nchawkeye

The bullets used have a lot to do with the effectiveness of a cartridge...Back in the late '60s I used a 22-250 to kill dozens of deer that were eating our peanuts and soybeans...These were 55gr fast expanding bullets made for things like groundhogs...In 1980, I bought a .243 and used it for over 30 years on deer, I realized I got much better results and blood trails...

Now, fast forward to the present...The military uses non expanding bullets...You can get 60gr bullets in .22 caliber like Nosler Partitions for the .223 and 22-250...About 10 years ago, my youngest brother picked up a 22-250 in a trade, he called me to set the rifle up for his daughter to deer hunt with...I bought a couple of boxes of the 60gr Nosler Partions and she has proceeded to kill dozens of deer with that gun...A .223 with the same bullet, put in the right place would do the same...Selecting the proper bullet for the game is very important in these two calibers...

Berserker

But I don't know why an able bodied adult would use them. If a kid, or shoulder problems, and limit yourself to lung/heart shots in open country, probably ok. Or neck.

homers brother

The military's selection of the 5.56x45mm has less to do with its lethality or wounding potential than it does weight and higher rates of fire that can only be sustained logistically with lighter cartridges. My basic load when I was a 1985-1991 was 390 rounds loaded in magazines and one bandolier in my ruck. It'd have been half that if I'd been issued an M-14, even less if it'd been a Garand.

Whino83

CalHunter

Many states don't allow 22 caliber centerfire for deer hunting. I haven't asked but believe most if not all of them would say the 22 centerfire calibers are either too marginal for cleanly killing deer or simply not enough for the job. The goal of game laws and sportsmen and women is to make clean and ethical kills of the animals we hunt. It doesn't mean you could never kill a deer with a 223. People have of course. There's also at least 1 story floating around of some guy killing a bear with a .22 rimfire. Again, not the best choice for the animal and risks just making the bear madder.

The military is restricted to the ammo it can use for combat by the Hague Convention which bars expanding bullets. I realize that sounds silly since just about every bomb, grenade, mortar or artillery shell explodes (expands) but that's what we follow. Other members have already stated quite why the military uses the 5.56mm round.

It's not a bad question and has been asked a lot over the years.

Nomercy448

elkman30

This is pretty much a straw man argument. The selection of 5.56mm didn't have anything to do with the VC's lack of concern about their troops. It arguably should have but Vietnam wasn't playing by the rules while we were. The U.S. chose the 5.56mm for reasons others have stated although much of the reasoning used in making the choice was based on us fighting another war in Europe, etc.

CalHunter

I've carried a lot of different duty pistols and calibers over the years but they wouln't be my first choice for deer hunting either. I agree with many of the above posts in which you've been advised why 223 shouldn't be your first choice for deer hunting either. In my state, bear season opens at the same time as deer season so I carry something appropriate for both.

Ridge Runner

Look up the 70 gr .224 cal no\sler accubond, it'll kill any deer, elk, moose that walks in the proper hands.
RR

hunters_life

Ridge Runner, you want to shoot a full grown bull moose with a .223 you better have at least one of 2 things. Unholy marksmanship skills or a really good will left with a good attorney. I've seen a mad moose, and you can bet your bottom dollar I would want something bigger than a .223 leaving a hole. Even hunting with a 1 3/4 inch 3 blade broadhead will make your butt pucker.