Small Bullets for Big Deer,Most States Say a 22 Centerfire can do the Job, the 223Rem,What say you?

[Treestand]

Small Bullets for Big Deer,Most States Say a 22 Centerfire can do the Job, the 223Rem,What say you?

[pineywoods]

I think the 223 can do the job under the right conditions and in the right hands, but I would not use one myself, given the choice. I think the caliber is too light and presents more opportunities for wounding and losing the deer than a heavier cartridge.

[Kody]

As Pineywoods says,"...under the right conditiions", which is another way of saying maybe. There are enough 'maybes' in the woods without adding an unreliable firearm. Often individuals are looking for a light kicking firearm to outfit their youngster when in fact such a choice should be reserved for an expert marksman. That marksman may also have the experience and composure to hold his fire when the game at hand does not offer a shot the light cartridge is capable of performing. Anybody who can't manage a .243 had better find a new hobby. No doubt there will be a host of contributors prepared to endorse the .223 as a big game round because their kid or wife have successfully used one. They need to acknowledge that it is a questionable choice at best. It will be the animal that pays the price when it goes wrong.

[idduckhntr]

I think a 243 should be the smallest cal used on deer I dont think the 223 has enough poop.

[Bo]

Some states allow a .223 to be used on deer. I think it is telling that the Special Ops troops designed a cartridge (6.8 SPC) because the .223 was not bringing down the bad guys in a timely manner. At close range and as Pineywoods says "...under the right conditions and in the right hands..." it can be used on deer. Very few people seem to recognize their limitations when shooting. We all want to be the sniper that can take out the target at a bazillion yards. Less than 0.01 percent of the population can shoot that well, and those people are few and far between. With that cartridge, you may not have adequate penetration to get a clean kill on the target animal at the further reaches of one's range. I don't think that it is responsible to use a cartridge like that.

But that is just me. I personally am not a big fan of the .223 cartridge for deer; varmints, yes, deer, NO.
I would suggest that the .243 is the minimum that should be used for deer. As X2DKkiller says, "I dont think the 223 has enough poop."
I agree.

[Unseenkiller]

I started out hunting deer with a .223 it does the job. Ive taken deer up to 300 yards with a 55gr hollow point round.

[bigjake]

Too light in my opinion.For the big bodied northern bucks I hunt .25 cal is minium in my book.

[libertyfirst]

The .223 with 60 gr. Nosler Partition bullets at 3200 fps will take deer at reasonable ranges. It certainly isn't a good choice for the inexperienced hunter and I would put the use of this cartridge for deer as absolute minimum. The 6 mm's are a much better choice.

[6phunter]

I found out long ago that if my tracking skills didn;t improve then my choice of weapons was going to change,

[Treestand]

I have to agree with most of ya'll but most of the AMMO makers in a recent "hunting mag" thay list
Winchester,Remington,Federal,Cor-Bon,Black Hills
and others are makeing hunting rounds fot the .223
with bullits of 60grSp,DPX Hunter 62gr,R-P 62gr
Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded, and for the .22/250 also
it dosent make it right or wrong let your skills
guide you. Safe Hunting Good Luck

[countitandone]

tree ~ Why take a poodle killer out to hunt deer?

[Marcus]

Id say if u wanna go kill a doe it would probably be alright but bigger is definetly better!

[PigHunter]

I think the 223 can do the job under the right conditions and in the right hands, but I would not use one myself, given the choice. I think the caliber is too light and presents more opportunities for wounding and losing the deer than a heavier cartridge.

I've carried a .223 hunting but passed on an iffy shot at a buck. I'll wait until a better opportunity comes along.

[PigHunter]

As Pineywoods says,"...under the right conditiions", which is another way of saying maybe. There are enough 'maybes' in the woods without adding an unreliable firearm. Often individuals are looking for a light kicking firearm to outfit their youngster when in fact such a choice should be reserved for an expert marksman. That marksman may also have the experience and composure to hold his fire when the game at hand does not offer a shot the light cartridge is capable of performing. Anybody who can't manage a .243 had better find a new hobby. No doubt there will be a host of contributors prepared to endorse the .223 as a big game round because their kid or wife have successfully used one. They need to acknowledge that it is a questionable choice at best. It will be the animal that pays the price when it goes wrong.

A .223 is not enough but an arrow from a long bow is?

[PigHunter]

I think a 243 should be the smallest cal used on deer I dont think the 223 has enough poop.

Professional hunters hired to thin deer herds use the .223 and they've determined it has enough "poop".