How is the 223 for deer hunting in AB doing?

[Moe]

I shot my last deer with a Tikka T3 in 223 1/8" twist. Used a 65gr Sierra Game king. Shot was with a bipod at 80m. Aimed at the side of it's brain case and removed said brain. Dropped where I shot it of course. I don't advocate others take that shot but I shoot every week for the last 44 years. I can make those shots.

Flame on but I never had to track a deer after I hit it.

Cheers
Moe

 

[huntinstuff]

Topic always makes me look at it this way:

FIne to shoot Viet Cong, Iraqis and Taliban with a .223, but don't whack a deer as it would be unethical......like a politicians "ethics" or anyone else's "ethics" matter.

Idiots driving take you to Idiot Land. Shortest route.

 

[JIMMY 808]

Killing critters is so easy even women and children can do it.

 

[brownbear53]

Soft Point expanding bullet perfectly legal and fine for hunting

Here's an image reference to what exactly it looks like

SP is soft point, you can legally hunt with it if there are no "caliber size" restrictions. Seems to be similar to the generic blue box federal soft point ammo you can buy for other chamberings

 

[jparent]

My adopted grandfather and hunting mentor used a Remington 788 chambered in 222, loaded with Winchester 50 grain PSP for most of the deer he shot over many decades. It was his success that lead me sell my 300 magnum and start hunting deer with the 223. Since then i have taken 7 or 8 whitetail with my little Ruger American, using the 75 grain Hornady BTHP. While technically a match bullet, it is plenty tough enough for eastern whitetail. I have shot them from inside 20 yards, out to 300 yards. Sink that round in the lungs, and they don't go far.

 

[cath8r]

Do you have a source to say expressly to prevent fmj's and not as a Roadblock to people using cheap guns?

No. I live and grew up un the area and a pal instructor told me this a long time ago. Also repeated by a few of the old timer gun nuts locally. Makes sense to me. If you spend any time down here, it makes sense. Some local municipalities (Essex, A'burg) have .244 caliber limits for hunting. Again, makes sense to me and doesnt hurt my feelings. You can shoot whatever you want practicing though, just hunting limits

 

[Max Owner]

It was done so that 10 year old children could hunt, zero to do with AR’s…..

Kids have been hunting for generations, by the sounds of what people say around this place.

 

[antiqueguy]

Do you have a source to say expressly to prevent fmj's and not as a Roadblock to people using cheap guns?

Technically FMJ is legal to hunt with here should you no. Their is times a “solid” comes in handy but I wouldn’t use a spritzer in that instance.

 

[JIMMY 808]

Kids have been hunting for generations, by the sounds of what people say around this place.

No kidding.

 

[cath8r]

Ya, solids are 'legal' but 180 grains of solid copper out of a .303 being unleashed at a fleeing jack rabbit across dead flat wheat when you can see houses and barns in every direction isn't exactly ideal

 

[MiG25]

Pine boards were long an accepted medium for testing bullet penetration.

While I haven't used the 220 Swift, the 22-250 drops Deer like they were hit by lightning and the 22 Hornet certainly works as well and the S&B loading isn't that far ahead of the 22 WMR.

 

[antiqueguy]

Ya, solids are 'legal' but 180 grains of solid copper out of a .303 being unleashed at a fleeing jack rabbit across dead flat wheat when you can see houses and barns in every direction isn't exactly ideal

No much bigger critters in the middle of no where northern Ontario lol.

 

[KLS]

BIL uses 50 gr federal blue box HPs on deer in 223. He drops them where they stand. No long distance shots and properly placed.

 

[cath8r]

BIL uses 50 gr federal blue box HPs on deer in 223. He drops them where they stand. No long distance shots and properly placed.

I've never rifle hunted deer, but if i did, .223 or Swift be what i use.

 

[toebako]

Well if a deer is behind 6 pine boards then my 375 is perfect. I think it’s funny but i guess back inthe day they didn’t have access to ballistic gel. Wood, paper, water. What ever gave a comparison of penetration and damage done. Reminds me of a study in Alaska that said a 460wby was no good for grizz because it made a perfect clean hole in plate steel. So many assumptions made to be scientific. Lots of them hang on even today.
To bring this back to 223, I now know of 3 game animals in Ab shot with 223. All dead and in the freezer but I won’t mention them as they are bigger than deer.

 

[thewoodsrunner]

What is it that compels so many folks to monkey around with too little gun for the game? Had a neighbor decide to go after one of our neighborhood elk bulls one morning for instance with a .243 Win. Seasoned hunter. Got one, too. Took him five solid hits to bring it down, any one of which would have done the job with a proper calibre for the job. Bizarre choice.

 

[thewoodsrunner]

What is it that compels so many folks to monkey around with too little gun for the game? Had a neighbor decide to go after one of our neighborhood elk bulls one morning for instance with a .243 Win. Seasoned hunter making a real rookie move. Got one, too. Took him five solid hits to bring it down, any one of which would have done the job with a proper calibre for the job. Bizarre choice.

 

[toebako]

My BIL got his moose. 338RUM with 225gr ttsx going real fast. About 100 or so yards and he shot it 4 times. If he had a 223/243 then everyone one would criticize him for shooting too small of a bullet. But because he shoots a cannon we hear ‘moose are tough’! all of his shots would have done it but he could still see it so hit it again. It’s all about bullet placement and what it does when it gets there.

 

[antiqueguy]

What is it that compels so many folks to monkey around with too little gun for the game? Had a neighbor decide to go after one of our neighborhood elk bulls one morning for instance with a .243 Win. Seasoned hunter. Got one, too. Took him five solid hits to bring it down, any one of which would have done the job with a proper calibre for the job. Bizarre choice.

Could wack a deer in the a** with a .50 bmg or a heart shot with a .223 what one do you think is going to suffer less.
Bigger calibers don’t really do anything magical and I don’t play the energy dump game as it’s not reliable . Myself for rifle hunting big game prefer big slow calibers or heavy for caliber bullets in standard .30 calibers.
What I’m looking for I’m looking to poke a hole in the vitals and have that round carry itself as deep as possible.
Not a fan of the Uber magnum traveling 3000plus fps not needed more game has been taken with .30-30 or .303 or .30-06 then anything else.

Can .223 do the job yes as long as it’s a proper bullet(not varmint oriented) and has proper shot placement and with something like .223 shot placement isnt that hard as theirs basically zero recoil. Couldn’t tell you the countless times even on here I have heard guys complain about how their lightest possible .300 win mag is too much for recoil to the point they need a muzzle brake and they wonder why they missed.

 

[Munchkin2067]

Was getting an Indian woman I know schooled up on shooting.
Broke the ice with 50 rounds of 22LR, stepped her up to a Sportsman 78 in 223.
She shot it marvelously.
But all I had was coyote rounds...FMJ.
Ran in and grabbed some 53 grain SP to reload with.
The employee stated " I hope you are taking head shots!"
" Nope, boiler room shot will do the job"
Anyone else experience this attitude?

I have shot deer with a 70 grain PSP out of my 220 Swift and have had no issues. Normally I would use something bigger but sometimes you have to take an opportunity when it presents itself. If you know your rifle then there should be no problems.