I've actually never tried hunting in my life, and I'm thinking about trying it. I have been thinking about what caliber I would use if I were to hunt deer. I have been wondering.....Is .223 Remington a good caliber for deer? I'm not aking if there's better calibers out there, but will .223 get the job done ok? Or is it not powerful enough? All info is appreciated!
.223 good for deer?
- Thread starter P99AS9
- Start date
If it is legal to use a .223 for deer where you live, then it will work fine.
Others will tell you that they have used standard 55 grain soft point ammo to kill deer and I don't doubt them, but to make sure you reach the vitals I would use a heavier structured bullet.
If you hand load the 55 grain Speer Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, the Speer 70 grain spire point, or the 60 grain Nosler Partition is what I would use. If you don't hand load I believe that Federal loads the 60 grain Nosler Partition.
Shot placement is critical for whatever caliber you are using, but it becomes even more critical with .22s.
So to sum up use a properly structured bullet, practice till you can hit inside an 1.5 inch circle every time at 100 yards and limit your max range to 200-250 yards and you should be fine.
If I was recommending a cartridge for a first time hunter it would be the .243 Winchester or the 6 mm Remington as the minimum, but if you are intent on using the .223, it will work if you follow my advice.
Others will tell you that they have used standard 55 grain soft point ammo to kill deer and I don't doubt them, but to make sure you reach the vitals I would use a heavier structured bullet.
If you hand load the 55 grain Speer Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, the Speer 70 grain spire point, or the 60 grain Nosler Partition is what I would use. If you don't hand load I believe that Federal loads the 60 grain Nosler Partition.
Shot placement is critical for whatever caliber you are using, but it becomes even more critical with .22s.
So to sum up use a properly structured bullet, practice till you can hit inside an 1.5 inch circle every time at 100 yards and limit your max range to 200-250 yards and you should be fine.
If I was recommending a cartridge for a first time hunter it would be the .243 Winchester or the 6 mm Remington as the minimum, but if you are intent on using the .223, it will work if you follow my advice.
jammin1237
New member
i have heard of some successfully hunting deer with .22lrs, would i do it? no... i like to stick with a 110 grain bullet or higher (choose your caliber)... my first deer gun was a sks 7.62x39 and worked great...ya gotta have something with a little knockdown power to it, otherwise your chances of just wounding the animal will increase with lesser grains...
If it legal for use...
AND you can take and PLACE your shot, the yes but if not don't.
The late Finn Aargaard did an article in early 90's about using a .223.
He felt it was adequate but not for all shots. Though it was best for new hunters to avoid recoil problems or those with medical situation.
Try the Winchester 64gr PP ammo is was specifically made for deer.
AND you can take and PLACE your shot, the yes but if not don't.
The late Finn Aargaard did an article in early 90's about using a .223.
He felt it was adequate but not for all shots. Though it was best for new hunters to avoid recoil problems or those with medical situation.
Try the Winchester 64gr PP ammo is was specifically made for deer.
armedtotheteeth
New member
Most of the deer I have killed in the last 2 years was with a 223. I usually head shot them. I would NOT try a vital shot with a 223, and do not use FMJs. I use 55 Gn Vmaxs with very much success. if you can hit a tennis ball at 100 yards, your good for a head shot. All I have killed died before the bullet stopped.
Gunpowder&Lead
New member
.223 for Deer -probably not a good idea for a new hunter
With .22 cal bullets and deer sized game shot placement is crucial. Head Shots are not recommended with any caliber. All too often, deer are shot in the jaw and left to die a slow and miserable death. For a humane kill, go with a tried and true deer caliber like a 30-30, 308, .270 or even a .243 but nothing smaller and go for the traditional broadside lung/heart dead center mass shot.
With .22 cal bullets and deer sized game shot placement is crucial. Head Shots are not recommended with any caliber. All too often, deer are shot in the jaw and left to die a slow and miserable death. For a humane kill, go with a tried and true deer caliber like a 30-30, 308, .270 or even a .243 but nothing smaller and go for the traditional broadside lung/heart dead center mass shot.
+1 for ATTT. I will say this and it is my opinion so don't jump all over me:
222,223,243, 6mm, small rounds will let you down at some point in time. That is a fact and you have to live with it. The smaller rounds will at sometime let you down. I am not saying a 30-06 is a death ray what I am saying is that the larger rounds for deer hunting will let you live with variables; wind, twiggs, distance, flinch...Buck feaver what ever you want to call it. I have killed Elk with a 243 and deer with a 17 rem but there was no room for error. I think the min I would feel good with is in the range of the 260 REM. That said hunt with what you want to, just remember you are a Sportsman and that means a clean kill. At any range and any profile. When the buck of a lifetime comes around and you don't have head shot what now?
