# Another opinions post...



## isaacdahl (Feb 27, 2010)

I personally wouldn't take the chance with a .223 on deer. I'm sure it'd be usable if you were to use a good bullet and kept your shots within 100yds but it'd still be less than ideal. Almost the same deal with a .243 but it'd be a little better. Why don't you just go with a .270?


----------



## parkerd (Sep 30, 2010)

Will it kill deer? Yes. Is it in my opinion the better deer rifle out there No. A good .223 will be around the same price of a good .270 or 30-06... I have a .280 sako that i will be using next year hopefully for deer hunting it's a little bit faster than a .270 and a bit heavier than the 30-06 but i chose a heavier bullet and if those Hornaday's hit a deer I know she won't go far... You have to think ammo also .223 and 30-06 are probably the most popular round's out there EVERY store carries these rounds... If I were you I would maybe see some balistic gel testings yes i know thats used for human flesh but theres not a ton of difference in our skin and theres except it being tougher.. Also I would shoot both have you shot a 12 Gauge or own one? Ever since is started shooting my 12 GA i can't feel the difference on recoil and im guessing that's why you don't want the .270 or 30-06?


----------



## outdoorkid1 (Nov 20, 2010)

Oh yes, a .223 will work fine. We use to use the 22-250 and it tore the insides up more than the 30-06


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 15, 2011)

If you wanted to shoot a deer with a 223 it would have to be within 50 yds. Even at that range its still risky. You're only talking about a 45-60 grain bullet. 

If you hit the shoulder, the bullet would fragment and you have your self a wounded deer.


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 15, 2011)

Haha me and Josh. Never the same opinions..


----------



## Rebel17 (Aug 23, 2011)

No, recoil doesnt bother me at all... ive shot a 270 and it wasnt bad... The reson i want to get a 223 is because it would be the gun that I can put in a tractor or truck and not reall have to worry about it much. I would not use this gun for just deer... we have alot of cyotes and smaller game that would be perfect for a .223


----------



## Rebel17 (Aug 23, 2011)

Shot placment everybody!!! lol:tongue:


----------



## gunner77 (Jan 24, 2009)

Rebel17 said:


> No, recoil doesnt bother me at all... ive shot a 270 and it wasnt bad... The reson i want to get a 223 is because it would be the gun that I can put in a tractor or truck and not reall have to worry about it much. I would not use this gun for just deer... we have alot of cyotes and smaller game that would be perfect for a .223


just because its a .223 doesnt mean the gun is smaller in size u could carry my 3006 bolt gun just as easy, when it comes to the .223 good luck tracking ur wounded deer.


----------



## Rebel17 (Aug 23, 2011)

Agian.....................................................................Shot Placement!!!


----------



## allensfoto (Nov 19, 2010)

I will probably catch heck for this post but.. here goes.. i have killed most of my deer with a ruger mini14 .223 cal.. i love it because it is fast, and flat, and compact.. however a twig will deflect the bullet . so shooting lane and shot placement are so very important but if your in a field it wont matter. i shoot mostof my deer in the neck.. 1. it damages no meat except the neck.. they don't run and it's quick and clean.. all this being said if i hunt on my property near my home it is very dense woods and i go with my 30-30.. my .223 is one of the most fun gun i have to shoot .. i love picking off yotes at long distance.. depending on your tractor i mounted a 4wheeler gun rack on the finder of mine ant the ruger fit great.. and was easy to access..


----------



## jrr051468 (Oct 14, 2011)

There is nothing wrong with using a 223 for deer IF you accept it's limitations. Bullet choice and effective range are both much more limited as opposed to other larger, maybe more suitable calibers. As a former 12 year SWAT sniper, I used and tested both the 223 and 308 extensively. 

To me, your most important decision will be bullet selection. You should only consider bullets weights of 55 grs or higher. The 60 gr Nosler partition at about 3100 fps will kill anything you point it at. As it hits and begins to penetrate, the nose section will expand and shed off of the main body as "shrapnel" causing massive internal damage due to the tempory wound channel caused by hydrostatic shock and tissue damage caused by the multiple small particles of lead. The rear main part of it will do as designed and continue to penetrate for 10-12 inches causing deep tissue damage due to the continuation of the permanent wound channel. The other most highly recommended bullets are the 55 gr Trophy Bonded loaded by Federal, the 64 gr Power point loaded by Wichester and the Barnes X bullet of any weight (55, 60). These bullets are actually designed for deer sized game and will hold together well and penetrate. 

