Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles RIFLE CHOICE IN .223 FOR DEER?

I went the Tikka way - T3 blued/synthetic in .223
I've shot around 20 red deer, fallow deer and pigs over the last couple of years. The longest 'tracking' job was about 20 yards, most simply walked a couple of steps and fell over.

It's all (surprise surprise) about bullet placement and construction. I've used 63 gn Sierras and 64gn Powerpoints exclusively.

Anything faster than 1 in 14 will work with the Partition, so you're fine with the Tikka. Not my first choice for a deer rifle, but as long as you limit the distance so you have enough to make the bullet work you won't have any trouble with the Tikka.

For the Expert Marksman, at closer range, the 223 is an ok round, and can still get the job done up to moderate ranges. It makes some sense in the handy little AR.

But the question is... if you are going to be buying a new bolt action rifle for hunting purposes, why not consider a more powerful caliber? The 223 has some "if" factors, effective range being one. In expert hands, it can be effective, but for general use, even the lowly 30-30 is a more effective hunting round than the 223, and has about the same effective range.

There are many better, albeit more traditional choices. A 260, 7-08, or 308 are much more capable hunting rounds right out of the starting gate, and don't kick a lot. These calibers have a lot more impact, and 2-4x greater effective range over the 223... and the 308 is even fairly economical to shoot. You can get these calibers in a compact, handy little rifle, that will still be a very capable rig. These rounds are like cannons compared to the 223.

If you go this route, you don't have to worry about the performance aspects of your rifle, and can concentrate on the hunting experience.

Best regards with whatever you decide.

TC

BASIC: If it were me, I'd get a CZ 527 American in .223 Remington in the new left hand model. The 527 is a petite boly-action, mini-mauser action rifle which is magazine fed, has a Turkish Walnut stock, is free floated and is generally accurate as all get out. They came out with the left-hand model in 2006. You should be able to get one for about $585 or so. My CZ 527 Lux/American produces consistent 3/8 inch groups with my handloads of Remington cases, 50 grain Hornady SX bullets, 27 grains of Winchester 748 and Federal primers.

By the way, excellent response Mark. Tom Purdom

I would look towards an AR, and try to get a custom build with a .25 WSSM upper, or even the .243 WSSM upper. I would like to come up with an upper like that for my AR. I use it for coyotes and prarie dogs right now. It is not legal to hunt deer in WY with less than a .24.

This is a great thread, the .223 is too small but the .243 is still to small but the .257 caliber is just right. Get a clue to those who think that .224 caliber rifles for deer are too small need to get to the range more. Go with the TSX and you are ready. Yea you aren't going to be killing at 500 but how many are capable to do this anyway. I see no problem with this combo. HAPPY HUNTING

ruger,

Sent you an e-mail. Thanks...

BTW, have shot several Whitetail w/ the 53gr TSX out of a 22-250. No doubt that combo works. Will probably test the 223 on Whitetail this fall. I don't forsee any problems...

I could like the CZ or the AR.

I wouldn't hunt with a 223.............grin

Go fast twist..

A 1 in 8 twist would be my choice. Heavier game bullets are bound to become more available. Speer have made a 70 grainer for years. (I want to see a 90 grainer in semi-spitzer).

BASIC, I would be interested to hear your reason for choosing a 223.

I like small cartridges and their small rifles but wonder about their limitations. I would love to hunt deer with my Anschutz 22 Hornet but it is just too light. I'm leaning towards getting a 250 Savage (or 6.5-250 or even a 6.5 BMR - in bolt action).

Thankyou all for your responses.I didn't mean to stir up a cartridge debate(though I appreciate any suggestions0,I've read all the past posts on this subject and spoken to people that have used the .223 with great results.I can't really say why the .223 interests me so much,It started by reading an article a few years ago,lack of recoil maybe.I'd be interested in ranges under 100 yds. and using the rifle to havest venison more than trophy deer.A person I worked with killed a mule deer with a .243 at 200 + yds, no problem,he's a good shooter and used a good bullet.If someone made a LH rifle in .260 or 6.5 X 55,I'd also consider those.Any suggestions on an appropriate scope?I'm not sure as yet what I'll choose,it does take me a while.I'm looking forward to reading more,thankyou all again.

Surely there is a manufacturer out there that chambers those two cartridges you mentioned in a left hand version.

About scopes.
I know a lot of these guys like a fixed power scope but i am not one of them.
So i would give serious consideration to these scopes with pricing starting at around $200.00 and below.
Leupold VX-1 2x7x33.
Weaver V classic 2x7x32
Bushnell Legend 2x7x32.
All of these scopes have a minimum of 3.5 inches of eye relief which i personally consider the minimum comfortable eye relief,espcially if you later put the scope on a heavier recoiling rifle.
I own a Leupold VX-1 2x7x33 and love it.
It resides on my Remington 600 in 308 and have never been "scoped" by it.
Gotta love that generous eye relief.

I also prefer variable scopes. I also like the VX1's.

Either the 8 or 9 twist will work fine with the bullets you mentioned. Choose based on which rifle feels better in your hands.

I would use the Hornady 60 gr. SP or HP, both work great and perform perfectly every time out of a 223, at about 2900 FPS.

All my kids used this combo in their 222s for deer when they were very young and I used it on our ranch in Mexico many years ago. Shot a lot of deer with it, the 223 and 22-250. 99% dropped in their tracks.

It worked fine, but didn't leave ANY room for mistakes, and I never tried to stretch the range, keeping all shots to about 100 yards. It will not leave a blood trail most of the time, and that is the worst thing about it and the 6MM IMO.

For the average adult hunter, its probably a bad choice, as is the 6mm. Good blood trails start at .384 and get better as the bore diameter gets bigger.

Believe it or not the big bores like the 375 and 416 are the best deer rounds out there, they cut a big hole, let all the blood out in a hurry, and do not bloodshot a lot of meat, you can eat right up to the hole as Elmer Keith used to say.

OK, That settles it. Don't get a 223 to hunt Deer, get a 416 Rem Mag....:):)

Can't I just use my 9.3 and (soon to be) my .30-06?

Damn..... I guess they'll just have to be used on 'yotes and groundhogs.....

I believe it was Elmer Keith that said the 375 H&H was a good Coyote rifle...

So, is a .458 Lott adequate for deer, or do I need to move up to the .505 Gibbs?

Gawd help me when I go to Africa... I'll be needing a half-track mounted 20mm for plains game....

Air strikes minimum for buff...

ICBMs for pachyderms, perhaps?