Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum .223 for deer hunting?

Yep....30-cal should be the minimum for those hard to kill 60# does

223 fusion 62gr, shot at about 75yds, went 40yds downhill and crashed. No exit wound, wouldnt have helped alot if it had as I was shooting up a pretty steep hill. Tore his insides up something awful.

Interesting. And those are exactly the specs where I read this round is well-suited for killing deer cleanly and effectively.

This is what you are looking for.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/4570370/all/223_Deer_Kill_Pics

I wouldn't want to shoot at a deer with anything smaller than a .243 if lightweight is your goal get a youth model .243 I carry my sons savage youth .243 sometimes when I need a light compact rifle.

You can kill them with a rock, a spear or a sharp stick, but that's not your best option

I've killed a few with mine with no issues I load 53gr tsx. My boy killed his first with my 14.5in upper dropped it at 100 and some change.

The 223 will kill deer all day long, provided you make a good shot with a bullet designed for larger animals, not varmints. Just put that bullet in the crease behind the shoulder and deer is dead.

I use a 62g TTSX, never any issues including the 90 lb doe I dropped today

I prefer a 375 h&h mag myself....because why tha heck not.

I shoot one sometimes, same reason.

I was just playin..ive shot one but not at a deer..seenem shot with one tho..theyll poke a nice big hole in one

I have a Rem 700 stainless lightweight 375H&H. Kick is pretty fast. I've killed a half dozen deer with it. Killed a half dozen animals in Zimbabwe with a Sako I had up to a 1800 pound Eland. Killed a 30 pound note once and blew the off shoulder out the dinner plate size exit hole. LOL Doesn't kill deer as fast as a 270Win though.

Here we go Fred mentioned 270win LOL...

Seriously I’ve seen and helped track a few kilt with a 223 it’ll kill them but their are better tools out there.

Yeup!

I am not arguing there are better tools in general, but if you stay within the limits of a .223 (distance, correct grain ammo, shot placement) it's still an adequate tool. There's only so much one can learn from reading the interwebs, I wanted to hear from folks that have done it. As this thread illustrates, plenty of hunters made ethical shots within the limitations of a .223 round and had zero issues.

And there's your answer ... Yes you can kill deer with a 223 but you have got to be responsible and know your limitations and the gun's limitations. Kudos to you for reaching out and asking for experience from those that have actually hunted with a 223

What are the advantages of a .223 if you already have a .308? Maybe a gun that is 1 pound lighter?

Two fold, currently my .223 is more accurate, way better groupings than my .308, although the .308 isn't bad, just not as good as the .223. And yes, it's quite a bit lighter. I haven't weighed them, but the .223 is smaller and lighter, noticeably so. Given that I am going to be hunting on the ground more, I can support and steady my aim way better with the lighter .223 than the heavier .308.

Just yesterday I stood up and walked to a fence line to peer down to the bottom field I couldn't see while sitting. Once I got up and moved, deer came out from the other side and I was stuck. Had I shot, it would have been a standing shot with no brace. So while I may be limited if a big buck walked out 200 yds away, I feel confident in my shot in a standing stance at 100 yds or less with a .223. Again, I know my limits and realize I am shooting a smaller caliber and not a .308, so I am not the type of person that will push my luck and risk an unethical shot.

I'm a PhD student, so just buying a lighter large caliber gun isn't an option right now.