Hunting Deer With A .223?
- Thread starter Mumbles Marble Mouth
- Start date
Sticking your finger in a light socket won't kill you, but shooting a deer with a 223 will kill it fast.
BCshooterFMJ
Regular
- Location
- British Columbia
Was wondering what other peoples opinion is on hunting Columbian Blacktail with a .223. Columbian Blacktail are small and they don't get any bigger than 120lbs. I looked up a species of deer called Roe. They don't get any bigger than 80lbs and people in Europe hunt them with .223 or .222 if they live in a half communist country (France) that don't allow military cartridges.
For those who don't know, its legal to hunt deer with a .223 in BC.
Was thinking about getting this
For those of you who already hunt deer with a .223, what is a good load to used on them? The CZ 527 twist rate is 1:12 so I don't know if that would stabilize heavy 75gr bullets or not.
I'm just asking because my .270 this year annihilated the ribs and right side blade of the black tail I got this year and he was only just over 100lbs. Was going to hunt these columbian black tails with the .223 then save the .270 for the larger deer off Island or Elk.
Sorry, I am sure it has been answered ages ago, but any big game can be hunted with any center fire round, cheers.
It's just plain funny that the guys who are against the 223 for deer have never used it and stubbornly refuse to try it, but the guys that are for the 223 on deer have used it with success.
Are people really that thick?
There's a saying that might apply here...
It's easier to fool a group of people than it is to convince them that they have been fooled.
One piece of advice for the 30-06 crowd... Stop memorizing every thing stated in hunting magazines. They are designed to sell gear and advertising - rarely does truth match the sales pitch.
Are people really that thick?
There's a saying that might apply here...
It's easier to fool a group of people than it is to convince them that they have been fooled.
One piece of advice for the 30-06 crowd... Stop memorizing every thing stated in hunting magazines. They are designed to sell gear and advertising - rarely does truth match the sales pitch.
Pudelpointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lethbridge, Alberta
I have shot 2 deer with a 22-250 and seen 3 or 4 others killed with them. I know the capability of the round. For ####s and giggles I'll throw it in with the .223 the OP spoke to. Although at the time I was young, I showed discipline with the shot selection. Speaking just for myself I won't use anything 22 for deer again. Anyone that wants to use a .223 hey if its legal where you are fill your boots.
and again, 
Somewhere earlier in this thread we pretty much agreed that the proper bullet selection is key with the 223.
Please finish the story...
And what bullets were you using?
Bigfoot 870
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Was wondering what other peoples opinion is on hunting Columbian Blacktail with a .223. Columbian Blacktail are small and they don't get any bigger than 120lbs. I looked up a species of deer called Roe. They don't get any bigger than 80lbs and people in Europe hunt them with .223 or .222 if they live in a half communist country (France) that don't allow military cartridges.
For those who don't know, its legal to hunt deer with a .223 in BC.
Was thinking about getting this
For those of you who already hunt deer with a .223, what is a good load to used on them? The CZ 527 twist rate is 1:12 so I don't know if that would stabilize heavy 75gr bullets or not.
I'm just asking because my .270 this year annihilated the ribs and right side blade of the black tail I got this year and he was only just over 100lbs. Was going to hunt these columbian black tails with the .223 then save the .270 for the larger deer off Island or Elk.
You have posed an excellent question Mumbles Marble Mouth....it's a shame that your post has gone awry.
I have shot whitetails, here in NS, with .32 Win Spcl, .300 Savage, and .270 Win (and also with archery gear). I recently purchased a .223 Rem for target shooting, and coyote hunting. Currently, here in NS, .23 is the smallest caliber allowed for deer, but rumour has it that the .223 might be approved in the future. If so, I will consider using my .223, which has a 1 in 12 rate of twist, with Federal Premium 60gr Nosler Partition ammo, with a distance limit of 100 yards, and broadside heart / lungs only shots. Incidentally, I never complained about wasting meat with my .270. Any caliber can waste meat, as the variables of shot placement, and bullet weight / design play a huge factor. All the best
This post did not go "awry"... it is exactly what it had to be... ask a controversial question and you will solicit a controversial debate... if he had asked "is a .308 Winchester enough for deer"... he would have gotten one reply, something like this; "Of course a .308 is enough for deer, dumb azz..." And then the thread would have died.
The fact that this has created a debate is evidence enough of the marginal nature of using .223's on deer sized game... can it be done... sure... should it be done... probably not... especially with so many options available...
Shot placement is still king, in my opinion bullet selection is second with caliber cartridge being third.
Regardless of what you choose there will be some that will disagree.
Should we be shooting animals with anything that affords an opportunity to miss and make a bad shot? Well then we would not hunt at all.
Let your conscience and your respect for the game guide you. That you were willing to ask the question says to me that you have some concern for ethical hunting.
I respect whichever decision you make
Jody
Regardless of what you choose there will be some that will disagree.
Should we be shooting animals with anything that affords an opportunity to miss and make a bad shot? Well then we would not hunt at all.
Let your conscience and your respect for the game guide you. That you were willing to ask the question says to me that you have some concern for ethical hunting.
I respect whichever decision you make
Jody
Some people don't have to try something and fail at it before they know it isn't a great idea... you can count me in the ".30-06 crowd" .... Truth is .223 is my favorite cartridge but it isn't a deer round... but of course, the .223 crowd are all excellent marksman who never miss a shot by a fraction of an inch.... I have been hunting a long time and taken my share of deer... I also lost one, and it still bothers me.... I owe my quarry too much respect than to use a sub par round and wonder what the attraction is to using a 22 centerfire for big game other than bravado?
BTW, what year of magazine are you reading that touts th e30-06 as the latest and greatest?.... lol
I think many are confusing what they know of deer hunting to what the original posters intentions are.
If the blacktail are the same as the ones I have hunted on Vancouver and the Charlotts Islands, body wise they are very comparable to our Alberta Coyote.
If the blacktail are the same as the ones I have hunted on Vancouver and the Charlotts Islands, body wise they are very comparable to our Alberta Coyote.
Some of them get well over 100 pounds and even approach the 130 - 140 range.... is the OP going to pass on a shot because the deer he sees is too big?
Bigfoot 870
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
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