occurs to me that most of the posts here which boost the 223 are from the southern states. That might have something to do with the size of the deer.
My small experience hunting in Arkansas was that the whitetails there were smaller in size. and when viewed from the front were narrower in profile. IMHO the smaller calibers would be fine on the smaller deer, but not so much on the deer we have here in Minnesota.
Several years ago our hunting crew found a recently dead deer in our hunting woods. We cleaned it. it was worth keeping. Someone had shot it with a 223. Mid chest thru the left ribs. We found the bullet. The deer was wounded badly enough that it traveled quite a way before it expired.
Of course almost all center fire rifles will work on deer SOME of the time.
A few years ago the 223 was declared a legal whitetail cartridge Here. I have not heard of one local hunter who thought that was a good idea. Our hunting crew here in east central minnesota has stayed with our 30-06s, our 270s, and one relic 30-30. We like an entry wound and an exit wound.
Hey, if a 223 works well on the general deer population where you live/hunt, then go for it. Especially if you are bringing younger hunters along.
