Deer Bullet For 223 Savage Edge

[pisgah]

My issue with these 223 Deer hunting threads is that 80% of the responses are hyper-critical and have no regard for OP's question. He didn't ask for anyone opinion on what caliber he should shoot. He owns the 223 rifle. He's going to deer hunt with it. He asked about 22 cal bullets for deer and what peoples experiences were hunting with 223. He didn't about how sorry anyone would be about not being able to choose a 22 cal for hunting deer. He didn't ask about why or what 223 was designed for. He didn't even for anyone's opinion. He asked, specifically, for information from people who "has done any white-tail deer hunting with a 223 caliber".... This is why I half hate the question.

And, as usual, those most critical have no experience upon which to base their criticism, only the "wisdom" of other "experts".

[The Rustler]

I do not know how heavily loaded the bullets were but i remember they were Hornady V max 55 grain we put on them, next day my buddy shot a mule deer , i ranged it at 170 yds. Didnt go 50 yds. I personally havent shot a deer yet but i was right there when one was shot with a .223. So it is definitely doable for those that say it aint.


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[hawkeyesatx823]

I do not know how heavily loaded the bullets were but i remember they were Hornady V max 55 grain we put on them, next day my buddy shot a mule deer , i ranged it at 170 yds. Didnt go 50 yds. I personally havent shot a deer yet but i was right there when one was shot with a .223. So it is definitely doable for those that say it aint.


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Using a frangible varmint bullet is asking for trouble from a .223 in my opinion. I've I've used a .223 on deer and antelope. I only had 55gr bullets at that time. They were too lightly constructed and didn't get to the vitals. Now with that being said, I would go with a 64 gr bullet, in a premium bullet. The OP would get reliable and controlled expansion. I moved up to a .243, and results were and have been amazing. Haven't lost a deer or antelope yet. The furthest an animal has stepped away from being hit by my .243 has been at the most, 30 feet. That's while using 100gr bullets and in the vitals. Since I'm in Texas now, maybe I'll use my AR to go hunting deer and use the 64 gr to 69gr bullets to prove a point in using heavier bullets in the .223, maybe.

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[Texas10]

Last November I shot a 180 lb boar with my 223 at about 80 yds with an off the shelf load by Australian Outback, using the 69gr SMK . The bullet entered his shoulder, turning the muscle into hamberger, blew an inch plus hole in his rib cage breaking a rib in the process and then took out his lungs. He ran about 30 yds and collapsed.

JMOP, but the 69 gr SMK that (by the way) is not recommended for hunting according to Sierra, did exactly what it was supposed to do.

A month later my son took a mature deer at 220 yds with a 87 gr. V-Max in a 243. That deer took all of two steps before he collapsed.

If you can place the shot, there's no reason a 223 won't take a deer humanely. Here in Texas, any centerfire cartridge is legal to take deer. YMMV.

[wbm]

Last November I shot a 180 lb boar with my 223 at about 80 yds with an off the shelf load by Australian Outback, using the 69gr SMK . The bullet entered his shoulder, turning the muscle into hamberger, blew an inch plus hole in his rib cage breaking a rib in the process and then took out his lungs. He ran about 30 yds and collapsed.

Ouch! Have had similar results with the same stuff out to 150 yards. The Outback shoots really well in my 223's.New Mexico went from 6mm down to any Centerfire for Deer size game but remained at 6mm minimum for elk.

Was just looking at minimum legal caliber regs by state, most are "Centerfire" and allow 223's to be used for deer size game. I figure there are a lot of experts with a lot of experience that made that decision in those states.

[savagecornmuffin]

Yeah, match bullets, varmint bullets, and fmj are bad for 22 Cal deer an hog hunting. A jacketed soft point will do much better. Or a Barnes type bullet. 55-65gr soft points, baby. That's where it's at.

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[BB68]

Shot placement.... of course if you shoot a deer in the ass with a varmint bullet its not going to take out the vitals. But if its shot in the ribcage with the same varmint bullet lights out. My buddy when going through a tough patch in life can attest to this. OP some regular off the shelf soft points will do you well.

[noname]

And, as usual, those most critical have no experience upon which to base their criticism, only the "wisdom" of other "experts".

And the world is full of so called experts..Just think how many deer have been killed with 22 rim fires...

[hawkeyesatx823]

Shot placement.... of course if you shoot a deer in the ass with a varmint bullet its not going to take out the vitals. But if its shot in the ribcage with the same varmint bullet lights out. My buddy when going through a tough patch in life can attest to this. OP some regular off the shelf soft points will do you well.

Yeah, you definitely don't want to shoot a deer "Texas Heart Shot", or any other game animal in the rear and expect it to drop on the spot.

I shot an antelope at around 50-60 yds with a 55gr soft point, broadside, several years ago, and the bullet technology wasn't as good then as it is now. That 55gr didn't penetrate, but blew up on the rib cage. My buddy had to shoot it with his .25-06 to dispatch it properly.

If I had been given the opportunity to have a heavier bullet for the .223, I would have used it, because they have heavier construction than the 55gr bullets do.

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