I see the 223 killing all kinds of big game but the deer all seem small the kinda deer most anything with a trigger can kill.

I live in Idaho where even smaller bucks seem big. Ibe killed deer with the 220 and 53gr triple shocks with great results but it's impact velocity is quite a bit higher then the 223.


I do love small calibers and big game my 2506 kills deer and elk. I've got the itch for a 20" barreldo 223 with 75gr bullets on big game my range is normally under 300.

So can the 223 take big game like Idahos mature muledeer?

This is the deer I took this season with my 2506 and single 110 acubond at under 200. Only email shot dead right there.

Im not saying I'd go after big deer like this but if the opurtinty arises I will shoot if I have a good shoot. I will not squeeze trigger if there's a chance I'll miss my shot. The last 5 years have been very good for placing shots and passing on bad shots.



Post pictures of big deer yoube killed with the 223.

I've killed some deer 200Lbs and less with a 223 and 65 SGKs. I've seen a few killed with Barnes. None were more than 200 yard shots. I have not asked the little SGKs to do too much-- broadside, or nearly so, shots.

Yet to recover a bullet, but I've shot and seen shot a fairly small sample size of ~8 deer.

I see no reason a 223 and triple shocks wouldn't do an good job on 300 lb deer if the distance, placement, and shot angle were reasonable...

I've seen 223 cut straight through a Level 2 vest with a trauma plate. I'm thinking it would do a deer at the range you mentioned.

(just an experiment with some expired vests from work, no one was hurt)

I'm curious how it'll do with a 75 g Hornady hpbt on some deers. I've got em dialed in, just haven't shot anything but paper and steel with em yet.

Here's a 53gr triple shock after impacting a buck at 300yds. Deer ran about 50yds and piled up not needing a, second shot. This was out of my 220 I'll figure out what velI city was at 300 and compare that to the 223.







I've killed a, hand full of deer with the 53gr triple shock and this is the only one I recovered

They make my daughter smile.

Age 9



Age 10



55 grain Barnes Vortex in a Stevens 200 makes meat in the freezer in my daughter's hands.

Taylorce1

That's awesome thanks for sharing

Evan, I realize that it didn't really answer your question. However, I enjoy posting those pictures and thank you for your nice comment. I don't know how well they would work on large deer as my daughter's longest shot was 150 yards on a deer, and both does were less than 150 lbs.

This year she'll be using a .300 Savage with 125 grain NBT. She wants to hunt elk next year and realizes she can't use the .223 anymore. The one thing I don't like about the .223 is that it doesn't leave much if any blood trail.

I've seen 250 pound+ boars taking with them.

Biggest deer I've killed with a 223AI, albeit with a 75gr Swift. I've killed a few more with the 62gr TSX

Evan, are the lines on the expanded part of your bullet the result of barrel rifling or something else. Ive never used triple shocks but have seen many photos and have never seen that before.

I don't know what category you'd put these in but they were both shot with the .223 and 53gr TSX.

I want to say 200yds for my sons and I know the girl's was 300yds.

That deer is posing with a bloody nose!

Deflave
that's the type of deer I'm wondering about. Thanks for shareing.

Yes I do belive those lines are from the rifling. That bullet retained 100% of its weight.

I can tell you my son's weighed right around 1,200lbs when I got to the top of that coulee...




Travis

Great pictures fella's. I would like to give the 64 grain BSB or 50 and/or 53 grain TSX a shot in my daughters little 222 Remington.

This is good information and deflave, thanks for posting your photo's and info. One of my daughters has a very bad shoulder from fast pitch softball and the 7-08 I setup for them to use is to much recoil on her shoulder. It takes a 1" recoil pad, a Past shoulder pad, and 2 folded hand towels before it doesn't hurt her anymore. I haven't tried a 243 because I don't have one (yet), so the next down is a 223. I've looked at the Barnes TSX bullets and wondered if they would work. Now I know. Oh, and she is a very good shooter,plus I'll back her up.

I didn't know it was legal, and didn't think it was ethical to kill deer with a .223!

Im shocked that you stunt shooters would put this out over the world wide web!

