Deer and the .223 Remington

[dogsoldier0513]

The last deer I successfully tagged was a 120# Florida doe shot at approximately 60 yards. The gun was a Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. The bullet was a handloaded Hornady 55 gr. Spire Point w/cannelure. At the time I recall reading all sorts of 'horror stories' regarding the high velocity .223 rounds 'blowing up' on the surface and not reaching the vitals of a deer.  I took great pains to select a 'toughly constructed' bullet.  At the time the only 'real' choices were the selected Hornady and the new Barnes 64 gr. SP.  Unfortunately, the Barnes bullet and my Mini-14 weren't compatable.

The bullet entered the right shouldered shattering it, penetrated the heart and both lungs, penetrated the left shoulder and lodged perfectly mushroomed under the hide. The doe ran 30 feet and dropped.

Fast forward a few years. The rifle is now a Bushmaster E15A2 HBAR with a 1/9 twist, but I am not presently set up to handload. A lot of work has been done on .223 bullets since 1986, as well as R&D work on the .223 Remington round itself. I know Winchester loads a 64 gr. SP designed specifically for the smaller Texas deer. However, I haven't read any 'success stories' written about it.

I also haven't read anything about the Hornady 75 gr. bullets or the solid copper bullets from Barnes. On deer UNDER 200#, how are these working?

[BRL]

Very interesting. I've recently considered using a .223 for hunting here in S. Florida as I have recently inherited 3 rifles chambered in .223. I look forward to everyone's input.

[SHOOTALL]

Where I hunt it is illegal to hunt deer with any 22 cal. . Some still do. As to velocity One guy I know who uses a 22 cheata that is over 4000 FPS has no problem. Others use the 223 with heavy bullets ( some are new on the market) made to hunt deer. Most of these guys hunt in other states ( WVA ) with the 223. Most wanted to use the AR platform. There is alot of info. in magazines these days with regard to the 223 and deer /hog hunting and the AR-15. I also look forward to input.

[dogsoldier0513]

FWIW, if I go hog hunting, I'll be using either my Benelli M1 Super90 or its cousin, a Beretta 1201FP with 1-oz Brenneke slugs.

[coyotero]

Put a 55 gr,60 gr or 75 gr(A Max) bullet in the heart/lungs of a deer with the .223 and it's a dead deer.I shot lots of deer in Montana with my .223 in the 30 years I lived and hunted there.I never shot one over 300 yds away though.

[Mohawk]

Used all the time in Texas for deer and small to medium hogs. Works fine through the lungs. My buddy in Dilly TX just when 5 for 5 with his AR last weekend on watermelon patch invading hogs. For deer you don't need a howitzer. What can a std pressure .38 or off the shelf .357 offer that a .223 can't? Bullet weight vs. Velocity?.... They both work fine. They all harvest deer if placed right..... Right behind the shoulder. I read about the tracking argument a lot. Tracking an animal 100 yds is really that much of a problem?

[DANNY-L]

I've taken several with the 223 and the 55gr. I also took a few useing 63gr.sierra's never a problem and I laugh at the people that seem to think with a 223 the bullets will just bounce off of a deer. As far as 22cal goes I've also taken deer with my handi 22 hornet with 45gr.sp All the above were perfect rib shots.

[deernhog]

Both bucks taken with .223 remington 55 grn jsp Nov 21 and 22nd.   My sons was a boilerroom shot at 70 yrds. Mine was base of the neck at close range neither went over 30yards.   I shot mine the second time because I could see him raise up but he was done for on the first shot.

[rem700-3]

Here is another one that had no idea that a .223 would kill her.  A friend borrowed my rifle for the morning,293 pounds and shot just behind the shoulder with a 55gr sxsp at 104 yards. She went about 12 yards.  If it works on her , there has never been a deer born that it wont work on.

[Swampman]

A .22LR will do the job but there are more suitable cartridge.  Tennessee used to have a .24 caliber min.  I liked that.

[SHOOTALL]

A .22LR will do the job but there are more suitable cartridge.  Tennessee used to have a .24 caliber min.  I liked that.

A poacher may disagree . Va.law says larger than 23 cal.

