Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Your choice of dedicated deer/antelope rifle in .223?

I've injured the rotator cuff on my right shoulder for the second time in a few years. The first time, it came back pretty well after a few months, but I had to give up most magnums. This time, it's taking longer and a 7mm-08 seems to be my max, but even then not for many shots.

I'm really thinking a .223 bolt action could be fun - cheap practice ammo, good factory ammo, easy and inexpensive to reload. I have a 3-9x40 and a 4.5-14x42 scope waiting in the closet, and I'm waffling over which one would be best on this little slayer.

So if you don't mind, give me your experience with and opinions of the best choice for rifle, then choose one of the above scopes to mount on it.

Categories:

1. INEXPENSIVE (think Ruger American, T/C Compass, Howa 1500, etc.)
2. MODERATE price (Ruger Hawkeye, Tikka T3X, Browning X-bolt, Rem Model 7 Predator, etc.)
3. UNLIMITED (Christensen Arms, one of the chassis rifles, Barrett Fieldcraft, etc.)

It doesn't get any softer than an AR.

Czech
On the cheap Ruger American and on the moderate I would grab one
of the Remington Model 7 Predators before they are gone. I have one in 22-250 and it is a nice little rifle. Above that level it’s up to how good the rifle feels to you.
GreggH

I believe having a 223 class rifle is always a good thing for practicing but think there are better all-purpose deer cartridges.
Buy a 204 AND put a muzzle brake on your 7-08 then shoot it only when deer hunting. Get 204 on a similar platform as your 7-08; try 120’s and Varget or H 4895.
You will scratch the new rifle itch and still have a very effective deer hunting rifle.

Used T3, not T3x, goes in the INEXPENSIVE category. Buy one, then pm me for load data. 1-8” is preferable.



P

I have a Ruger American Predator in .223 and its probably the most accurate rifle I have.

First off....get your shoulder repaired. I dealt with rotator cuff problems for over 2 years and finally got it fixed about 3 months ago. I consider myself lucky, because mine is my non-dominant shoulder (knock on wood).

Second....You got a good list. Pick the one you like and go for it. I have experience with a few Tikka's in fast twist 223 and loved them. The only thing that bothered me about them is that Tikka builds them on the long action. I now have a Ruger American Ranch in 5.56 in 1-8 twist. Love it as well, but it is a cheaper rifle.

And of course, there's all price ranges of AR's out there now. Nothing wrong with that, either. And it could serve a dual role as a defense arm as well.

another +1 for the RAR Predator. I love mine.

I have an older Bushmaster Predator /8" and it is super accurate, and very easy to shoot. In bolt guns, just try to find one with a fast twist and use the 75gr Swift or lighter Barnes, or even a 77gr OTM, but it will be messy, etc. A 223 should work very well on the little thin skinned/light boned antelope!

so a faster .22 is off the table for you, i.e. 22-250?

My first choice would be a Tikka with a 1 in 8 twist....



Not a deer..but you get the idea....its an antelope....but not a pronghorn ..

Shooting a 55 gr. Barnes TTSX..never seen a deer or antelope I wouldn't use that combo on. You don't have to shoot heavy bullets to make a .223 a killing SOB...you just have to shoot good bullets...Barnes, Speer Gold dots, Swift Scirocco, etc.

A good friend will sell me his NIB Ruger Hawkeye (wood/blue) that he hasn't touched in years for about what I can get a Ruger American new at the local gun shop.

I like the Hawkeye, but I'm leaning toward aTikka T3 because I'm imagining the accuracy will be better.

Does this make sense?

If I had one that fit that description, (dedicated deer/antelope rifle) it's my light Mauser in 25-06.

The Hawkeye should not disappoint ...at all. And its has a 9 twist IIRC....

OK, I've settled on the Hawkeye.

Now, 3-9 or 4.5-14 scope?

4.5x14 small bullets, aim small. I call it "finessing the shot"...:)

Do you think the on-game performance between the 50 and 55 grain TTSX is significant? I have a great load with the 50 grain.



P

Not a gunwriter and it isn't on your list, but you should look hard at a CZ 527 (1-9 twist)



(especially considering you screen name)

I could not agree more, the tikka is a great rifle but a long action. the CZ-527 is made for the 223, a great barrel, trigger and the action is just the right size.
Have a few AWESOME !!!!!!!

