Deer Gun .556?

[Gabe22BR]

25.5gr IMR 8208, 50gr Vmax or 50gr BK are deadly on deer….

 

[David Milisock]

There has been a lot of discussion recently here and other forums on .223 for deer hunting. Many discussions have gone on for ad nauseam. My question is, with several companies now manufacturing 223/556 caliber hunting rifles (Henry Long Ranger, Ruger American, etc) rifles capable of firing a 556 as well as a 223, how much better would a 556 quality bullet be over a 223 quality bullet? Would you feel underpowered with a 556 if you felt underpowered with a 223? And would you feel comfortable going on a deer hunt using a 556? (Asking for a friend! )

The cartridge/rifle choice depends on the hunting circumstances and the quality of the hunter. In good conditions I would be ok with a 5.56/223, but I'd be more than willing to NOT take a shot.
In short range bad conditions for deer I take an 8 X 57 or a 444 Marlin.

 

[TTE]

I read where a guy killed an elephant with a 22LR. Shot it in the "arm pit", behind the front leg. I guess it died an hour later or so....

Anything is possible I guess, but I have doubts on this.
I have tracked Ele's for more than an hour with a shot from a suitable cartridge/caliber.

Unless I was able to speak to the person that did that, I am saying FOR ME ... it registers about a 90 on my BS-O-Meter.

That being said, I did hear of a guy that killed a Leopard with a knife. Did meet up with him eventually.
I determined he was telling the truth. He had a photo of the dead Leopard (small, young Leopard) and a lot of keloid scars to prove it.

 

[Jr solocam]

Anything is possible I guess, but I have doubts on this.
I have tracked Ele's for more than an hour with a shot from a suitable cartridge/caliber.

Unless I was able to speak to the person that did that, I am saying FOR ME ... it registers about a 90 on my BS-O-Meter.

That being said, I did hear of a guy that killed a Leopard with a knife. Did meet up with him eventually.
I determined he was telling the truth. He had a photo of the dead Leopard (small, young Leopard) and a lot of keloid scars to prove it.

It was a Peter Hathaway Capstick book, I read nearly all of them, but I don't remember which book.

 

[TTE]

It was a Peter Hathaway Capstick book, I read nearly all of them, but I don't remember which book.

I read all his books as well. I knew Peter .... we spoke about many things, including cartridges and hunting many different critters, including the Big 5. Don't remember him mentioning anything like that.

I liked Peter, however many of his stories were not actually true. Well, the stories were true, but he was not actually involved in many of the events/incidents .
His wife (Fiona) was a much better writer (IMO) and I wonder if she was not a ghost writer for some of his stories/books, of stories he relayed to her.
Some of his books sounded much more like the way Fiona spoke and not really like the way Peter spoke. However, that is just my opinion.

 

[Jr solocam]

I read all his books as well. I knew Peter .... we spoke about many things, including cartridges and hunting many different critters, including the Big 5. Don't remember him mentioning anything like that.

I liked Peter, however many of his stories were not actually true. Well, the stories were true, but he was not actually involved in many of the events/incidents .
His wife (Fiona) was a much better writer (IMO) and I wonder if she was not a ghost writer for some of his stories/books, of stories he relayed to her.
Some of his books sounded much more like the way Fiona spoke and not really like the way Peter spoke. However, that is just my opinion.

Really? That is awesome. Yes, he was extremely interesting. I was a farm kid in the rural Midwest dreaming of the big 5. Never did get there, but he was the next best thing. I am glad to have come across a friend of his, thanks.

 

[martinakl]

Probably minimum caliber restrictions for big game.

Agree, that’s what he’s getting at.

But… for the record, Idaho doesn’t have a minimum caliber requirement. Just has to be center fire (not rimfire).

 

[martinakl]

There’s a whole lot of posts on other forums about taking elk with a 223/5.56 loaded with the Sierra Tipped Match Kings. Supposed to work extremely well. I haven’t tried.

