Pro-Line

Those that haven't done it are against it. Those that have are in favor.

I'm in favor of a .223 on deer if in the right hands. I've killed quite a few with a .223 and even more with a .270 and 30-06. The results were similar.

Sheridan

Is the idea to "try" to kill a deer with a .223 or is the question; Do you recommend it ?

You can bang a nail into a board with a wrench, I'd prefer to use a hammer.
Nuff said !!!

I know; but you're really good with a wrench huh..........................

fritz1

Have you looked at Hornady's new Dangerous Game Series of ammo? They offer a 223 with a 75gr. bullet, I suppose those are for those rabbid, attack ground squirrels.

sconnyhunter

Wrong!!!!

Its about having the sense to be ethical. The .223 is a very effective round. But is IMO, unethical for use in deer hunting. It is too small, lacks weight and performance characteristics necessary to ethically kill a deer.

We owe our quarry the respect to use a proper sized caliber not less, again in my opinion, than a .24 caliber.

The killing ability of the .223 has been proved time and again.

It is an ethical question. One that many states have decided for us, by mandating that no caliber smaller than X be used in the pursuit of wild game of a certain species.

fritz1

Hell here in Idaho we can use them for deer, elk, bear and even moose. Eskimos have been killing polar bears with them for years, I am pretty sure a polar bear is harder to kill than a little ole deer. Some of you guys act like a deer is a tough animal, come on now IT IS the easiest big game animal to kill.

halfbakedi420

if it isnt ethical to you, then by all means , dont use it. it appears as though you are one who doesnt use a 223 fer deer, so as mentioned, your against it.

yes, we have seen the killing ability of a 223, 20 deer inside of 4 years, speaks for its self...btw ..1/2 of these were takin by a 12y/o gurl..and only one went further than 40 yards...but most didnt make it 5 feet.

if you need the state to tell you whats ethical, then more power to ya.

the blur

NY, any center fire is legal. even a little .32 pocket pistol.

Then you read the other forums where guys injure a deer with a 20ga slug, and don't understand what happened, and they give up tracking the deer, because they spooked it off too many times.

Then above, guys shooting running deer with a scope, and they claim to be successful.

Sfury

While I've never taken a deer with a 223, I know many who have. If all I owned was a 223 I could take a whitetail deer with it.

Let's face it, whitetails are like us, pretty weak. Seeing as the 223 is the civilian version of the 5.56 NATO round which is often used in war, what does that say about the potential power of the round?

I use a heavier caliber because I want to, not because I have to.

I've taken more deer with a .44 magnum rifle then I have with my new 7mm08 X-bolt. Practice makes perfect with deer hunting.

I had to practice, and still need to do more practicing, to get better at shooting at moving targets. I took my buck this year when it was trotting by me. It was a clean kill shot. Had he been at a full run, I don't know if I could have hit him, nor do I know if I would have even attempted a shot in that scenario.

Redangler

My wife just recently shot her first deer with my 22-250 with a 55g bullet. It was her first shot she has fired in probably 10 years. The deer dropped right where it stood and was a very ethical kill. I beleive it is more shot placement and taking only the shots that provide the huter with the best probability of effectivness. Also it allows for very little meat loss so that is a bonus.

ipscshooter

Maybe you ought to do a little research before claiming the .223 is unethical because the states have decided so... I don't recall the exact numbers, but, I believe there are 43 states that allow the use of rifles for deer hunting and, of those 43 states, 38 of them have decided that the .223 is "ethical"...