Paul used to post pics of a big deer he shot in threads similar to this. Paul's no runt either. I don't know though that he got it with a 223.

Perhaps he'll see this and hang it again.

I am thinking maybe a 22-250 this year. I hunt mostly in the timber here, that area sure would make it easier to track or find one that runs a little after being shot.

Not sure how he did it. The .223 only works on deer for kids and women. I guess if you grip it softly you can get buy with it.

I personally like the bit more horsepower that a .223AI or a .22-250 gives, but frankly Ive used them all extensively and the animals don't seem to notice the difference...
I just feel better ( Comfort Zone stuff) on shots over 200 with the added oomph.




( 'oomph' is a ballistic gack technical term )

First, my wife says your daughter is a little cutie and I concur. We were amazed how much she matured from age 9 to age 10.

Second, .224 caliber is legal or at least it was and I believe still is for big game hunting in Montana. Many an elk and Muley has fallen to a a .224 caliber bullet in everything from a .223 to a .220 Swift. I would not discount a .223 for elk if your daughter can shoot it well and it's legal for big game where you live. In fact, a .22-250 set up for big game hunting using premium big game bullets would be just the ticket for your daughter assuming it's legal where you live.

You can be rest-a-sured - the 223 "wiz bang" 53gr TSX only added to the flavour

My pard Paul?

The big one was with a 264WM

Thanks again, I'm very proud of her and hopefully I'll post another picture of her this year with another deer at age 11. She's now 5'8" tall and wears a ladies size 10 shoe. She's growing much faster than I want that's for sure!

I have no problems with her hunting deer and a 22-250 would definitely step up the power and range, but I wouldn't use it on elk. We live in Colorado as well and must use a minimum of .243/6mm calibers minimum 70 grain for deer, pronghorn, and bear, 85 grains for elk and moose. She asked for a .308 after shooting a family friends, I tried but the best I could do was trade for a M700 Classic in .300 Savage. I'm thinking the 135 grain TSX will make good elk medicine.

Yeah - the guy who can't spell

For some reason I always thought that was a 223AI kill.

Stunt Shooter!

NEF .223Rem 55gr. TBBC





NEF Youth Handi-Rifle .22 Hornet 45gr. Nosler Solid Base

Nice buck for the boy!

Guys thanks for all the replies. I'd much rather be the dad starting his kids out with a light recoil in rig that there not afraid then a kicking flinching inducing bigger getter.

Speaking of daughter's mine is nine and the rifle is semi slated for her. I'm looking at the xcr 700 I'll get a, wood stock and cut it down and I'll have a compact varmint rig for me.

I'll later ad a 257 or possibly 2506 for jilly in lighter weight rig and that's as big as we go.

Yes I got after her about the double finger on the trigger.



My dad started me with a 3006 and it was years before I didn't jer the trigger off


My son is coming up to so well definitely make use of a few more small caliber hunting rigs he's 5.

Yes 224 cent fire is legal in idaho.

Last fall I shot a 200 lb (dressed) doe with a .223, 20 inch barrel and 53 gran TSX. 80 yards. Blew up the lungs, heart loos in the chest. In just back of the shoulder and out through the meat of the off side shoulder. 3 inch hole through the meat. Dead about 100 feet later. 3300 FPS load. Shot a 150 pounder wth a 3000 FPS load out of the rifle two weeks later. Virtually identical wound channel.

Miles
thats, awesome I think my doubts are put a way the 224 bullets moving slower still get the job done just fine

Thanks for the reply

I was at the range this summer when a Dad brought his boys to the line with rifles to sight in and practice for the up coming hunting season. The boys were between 12 and 14. As I was shooting my 1911 I heard the boys fire their rifles. The rifles weren't very loud and the recoil seemed quite minimal. I look at the actions and the actions looked to be full size. I asked the Dad what the boys were shooting and he said the boys were shooting reduced recoil loads in .308 Winchester. This was factory stuff. He said the boys wanted .308 rifles but he didn't think they were up to full house loads just yet and the reduced recoil loads were the answer. When the boys get older and bigger and can handle full loads they will already have rifles ready to go.

I was quite surprised how mild mannered those loads were. This is FYI for any of you Dads out there.