Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Is the 223 AI enough for deer

Yep.

But, overkill is still dead...

DF

I was going to post a bunch of pics with a winded explanation and recommendation for bullet choices, and then I saw everyone else s post. Nuff said :-)

I'm looking forward to taking something with my 1-8 twist 223 this year,seeing how the 75 IMAX or 80 gr nosler perform.
Also have 62 tsx loaded for the 1-10 22-250 my son uses.

Clearly, with a decent bullet placed in the right place, the .223AI will do just fine, just like the straight version, and just like any number of other cartridges. Some states have recognized the fact that most hunters will use something that will help them be successful and elected to treat them like adults by allowing the use of smallbores. Others, not so much. Strangely, the government agencies that cull deer in parks and urban areas are generally using much less effective rounds in order to be unobtrusive to the public. As far as I know, they aren't leaving a bunch of wounded deer running around.

All that said, and even though all centerfires are legal for deer here, I don't use a .223 as I don't own one at present. Even if I did have one, I would likely continue to use the other, larger rifles as I believe they are a better choice for where I hunt these days. Folks that hunt where they feel their smallbores will be effective ought to be able to use them.

was calling coyotes last year during holiday doe season, carrying a .17 Tac rifle pushing 30 grain kindlers little over 4k, three does ran up to caller about 80 yards. Bang flop,one shot to base of the neck, fell over in her tracks stone dead. Put me down in the shot placement row.

you are just a poor shot thus you butt shot a deer once with a 22 and lost it. The little gun is easier to shoot, easier to hit with, usually very accurate and 100% lethal in my hands with mono metal bullets.

Just read what Blackheart and ingwe had to say about the .223 on deer.. They hit the nail on the head..

If you can shoot, it will work. If you can't, nothing will work.

Pretty simple really.

Again ingwe and Blackheart summed it up perfectly...

Again, if you can shoot, it will work. If you can't, nothing will work.

Perhaps too simple for some.

Not too simple but not everyone shoots their deer over bait, or more politically correct "food plots."