I do, that is why I went with the 62gr TTSX on a recent hunt. Don't really like the mono's but they made me go mono to save the Condor's
favorite deer bullet for 223 is the Sierra 65gr SBT game king

I do also have a AR15 with a 1-8 twist that shoots 60 grain Nosler Partitions very well, but I have not killed any antelope with it.

No..I truly don't....

I went with a 3x9...on everything...

I currently have 100 55gr FMJ Norma .223 and several hundred 64gr Winchester PP.

I like the idea of the 55 TTSX, but as they are roughly $1 each in factory ammo, I'd have to reload those to make sense. Perhaps I'll shoot up the Norma ammo and keep the brass to reload the TTSX?

I'm also reading about the greatness of the Hornady 55gr spire point. I looked it up, and that's CHEAP hunting ammo!

Last antelope I shot was at 470 yards with a Rem 788 in 223 with a 55g Hornady sp, 26.5g of Win 748 at 3100 fps. He flopped when the bullet hit him.

Thanks, Keith - I have 8 lbs of Win 748.

Both the 55 grain Hornady and the 64 Gr. WW have great reputations..I just loaded up some 55 grain Hornady for my .223AI to sight in and use withy a new scope.

That Win748 you mentioned is an easy powder in the .223.......good stuff!

Couple of years back I traded a Rem 870 12 ga to a buddy who needed it for a syn stocked Howa 1500 in 223. It's very accurate and so smooth you can't even feel it when chambering a round. They are not very expensive check one out. MB

MB: What does your "syn stocked Howa 1500 in 223" weigh? Thanks.

I just bought the Howa 1500 Kuiu a couple months ago...8 twist....on sale for $349...seems to like whatever you shove in it...but I havent weighed it. That said, it seems heavy for a rifle its size even though the barrel is a shorter contour. Had Howas before and they'll hold up well to a LOT of use..

I have a Ruger American standard rifle in .223 - 1/8 twist.
I put a Leupold 3x9 on it and added a Timney trigger.
The magazine “in mine” will take 6 rounds down and feeds like it has eyes....very smooth.
I like the egros and safety a lot, and it’s shoots tiny little groups.
I got a deal on several hundred Hornady 60gr sp’s for it that should be useful on deer/antelope.
I bought it to be a truck gun, but it’s becoming much more than that.

Killed many with Hornady 22-250 55gr

It is really interesting here the 223 is a deer cartridge and when you go to a predator hunting sight there is a pretty steady complaint of coyote spinners and run offs with the 223. I'm sure that most of them are poor shot placement and choice of bullets.

"pretty steady complaint of coyote spinners and run offs"???

I used to hunt fur as a large part of my living, and I have killed a lot of coyotes with 22 LRs and 22 WMRs as well as a WHOLE lot with 22-250s and 222 Remingtons. On top of those I have used a 223 to kill probably 50-70 of them. I have never had one run off very far with a good chest hit. Not ever. The longest run I ever saw from one I shot was with a 22 WMR with a 40 grain solid instead of the better HP bullets. Even that one only went about 75 yards. I stopped using FMJs in the 22 WMR after I shot about 6 that run between 25 and 50 yards and would only use the HP bullets after those. But I never had one escape me.

I did have one get away when I shot off a leg once with a 30-30 and once I lost one by also shooting off a leg with my 270, but I doubt I can blame the rifles for not being big enough.

I vote Kimber Montana or CZ 527.

Pretty ,much the same here...killed more with a .222 and .223 than I have with a .22-250...had one good chest hit run about 35 yards...thats it....

Might have more to do with the ammo than caliber.

Most folks get the cheapest ammo and it's usually FMJ.

It don't work well unless one hits a bone.

I have a Howa in 223 and it shoots better than i do.

It really likes the 50 grain bullets but it won't shame you with the other weights.

As for deer calibers soft on your shoulder, I shot my .243 today with 100 gr bullets and 41? gr IMR 4350. Not much kick at all and it is not a heavy rifle. I saw one deer killed with a .243. It was a bad hit and way high and forward. It was a big doe and only went 40' or so. I was amazed how quick the deer died. A good shot would likely have dropped it right there. My 12 yr old boy shot it with his H&R . 243. Win . youth . It was a very un accurate gun.

