- Location
- northern Ontario
lol nice a car does make an excellent deer rifle
Hunting Deer With A .223?
- Thread starter Mumbles Marble Mouth
- Start date
I use to hunt Deathclaws with a .223 varmint rifle. Even with the cheaper .223 ammo, which does 20% less damage than the 5.56x45 ammo, I could still take down a young deathclaw with 3 quick critical hit shots. I used a sound suppressor and night vision scope. The suppressor helped to not alert other near by deathclaws and it was better to hunt them at night. At least you have a chance to get away if one starts coming after you. With armor percing 5.56x45, I could take down the larger adult deathclaws but it was very iffy since young deathclaws like to hangout with the larger ones for protection. Taking one deathclaw on with a .223 was perfectly fine but if its two, you're beyond ####ed. Lucky I've survived using the .223 but moved on to the .44magnum Marlin lever action.
I remember I was out hunting deathclaws right when I first got that .44. I happen to stubble upon two adult deathclaws. Right away, 3 shots to the head in V.A.T.S, I took down the first deathclaw but the other was coming in hot. I jumped down an embankment to avoid getting split in two buy the animals claws. The deathclaw came down around the other side and took 3 more shots to the dome to take that one down. I hadn't realized that the noise alerted a third deathclaw near by and well I was removing the 2 deathclaws eggs and hands, the third one completely surprised me with a slash to the back. I turned around and completely forgot to reload the .44 and only had one shot left but I shot him in the head and it was a critical hit and blew it face to bits. If I was in the situation with my .223 Varmint rifle, I surely wouldn't of made it.
The .50BMG is defiantly the best round to use against deathclaws. It takes down even the Alpha Male Deathclaw in just a single shot to the dome. Hunting deathclaws is a challenge but I fully enjoy it and deathclaw egg omelets is worth almost dying for.
Me with a nice size deathclaw I hunted last year with a .308.
I remember I was out hunting deathclaws right when I first got that .44. I happen to stubble upon two adult deathclaws. Right away, 3 shots to the head in V.A.T.S, I took down the first deathclaw but the other was coming in hot. I jumped down an embankment to avoid getting split in two buy the animals claws. The deathclaw came down around the other side and took 3 more shots to the dome to take that one down. I hadn't realized that the noise alerted a third deathclaw near by and well I was removing the 2 deathclaws eggs and hands, the third one completely surprised me with a slash to the back. I turned around and completely forgot to reload the .44 and only had one shot left but I shot him in the head and it was a critical hit and blew it face to bits. If I was in the situation with my .223 Varmint rifle, I surely wouldn't of made it.
The .50BMG is defiantly the best round to use against deathclaws. It takes down even the Alpha Male Deathclaw in just a single shot to the dome. Hunting deathclaws is a challenge but I fully enjoy it and deathclaw egg omelets is worth almost dying for.
Me with a nice size deathclaw I hunted last year with a .308.
I use to hunt Deathclaws with a .223 varmint rifle. Even with the cheaper .223 ammo, which does 20% less damage than the 5.56x45 ammo, I could still take down a young deathclaw with 3 quick critical hit shots. I used a sound suppressor and night vision scope. The suppressor helped to not alert other near by deathclaws and it was better to hunt them at night. At least you have a chance to get away if one starts coming after you. With armor percing 5.56x45, I could take down the larger adult deathclaws but it was very iffy since young deathclaws like to hangout with the larger ones for protection. Taking one deathclaw on with a .223 was perfectly fine but if its two, you're beyond ####ed. Lucky I've survived using the .223 but moved on to the .44magnum Marlin lever action.
I remember I was out hunting deathclaws right when I first got that .44. I happen to stubble upon two adult deathclaws. Right away, 3 shots to the head in V.A.T.S, I took down the first deathclaw but the other was coming in hot. I jumped down an embankment to avoid getting split in two buy the animals claws. The deathclaw came down around the other side and took 3 more shots to the dome to take that one down. I hadn't realized that the noise alerted a third deathclaw near by and well I was removing the 2 deathclaws eggs and hands, the third one completely surprised me with a slash to the back. I turned around and completely forgot to reload the .44 and only had one shot left but I shot him in the head and it was a critical hit and blew it face to bits. If I was in the situation with my .223 Varmint rifle, I surely wouldn't of made it.
The .50BMG is defiantly the best round to use against deathclaws. It takes down even the Alpha Male Deathclaw in just a single shot to the dome. Hunting deathclaws is a challenge but I fully enjoy it and deathclaw egg omelets is worth almost dying for.
Me with a nice size deathclaw I hunted last year with a .308.
7 pages and this is the best post I could find. Haha. Made my day.
