Thread: 223 on deer

I remember reading article in magazine over thirty years ago with fella using a hot .17 fired from 30/06 case.shot all sorts up to zebra. Our projectiles have come a loooong way since then. Funnily enough if you use Philip Holden's closing statements about the 222 the controversial one.... They still stack up today,it's just the line/ boundary has moved further out. The wee Centre fired still best in cool hands who pick the shot or walk away. I honestly don't believe that will ever change.

Any centrefire is best in cool hands that pick their shot

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I remember reading article in magazine over thirty years ago with fella using a hot .17 fired from 30/06 case.shot all sorts up to zebra. Our projectiles have come a loooong way since then. Funnily enough if you use Philip Holden's closing statements about the 222 the controversial one.... They still stack up today,it's just the line/ boundary has moved further out. The wee Centre fired still best in cool hands who pick the shot or walk away. I honestly don't believe that will ever change.

Holden reported years ago about a local fron Te Anau sneaking into the wapiti block and nailing trophies with a...triple two. LOL.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I remember reading article in magazine over thirty years ago with fella using a hot .17 fired from 30/06 case.shot all sorts up to zebra. Our projectiles have come a loooong way since then. Funnily enough if you use Philip Holden's closing statements about the 222 the controversial one.... They still stack up today,it's just the line/ boundary has moved further out. The wee Centre fired still best in cool hands who pick the shot or walk away. I honestly don't believe that will ever change.

Nothing about the chambering/cartridge, all about the bullet it fires.

Stick a fast twist barrel on and long mag box and the .222 can use any .224 cal bullet and enjoy the performance benefits.

A .22-250 and .222 shooting the same 50 grain bullet offers little benefit (maybe a few inches less drop and drift in trajectory out to 300m). The 220 Swift even less unless barrel and brass wear is somehow a benefit...

The only advantage that the recent .22 centre fire cases offer is correct case design and barrel/throat dimensions for the modern bullets.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Hey great report! How do you find the MDT Field, any issues?

The comb and toe are narrow. Other than that I liked it so much I ordered 3 more on MDT’s Black Friday sale. No idea how it compares to a KRG Bravo. I put my T3 CTR 260 in a green one and I’ll need to shoot it more to see how the recoil is with the narrow comb. The 223 doesn’t move when shooting, it’s flat on target and makes me giggle.

Originally Posted by 260madman

The comb and toe are narrow. Other than that I liked it so much I ordered 3 more on MDT’s Black Friday sale. No idea how it compares to a KRG Bravo. I put my T3 CTR 260 in a green one and I’ll need to shoot it more to see how the recoil is with the narrow comb. The 223 doesn’t move when shooting, it’s flat on target and makes me giggle.

Attachment 266064

Does it come with the bottom metal?

Originally Posted by Tahr

Does it come with the bottom metal?

You just supply the AICS mag and everything else is there. Screws come with it also. The Black Friday sale price was $209. A bargain.

Originally Posted by caberslash

Nothing about the chambering/cartridge, all about the bullet it fires.

Stick a fast twist barrel on and long mag box and the .222 can use any .224 cal bullet and enjoy the performance benefits.

A .22-250 and .222 shooting the same 50 grain bullet offers little benefit (maybe a few inches less drop and drift in trajectory out to 300m). The 220 Swift even less unless barrel and brass wear is somehow a benefit...

The only advantage that the recent .22 centre fire cases offer is correct case design and barrel/throat dimensions for the modern bullets.

Beg to differ. The Fatbum [22-250] and triple deuce are a world apart in performance. The 222 is good to 2 hundy and the Fatbum can sting to 4 hundy. Jon Williams used the Fatbum in the veniuson era and for that reason . He could not guarantee meat on the ground.

All this about shooting a brown bear with a 223rem....
I find it similar to doing something like catching a blue marlin on 10kg gear. It can be done, but why would you? Just to prove it can be done I guess, not to suggest it's the best tool for the job.

Originally Posted by Shearer

All this about shooting a brown bear with a 223rem....
I find it similar to doing something like catching a blue marlin on 10kg gear. It can be done, but why would you? Just to prove it can be done I guess, not to suggest it's the best tool for the job.

Some might suggest it's because a tool is doing the job...

And no I'm not referring to the rifle lol

I may have an old rod and rifle in the shed (maybe) from the mid to late 70s. The talking point here is the cover pic and article inside.
It was a stag shot in the bush beside one of the lakes outside rotorua. Can't remember which on.
The guy used a 22 hornet he had bought just before he got on the plane in Sydney.
That's how easy it was back then to bring a firearm in. Must've done whatever the obviously minimal paperwork required when he hit NZ.
Bought it for deer shooting so not a varmint rifle
A good size stag too

I was taught to hunt and shoot by an uncle of mine on his King Country farm. At that point in time, one of his blocks up near Marakopa was overrun with goats. The rifle of choice then was a .22lr shooting a Winchester Laser ammo, and we killed thousands with them. I didn’t know anything different - it just worked when you smacked them in the neck or head.

I was talking with a guy last week who moved from a 300WM to 7mm08, and told me he only neck shoots because he’s ’uncomfortable’ with the power of the 7mm…… So it all comes down to your frame of reference, and what level of BS you’ve been sold along the way.

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

I was taught to hunt and shoot by an uncle of mine on his King Country farm. At that point in time, one of his blocks up near Marakopa was overrun with goats. The rifle of choice then was a .22lr shooting a Winchester Laser ammo, and we killed thousands with them. I didn’t know anything different - it just worked when you smacked them in the neck or head.

I was talking with a guy last week who moved from a 300WM to 7mm08, and told me he only neck shoots because he’s ’uncomfortable’ with the power of the 7mm…… So it all comes down to your frame of reference, and what level of BS you’ve been sold along the way.

Yep well, Like you I grew up shooting goats and pigs with a .22 at Marokopa. Which farm were you shooting on? From there I Progressed in overlapping rough order through 303, 6.5x55, 270,222, 308,280AI,6.5 Grendel,223, 6.5/284 and back to 270. With some minor dabbles with other calibres as well.
Hunted with/ Took hundreds of people hunting, Guided for a bit. So those are my frame's of reference.

So I read what you wrote, and Call BS myself on your story of a guy only neck shooting with 708. Because if you are that uncomfortable with a calibre you wouldn't use it. Plus its an irrational position too hold.

what level of BS have you been sold Nick?

I ask because I feel that that's an unreasonable accusation to lay on most of the people commenting in this thread.

I’m getting the feeling this thread is about to run to it’s conclusion the way it’s going unless it gets back on track. Shame really after 158 pages.