[Camp Cook]

I've never shot a deer with a 223 before but have shot over 20 sitka blacktail in the Queen Charlotte Islands off the BC coast just south of Alaska with a 22-250 loaded with 55gr Sieraa spire points @ 3660fps.

Jan of this year I purchased a 18.6" 1-9" twist Robinson Arms XCR-L in 223 then added a 6.8spc conversion kit so parked the 223 up until a few days ago I just loaded some 62gr TSX with 25.5grs Varget seated to COL of 2.260" velocity is only 2800fps but my first 4 shots measured into lappr 3/4" @ 100 yards.

If it's possible I'd like to work up to 26.5grs would like to be pushing these bullets a little faster ---> to at least 2900fps but if I have to stay with the 25.5gr/2800fps load I will be more than happy due to the accuracy I am getting with the load and I will not hesitate to hunt deer with this combo.

[APEX PREDATOR]

i use a 243 and the deer never go 20 yards and i no people that shoot 22-250s and it buts em down.

[FourBee]

Here in SE Oklahoma many of the old-timers have set aside their large caliber rifles and now use the .223 Remington w/ 55gr. bullets for deer hunting with excellent results.    

[APEX PREDATOR]

yeah here in pa there is no need for 30 06 for deer my 243 will get the job done anywere-anytime.

[deernhog]

The .223 does the job but I think the .243 would be a better choice. Just an opinion.   A well placed shot is the priority not a bigger caliber.

[Hooker]

I'd say that a well place shot is a priority regardless of caliber that placement becomes much more critical with smaller rounds . My one and only personal experience with a 223 on deer left me thinking that as a deer cartridge the 223 is marginal at best.
Not that it dose not make a good choice for deer but it's limitations are less than acceptable  for me personally. I do like the 223 very much just not as a deer cartridge. In my observations of others who use the 223 it seems to work best in open areas under 200 yards in an accurate rifle.

Pat

[mcwoodduck]

The .223 does the job but I think the .243 would be a better choice. Just an opinion.   A well placed shot is the priority not a bigger caliber.

+1.
I think a bullet constructed for the game you hare hunting is a good idea too.
A 40 grain varmint gernade would not make a good deer bullet in either caliber.
But a well constructed bullet that will punch deep enough to reach the vitals would be good.

[Land_Owner]

I think a bullet constructed for the game you hare hunting is a good idea too.

And I would agree.  I prefer a 62 gr Nosler Partition for the .223.  

A 40 grain varmint gernade would not make a good deer bullet in either caliber.

But would a 55 gr Hornady V-Max or 50 gr Varmint Nightmare Extreme Prem. Soft Point GET THE JOB DONE on a deer if that was your loading at the time the deer (or hog) participated?  

[Swampman]

I have a 700ADL in .223 with the standard sporter weight barrel.  Will it handle 62 grain bullets ok?  I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet.

[Mohawk]

My childhood friend hunted with a .222 Rem 50gr SP for years on deer and never had a problem.  I think placement is everything unless its just ridiculous...i.e.- A .223 for dangerous game or the like. But for deer(whitetails).... why not. True bullet selection is involved buy how hard should that really be?

[Hooker]

I have a 700ADL in .223 with the standard sporter weight barrel.  Will it handle 62 grain bullets ok?  I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet.

It would depend on your twist rate, use the Greenhill Formula to determine the optimal twist for a given bullet. The formula is T=150(d/r) for velocities from about 1500 to 2800 fps. Substitute 180 for the 150 value for velocities exceeding 2800 fps. "T" is the twist rate. "d" is the bullet diameter. "r" is the bullet length to diameter ratio (length of bullet divided by diameter)

Pat

[Swampman]

I'm pretty sure this one is 1:12"

[Camp Cook]

60grs is probably max for a 1-12" twist.

My most accurate load for my 1-12" twist 21" 223 barreled T/C Contender carbine are 40gr V-Max with H322 powder = 3400fps

Most accurate lbullets in my 1-9" twist 223's are 60gr - 62gr bullets.oads

[Mohawk]

The 55gr standard soft points will do the trick. Rem, Fed, Win....... Just MHO. If legal, the standard geen tipped SS109 aren't bad. Though it is a FMJ it does fine if feeder huntiing under 50 yds. Not uncommon in TX. At that distance it's terminal ballistics is nothing like a FMJ. More like a strong SP.