Nobark. Don't you know that anything bigger then a .223 will destroy the meat. Man o man. I shoot them with a .22lr pistol. Clean shot everytime and no wasted meat. Making me feel like going death claw hunting. I sayed i was gonna give it up because last time i took a clean shot with the .22 another one snuck up behind me and slashed me. Said i'd never do it again but i'm now thinking life is to short. Hahahahah good laugh 
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
*sigh*
45 gr tsx from a 223AI, as it's twisted too slow to spin 53's to the accuracy level it's capable of....
163 yards, both shoulders, ticker, and lungs. Caught after it the hide on the offside of a muley that was pushing 300lbs on the hoof.
Would have been a bang flop, but instead it was a bang flop, tumble tumble tumble.
Have killed a *few* big game animals personally with 3 different 224" rifles, and have buddies and my gf with another couple dozen or so at this point. Have used the 45/53 tsx, the 55gr Hornady, 64gr Power Point, a couple with 40gr vmax's (black bears, through necessity of circumstance).
Smacked a good whitetail this fall in my field with a 223AI and a 53tsx, broke a bunch of ribs and vertebrae on a hard quartering shot while he was running. Hit ahead of the last rib, found it in his neck. Use a properly constructed bullet, that is intended for the job, and you'll do fine on blacktails.
10 of thousands of hunters across North America use 22cf's for deer sized game (and up to be honest, search 24hr Campfire for any 22 and big game thread, you'll see monster black bears and big bull elk killed with 223 and 22/250's) without any fuss or drama involved.
As with ANY cartridge, it is ALWAYS about the bullet, and not the headstamp on the case. Put good bullets in good places, and go forth and fill arks.
Pretty much sums it up by some one who has walked the walk.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Because deer can weigh in excess of 300 lbs. and wolves never do, that's why.
Not many 300 lb blacktail deer. Although a .223 with a TSX will go right through a 300 deer.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Nope, certainly not.
We could also call it the "Metrosexual deer caliber thread". For the sensitive man, eh?
I have shot several deer with my .223, and I found it worked well with normal behind the shoulder shots. I have used Hornady 55 grain (not the SX), and Winchester 64 grain. Both worked well and were complete pass through on the smaller deer. No excessive expansion (ie, they didn't blow up), and the exit hole was also not indicative of a blow up. On one the bullet hit the shoulder blade on the way out, and there was no blow up and a clean exit wound. I would never go for a head shot, as there is too much risk of missing the vital parts, and too much liklihood of wounding.
If they made a .223 "magnum" then it would be touted as the ideal deer cartridge......
When I lived in South Africa I used to cull for the European meat market (Germany) - 250 to 300 Springbok / Impala was the norm, for a nights shooting in the Karoo (Graafreinett)
Everything had to be head / upper neck shot, to preserve the meat (if you shot on the animals body you paid for the animal) - (For those that don't know those are whitetail / mulie size animals)
All I ever used was a suppressed Sako 85 varmint in .223 calibre, firing hand loaded Speer 64 grain bullets.
The main reason we settled on .223 was simply because if you used anything with a heavier recoil, you would never be able to shoot 250 - 300 rounds a night and keep your eyeballs steady, or the fillings in your teeth
When I lived in South Africa I used to cull for the European meat market (Germany) - 250 to 300 Springbok / Impala was the norm, for a nights shooting in the Karoo (Graafreinett)
Everything had to be head / upper neck shot, to preserve the meat (if you shot on the animals body you paid for the animal) - (For those that don't know those are whitetail / mulie size animals)
All I ever used was a suppressed Sako 85 varmint in .223 calibre, firing hand loaded Speer 64 grain bullets.
The main reason we settled on .223 was simply because if you used anything with a heavier recoil, you would never be able to shoot 250 - 300 rounds a night and keep your eyeballs steady, or the fillings in your teeth
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Mumbles Marble Mouth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland
[youtube]zcCSjouaFrs[/youtube]
A few questions.
Would you agree or disagree that the .223 is easier to hunt deer with than a bow?
Would you agree or disagree that the .223 has more energy than a 357 magnum lever action rifle?
Would you agree or disagree that NoBarks post is hilarious?
I continue to research the subject of using .223 as a light deer hunting round and I found this video of factory loaded .223 that the Winchester website claims its good for antelope and deer. I also found a large number of youtube videos of people using the .223 to hunt deer. Each video was, bang, deer runs for 10 feet, then tumbles and dies.
I found that it is generally considered, as a guideline, to never go under 800ftlbs of energy when hunting a deer. The .223 is just shy of 800ftlbs of energy at 200 meters. The 30-30 and the 7.62x39 are only slightly more than 800ftlbs at 200 meters. The 357 magnum lever action rifle, which I see a lot of people use for hunting deer and claim its ok, has about 800ftlbs of energy at the muzzle.
