All anecdotal aside, the fact is there’s not the blood trail to work with in a 223 in the thick and/or wet, that there is with bigger stuff. I’ve used it plenty. Deer is still dead, but it’s a bitch to track it in the dark or thick....especially for that extra 50yards they seem to run when not shot in the CNS, vs most other stuff. Speed is ZERO guarantee of DRT with deer. Sometimes it seems to be. Other times it’s baffling to a guy with his pet laser beam to watch them run unfazed. A 55-75gr .224 bullet just can’t expand a whole lot, AND penetrate for an exit/good blood trail. It still kills well, it’s just not the ‘best’ for typical eastern deer hunts, IME. I’ve got a TON of deer/hog bullets and loads for .223, and I’ll use them up eventually, but it’ll be scenario specific. A 357 pistol bullet works better in the woods around here, and other stuff generally works better to keep them from getting there to begin with. I’m not saying don’t use it. I’m just pointing out the considerations some might need to acknowledge when using the smaller stuff as if it weren’t ‘smaller’.
Last edited by hh4whiskey; 02/24/19.
