Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles AR for whitetails

I have killed deer and pigs with both the .223 and 6.8, either works fine. I used the 53 gr and 63 gr Barnes TSX bullets in .223 and 110 gr Hornadys in the 6.8 with excellent results

Yes to all of the above

Out to 150, I’d also introduce the .350 Legend into the equation. Last year I used a RAR, but I’m building a 10.5” AR to supplement it this year.

George

Speaking from experience here:

Have killed several deer with the .223 & 70 grain TSX but IMO the 6.8 is a much better deer stomper to 300 yards, the Old SSA 110 Sierra Pro Hunter is about as perfect a deer fetcher as I have seen, very accurate out of my 16 & 18" barreled gas guns and makes a perfect little mushroom when it can be found, Bucky dies quickly with this load and the wife and daughter love it.

Also the Grendel works well but needs a longer barrel to match the 6.8 performance, only killed a few with the Grendel and 123s but it worked well.

Of these bullets mentioned, which would you be comfortable sending straight into the shoulder and expecting it to go through and through? Do I need to stick with Barnes if that’s a concern?

In which chambering? I haven’t caught a 6.8 110gr NAB on any deer or even hog....broadside. I don’t even recall catching a 90gr gold dot in deer, broadside....shoulders or not. Both will scatter some lung out the far side on rib shots. The old SSA loads in 110 NABs have kept me using 6.8, but Wilson’s HAMR loads look better than the new Nosler 6.8s (from what I hear). I haven’t drug out my chrono to confirm the drop in velocity vs the SSA versions. Wilson’s 6.8 loads are nothing to sneeze at, though.

Been a while since I used a 223 on deer, but I only took perfect broadsides, and avoided shoulders. No help there, I guess. Others will have loaded/used far more and more recent 223 stuff for deer.