Absolutely NO ballistic tip, hollow point or varmint tip bullets qualify as a deer bullets. You will get lucky with a varmint bullet sometimes or get away with shooting a small deer or two with it, but you will get that shot one day where you will punch a good sized buck in the shoulder with one and only get 2-3 inch of penetration and an explosive shallow wound. You will regret not going with a solidly designed bullet

Limitations on range are your responsiblity. My personnal limits would not exceed 200 yds. Even with a properly constructed bullet, bullet weight and energy levels are only half that of better deer rounds like the fantastic old 270...

Consider a 260, 7mm-08 or 308... much better... 

Hope that helps.


----------



## parkerd (Sep 30, 2010)

Just a question here yes good shot placement with a .223 but what if? What if something hits the bullet what if you jerk at the last second what if your scope has moved or is moving??? With a heavier round this is not as critical as with the .223.. you won't have to worry so much... And if you in a tractor your cutting field or whatever your doing chances are the deer aren't going to be withing a hundred yards or so?!


----------



## Ignition kid (Oct 7, 2008)

my first deer rifle was a single shot new englands .223, just make sure u use a hollow point or soft point instead of accidentally using a full metal jacket bullet like I did on my first deer my accident, I had no blood trail but it didnt run 50 yards.
my current rifles are a Ruger M77 Mark 2 laminate compact stainless in a 7mm-08 which is basically a 7mm bullet in a trimmed down .308 case, the one I got is incredicly accurate, 3 shot group at 100 yards with reloads I got 2 bullets touching and 1 an 8th of an inch away from the other 2 and that's a stock rifle with a 16.5" barrel and they have real good ballistics.
and my other rifle is a Ruger M77 Mark 2 all weather rifle with a composite stock, timney trigger and is a .270 but I havent shot it yet but my dad has a browning 270 and its a tack driver and is an excellent deer and elk rifle, but if u dont want a big rifle a .223 will do plenty good and if u got a 7mm-08 you would be extremely happy, not much recoil, little less than a .270 but has very good ballistics and is a great caliber.
and of course any gun will do the job if u put in the the right spot.
u could get u a ruger 10-22 with a scope on it and kill a deer at 100 yards if u put it right behind the shoulder like u would any other deer.


----------



## isaacdahl (Feb 27, 2010)

Good point Clint. A 7mm-08 or similar "inbetween" cartridge would be better yet if you don't want to go with anything to big.


----------



## War_Valley_Boy (Sep 19, 2010)

All i hunt with now is a .223 and i shoot over a 100 yards with them all the time I was hunting with a 280 but made the switch to a 22-250 and a 223 last year. I love them both and wouldnt trade them for anything, but shot placement is what its all about. Yes if you hit them in the shoulder you just going to wound it but the neck it will drop it almost where it stands. I use a 45 grain bullet with a balistic tip its a small bullet going very fast but this year im going to be using a 55 grain bullet which will be a little slower but will have little more power. So if your going to want to shoot them behind the shoulder and will be blood trailing it i would go with a .243 or maybe a 7mm. My dad hurt his back and he cant shoot anything with a big recoil he hunts with a .243 or a 22-250 and he doesnt think twice about making a 200 yard shot. So my opinion is if you want it to hunt with do it but be sure you can hit them in the right spot because its not like a bigger gun where it will break threw the shoulder and still kill it the last thing you want it a wounded deer. If you have any questions about loads or want pictures of what a 223 will do when it hits just send me a pm and i will send some pics of some of the deer i have shot and some of the bullets i shoot.


----------



## N7709K (Dec 17, 2008)

will i ever use one, no never.. can i, do i know my ability? yes, but i prefer to use a safety buffer. you basically have to shoot them very close or in the head to make sure you don't just wound them. there isn't much to a .223. yes, but i prefer to use a safety buffer. Why people choose to use them is beyond me, if you can't handle the recoil you shouldn't be out there.. you won't ever feel it when you shoot at an animal. 

I shoot a -06 and i won't change for mn, unless i possibly go to a .308 just so i don't have to take two diff kinds off ammo and i can get an ar platform in 7.62. If i move back to alaska, i'll keep the -06 for deer and caribou but a 7mm or 300 win is in order for whats left. Not because it is generally needed, but i don't wanna find myself without one.


