Thread: 223 for deer hunting?

Far out Gillie, bush? Thats what we call a clearing at home

hey thanks for the info. i have shot plenty of game and always out sniffing around in the scrub. i know how to take my time with shots etc. i just wanted to see what other people thought as i have never used a 223 to hunt deer. i use a 7mm and i have had them run 80m before tipping over. i think its all about shot placement more than what you shoot really.

Well you should go for it if your keen. I love using mine. I always know I have made a good shot at whatever range by the loud click sound when ya hit bone.
That and when they fall rather abruptly from your sight picture

Originally Posted by R93

Far out Gillie, bush? Thats what we call a clearing at home

Yep, that is a beautiful spot that one, can easily get a 80m shot in the "bush". Not many deer there but we are successful more often than not

Just ribbing ya Gillie, but I am sure I have never hunted bush like that. It would be an advantage for the animals as well as they would see my boofhead from even further away

It is an area i have often thought a thermal imaging device would be a huge advantage.

A .223 will do the job, but a bigger cal will do it better. In saying that, I've shot more animals with a .223 than any other calibre, so they can't be that bad?

I'd say use whatever rifle you have total confidence in and that'll be the one you shoot the best.

kj

What 55gr pills are you guys using on deer? Any luck with the 55gr SGK's?

I've shot Muntjac, Roe, Fallow and a few Reds with the .223. On the smaller species such as Roe it would usually put them down as quickly as my .270 with which ever bullets I used. On the larger species they would often run quite a way with heart/lung shots and there would rarely be an exit wound so often very little blood trail.
As others have said, with good bullets and shot placement it will kill them OK but may increase the chances of having to search for them and this will increase the likelihood of loosing them in cover or fading light.
Also consider you will limit the shots you can take as penetration isn't as good. This might mean passing up shots that you may have been able to take with a larger caliber such as quartering away shots as the bullet may not reach the vitals.
The .243 or 6.5x55 are both relatively light recoiling and would be a better choice on deer in most circumstances.
However if you already have the .223 there's no reason not to use it as long as you know it's limitations.

Just got a Marlin 223 for my kids, mainly for goats and targets but it has a 1:9 twist so will be loading the 69 targex pills .... they should work a treat for those and maybee deer down the track.

I shoot deer all the time with my 223 mainly with Hornady Training Ammo 55gn, as I carry it in my truck and used it most days. I put about 100 rounds through it over the last 3 days just shooting hares, plovers, rabbits etc from the truck. Shot a big hind a couple of weeks back with Malhunting, shoulder shot, 50 yards, she took two steps and keeled over, Substantial internal damage and the pill went right through to the opposite shoulder. The other deer that was with it I shot a bit far back and it travelled 30 yards and keeled over. Farthest shot I have taken a deer with the 223 is 280 metres, ranged, shoulder shot and it was a bang flop. Young deer though. Bullet placement is the key, and conditions need to be good, ie not windy as etc. I've yet to lose one Ive shot with the 223, and have shot dozens. I think they are a versatile wee calibre in experienced hands where the shooter is happy to let an animal walk instead of taking a risky shot. They are a great calibre to shoot alot of rounds out of, say at rabbits and hares etc, and this is great for confidence.

take nothing for granted with .224 centerfires but with experience, correct shot placement and care for projectile construction you can have some excellent performance on the larger medium sized game.

if you are recoil intolerate or just feel more comfortable with the .224 centerfires it does not limit you in your choice of game in new zealand. although for optimal and consistant performance a premium projectile is required such as the barnes TTSX or scrirrocco swift II which are constructed to allow entry and exit on the largest of red deer at ultra velocities.

i would be wary as a projectile falls below the 2500-2600 FPS mark as massive trauma and hydrostatic shock dwindles under this point of velocity which can lead to prolonged kills in larger animals if you do not have a well placed neck / head shot or sufficent damage through frontal locomotive muscles and the vital organs inside.

ill keep it at that for now as it is a bit of a baffle with bullshit but if you want to know more i will gladly share

Draw a 1.5 inch black dot on a piece of a3 paper. That’s what you need to hit every time you shoot a deer with a .223. Then draw 3 circles about it 4” apart. You need to be inside the first circle with the likes of the 243 through to the standard 6.5mm, and inside the next circle with the .270-30 cal class. If you can only shoot inside the last circle, get closer or practice some more. Or give up, what you are doing is cruel.

I just made that up. But it looks like not a bad rule of thumb by my experience. You can argue the exception, but as I say to my students “ask me questions about what is most likely to happen, not about what is least likely to happen”.

If your a good shot and confident then yes, I have shot a shit load of deer with a 223, as has my brother using a 222. Great little bush gun for head and neck shots.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Draw a 1.5 inch black dot on a piece of a3 paper. That’s what you need to hit every time you shoot a deer with a .223. Then draw 3 circles about it 4” apart. You need to be inside the first circle with the likes of the 243 through to the standard 6.5mm, and inside the next circle with the .270-30 cal class. If you can only shoot inside the last circle, get closer or practice some more. Or give up, what you are doing is cruel.

I just made that up. But it looks like not a bad rule of thumb by my experience. You can argue the exception, but as I say to my students “ask me questions about what is most likely to happen, not about what is least likely to happen”.

I'd be happy to get inside that out to 250-300m with my 223.