.223Rem for white tail?

He didn't miss..there were 15 holes in the deer. There were holes in the chest area. It just didn't bled out fast enough.

Hey, what can I say. Some people read that other are successful at using 22 centerfire on deer than that must be the norm.
 
buoff said:
He didn't miss..there were 15 holes in the deer. There were holes in the chest area. It just didn't bled out fast enough.

Hey, what can I say. Some people read that other are successful at using 22 centerfire on deer than that must be the norm.
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It's funny that my .308 works just fine........
and many years ago I "may" have seen a deer or two bagged with a .22lr.
 
"He pump 10 rounds into a deer and it still ran off. He followed the small blood trail and pump 5 more rounds before it died."

It's embarrassing that a hunter would attempt something like that. Odd that someone would want to tell people about it, save for showing a very poor and scary example.

.223 should be fine, bullet placement is the big thing, know your limitations and those of your tools.
 
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When I first got into hunting, I used a 223 Rem and I killed 3 deer with it before I found out that it wasn't a "good enough" caliber for deer. I shot 2 does and 1 buck (8 pointer/240lbs or so). All three were "dead right there" shots, that being said all the shots were under 75m... I distinctly remember that one I shot was through some alders and the bullet deflected into the doe's spine the doe dropped and did need a follow up shot as she was paralyzed but I think that could have happened with any other caliber. Since my second season, I have used a .308 Win (168gn Winchester/Nosler combined technologies ballistic silver tip) but in all honesty, I don't really think caliber is that big of a deal with a thin skinned animal like deer. At the time, I used the 223, I only had varmint loads (VMAX) as I was big into gopher/coyote hunting but it killed all three deer effectively. I didn't find that there was much blood shot meat (the worst blood shot meat I encountered was from my buddy's 7mm Remington Mag) when we butchered it as the bullet entered and destroyed the deer's internal organs without exit in two of the cases. Oddly enough, the only deer I had run on me was last year when I shot it with a .308 Win from about 45m. The buck was about 220+lb and ran into a treeline, I waited 15 mins and followed him where I saw him standing watching me from where he entered. I shot him again and he bolted into the woods. I found him 10m in folded up when we cleaned him, he had two holes in his chest cavity and his lungs were pretty shredded. To this day I don't know how he was able to stand 15 mins after he had taken the first chest shot. All this to say I don't know if I believe that caliber is that much a factor in taking an animal like a deer - simple math says that a 168 grain .308 caliber bullet should drop a deer faster then a 55 grain VMAX .224 bullet but it just isn't always the case; so if it is legal to hunt deer with a .223 Rem I would use it and go hunting. As long as you are taking careful shots (vitals/standing shots) you should be good to go.
 
fmb said:
"He pump 10 rounds into a deer and it still ran off. He followed the small blood trail and pump 5 more rounds before it died."

It's embarrassing that a hunter would attempt a something like that. Odd that someone would want to tell people about it, save for showing a very poor and scary example.
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Nothing deserves to die like that... I'm not an advocate but one well placed round with a 223 should have put the deer down.

I shot a spike buck back in the 1980's with my little Sako Vixen 222. Shot him as he was standing in the neck from about 100 yards or there about. 50 grain Sierra spitzer dropped the deer like a sack of grain. Never shot another with a 22 as I have several much more suitable shooting irons for the job.
 
"Oddly enough, the only deer I had run on me was last year when I shot it with a .308 Win from about 45m. The buck was about 220+lb and ran into a treeline, I waited 15 mins and followed him . . . "

You should have waited 16 minutes and saved a bullet. ;)

In my very limited deer-killing experience, a shot through the chest is absolutely devastating in terms of damage and deadliness. With both lungs turned to jelly and filled with blood, and major arteries destroyed, death is inevitable. I was told wait 30 minutes, but have always heard the crash - thump within seconds.
 
Grouse Man said:
"Oddly enough, the only deer I had run on me was last year when I shot it with a .308 Win from about 45m. The buck was about 220+lb and ran into a treeline, I waited 15 mins and followed him . . . "

You should have waited 16 minutes and saved a bullet. ;)
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Oh, but thats a long 15 minutes.
 
I've legally shot three deer with a .223.
All three were standing still,
less than 100 yds away,
all three were head or neck shots.

All three were instant venison.
While there are better cartridges out there, if you
Pick your shot,
place your shot,
use appropriate bullets, then I'd say .223 is adequate for deer.

Hell,
it has been used semi-successfuly for decades for hunting "dangerous game" ...
as in the type that shoots back.
as usual,
any opinion you get free from the internet may be worth less than you paid for it,
and,
YPMMV
LAZ 1
 
I honestly didn't think I would need to wait 10 mins let alone 15mins but it was a difficult wait. When I saw him standing at the treeline I was floored. I honestly figured he was laying down in the trees dead. When I originally shot him, he jumped and bolted off. The jump was so odd that I knew I hit. If he was a zombie deer, he still tasted pretty darn good.
 
Accurately placed, on a small to mid sized deer, a Power Point should do it. If in doubt, don't shoot. Just dont piss off a 250 lb Buck, he may come after ya!
 
buoff said:
He didn't miss..there were 15 holes in the deer.
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ok, he didnt miss the deer, but he did miss something...

in the end, he got the deer, which is great, it proves (for the umpteenth time) that .223 can kill deer.

I think it might also prove that shot placement, and ammo selection is more critical, if you're using this cartridge on medium or big game.
 
Lazerus2000 said:
I've legally shot three deer with a .223.
All three were standing still,
less than 100 yds away,
all three were head or neck shots.

All three were instant venison.
While there are better cartridges out there, if you
Pick your shot,
place your shot,
use appropriate bullets, then I'd say .223 is adequate for deer.

Hell,
it has been used semi-successfuly for decades for hunting "dangerous game" ...
as in the type that shoots back.
as usual,
any opinion you get free from the internet may be worth less than you paid for it,
and,
YPMMV
LAZ 1
Click to expand...

Yes but two tons of small arms ammo was needed per bad guy taken out.;)
 
All the blather and pontificating aside, using a 223 is perfectly adequate.

The load I'd recommend is something using either the 60 grain Nosler Partition or the 60 grain TSX. I think (but don't know) that the TSX might be too tough a bullet for anything but close shots with the 223, but I don't know that for sure. Any load using one of those two bullets will be perfectly adequate for whitetail deer.

A quick perusal of the NB hunting regs online shows that you can only use rifles larger than .23 (which has been mentioned). This is a golden opportunity for you to go out and buy a new rifle. I suggest a 308. You could pick up a nice LTR and have a tactical and hunting rifle all in one. Opportunity is knocking - best answer the door!
 
Careful shot, appropriate range, quality bullet... sure it will do.

If you can't take care of those 3 things hunting may not be for you anyway.

Of course, there are more versatile choices, and that's a great reason to buy more guns.
 
With a .223 on deer, it's all about the bullet.

Use a TSX, a Partition or a heavy for caliber Hornady and you are good with broadside shots to about 150 yards, easy.
 
Its been said before, its not the gun its the shooter, but when I look at a 60 grain bullet (.223) and a 150 grain bullet (.30.30, .308. 30-06), the choice of heavier bullet seems more logical for busting bone.

That said, the .243, .25's, .260 and 6mm are all ideal for small big game as well.
 
buy a 30-06 and 180grain corelokts soft points and call it a day but i might have seen deer killed with a 22lr and 22mag bottom line if there close enough shoot em in the head there out you win
 
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