Thanks, hookem, I have a healthy respect for the 243 and have a very nice one - but I honestly can't tell the difference in kick between it and a 120 gr bullet out of my 7mm-08.

Right now I'm just looking for something fun that costs little to shoot, is accurate and has almost zero effect on my shoulder while it is healing up. And if it is useful for deer and antelope in the meantime, so much the better!

I think some of the best bang for the buck factory deer ammo for the 223 is Fusion. I'd trust that Fusion bullet to hold together going through bone. The Hornady, not so much.

I bought my first 220 Swift ( 700 Classic) froma retired AF Col. here, way back in '98. He and his friends used them with the Hornady 60sp for Depredation hunts. Killed many head of mule deer between them. I preferred the then available Federal Premium with 55gr Trophy Bonded. My point is that the Hornady 60sp had to be a bit tougher to hold up to the 220 Swift. Many have not realized the killing effect of a fast twist rifle on game. My 8" twist Bushmaster likes the Federal 69gr Sierra on Prairie dogs! I used the 50gr VMax in the 220 Swift on coyotes. But the 64PP was also very good in the 224 TTH on everything! Wind is the biggest problem in bullet placement for me and the .22s, even the TTH. My average "range" on mule deer has been about 75yds. Antelope has been 175yds, only because I shot a few at 300 to 347yds for grins. Have a ball Pard!

I used a 55 grain Sierra game king powered by Varget out of a Zastava mini mauser on a Wyoming antelope buck this last fall. Worked fine on the 200 yd shot.

Shhhhhhh...I thought Wyoming had a 60 gr. minimum...

I would use my Rock River AR if I had to use a 223 on deer.

They do! Kinda like the poster who had a 22-06 he liked to tout using on pronghorn in WY before .22 was made legal. Think he lived in Pinedale part time...

Snaggletooth would say that sounds logical, but we don't need killing power to match the game. We need a rifle that has the maximum range and accuracy, with tolerable recoil, and still only weighs 10 pounds or less.

This equation is what drives the rifle choice. [despite millions words rationalizing] The best elk gun and the best antelope gun both start to look like a 7mmRemMag.
What is wrong with the 223? Great weight. Great low recoil...
But the not great range and and not great side wind immunity.

Yes, and if you can put salt on a bird's tail, you can catch it.

by all means get a good 223 , I have a stainless ruger 77 I like and it is as tuff as an anvil

but I would say go with a 6 or 6.5 creedmoor with moderate loads for your deer killing

Winner winner for the chicken dinner. got it right on both accounts. Why use something to hunt deer with that is minimal anyway you look at it. Let the flame ignite, 6-6.5 way better choice. MB

Right now I'm just looking for something fun that costs little to shoot, is accurate and has almost zero effect on my shoulder while it is healing up. And if it is useful for deer and antelope in the meantime, so much the better! [/quote]

It's not something I've seen anyone mention, but something that would meet all your criteria (other than bolt action) is a Henry Long Ranger in .223 / 5.56. I bought one this past year and it is fun, accurate and has very little recoil. It's well built and good looking. It is a bit on the heavy side as it is the same gun as their .243 and .308, just with a smaller hole in the barrel, but your shoulder won't feel a thing. It has 1 in 8 twist so will handle somewhat heavier bullets, but still shoots 50's and 55's great. Mine doesn't like 80's. It get some serious looks at the range when I bring it out, especially from the AR guys. I've got a 4x-12x Vortex scope on it and it will hang in with the best of them. I plan to take it deer hunting next fall.

I like the Kimber rifles, but that's personal choice. As for the .223 on deer, MANY years ago I was forced to shoot low recoil rifles due to an eye surgery. I borrowed an 722 Remington in .222 with an old 2x or 5x Weaver variable from a friend. I was careful of the shots (actually, shot) I took, nothing marginal. I got my deer that year, dead right there. I don't think the .222 or .223 are ideal deer cartridges, but they will do the trick if you choose your shots and use the right bullets. And sometimes physical limits arise with regard to recoil. IF the original poster's shoulder can handle the recoil, a .250 Savage or one of the smaller 6mm cartridge might be perfect.