Deer gun a 223?

[SecondsCount]

The Fusion/Gold Dot seems to do pretty well. The 75 grain Gold Dot is well under MOA out of my 1:8 Tikka.

 

[K22]

OK what would be the recommender bullet for 223 on deer?
ty Don
ps my go to is a 7mm mag w 150 and Nosler B T Hunting. I would just like to try a different gun.

Just chew on this for a moment. A game animal is not something to experiment with by using a marginal caliber. I know someone is going to say they shot a grizzly in the eye with a 223 and dropped it. But seriously, you owe the animal a humane kill with a suitable big game cartridge rather than a wounded animal that escapes and suffers a slow death.

If the ethical reasons do not motivate you then consider this, what if you encounter a deer of a lifetime. Wouldn't you want to maximize your chances of taking the deer?

You already have a big game caliber rifle so why not use it for the purpose it was intended and use the 223 Rem for varmints and predators.

 

[marchx]

Shooting a deer with a 223 is a pure gamble. I shot a roe deer this season at 150m with a 140gr elite hunter, I hit the scapula and the bullet defragmented. And you know what- the shot was not lethal. So, even with a larger caliber it might be not enough with a wrong bullet.

 

[Jonnyofalltrades]

Just chew on this for a moment. A game animal is not something to experiment with by using a marginal caliber. I know someone is going to say they shot a grizzly in the eye with a 223 and dropped it. But seriously, you owe the animal a humane kill with a suitable big game cartridge rather than a wounded animal that escapes and suffers a slow death.

If the ethical reasons do not motivate you then consider this, what if you encounter a deer of a lifetime. Wouldn't you want to maximize your chances of taking the deer?

You already have a big game caliber rifle so why not use it for the purpose it was intended and use the 223 Rem for varmints and predators.

I have kill several deer with an arrow from a longbow. Everything else seems easy after that.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

It would never be my choice, when there soooo many better choices.

There's New Zealand stories about cullers using .222's back in the day, for headshots to preserve the meat, but more used the 303 and 7x57.

 

[akajun]

Try 55gr partitions or trophy bones bear claw. I’ve shot a lot of big hogs with them and a few kids killed their first deer. Never a problem

 

[ebb]

300 Savage, 257 Roberts, 7 x 57, 7-08, 260 Rem, 7.62-39, 6BR, 6.5BR, 7BR, 30 BR, 243WIN. With so many good ones why choose a poor one?

 

[choprzrul]

I prefer to choose caliber/bullet combinations for the worst case scenario....not for a perfect standing broadside shot at 100 yards...

 

[Link]

Ok so many of you have shared their experiences with that caliber. I have decided not to go with the light gun that I have. - Better safe than sorry.

The ol 7mag that I have used for 20 years, has taken quite a few deer. Thanks for your input.

 

[drop_point]

70 gr TSX has disposed of many whitetail in our neck of the woods.

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

my step dad used just standard 55 grain soft points for probably 15-20 years, never had an issue. I also witnessed it a few times. He swapped over to a 243 now, which is what I use. Never had a deer go more than 20 yards.

 

[CjC73]

it's plenty for deer. most will say you need a huge caliber to knock down those small whitetails. I used a 80.5gr berger full bore last year and it didn't go 15 yards before piling up. shot placement is everything, not larger bullets. I'm using 77 tmks this year and also have some 88 eldms ready as well.

pick the rifle you can shoot well and send it.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

it's plenty for deer. most will say you need a huge caliber to knock down those small whitetails. I used a 80.5gr berger full bore last year and it didn't go 15 yards before piling up. shot placement is everything, not larger bullets. I'm using 77 tmks this year and also have some 88 eldms ready as well.

pick the rifle you can shoot well and send it.

Some of those whitetail’s aren’t small, especially the ones that you want to hang on the wall as K22 mentioned above.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

223 with a 62gr tsx

 

[T.Rhodes]

I believe .243" is minimum caliber for deer here in Colorado. FWIW.

 

[K22]

I have kill several deer with an arrow from a longbow. Everything else seems easy after that.

I never found it "easy" hunting deer but that's just me. A big game caliber does not guarantee success, it still comes down to shot placement, but it does give one a bit of an edge.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Why do we even question these things since the 6.5 Creedmoor round is available now?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

^^^^ Sorry, but waiting on a doctor appointment and have nothing better to do.

 

[CjC73]

Some of those whitetail’s aren’t small, especially the ones that you want to hang on the wall as K22 mentioned above

The one I shot was my biggest and will be hanging on my wall any day now. Weighed 200#+ .

And it's just as dead as the ones I shot with my 30cal.

 

[HandgunHTR]

77 grain TMK or 73 grain ELDM both work great on whitetails well beyond 200 yards.