Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .223 Deer Question

I've been using my 223's for several seasons now on deer with several different bullets.

I've used TSX's, Sciroccos, Partitions, Power Points, Sierra Gamekings (55 & 65) and the Sierra 63 gr SMP.

I've noticed on broadside shots that the Sierras, Partition and Power Points kill much quicker with more internal damage.

What do you guys think are the TSX's and Sciroccos to tough for broadside shots?

No. I think they will penetrate on a shoulder shot where some of the others will loose you a big buck (except for the partition).

I agree thats true but shooting ribs they seem like they kill quicker.

personally I could care less which killed "quicker" .1 seconds or 1.5 seconds is fine, as long as they are dead by the time I get there I don't care. sounds like all the ones you shot at were recovered, so what is the problem?

i like the 60 partition it just gets it done

i may try the 53 gn tsx just for the heck of it this year

It [bleep] them up. I've yet to have a deer take more than 2 steps when I've busted bone with either the 62gr TSX or 75gr Swift. I also haven't recovered a deer yet.

I'm not a behind the shoulder shooter.

Lots of bone in this pic, no bullet recovered, 62gr TSX. Never seen a critter drop so fast.






All shoulder, 75gr Swift

Been proven time and again the TSXs expand in the first 3 inches or so........so not too tough for broadside shots.

That said if you like to dump energy into an animal the CNC bullets will do that better...I just never had one go far enough with a .22TSX to need to do any tracking...

That also said, I shot my last deer with a 55 gr. Hornady.......

It turned out to be just as dead, just as quick as a TSX deer....

BTW: forgot to add.....STUNT SHOOTER!

I will agree them 223 are good deer guns

62TSX WELL behind the shoulder

I'm a "Magnum" stunt shooter.

My last four deer have been shot with the Barnes 45 grain XLC and all where DRT...

Ha coming from you.

I'm not complaing about the TSX and Scirocco as they have not let me down, just an observation that deer seem to kick around or go a little further than a CNC thru the ribs. I agree you get more flexibility as far as shot placement.

I have not done the exact comparison with a .223 and TSX yet, but I have with .243, .270 .308 and 30-06. Just ribs and lungs. Some go down on the spot or close to it. None made it past fifty yards. Bullet type didn't matter at all as far as I could tell regarding how far they moved after being hit. However, I do consider the difference between 10 feet and fifty yards to be insignificant because no matter how thoroughly you destroy the contents of the chest some will manage that fifty yards and that is not related to bullet type that I can see.

What does CNC mean?

Paul

Cup and Core style bullet ?

I like the 62TSX and the 75 Swift S2. So far only 4 dead animals, a good 10 point deer on my wall and 3 feral pigs the biggest was 230 or so the big pig dropped on the spot. None of them went further than 25 yards, I shoot shoulders and I have recovered no bullets. I am a late starter with the 5.56.

One man's treasure is another man's trash...I'm all for .22 CFs on critters, but avoid shoulders if at all possible.

Here's an elk's shoulder (not a deer, I know, and it was not killed by a 22 CF BTW) after I accidentally put an accubond through it. The elk made it about 10 feet, which is fairly typical for behind the shoulder shots too IME. Nasty, gritty bone marrow and bone shards everywhere. I hated to do it, but I cut away A LOT of meat from both front shoulders, since both shoulders were shattered. Not to mention the heart is my absolute favorite part of a critter. Its all behind the shoulder for me.






As for the OP, I too find C&C bullets kill faster on average with chest shots than the monos. I've found the fastest killing situation is a fairly fast opening bullet (like the sierra game king) at warp speed through the lungs. Often it seems like the bullet damn near slams the critter into the ground. A big deer's shoulder (let alone an elk) could possibly stop this bullet though if you accidentally hit it like the elk above (accidentally hitting bone, not having the shoulder stop the bullet). That's where the monos and other super tough bullets have versatility.

To answer your original question, from what little experience I have with the TSX, they do open up just fine on broadside behind the shoulder shots.

edited: the elk pic above was to demonstrate why I avoid bone. Please don't flame me for bring up elk pictures in a deer killing discussion.

Yep.

I smoked a med. sized black bear with a 55 gr. sx from my .223 30ish yard shot... Brain pan shot= instant dead bear.

Oldest daughter shot a old, long nosed whitetail doe with the 60gr partition threw the slates on entrance to go on break opposite side leg bone then out into the brush beyond. Deer jumped good three feet in air, landed and took off and fell over dead 40ish yards later.

Buddy whacked a late season doe with his .222 rem mag with factory 55 gr. rem stuff. Lung/heart, ribs with exit hole 50 yards dropped it one hind leg kicked, done.

Another bud has killed a small ark of deer and a couple bear with his ol' BDL in 22-250 with plain 55 gr. softies. I witnessed a few of the deeds and the couple I watched were broadside chest shots and DRT. One bullet made it all the way out, the other one vanished along with the vitals in the deer.

I have not witnessed or used TSX's or Scirocco bullets in .22 cal. The speed of death I have seen from reg. softies in the .22 cal would be REAL hard to beat I think.

TSX still holds pretty dang through that you can eat up to the bullet hole. And the animals are very dead...