Largest animal CLEAN kill you've made with a .223 ??

I was coyote hunting on a ranch in TX for A TV show called "Just Hunting". We were going to a different stand. I was in the back of the truck and the cameraman was up in the highrack. The foreman quickly stopped the truck and says "There's that big*** hog shoot him Rod". "I can't this is a .223 and I am shooting a 40 grain hollow point!" I said. "Shoot him on the point of the shoulder and I promise you he will go down". OK
Well I couldn't bring myself to do that so I placed the crosshairs behind the shoulder and tourched one off. The foreman said I missed he saw dirt kick up behind the hog. I said "I don't know what you saw but I guarantee you I did not miss at 200 yards a hog that big." Upon inspection we found the hog 30 yards dead as a hammer. The bullet passed completely through the hog. I assume the bullet may had clogged up and never expanded and he saw the bullet exit. Anyhow we did not weigh the hog but I would quess it to be over 200 lbs.
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All three of these dropped like somebody pole axed them. Both deer were DRT and the piggy kicked around a bit but she was dead and didn't know it.
Both deer were hit behind the shoulder and the oinker was hit behind the ear. 60gr Black Hills Red Box on all three.

35 yds
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red x is where the Trashcan was hidden:
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Again, 35 yds. Pork for the dinner table, I was sitting in the same ground blind as the deer kill above. She was 55lbs:
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This guy was a spot and stalk, took the shot at around 85 yds if I remember correctly:
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I think he dressed at 135lbs, backstraps were exellent!!:
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Shot placement is the key in my book. If you don't have the shot don't take it, be confident with your firearm and know your limitations.
Trashcan
Death Card Calls
 
I have taken a buck in Arkansas with it, but honestly would never do it again. Most states allow the .223 to be the bare minimum to harvest deer, so to the Game and Fish Commissions it is adequate to kill them. Obviously I would only take 200 yard or less shots. I wouldn't go below .243 Win. IMHO.
 
Trying to get the most using the least is not always the best.
What possible motivation could there be to use the absolute least in hunting.
 
My ancestors hunted buffalo with little spears. I killed three deer with a bow last year /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif, and while it was a new experience; every deer I have shot with the measely .223 were cleaner kills than flinging a stick at them.LOL In the .223 days I was so poor that one rifle was all I had or could afford. The first deer I shot with a 30-06 was a 150lb doe in ND. It was at 100yds running, I hit it in the spine right behind the shoulder.. She did a complete barrel roll and slid ten feet on the snow. I though my goodness....... geeez what an overkill. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif But I think I would have not taken that shot with a smaller rifle. Now, I usually only gun hunt dear while calling and I just load the 22-250 with heavier rnds during the deer season here in SC. Also, if you can manage a buck thats 150lbs in SC you did well. They are not much bigger than dogs and reproduce like rabbits. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
ive killed probably 40 pigs with a 223the largest being one of the biggest ive ever killed at 228 pounds field dressed .. ive honestly never had one run further than 5 yards with head and neck shots which is all i will take with a lighter caliber. but most the time they just drop like they had been hit by a train
 
Quote:
Trying to get the most using the least is not always the best.
What possible motivation could there be to use the absolute least in hunting.



I bet you don't drive a hybrid. Hahaha
 
i have killed a deer at 320 yards with mine and it did not run a inch usin 45 grain hollow point and i would do it again if it presented itself. i feel vey confident in my shooting ability and my 223
 
Quote:
Trying to get the most using the least is not always the best.
What possible motivation could there be to use the absolute least in hunting.



You mean like "why do people hunt with a bow, or muzzle-loader?"

I have killed many deer with a .223 Remington. It is legal in most of our surrounding states, and talk of legalizing it in Minnesota. I do most of my white tail hunting now with a 6 x 45 (6mm/.223) All of the deer taken with either have been bang-flops.

Probably much like the folks that hunt deer with a bow, I enjoy waiting for the right shot. I also enjoy working to get the animal within the range of the smaller, less powerful cartridge.

All that being said, I don't know why hunting with a bow is considered being a "sportsman" and hunting with a smaller caliber is "unethical". Certainly if the bow-hunter was consistently wounding and loosing deer, he/she would not be using proper judgment. If a hunter gets consistent, quick kills with a .223, he/she probably clearly understands their ability and limitations.
 
I 've killed a crippled doe, her lower jaw was shot away.

I don't think the problem is the folks on this sight using a 223 to hunt deer. Most of us take alot of pride in being able to slip a bullet into a coyote or fox just about as far as we can see it. We know the BC and SD's of most of the bullets availible and have tested a bunch on game for years.

The problem is the majority of hunters that pull the old deer rifle out of the back of the closet the weekend befor season and if they can get close to a paperplate at 50yrds that "Good Enough". Give them the option of going hunting with the cheapest 223 ammo they can buy at Scheels and I think you have a recipe for disaster.

AWS
 
The largest and toughest animal I've hunted with a .223.

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Anything bigger up to this point and I prefer to stack the odds in my favor. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I shot a deer this season with a .222. It was opening morning of deer season and I over slept so I figured I would go do some calling. On the way into the stand I jumped a 7 point and figured why not. As I was ready to pull the trigger something spooked it and it turned cornering away from me. The bullet caught the back of the rib cage angling toward its chest cavity upon cleaning and dissecting to find the bullet we found it lodged about 7/8th's of an inch deep in its heart. The little 50gr SBK surprised the heck out of me and was actually impressed with the wound channel.
 
The .223 was never built to be a big game caliber! The ft lbs of energy transfer is not there to be a reliable across the board big game caliber! Go to hornady HITs and look at that data!

I'm sure there are those that can claim they shot deer with a .22LR in years of the past, doesn't make it a reliable caliber for such use! It was made for close fast shooting combat gun, then took on popularity as a varmint caliber.

Sure if you limit the shot and are a good shot you can kill deer with it, you can do it with a 22-250 as well, that is not the point! To state it is sufficant use for big game is lacking in a big way. How many people who see the 30 pointer at 300 yards are going tompass on it? Add in wind, a moving target or any other scenario that may happen afield and I'm wanting more bullet and more knock down power.

An arrow is far different the shock value isn't there, you must rely on a vitale hit to kill cleanly with a bow and arrow, they are a limited range weapon those that push it find out the hard way! As a hunt safe instructor I would never give out advise to anyone to use a .223 as a main deer weapon to be counted on in many situations. I have seen plenty of runner coyotes from this caliber, let alone deer!

With all the calibers to choose from and bullet choices we have today, no way anyone will convince me they are a legit all around deer killer! At some point this caliber will let you down, when a larger one may have not on big game!

I know some have a heavy bias on this subject for various reasons, but the ballistic facts are don't go hunting under gunned on big game!
 
I was helping on a ranch a few years back and found a cow we needed to put down while calling. I had my 454 in the truck but told the guy I was with I wanted to try my 223 out. It was an old long barreled bolt action and when I racked a round in she walked into a canyon. When I got a shot she ended up being about 100 yds away. Took the shot, it was right behind the shoulder with a 55gr soft point. She just stood there for about 5-10 seconds then fell. Never moved again.
 
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