.223 in heavy weight bullets for deer?

Originally Posted By: fw707I sure miss him.

You need to practice more if your missing!

I don't know who your talking about that is my answer for missing though!
 
lol.gif
 
I wonder, would the bullet carry enough energy at 300 yards?

A TSX or Nosler Partition would get my vote though.

Side note: I agree a .308 can be painful to shoot after a while, but when you only take one or two shots, you don't notice it at all. Especially with adrenaline pumping
 
I realize the OP was .308 vs .223, but would you consider a .243? Recoil is very tolerable, accuracy great, and longer range shots are easier. I agree, with the above post, when in the field I never feel recoil. If you are open to other calibers consider 7mm-08, 260 rem. and .270.
If the issure is recoil any of the above are vastly superior to the .223 and kick less that a .308.
 
A .243Win will kill at 300yrds better than that .223Rem, it recoils much lighter than a .308win (I have back problems but I can still shoot my .243win), and mine will shoot the Federal blue-box 80gr Speer hot-cor's MOA. That is MOA ammo for less than $20 a box, and if your reloading already then I would look at a 6.5 upper for the AR or something of that sort.

Also, I would suggest a good modern recoil pad for your .308win I have helped a couple buddies that had started to have flinching problems due to bad experiences with either shooting low eye relief scopes or heavy magnums too many times. It has done wonders for me and my friends, and could help you work your flinch out of shooting that .308win. it will make your length of pull longer, and you will probably have to adjust your scope position, but it might be worth it!
 
Wow, 223 v/s deer & S2 conversation in one
lol.gif


As stated the 223 is a viable whitetail cartridge. I've killed a pile with one. The 55gr gameking, 55gr BTHP, & 60gr HP varminter (all Sierra of course) all have proven very good. Even in the shoulder, if you believe that... (maybe not on 250# norhtern monsters but our little scrubs here & NC can't take it)

I've even killed a few (one @ 312 yard) with the 55gr Vmax. Shot one with it way back, just in front of the ham (right @ 200 yards). He went ~70 yards & piled up. For some reason it just works on them... You might not always get complete pass throughs but the insideds look like you used a 308. THey deer know no defference.

Flame on guys but I've seen it too many times...
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeOriginally Posted By: fw707I sure miss him.

crazy.gif
crazy.gif
crazy.gif
He was such a great, big hearted guy, the forum just wont be the same.
smiley-laughing017.gif
But I know who will miss his the most, it has to be the gang of 6
sSic_stretcher1.gif
 
I've killed my share of deer with 80gr. bullets in a 243 and it isn't that much different from a 223 with heavy bullets....Of course the key to clean kills with these light rounds is the same as with heavy rounds, shot placement, shot placement, but it's even more critical with the light stuff....

I'll bet there are two kinds of guys that use the 223 on deer...Guys that are very good and go the extra mile to put the bullet where it needs to go and the totally clueless that have no idea that the 223 is on the light side without solid placement....The guys here that have shared comments and pics seem to fall under the very good description...LOL

Personally I wouldn't hesitate to pop a buck with a 223, but I'd rather use a 243.....When I was using a 243 I decided I'd rather go with something with more power and purchased the 7mm mag that I shoot today....

From my experience the only time the big 7 gives me an advantage is when I'm hunting on the ground, spook a buck and have to take a long going away or quartering away shot....(I live in northern California and hunt on public land where you might only get one opportunity to fill your tag). The results of shots like that are seldom pretty, but the 7mm gives me the horsepower to drive a bullet into the vitals. I wouldn't try this sort of shot with a 223 or 243.....

Some guys might slam me for taking the going away shot, but to me it's part of hunting...On TV shows they seem to always have the standing broadside shot, but in the real world absolutely perfect shot opportunities are few and far between.....At this point I've killed around 30 bucks (that's pretty darn good in California) and I've yet to lose a wounded deer. I've had to track a couple, but things have always come out well in the end....
 
I wouldn't hesitate to use a 223 with premium bullets for deer if thats what I had. I may actually have to use my R-15 in 223 for deer this year if my Dtech 6.8 doesn't show up before deer season. I'll probably load it up with 62gr TSX's and go hunting.
 
ok thanks guys ...i stil have the finch in the field b/c of my mind when i shoot even if i cant feel the recoil if i know the gun kicks pretty good .... ive got a .22-250 .but cant go that high in bullet weight on them can ya? ..
 
I would rather use a 22-250 for deer than a .223 but I don't feel undergunned with either.

Same thing again though. A heavily constructed bullet is the key.
 
If Im not able to get my other project done for deer season Ill likely be using my 223AI with TSX's or 75gr Amax. Ive used the 55 nosler BT and seen several taken using it but is not the ideal choice.
 
Last edited:
I'm sorry, in my post I was only questioning the .223rem out at 300yrds. That is nearing the 1000ft/lbs minimum suggested power for any "big game" in the .243win so I would figure the little .223 isn't hitting the 1k mark at that range. I wouldn't be concerned about shooting a deer with a .223rem in general just at longer ranges. I don't doubt it could do it, but if the shots will be out to 300yrds regularly I would probably chose something bigger than the .223rem even if I was shooting coyotes.

With the original post stating this,
Originally Posted By: tntrapper my shots would be anywhere close to 300 yrds .

I was thinking that the routine shots would be 300yrds, but that may have meant anywhere OUT TO 300yrds. In which case I would probably not worry about it.
 
I have used these to take some pretty hefty hogs with little problems, even through the shoulders sometimes. Put it where it needs to go and things just die.

tn-1.jpg


Now that I am slightly more profficient at reloading, I plan on trying the 62's in the near future on some hogs.

I haven't lost one yet and generally don't have to track more than 40-50yds and most drop where they were standing. But I will admit that before every trigger squeeze I think to myself "Make it a good one".


Chupa
 
Originally Posted By: Chupathingy I have used these to take some pretty hefty hogs with little problems, even through the shoulders sometimes. Put it where it needs to go and things just die.

tn-1.jpg


Now that I am slightly more profficient at reloading, I plan on trying the 62's in the near future on some hogs.

I haven't lost one yet and generally don't have to track more than 40-50yds and most drop where they were standing. But I will admit that before every trigger squeeze I think to myself "Make it a good one".

Chupa

Yeah, but you can just suck the hogs dry cause your a Chupathingy
 
I killed my mule deer last Nov. with my AR while calling coyotes. My 30-06 was in the tent. The deer ran up to about 70 yards and he was legal , so I let him have it. I use the ATK LE Gold Dots. They're built just like the Fusion rounds, just 64 vs. 62 grains. They're a bonded soft point.
Placement was absolutely key, though. I ended up shooting him twice as the first shot was perfectly behind the shoulder catching both lungs. We were on a ridge in the mountains and I didn't want him going down the slope, so I stuck one right in his shoulder. Both shots penetrated through and through with the one farther forward actually breaking both shoulders. He fell right in his own footprints.
Without the followup shot, I think he'd have staggered off quite a ways.
 
Back
Top