Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Whitetail rifle - minimal recoil

223 with limb saver is as good as it gets. cheap and low recoil. 55gr mono or 62+ for cup and core.
another rifle would be a bolt in 7.62x39. Cheap, fairly low recoil and very effective on deer.

My 8 twist Shilen .22-250 Mohawk with Timney and aftermarket bottom metal. I found some 80 gr. Midway bullets that were actually 75 gr. Apparently they are Hornady TAP/SHB bullets that were bought as surplus by Midway. They're not available otherwise. They shot really well in my rifle, should be good WT bullets. http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/556-nato/75-gr-tap-sbr Took some research to ID them. They're made for short barreled .223's, should open pretty well at .22-250 speeds. Not sleek, LR bullets, but at typical deer hunting range should work well.

DF

Pass the 75 ELD and 88 ELD,while holding the Fluff.

Hint................(grin)

Man I love that!

Oooopsie!............

Tell it to the back straps.............and have a couple more lithiums.........

Scroder,

It's your Imagination,simply Pretend with it as you MUST. Hint. Congratulations?!?

Bless your heart for trying though.

Hint.

Laughing!...............

Thanks, me too...

I got some more of those bullets from a Fire contributor. Midway doesn't have any more.

One of these days, I'm gonna bust something with that load. I've got too many Loony projects ongoing.

But, that's just another Loony problem...

DF

Wondered why this went to 8 pages until I saw all the posts by people I have on ignore. It takes real talent to wreck a thread even when you're on ignore lists.Hat's off to 24hr, home of the best trolls on teh interwebs.

And, OP, it looks like you're on the right track. I make my kids practice multiple points of aim on deer so they don't get locked into trying to make a .223 or 6.5G work for all angles. Also, when you see what kind of groups you hold on different points with x-ray style targets it tells you what you can and can't actually hit. I have been real proud when they turned down shots on deer because they knew they couldn't make them; just as proud when they drilled the shots they chose.

Not to say you aren't more capable than them, just that expanding your shot choices when using lighter cartridges is helpful. I know I will use a higher power rifle on a heart/lung when I coulda just used something lighter and shot somewhere else.

You Window Licking "victims" are a fhuqking hoot! Hint.

Congratulations?!?

LAUGHING!..............

A little over 200

I second this thought

How is it we can be this deep into a thread and the 223 has been completely overlooked?

223 with Partitions or Nosler Bonded will wreck a deer.

I'm with Paul... a .223 used under moderate distances will kill well. I have dropped the EARSPLITTIN LOUDENBOOMERS over the last few years in favor of the little rifle more often. I have had my best results with 55 gr softpoints out to 250 yards... If I'm going to be hunting where I have more range, I will take a bigger rifle.

lol

What thread were you reading? 223 was mentioned multiple times.

A 125 Ballistic Tip started at 2550, zeroed at 225, looks to be 3.5 inches high at 125 yards and 8 inches low at 300. That window is too tall to fit my definition of point blank.

One of the things I still struggle with, after 5+ decades of chasing big game, is that I grew up in an era of 22's and shotgun slugs.Rainbow trajectories and getting close remain instinctive. I would guess that is why I most comfortably a woods hunter. I have learned the hard way, and more than once, than when I am in open country, I rely on the guide, or a range finder for anything much over 100 yards, Pathetic, but true.
In any event, my instincts lead me to 100 or 200 yard zeros, then dealing with appropriate holdover for anything further out. Happily, 95+% of the big game I've taken, have been within 200 yards.
In recent years, I done a bunch of hunting with a receiver sight on a 300 Savage, and been able to fill several tags. Due to my limitations, I am good with that rifle to about 100 yards, but most shots have been well within.
I am pretty conservative in my definition of point blank, and minute of deer. I guess I take far more of a hunters point of view, and don't to tangled up in BC's, dial up scopes, or even regular use of gizmos like range finders and trail camera. I've even been switching several of my scopes from variables back to straight 4x an 6x. The simpler the better as I age. I'ld like to think I'm getting smarter, but I bet lazier is be more accurate.
Yup, I'm a luddite.
Having said all that, there have been sufficient comments on the 223 to make me think I need to give that a whirl. Tho' Mules Deers comment on the Hornet's ability to get the job done will get a further consideration. The old guy in me gives the Hornet some cool factor.

If you reload this is a great option - https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

Another option - The 22-250 hits deer like a lightning bolt. I like 60 gr Nosler Partitions and 60 gr Hornday hp's.

In the spirit of the thread I'll recommend the .219 Donaldson Wasp. Because the .223 is too easy of an answer and too sensible and those are both good reasons to overlook it.