----------



## NDbowhunter31 (Mar 28, 2009)

im going to say this. ive shot more deer with my 223 then i have with my 30-06. i live in north dakota so its pretty flat so most shots are over 200 yards.I takedown deer one shot no problem. i shot a deer this year at 425 yards in the lungs and it dropped and never flinched. do some research and learn your gun inside and out its plenty of power for killing a deer at long range. get out and practice and always remeber SHOT PLACEMENT.


----------



## War_Valley_Boy (Sep 19, 2010)

I agree with you 100% if you cant handle the recoil you dont need to be out there but my dad loves to hunt and ever sincce his back injury he cant carry a heavy gun and the recoil is something he would rather do with out, but he is also one of the best shots i know i have seen him hit a doe in the neck at 150 yards when i thought he had missed but i do like the saftey buffer I don't know how bad i would feel if one got away from me. My friend hunts with a 300 win and i think its pointless to have a gun that big for deer when he cant even shot 200 yards, I have all types of guns with my favorite being my .233 22-250 and my 280. If I could point you to a really good gun thats bigger then a 223 i would say a 25-06 or a maybe a 308 if you want something that will reach out there and touch them.


----------



## War_Valley_Boy (Sep 19, 2010)

This is my rifle I use for my compition shoots at the local gun clubs.






This is one of my hunting rifles in .223


----------



## gunner77 (Jan 24, 2009)

i have shot a 25-06 their nice as well along with the 30-06 and ole .308, curtis :wink:


----------



## N7709K (Dec 17, 2008)

war valley was part of that directed at me?

and as far as being a good shot, thats a must if you are gonna use a small caliber. i've made tough shots, but i've also made bad ones. Everyone slips up and things don't go as planned. two seasons ago i had a doe run by at 50yds ish.. she was facing me head on when she first came out so i put the crosshairs center of the chest and fired.. right as i did she turned and i hit far back.. the next shot was behind the shoulder, but she kept goin so the third was for the neck and she dropped. I don't wanna brag, i mad a bad shot and fired followups until i no longer needed to because the situation called for it. if i hadn't been using my gun i would have had a tough time ever finding that deer... there was no blood and if i hadn't dropped her we never woulda found her. so thats why i will use my good ol 30-06


----------



## bow hunter11 (Dec 7, 2010)

for yotes and deer i would get a 270. Shot a buck this weekend through the spine and came out the lungs the deer was right under my stand. A 223 is way to small for deer but is really good for yotes.


----------



## N7709K (Dec 17, 2008)

oh yeah, outdoor kid? what where you shootin for ammo when you had a 22-250 do more damage than a 30-06? i just got done butchering the one i shot this year. the first shot separated bother shoulders and took out heart and lungs... second shot just kept it there... I'm just shootin factory load 150gr psp.. nothing fancy but my gun likes them and they seem to work very well on deer and antelope


----------



## gunner77 (Jan 24, 2009)

gotta agree with ya N7709K, ive shot two deer now with my 30-06 and my dad has taken one with it and all have dropped...... except the doe i shot took a couple of last steps and was done.


----------



## outdoorkid1 (Nov 20, 2010)

N7709K said:


> oh yeah, outdoor kid? what where you shootin for ammo when you had a 22-250 do more damage than a 30-06? i just got done butchering the one i shot this year. the first shot separated bother shoulders and took out heart and lungs... second shot just kept it there... I'm just shootin factory load 150gr psp.. nothing fancy but my gun likes them and they seem to work very well on deer and antelope


We reload our own bulelts and we load them HOT. We used a 55 gr bullet and it did everything that the 30-06 would do to a deer, and thats put them down quick. Not that I would shoot any animal bigger with the 22-250 its just that it works fine for killing deer and there is no reason not to use one. It has more than enough power to kill a deer. We use to use it, but I don't use it any more. Now I use my 7mm WSM and it puts em down fine but I see no problem with switching back.. I shouldn't compare it to a 30-06 because it obviously dosesn't do the same as the 22-250, I was just proving my point. If you want to hunt with a .223 for deer thats great. It will perform well and is not to light to use on a deer. And yes all the shots with a rifle were behind the shoulder in the lung heart area. Not 1 deer made it passed 30 yards, most dropped and thats out of about 7-8 deer shot from both me and my dad. If your saying there too light, than you obviously havn't shot a deer with one.


