Thread: 223 for deer hunting?

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”.

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.

Have shot more deer with a 223 than the other calibre's I've owned and cheap to run.

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.

Shot a large bodied spiker this morning with my 223, probably 85-90kgs gutted. Shoulder shot, 150yds roughly, 55gn Hornady training ammo. He was walking slightly away from me, hence why I opted for a shoulder/chest shot rather than head/neck. Angled the shot just behind the shoulder, the projectile travelled thru his vitals and stopped just under skin slightly forward of the opposite shoulder blade. It dropped him on the spot, in his tracks, and by the time I walked over to him he was in deer heaven.

Warning...daft newbie question.....what about barrel length, say an 18" barrel, how far would you be prepared to still shoot.....

serious question, my .223 has a 1 in 12 twist and is at that length, not confident to use it on deer yet, use my 7-08 for that!

Originally Posted by Scouser

Warning...daft newbie question.....what about barrel length, say an 18" barrel, how far would you be prepared to still shoot.....

serious question, my .223 has a 1 in 12 twist and is at that length, not confident to use it on deer yet, use my 7-08 for that!

Most all of the contract cullers are using this calibre...Sako shortened and suppressed. Most aerial shooting is carried out using AR15 though you still find the Ruger mini 14 in use.

I have the same 223 1 in 12 twist. Use 55gr. Why are you not confident in shooting a deer???. The killing area is exactly the same as any other hi Powered rifle.

Originally Posted by Scribe

Most all of the contract cullers are using this calibre...Sako shortened and suppressed. Most aerial shooting is carried out using AR15 though you still find the Ruger mini 14 in use.

I have the same 223 1 in 12 twist. Use 55gr. Why are you not confident in shooting a deer???. The killing area is exactly the same as any other hi Powered rifle.

Most aerial work lately is done with buckshot in my experience. Any shooters with the skill to use a rifle are seriously, few and far between.
Not to bad in the tussock when you can work them up hill and rattle a mag off and fluke a hit.
Plus hunting in low light on flats and slips makes buckshot proves more practical.


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Originally Posted by R93

Most aerial work lately is done with buckshot in my experience. Any shooters with the skill to use a rifle are seriously, few and far between.
Not to bad in the tussock when you can work them up hill and rattle a mag off and fluke a hit.
Plus hunting in low light on flats and slips makes buckshot proves more practical.


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Yes I had forgotten to include buckshot. I never used it much myself. It was hard to get enough lead into a target in the tall podocarp.

Mine 1 in 12 twist, 15.5 inch barrel. No trouble shooting deer at ranges out to 200m, sometimes further, most of the time within 100m though.

It is all about shot placement and knowing yours and your rifles capabilities. Nothing more.

Thanks guys, im not confident enough about shot placement, as im new, i get the heart palpitations every time i see one, which hasn't been a lot, seen 8, shot at 4, dropped 2.....

first kill, was on a deer farm, dont consider that a hunt, more an eye opener to see whats its like, second kill was a 'roar jobbie' cacking myself and a huge adrenalin rush......

hopefully a quiet stalk will result in me taking a deep breath and a more controlled 'placed' shot....now that the monkey is off my back....certainly hope so!!!!!