I also found on other forums that people claim 60gr and 64gr .223 ammo should work ok in .223 barrels with a 1:12 twist rate. I was digging though my ammo and found a box of Federal Fusion 62gr .223. Box claims its good to use on deer.
Every time someone tells me I can't do something and they don't give a good explanation as to why, It just makes me want to go out and do it just to prove those people wrong.
I'm just starting to get into handloading now. I used 130gr Winchester Power Point on that deer I got. I've tried ever factory load you can think off and that Winchester Power Point shoots the best out of my 550 geting 1/2" - 3/4" 3 shot groups. I have been told to try 150gr next time as the bullet will penetrate more and expand less. Nonetheless, I'm liking the idea of a light weight, compact, deer hunting rifle. Id save my .270 for black bears, elk, north east island deer where long shots are available, and off island deer.
A few questions.
Would you agree or disagree that the .223 is easier to hunt deer with than a bow?
Would you agree or disagree that the .223 has more energy than a 357 magnum lever action rifle?
Would you agree or disagree that NoBarks post is hilarious?
I continue to research the subject of using .223 as a light deer hunting round and I found this video of factory loaded .223 that the Winchester website claims its good for antelope and deer. I also found a large number of youtube videos of people using the .223 to hunt deer. Each video was, bang, deer runs for 10 feet, then tumbles and dies.
I found that it is generally considered, as a guideline, to never go under 800ftlbs of energy when hunting a deer. The .223 is just shy of 800ftlbs of energy at 200 meters. The 30-30 and the 7.62x39 are only slightly more than 800ftlbs at 200 meters. The 357 magnum lever action rifle, which I see a lot of people use for hunting deer and claim its ok, has about 800ftlbs of energy at the muzzle.
I also found on other forums that people claim 60gr and 64gr .223 ammo should work ok in .223 barrels with a 1:12 twist rate. I was digging though my ammo and found a box of Federal Fusion 62gr .223. Box claims its good to use on deer.
Every time someone tells me I can't do something and they don't give a good explanation as to why, It just makes me want to go out and do it just to prove those people wrong.
I'm just starting to get into handloading now. I used 130gr Winchester Power Point on that deer I got. I've tried ever factory load you can think off and that Winchester Power Point shoots the best out of my 550 geting 1/2" - 3/4" 3 shot groups. I have been told to try 150gr next time as the bullet will penetrate more and expand less. Nonetheless, I'm liking the idea of a light weight, compact, deer hunting rifle. Id save my .270 for black bears, elk, north east island deer where long shots are available, and off island deer.
Well I have shot hundreds of deer with a .222 and thousands of goats, (culling and meat hunting New Zealand) That little sako vixen, never lost me a deer, and hardly ever need a second shot, passed up plenty, when the range was too far or couldn't get a clear shot,
.222 and .223 are widely used over here for deer, pigs, thar etc. With good shot placement and a well constructed bullet its more than up to the task, Both were widely used for reasons few north American hunters would concider, ie quite report, weight of ammo, and capacity in mag.
Hundreds of thousands of mostly red deer, Thar and chamois were culled from the hills with .222 .223 etc.
Few if any North American hunters will have the chance to take many thousands of medium game over a life time, restricted seasons and rules, (pretty much ten months to dream and two months to get it done, only a few game per season), Sway thinking more towards the tools for the job that the field skills for the job.
Those saying to use more gun, have valid points, more energy, over greater distance, does have its advantages, if you can control it.
If you want to use a .223 its up to the task, Nice choice of firearm, I have a soft spot for sako and brno/cz rifles,
While I still take the .222 for a deer stalk once in a while, I much prefer my 6mm rem, or 2506.
Mostly use 7x57, .270 or 9.3 when in Canada.
This may be of use, deer cullers were allowed so many shots per animal, after which they had to pay for there ammo.
.308,270,303 2 rounds
.243 3 rounds
.222 4-5 rounds, I remember asking the old man (he used a .222, wore out two barrels) how many round he used, about one and a bit, depending on the hunting block, some times had several thousand extra rounds per season, and used to sell them back to Forest service and other hunters.
never lost me a deer, and hardly ever need a second shot, passed up plenty, when the range was too far or couldn't get a clear shot, .222 and .223 are widely used over here for deer, pigs, thar etc. With good shot placement and a well constructed bullet its more than up to the task, Both were widely used for reasons few north American hunters would concider, ie quite report, weight of ammo, and capacity in mag.
