Is a .223 big enough gun for antelope?

perch161

perch161

New member
A friend of mine goes out to Wyoming every year to go antelope hunting. He said if I wanted to tag along next year I could. All I have is my Savage 25lvt in .223. I am in the middle of building an AR as well but these are the only center fire rifles I own. The question stands, I will be shooting as close as I can get, out to 300 yds. Bullet weights I was thinking about using were 69gr bthp or hornady 75gr bthp.
 
You better check Wyomings regulations. In Colorado, a rifle must be 24 caliber or bigger with 70gr minumum bullet weight for antelope and 1000 ft pounds of energy at 100 yards. Wyoming's might be the same.

Key
 
Just an option if you have one. My buddy this past season got his goat with a muzzle loader at 125yds. Ate least in the eastern part of the state where we hunted, the hilly terrain and draws wwere very useful in closing ghe distance. He worked up his smoke pole out to 275yds.
 
If they will allow the 223, use Barnes TSX or Nosler Partitions. Those 2 should work just fine, but shot placement would be VERY important.
 
It'll kill 'em all right, but you can't use a .22 caliber in Wyoming. Maybe you should make your AR build a .25WSSM or some other >.24 caliber cartridge. Then you'd be set!
 
bownut is right 243 and larger to be legal in wyoming.
i've seen a G&F officer confinscate a AR and hall the hunter off in handcuffs over a 223 {was a colorado hunter}
i didn't know him but he got it at the game check station.
 
when I went to New Mexico to hunt antelope I took a 7mm rem mag and killed a good goat. but soon seen a little girl with a goat just as big taken with a 220 swift. so i would say yes.
 
Originally Posted By: kylesredapple.223 isn't legal in New Mexico either. Just FYI, but I'm sure it would bring one down.

Not to be nitpicky or diverge too far from the original post, but that's not quite accurate. According to this year's regulations, legal sporting arms for antelope are "Centerfire rifle or handgun; shotgun no smaller than 28 gauge, firing a slug; bow and arrow; crossbow and bolt and muzzleloading rifle." No caliber restrictions on smaller big game in NM. Elk, oryx, and bighorn sheep have the .24 caliber minimum.
 
Originally Posted By: DesertRamOriginally Posted By: kylesredapple.223 isn't legal in New Mexico either. Just FYI, but I'm sure it would bring one down.

Not to be nitpicky or diverge too far from the original post, but that's not quite accurate. According to this year's regulations, legal sporting arms for antelope are "Centerfire rifle or handgun; shotgun no smaller than 28 gauge, firing a slug; bow and arrow; crossbow and bolt and muzzleloading rifle." No caliber restrictions on smaller big game in NM. Elk, oryx, and bighorn sheep have the .24 caliber minimum.

I'll be dam
 
Yep, that's what I thought. I want to say there used to be a .22 caliber restriction on everything else, but not now. Technically you can hunt deer, javelina, antelope, etc. with a .17 Fireball if you really want...
 
I see that question asked a lot and my first though is "no"! Doesn't really matter what cartridge you use from 22 rim fire up, it will kill if everything is right. You really need to learn more about your rifle and what it can do. You ask an opinion like that on a site and you'll get a bunch of different answer's. All may be right but there's the little thing about how you use what that seem's to get lost in the discussion.

Those heavy bullet's your thinking just might not shoot in your rifle, to slow a twist. At the same time a 50gr A-Max wouldn't be such a good choice either. Both will do the job but only if you do your part. Using a 22 CF on game is where I think premium bullet's are really needed. I think I've heard that Barnes makes a TSX in that caliber and Nosler make's a 55gr Partition in that caliber. But when the bullet choice start's getting that critical, I think a larger cartridge is in order.

Take one step up and in 243 dia. and up there are a number of different bullet's that will work. A thing to keep in mind is that the trip plus expense's Will cost enough that you could get a more suitable cartridge and it wouldn't be that big a deal. Decent 243's and up can be had for well under $400 and will offer more choice in bullet's.
 
Originally Posted By: DesertRamYep, that's what I thought. I want to say there used to be a .22 caliber restriction on everything else, but not now. Technically you can hunt deer, javelina, antelope, etc. with a .17 Fireball if you really want...
The sad part is for the past several years you can hunt with a centerfire handgun of any cal.
rolleyes.gif
Soo there could be some idiot out ther with a 25acp.
confused.gif
 
I just read an article in the most recent "New Mexico Wildlife" in which a game warden detailed his son's first antelope hunt. Rifle of choice? Browning in .204 Ruger.

Rock Knocker, good point about the .06. Though I don't have one, I can see the near universal appeal and application.
 
If you don't have a barrel for your AR build and you reload I would suggest a 6X45. With the light bullets it will do everything a .223 will do and you can get some nice big game bullets in the 80+ gr range that would work on antelope and other game animals.
 
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