Thread: .223 projectiles for big deer

I haven't shot many deer with a 223
But am now going to be carrying a .223 G2 contender 14" barrel as my possuming and packrafting rifle.
Short
Light
Weather resistant
So it will be with me a lot.

I shot a big red stag yesterday evening with it and there were absolutely no issues.
But it was only 30m and a good neck shot.
Using factory Winchester 64 grain power point ammo.

But what are others using and why for this application for similarly large deer.
This is very different to fallow shooting.

Sooner or later there will be more marginal shot presentation and i just want to have every advantage

Thoughts based on experience appreciated

The 64grn powerpoint are very good either in factory ammo or hand loaded. Really, I think that you can stop looking. They have a great reputation.

I use hand loaded 69grn Sierra Tipped Match and Barnes 55grn TTSX in a 20" barrel on Reds. They seem to be equally effective but out of your 14" barrel I would stick to your Winchesters.

Following with interest.
I have shot a few with 223 and seen plenty shot by my Dad but mostly neck shots or quartering away on the crease/rib shots on mostly Fallow and yearling/spiker reds nothing big...explody varmit projectiles work great for those shots but would be a bad choice for a shoulder on a red stag.

I had the Winchester factory 64 grain ammo anyway.
Used to carry a mag loaded with it just in case i ran into a deer when out culling sheep with the AR 15

It's a lot less projectile at 64 grains from what I'm used too
1/3 rd the weight of my usual high power deer rifle
1/6 th the weight of my hunting muzzleloader

Not a very elegant image but it slid a long way down a very steep bush slope and stopped rapped around this bush just before hitting a swamp at the base of the hill.
One thing in the 223s favour with careful placement is 100% meat recovery

Iv shot roughly 50 reds using my 223.

Hornady GMX 55gr
Barnes 60gr TTSX
Federal Fusion 62gr

Have had the TTSX go thru a mature stags shoulder bone, take out the lungs, travel the length of the body, shatter the pelvis and lodge under the skin in the rump.
Pretty impressive for such a small piece of copper

I use Hornady 55 grain GMX. Seem like the business and penetrate deep.

I’m no expert tho, just thought I’d give them a go rather then Varmint bullets and liked the results.

I only use factory ammo. Good results on larger animals with
Winchester 64 gr Power Point
Federal 64 gr Power Shok blue box
Speer Gold Dot 64 gr (discontinued, replaced by 62 gr)

And heard good things about the Fusion 62 gr

Have a bunch of Hornady Frontier 5.56 62 gr spire point to try out soon

If I was reloading for a fast twist barrel I'd try the Swift 75 gr or Sierra 77 gr hunting projectiles.

Try 65gr Sierra or 55gr TSX. Use BM2. Currently killing stags with 53gr Barnes. What is the phrase...sounds like a grenade going off.

You've found one that works, one I've used successfully, and most importantly is endorsed by Tillys hunting companion Tahr, he and Brian know quite a bit about shooting deer

50 grn ttsx does the bizo for me.....being 50 grn you can push it a little faster....terminally they are same as a cup n core bigger round but damage is in opposite order...eg its the near side shoulder that has the most damage,farside has smaller hole and so far they have exited. 140lb boar at 100-150 yards went in behind elbow,took out vitals and broke offside leg,pig was immobile but still on feet (just) when I got to him...wouldnt have lasted much longer,retrieved projectile under offside shield,looks just like the adverts.