Hundreds of thousands of mostly red deer, Thar and chamois were culled from the hills with .222 .223 etc.
Few if any North American hunters will have the chance to take many thousands of medium game over a life time, restricted seasons and rules, (pretty much ten months to dream and two months to get it done, only a few game per season), Sway thinking more towards the tools for the job that the field skills for the job.
Those saying to use more gun, have valid points, more energy, over greater distance, does have its advantages, if you can control it.
If you want to use a .223 its up to the task, Nice choice of firearm, I have a soft spot for sako and brno/cz rifles,
While I still take the .222 for a deer stalk once in a while, I much prefer my 6mm rem, or 2506.
Mostly use 7x57, .270 or 9.3 when in Canada.
This may be of use, deer cullers were allowed so many shots per animal, after which they had to pay for there ammo.
.308,270,303 2 rounds
.243 3 rounds
.222 4-5 rounds, I remember asking the old man (he used a .222, wore out two barrels) how many round he used, about one and a bit, depending on the hunting block, some times had several thousand extra rounds per season, and used to sell them back to Forest service and other hunters.
I fully agree the .223 is fine for light deer, or taking hundreds of head/neck shots in a cull. I only want to add that the .30 cal projectiles punch a bigger hole right off the bat and most of their energy comes from the weight they bring to the equation, not the speed like the .223, and weight does not disappear. I hear a lot about "momentum" in hunting, especially about how big, heavy and slow bullets tend to just plow through game.
You can't argue with results so if you like using a .223 go for it. Personally I like a .308 but if I ever get to hunt the island deer I just might use a .223
You can't argue with results so if you like using a .223 go for it. Personally I like a .308 but if I ever get to hunt the island deer I just might use a .223
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I suppose I could try and get my 14" AR-15 put on my ATC, after all it does say restricted weapons or prohibited handguns. But I might hold out for a 70 gr TSX @ 2700.
i use to hunt deathclaws with a .223 varmint rifle. Even with the cheaper .223 ammo, which does 20% less damage than the 5.56x45 ammo, i could still take down a young deathclaw with 3 quick critical hit shots. I used a sound suppressor and night vision scope. The suppressor helped to not alert other near by deathclaws and it was better to hunt them at night. At least you have a chance to get away if one starts coming after you. With armor percing 5.56x45, i could take down the larger adult deathclaws but it was very iffy since young deathclaws like to hangout with the larger ones for protection. Taking one deathclaw on with a .223 was perfectly fine but if its two, you're beyond ####ed. Lucky i've survived using the .223 but moved on to the .44magnum marlin lever action.
I remember i was out hunting deathclaws right when i first got that .44. I happen to stubble upon two adult deathclaws. Right away, 3 shots to the head in v.a.t.s, i took down the first deathclaw but the other was coming in hot. I jumped down an embankment to avoid getting split in two buy the animals claws. The deathclaw came down around the other side and took 3 more shots to the dome to take that one down. I hadn't realized that the noise alerted a third deathclaw near by and well i was removing the 2 deathclaws eggs and hands, the third one completely surprised me with a slash to the back. I turned around and completely forgot to reload the .44 and only had one shot left but i shot him in the head and it was a critical hit and blew it face to bits. If i was in the situation with my .223 varmint rifle, i surely wouldn't of made it.
The .50bmg is defiantly the best round to use against deathclaws. It takes down even the alpha male deathclaw in just a single shot to the dome. Hunting deathclaws is a challenge but i fully enjoy it and deathclaw egg omelets is worth almost dying for.
Me with a nice size deathclaw i hunted last year with a .308.
lmaooo!!! Love it!!!
I'll give you a reason... Because there is NO need for using the .223 to accomplish your stated objective. As a "sport" hunter (I eat my game, but don't "need" it to survive)... I feel that it is my responsibility to MAXIMIZE the chances of a clean one shot kill... Not to MAXIMIZE the risk of a wounding loss... YES, a .223 will kill a deer and if you are going to do it, then you're going to do it... Nothing written on this thread or any other will change your mind... BUT you started out with the goal of reducing meat damage... And as many have said, bullet construction and shot placement are the primary factors dictating bruising and clotting... You can choose to use a caliber that is capable of propelling a heavier bullet, coupled with a heavier bonded or mono bullet and accomplish your stated goal, while at the same time carry the weight and energy to provide lethal penetration on a less than perfect hit.
It is simply a matter of respect, not ballistics... Don't choose a weapon the will "squeak by," choose one that will be decisively effective.
Having said that... A .223 is more deadly in the hands of an "expert hunter" than a .30/06 is in the hands of an "incompetent boob..."
If you choose the lesser weapon, then do your part and become the expert hunter....
Respectfully submitted.