----------



## Rebel17 (Aug 23, 2011)

gunner77 said:


> i have shot a 25-06 their nice as well along with the 30-06 and ole .308, curtis :wink:


From what everbody is saying, BEN, you can put one down with a 223 just fine............................................................................................................................................ lol:wink:


----------



## gunner77 (Jan 24, 2009)

yup but theres bigger stuff out there that makes ur life alot easier, if i was to get a .223 if wud be a rock river arms ar-15 be cool if u got one of those


----------



## Aaron Groce (Oct 10, 2009)

if u get some self defence amo then It will be fine..... i have friends who have shot deer at 250 with a 223 with hority self defence amo... 2 were heart shots and 2 were head... took them down with np...


----------



## outdoorsman3 (Nov 15, 2010)

Rebel17 said:


> From what everbody is saying, BEN, you can put one down with a 223 just fine............................................................................................................................................ lol:wink:


is Gunners name Ben too? lol it confuses me cause thats my name.. :wink:


----------



## arhoythunter (Aug 3, 2010)

I like my 30-30. I hardly use it tho. It has hardly a kick and is pretty actuate with open sights.


----------



## jaho (Sep 13, 2010)

Everyone is going to have their own opinion on this so you get a lot of different answers. What i would say is if you are comfortable with shooting that gun accurately enough to cleanly kill a deer everytime then go for it. I personally like a bigger caliber so i wouldnt use a 223, the 308 is a lot like a 223 in many ways like accuracy, ammo price, and has very little recoil, but is also very capable of cleanly killing a deer every time


----------



## gunner77 (Jan 24, 2009)

jaho said:


> Everyone is going to have their own opinion on this so you get a lot of different answers. What i would say is if you are comfortable with shooting that gun accurately enough to cleanly kill a deer everytime then go for it. I personally like a bigger caliber so i wouldnt use a 223, the 308 is a lot like a 223 in many ways like accuracy, ammo price, and has very little recoil, but is also very capable of cleanly killing a deer every time


Very Well said


----------



## archerykid13 (Aug 11, 2009)

What I want to now is why you think you can't use a 30-06 or higher caliber for a duty gun? If you get a decent rifle it will take a beating? 30-06 is also a great yote round. Pop em at 300 yards.


----------



## captnemo (Nov 13, 2011)

You people are whacky, anyone who thinks a .223 wont kill a deer is either a poor shot, or just very ignorant. I'll kill any deer walking with my .22 mag, a .223 is a perfect deer cartridge, they make a million military rounds in .223 or 5.62mm (same round) across the globe for the last 60 years for no reason...


----------



## isaacdahl (Feb 27, 2010)

The question is why? Go with something bigger and if you want something a with a little less recoil and that won't eat up the furs on yotes, load em down with less powder and a lighter bullet. JMO, but why not go with a .25-06, 7mm-085, .308, .270 etc if you want an all deer/varmint rifle that'll go around?


----------



## archerykid13 (Aug 11, 2009)

Nobody ever said it wouldn't kill a deer. I could jump out of my treestand and stab a deer with my knife but it all comes down to being humane. Why would you even take the chance of getting a poor kill on an animal?


----------



## parkerd (Sep 30, 2010)

AHH^^ I have thought bout doing that many of times!!!:banana: Don't think anyone said it wouldn't kill a deer ALMOST everyone said that they would go with a higher powered cartride... Who's Ignorant now SONNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JK


----------



## parkerd (Sep 30, 2010)

captnemo said:


> You people are whacky, anyone who thinks a .223 wont kill a deer is either a poor shot, or just very ignorant. I'll kill any deer walking with my .22 mag, a .223 is a perfect deer cartridge, they make a million military rounds in .223 or 5.62mm (same round) across the globe for the last 60 years for no reason...


5.56!


----------



## arhoythunter (Aug 3, 2010)

captnemo said:


> You people are whacky, anyone who thinks a .223 wont kill a deer is either a poor shot, or just very ignorant. I'll kill any deer walking with my .22 mag, a .223 is a perfect deer cartridge, they make a million military rounds in .223 or 5.62mm (same round) across the globe for the last 60 years for no reason...


 if you'll put one right below the ear it'll dropem everytime.


----------

