Thread: 223 on deer

Nice work @Hunter_Nick. That really is a nice looking rifle, tell us about that.

Thanks @Dama dama it’s a rifle I had built a year or so ago, originally a .358 Winchester, but rebarelled this year in 22 CM. While the .358 killed well and spilled a lot of blood, the 22 CM is a lot more fun to use. The 358 barrel is still here so I can go back to it if I want.

The metal work was done by Allen Carr, and the stock is my own work.

That stock is beautiful, great work!

74 Targex. 215 yds. Into the nettles. Young hind.

Is that onga onga?

Originally Posted by nor-west

Is that onga onga?

Yep

Watch the dog after being in that horrid crap and on vets advice, recommendation don't be scared to give them an antihistamine if they get hit badly.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Watch the dog after being in that horrid crap and on vets advice, recommendation don't be scared to give them an antihistamine if they get hit badly.

Yes. Bloody hard on dogs that stuff. Seen a few get pretty crook, and died despite going to the vet.

That should have been "one died".

Originally Posted by Tahr

Good old mate came out with me yesterday.
Malc got 2 together. 55 grn PMC Bronze @200. He's a good shot - both high shoulder - one went straight down and the other was 15 yds away.

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I got 3 with the 74 grn Targex on the way back to the ute - all with a Sytong XM03-50 thermal. Highly recommended if thats your game. 100 to 250 yards. One was a big Red hind and 2 Fallow. Red looked a few weeks off fawning. Lethal combination for culling and meat collection. Difficult to miss really. The dog is a real asset when floundering around in the dark finding the shot ones. You lose some perspective through the thermal scope so it can be difficult marking where they fall.

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So there are 7 deer in the chiller, including 2 Brian and I got last week. Brian's one was shot with a dirty old 30-06. The rest .223. We will take a couple for ourselves and the rest will go to the soup kitchen. Jumped my '24 tally to 64.

That seems really late for a red fawning??....what would you put that down to Bruce?
Grass in the pictures is behind what we have right now in the top of the south but has also been well grazed.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

That seems really late for a red fawning??....what would you put that down to Bruce?
Grass in the pictures is behind what we have right now in the top of the south but has also been well grazed.

Just seems ordinary. They fawn up to Christmas. I haven’t seen a fawn at foot yet. Although the fallow are taking over so not seeing so many Reds. One of those Fallow had dropped a fawn very recently which was a bit of an oops. I haven’t done that for a long time. Something to watch for with thermal scopes - makes it trickier.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Just seems ordinary. They fawn up to Christmas. I haven’t seen a fawn at foot yet. Although the fallow are taking over so not seeing so many Reds. One of those Fallow had dropped a fawn very recently which was a bit of an oops. I haven’t done that for a long time. Something to watch for with thermal scopes - makes it trickier.

When we had the farm reds would drop November some early some late but generally 15th November was fawning time. That seemed to gell with local wild population maybe a week later.

I am actually in the process of reading this entire thread, it is a novel. I like the odd comment '...there is a picture of it posted in this thread......' Fantastic

Anyways, I have not come across it yet, but has anyone been using the Hornady 60gr SP? Reloaders has them for $35/100 at the moment and I was wondering if they may be a good option for deer?

Originally Posted by inglishill

I am actually in the process of reading this entire thread, it is a novel. I like the odd comment '...there is a picture of it posted in this thread......' Fantastic

Anyways, I have not come across it yet, but has anyone been using the Hornady 60gr SP? Reloaders has them for $35/100 at the moment and I was wondering if they may be a good option for deer?

Only one way to find out...

If your barrel is a slower twist (1:12" or even 1:14") it could amplfy terminal performance.

There has been some stuff about copper bullets needing an even faster twist to increase 'rotational tissue damage' but that's even more full of shit than the whole 'copper bullets don't cause meat contamination' theory.