i cant decide so i need you guys to help me

[Fenix.NZ]

ok, so im settled on a bolt gun for everything from highly dangerous paper targets, up to deer .

.223 or .308

please comment on why u picked what you did

our hunting is very bush oriented, shots are usually under 100m so .223 is suitable for deer

 

[sheephunter]

.223 will kill a deer but I'd have to say that a .308 will drop them quicker....in heavy bush that means less tracking. Without the use of some specialized bullets, the .223 is a marginal big game cartridge at best. Get the .308.

 

[dumbdawg]

308 cause you may want to go after other game bigger than a deer

 

[Northman999]

.308

 

[Fenix.NZ]

deer are about as big as it gets here in NZ .. no mooooosses or yaks or anything weird n wonderful like that

it wont be all im using it for. rabbits, hares, possums, goats will all be on the menu aswell
our wild goats are mainly around the same size as domestic goats

 

[sheephunter]

deer are about as big as it gets here in NZ .. no mooooosses or yaks or anything weird n wonderful like that

Are you talking red deer?

 

[mackillan]

.223

The .223 is a gopher gun. Go with a 243, 257 etc if a .308 is too big.

 

[Fenix.NZ]

yeah we got reds

 

[sheephunter]

yeah we got reds

Then the .308 no question!

 

[Longwalker]

A buddy from NZ used a .243 for all his hunting, even for Red Deer, with no complaints. You may want to consider a .243 as an alternative.
Of the two choices that you list, I'd also suggest the .308. Even small goats can be tough. The .223 is only barely adequate for small deer, bigger deer species are not really ".223 game" IMHO.