Can you hunt deer with a .223? Legally?
- Thread starter JDCSigP226
- Start date
The smallest rifle I've used was a 22-250 on a muley in BC...
A 223 wouldn't really be my first choice. But if the military are bumping guys off at 400yards with their 223, so I guess it could be done on a deer. Would I personally attempt it? Probably not. Once you get out past a 100 yards, your energy is dropping under a 1000 foot pounds. Which I'm not comfortable with, especially if my bullet weight is probably 55 grains max.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/1012/docs/Hunting-TrappingSynopsis_1012.pdf
On page 16 of the BC Hunting/Trapping regs it says centerfire(broad of a term as it is, guess 50 BMG is allowed as well) can be used to hunt deer. The last time I checked a 223 was centerfire. The only animal that has restriction listed is bison.
So according to the BC Hunting regs you could essentially leagally use a 223, but probably not wise. Next question is probably going to be can you use a 204 ruger for deer? Then we can just revisit this thread.
A 223 wouldn't really be my first choice. But if the military are bumping guys off at 400yards with their 223, so I guess it could be done on a deer. Would I personally attempt it? Probably not. Once you get out past a 100 yards, your energy is dropping under a 1000 foot pounds. Which I'm not comfortable with, especially if my bullet weight is probably 55 grains max.
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife/hunting/regulations/1012/docs/Hunting-TrappingSynopsis_1012.pdf
On page 16 of the BC Hunting/Trapping regs it says centerfire(broad of a term as it is, guess 50 BMG is allowed as well) can be used to hunt deer. The last time I checked a 223 was centerfire. The only animal that has restriction listed is bison.
So according to the BC Hunting regs you could essentially leagally use a 223, but probably not wise. Next question is probably going to be can you use a 204 ruger for deer? Then we can just revisit this thread.
JDCSigP226
CGN Regular
- Location
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
I havent killed any deer with a .223. I use a .308 for all my big game moose,elk,deer. I was just wondering
*sigh*
Unless you are 100% sure of shot placement you shouldn't take the shot no matter what the caliber. I can see you wandering around the bush with your ubermagnum taking potshots at animals. "Good thing I have my Megablast 3000. Here goes...", followed closely by a jaw shot that the animal runs off with and spends the next 24 hours suffering from before dying in a ditch.
Regarding the .223. Time and technology march on. Poke a deer in the lungs with one of these and it will faceplant quickly:
h ttp://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=barnes+tsx&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=16887957113174716652&sa=X&ei=FaveTrCJCsKviAKertWtCA&ved=0CFoQ8wIwBA#ps-sellers
How come pessimism and realism pan out to the same thing?
Here we go again......
Ok you shoot deer in the ribs with a .243 and I will do the same with a .223, both with a partition lets say.
In the end what do you plan to use to measure which is deader?
This is and always will be a foolish discussion, because there are factual vs. emotional arguments in opposition and we can all guess which one is reasonable.
Ok you shoot deer in the ribs with a .243 and I will do the same with a .223, both with a partition lets say.
In the end what do you plan to use to measure which is deader?
This is and always will be a foolish discussion, because there are factual vs. emotional arguments in opposition and we can all guess which one is reasonable.
FYI an associate of mine has used the .22 Hornet to start all of his children deer hunting. They understand the limit is 100yds and they haven't lost an animal to my knowledge. Holes in lungs and hearts make dead no matter the equation.
The hornet happens to be a model 70 so maybe it's that fact that makes them dead
The hornet happens to be a model 70 so maybe it's that fact that makes them dead
canadaman30
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Far from the City
223 for deer......what's next, 243 for moose?........
Sure .223 kills deer. Sure shot placement trumps larger caliber. But then you get knobs like someone in another thread using 45gr varmint bullets and thinking they are doing absolutely nothing wrong. Would I like to use my .223 CSA for deer? Yup. But on the whole, I think no .223 for big game is a good idea. Most people are dumb, let's face it.
I see no point in arguing with people on this topic. I don't hunt with anything smaller then a 308win, as I own a 308win, 30-06 and 300win mag for hunting and want to next year use an RFB in 308win. I shot an Elk from 400 yards last year with one shot to the lungs with my 30-06. Not over kill, just a well placed shot and that is just personal preference. I don't see the point in hunting with the smallest caliber possible or the largest, the only reason is if you can't afford more guns and only have one. definitely not an anti or fudd.
Everyone has opinions, this is an internet forum open for discussion
Everyone has opinions, this is an internet forum open for discussion
I see no point in arguing with people on this topic. I don't hunt with anything smaller then a 308win, as I own a 308win, 30-06 and 300win mag for hunting and want to next year use an RFB in 308win. I shot an Elk from 400 yards last year with one shot to the lungs with my 30-06. Not over kill, just a well placed shot and that is just personal preference. I don't see the point in hunting with the smallest caliber possible or the largest, the only reason is if you can't afford more guns and only have one. definitely not an anti or fudd.
Everyone has opinions, this is an internet forum open for discussion
Your the one who started making argumentative and untrue statements. I fail to see how your experience with one caliber in three cartridges spanning a small velocity spread has any bearing on the subject.
Oh well I guess
quackquackbang
CGN Regular
- Location
- Newfoundland
243 with at least a 100gr bullet is the minimum in Nfld. But we don't have deer so it dosn't matter.
But we don't have deer so it dosn't matter.I don't have a big problem with .22 centerfires on deer in the hands of a careful hunter, problem is not all hunters are careful or haven't the experience or judgement to know when to pass up a shot. The .22 centerfires are legal here in New Brunswick. Even for moose!!! That is not right in my opinion.
thatmikeguy
Regular
- Location
- Steinbach, Manitoba
I know a guy who took a pot shot at a running deer from 300 yards with a 300 mag. The bullet cut open the belly and all but blew off one back leg.
I think a proper shot from a 223 with a good bullet from a respectable distance would kill a deer a whole lot better than the 300 mag in this case and you won't have to track it nearly as far as this guy did.
My brother in law has killed multiple deer, ethically, with triple 2 and several guys I know have killed deer very successfully with 22-250.
I have never done this. My 223 always feels too small even though I think it's capable.
I think a proper shot from a 223 with a good bullet from a respectable distance would kill a deer a whole lot better than the 300 mag in this case and you won't have to track it nearly as far as this guy did.
My brother in law has killed multiple deer, ethically, with triple 2 and several guys I know have killed deer very successfully with 22-250.
I have never done this. My 223 always feels too small even though I think it's capable.
TheCoachZed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
My .223 is my good luck/bad luck charm.Every day I carried it the last two years, I saw a deer. Twice was when I was hunting with the .223, and I was unable to get a shot off either time. The third time, I started the day off with the .223, noticed the forearm was loose, went back to the truck for a shotgun, shot a deer on the way back into the woods.
I fully intend to fill my deer tag with it one of these days.
