to jello. With a 223, I really do not care to see it attempted. Anti-hunters are always looking for a reason to ban hunting, and label us as cruel. Using a gun that is illegal in some states to hunt deer, even if legal in your state, just opens pandora's box for future problems. What a great example you have made of us. Thank you.
#30
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 157

I know fritz1 has been banned but I did find his posts on the shootersforum, he has alot better pictures of the 223's performance. Here is a link if you care to look. I was quite impressed.
http://www.shootersforum.com/rifles-...22-deer-7.html
You wil have to scroll down to find it because the original post was on 222 for deer?
http://www.shootersforum.com/rifles-...22-deer-7.html
You wil have to scroll down to find it because the original post was on 222 for deer?