Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Da .223 and deer/lopes @ longer ranges (experiences)

I'm running them at 3150 with 26.5grs of H335

The very first buck I ever saw shot dead was knocked down at a little over 300 yds. by a .220 Swift, factory 48 gr. load. The "amazing" thing is that the bullet passed above the spine, but the buck still went down and could not get up. He did need a finishing shot. Many years later, I did the same thing to a similar buck with a 7mm Magnum. He needed a finishing shot as well.
The very first buck I ever tracked was wounded with a gut shot from a .22 Long Rifle, that's right a .22 rimfire. He was found about 75 yds. away, and could barely get up and run about an hour and a half later. He made another 50 yds. and went down on his own. Yes, he needed an finisher too.
Since those early experiences, I've only seen one buck lost. It took what we think was a gut shot from a 30'06 and made it to the thickest brush I've ever seen.
So...., this whole business of what works is often over done I've come to realize.
As to the .223, I met a northern california trapper/hunter once that used it instead of his .270 because he liked it better. He claimed to have killed a pronghorn buck at almost 500 yds. with his. But, of course, he shot it alot and knew just what it took to hit it right. Which, again, is the real secret to "killing power." E

Thanks,

Looks like I'm where I should be.

Not real far 150 yards or so.

let us know how the fusion works, or I may depending on how next weekend works out. I am grounded this weekend.

Don't know, neighbors wanted it so I gave them the whole thing. They're Amish and handle deer differently than we do, hang 'em in the shed whole, gut 'em, skin 'em and split them down the middle into sides and quarters....

Over the years I suppose 60 plus deer size critters have been taken with the .22's from the .22LR, Hornet right up though the .22 Cheetah..most were taken with my old adl .22-250 and 55 grain Serria HPBT's..I would guess all were killed under 225 yards..the other favorite was the Serria 63 grain and WW64 grain..One was with a factory loaded 46 grain open point in .220 Swift..the doe was shot at about 125 yards and she ran maybe 30 yards and fell..While they worked ok, I have never been completely comfortable using them on big game..May try one on my antelope this fall..