222,223,243, 6mm, small rounds will let you down at some point in time. That is a fact and you have to live with it. The smaller rounds will at sometime let you down. I am not saying a 30-06 is a death ray what I am saying is that the larger rounds for deer hunting will let you live with variables; wind, twiggs, distance, flinch...Buck feaver what ever you want to call it. I have killed Elk with a 243 and deer with a 17 rem but there was no room for error. I think the min I would feel good with is in the range of the 260 REM. That said hunt with what you want to, just remember you are a Sportsman and that means a clean kill. At any range and any profile. When the buck of a lifetime comes around and you don't have head shot what now?
armedtotheteeth
New member
Id head shot a big buck. No matter how you cook them damn antlers.. they are always tough. I hate chasing shot deer. I saw recently a large buck take a perfect heart shot from a 338 Fed at 80 yards. It ran 100 yards and took quite a bit of time to find it. When we cleaned it, the heart was smashed. (I like making sausage out of it.) When I shoot deer in the head, they fall right there, kick twice and die. They feel nothing, Hard to do with no brain. I dont shoot when the head is sideways. I only do front, or rear shots. You miss a little bit, you pierce their ear, or you hit them in the neck. The pierce ear probably aint a big deal. The neck shot, they are going down.
vITAL SHOTS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO RUIN MEAT. oNE SHOULDER, MAYBE 2.
I do not waste meat. I do not plan on eating grey matter
vITAL SHOTS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO RUIN MEAT. oNE SHOULDER, MAYBE 2.
I do not waste meat. I do not plan on eating grey matter
banditt007
New member
This topic has been beaten to death over and over and over. i'm unsure how you could have searched and not stumbled on 50+ threads all over internet land about it. In short why limit yourself to these 'ideal' shots? (head/neck ect) if you want to go small start at a .243 and go up. so you can at least have a rifle that CONSISTENTLY will kill well with a heart/lung shot. this gives a much larger target area and if you are off/deflection ect still produces a kill. not a blown off jaw, a meat shot through the neck ect ect.
Testing has shown that the main factors that affect bullet deflection from twigs, brush, etc. have nothing to do with caliber.
Regardless of what caliber you're using, if you attempt to shoot through intervening objects the result will likely be a miss if you're lucky or a wounding shot if you're not.
To me the .223 is a little small for deer sized game. I always say why use the minimum on the game when other cals are avaliable.
I have shot several goats with a .223 and yes while it is quite capable of the kill, it has to be a perfect kill shot. Yes i know thats the point but somteimes you might be a little off.
When i use my .243 they drop on the spot even if the shot is a little high on the shoulder or a little too far back. I have achieved several Texas heart shots on goats with the .243 with exits around the neck area. All dropped on the spot.
A .223 will kill a deer but its the minimum and you risk losing a fatally wounded animal.
In my state its illegal to use anything under a .243 for the smallest deer.
The .223 is a great varmint rifle with small pigs and goats in there as well.
Only my opinion.
I have shot several goats with a .223 and yes while it is quite capable of the kill, it has to be a perfect kill shot. Yes i know thats the point but somteimes you might be a little off.
When i use my .243 they drop on the spot even if the shot is a little high on the shoulder or a little too far back. I have achieved several Texas heart shots on goats with the .243 with exits around the neck area. All dropped on the spot.
A .223 will kill a deer but its the minimum and you risk losing a fatally wounded animal.
In my state its illegal to use anything under a .243 for the smallest deer.
The .223 is a great varmint rifle with small pigs and goats in there as well.
Only my opinion.
If it is legal in your area then i guess i cant really stop you from doing it. With a .223 there is absolutely no margin of error allowed in your hunting plans, there is always a chance of some error happening. You have to be prepared for something to go at least slightly wrong because it always does.
I consider the .243 to be the minimum safe caliber for deer. anything else and you are pushing the limits too far. I have hunted with a .243 and it is a good little round if you use the right ammunition.
My ideal round for shooting deer in open country is a .270, bush, something a little larger caliber and maybe a little slower if you like.
I consider the .243 to be the minimum safe caliber for deer. anything else and you are pushing the limits too far. I have hunted with a .243 and it is a good little round if you use the right ammunition.
My ideal round for shooting deer in open country is a .270, bush, something a little larger caliber and maybe a little slower if you like.
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Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
The bulletmakers' R&D, these last dozen or so years, have made the .223 more effective for deer than in the "varmint bullets only" days. Bullets of around 60 to 70 grains in weight do much better than the 50- or 55-grain bullets intended for rabbits and coyotes.
Still, a clean neck shot or a 90-degree cross-body shot will work far better than an angling shot where penetration through a good bit of a deer's body is required to reach a vital area.
Still, a clean neck shot or a 90-degree cross-body shot will work far better than an angling shot where penetration through a good bit of a deer's body is required to reach a vital area.
only if you KNOW you can hit the vitals! and use a 55gr soft point as mentioned
You can kill them just as easy as any other rifle, but there is not any room for error in shot placement or yardage misjudgement with the .223. And you will likely get more movement after the shot. It's always nice to have a big gun to put an animal down in its tracks
so, only if you are confident in your shot placement
You can kill them just as easy as any other rifle, but there is not any room for error in shot placement or yardage misjudgement with the .223. And you will likely get more movement after the shot. It's always nice to have a big gun to put an animal down in its tracks
so, only if you are confident in your shot placement
armedtotheteeth
New member
Is the brain considered "vital"? or is it "optional"?
Its a risky shot miss the brain and you blow the animals nose off, or jaw. Go a little high and you can hit the antler area bullet deflects causes injury but not death.
A lot of people here say the .223 is ok with no margin for error. I say why take the risk. All animals should be shot as humane as possible.
A 60gr partition is good for penetration on small pigs and goats, i would not attempt on deer in Australia even if were legal.
A lot of people here say the .223 is ok with no margin for error. I say why take the risk. All animals should be shot as humane as possible.
A 60gr partition is good for penetration on small pigs and goats, i would not attempt on deer in Australia even if were legal.