You don't need any super special bullets to kill deer with a .223. I've been killing deer with .222's and .223's since the 80's. I've used 55 gr. Soft points from Hornady, Winchester and Nosler {solid base}, 50 gr. nosler solid base, 60 gr. hornady sp. and 65 gr. Sierra Game Kings. Not one deer ever lost with any of them. I killed a 172 lb. dressed 8 point in 1993 with a .222 and 50 gr. Nosler solid base over a max charge of IMR 4198. 125 yard quartering away shot. Bullet hit near last rib and was recovered from off side shoulder. The buck dropped in it's tracks. A 140 lb doe a few years back shot through BOTH shoulders from 80 yards with a .223 and 55 gr, Hornady sp. dropped in her tracks. The bullet was recovered mushroomed nearly to it's base from just under the skin of the off side shoulder. All but one of the 25 - 30 deer I've killed with the .222 and .223 have gone down inside 50 yards. One doe shot broadside double lung from 150 yards {bullet exited the far side} with the 65 grain Sierra made it about 80 yards. I've had deer go farther when shot through the lungs with much larger cartriges/bullets.