An example:


Here’s the long thread:

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...

rokslide.com

 

[Jr solocam]

Well there you have it. The 224 77 grain smk is the ultimate lower 48 big game bullet. Especially when fired from a Tikka .223. I'm glad this has finally been settled!!

 

[kochie]

Barnes LRX (Long-Range X) 22 Cal (224 Diameter) Bullets 77 Grain

The Long-Range X Bullet (LRX) line is designed after the best-selling Tipped Triple-Shock X Bullet, the LRX bullet design increases Ballistic...

www.midwayusa.com

i think 6mm should be the smallest round .

 

[mike mccormick]

Fellas.....a well placed shot from just about any caliber kills. A poorly placed shot from an elephant gun may not. If you are confident and capable with a small caliber, go for it. It doesn't require a 30 caliber magnum to kill a deer( or an elk)

 

[TTE]

Fellas.....a well placed shot from just about any caliber kills. A poorly placed shot from an elephant gun may not. If you are confident and capable with a small caliber, go for it. It doesn't require a 30 caliber magnum to kill a deer( or an elk)

All that is true.

However, if your family was hungry and you only had 1 bullet in 1 cartridge to harvest your meat, what would you choose ? Personally, I'm not gambling feeding my family on a 223.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Now where into hypothetical's.

 

[mike mccormick]

All that is true.

However, if your family was hungry and you only had 1 bullet in 1 cartridge to harvest your meat, what would you choose ? Personally, I'm not gambling feeding my family on a 223.

If I find myself in that particular situation, I will feel like I failed to prepare.....a lot.

 

[TTE]

If I find myself in that particular situation, I will feel like I failed to prepare.....a lot.

OK, and I agree. However, the question still remains

 

[mike mccormick]

OK, and I agree. However, the question still remains

I would have no problem with it.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

If I have to feed the family, I go on a night time walk when it's a bit windy and the moon is under foot. Deer are bedded and I can walk up on them and take the head shot with a 22LR/flashlight. Won't attract any zombies.

 

[dthomas]

Well there you have it. The 224 77 grain smk is the ultimate lower 48 big game bullet. Especially when fired from a Tikka .223. I'm glad this has finally been settled!!

77 tmk not the regular smk

 

[JEFFPPC]

So many opinions from so many with zero experience in the matter. Probably experts though.

 

[dellet]

These discussions are always a bit humorous. They always bring out two basic camps. Those that expect the bullet to do the work, and those expect the shooter to do the work. These discussions were huge around the 300 Blackout and even more so with sub sonic hunting.

My answers to the question of “is the cartridge capable” was always the same theme. Another question.
A 45 ACP with a 230 grain bullet has a muzzle velocity 9-950 fps. Would you be comfortable shooting a deer at 3 yards?
Generally the answer is yes.
Most 230 grain 30 caliber bullets designed for hunting with a muzzle velocity of 1050 FPS will still be over 950 fps well past 300 yards. Would you take that shot?
Most often the answer is no.
So to put it simply, the problem is you, not the bullet or cartridge.

A 40 grain 22 LR placed behind the ear will drop just about any land animal on the planet where it stands. So a 223/5.56 with a muzzle velocity over 3000 fps will do the same job out to around 4-500 yards.

Its not a question of if the cartridge is capable or not. It is if the shooter is capable with the shot in the conditions presented.

Most people hunting today probably didn’t have a mentor to teach them that there’s a lot more to hunting than pulling a trigger. Some one to call you off a shot that they know you can’t make. Some one that says “I can make that shot with that rifle, we need to sneak you up about another 200 yards, not enough day light to teach tracking today.”

Reality sucks when you find out you’re the weak link in the fire control to meat on the table system.

Way too many people think with a big enough rifle, the hoof is a vital organ. Not sure if they’re any worse than those that because they can kill a bull moose with air rifle at 500 yards, think everyone else should give it a try.

Know your rifle, more importantly know yourself and be honest about it.