Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .223 for whitetail - yes or no?

I'm going to try to find a big doe test sample of my own with the 77GR TMK this weekend. Hogs have been sporadic lately with all the acorns, but I'm interested in how this bullet performs at 5.56 velocity.

Pretty simple to answer.

Its not hard to see the pattern on the campfire...

For those that never tried it, of course they will say it won't work.

To those that have had a failure they will say it won't work.. They'll blame it on the round, the rifle, the bullet... everything but the clown pulling the trigger... few ever entertain the concept, that a failure was with them, the shooter.... They are really only fooling themselves.

If it can take down a human, what is so much tougher about taking down a deer?

as an addendum to the post about JPro's post above " how will this bullet perform at 5.56 velocity?"

Years ago, I did a trial with some steel plates that were about the size of a 4 x 6 post card, 3/8 an inch thick...

I shot a couple with a 55 gr SP, at a 100 yds, with a charge of 12.5 grains of Blue Dot, for an MV at 2600 fps.

10 rounds penetrated right thru those plates....that surprised me and I did not expect to see that result..

so I threw several of those steel plates in my vehicle and went home to load up ammo, to test Blue Dot MV against, regular military loads for a 223, with 55 grain Bullets at 3150 fps. I loaded up 10 rounds of each... 55 SP at 3150 fps, 55 FMj at 3150 fps, 55 gr SP at 2600 fps ( with Blue Dot) and 55 FMJ at 2600 fps..

What I was not expecting, but DID observe...

All 20 rounds at 3150 fps MV, both FMJ and SP 55 grainers, FAILED to penetrate the steel plates. That just shattered when they hit the plates., all 20 of them, regardless of type of bullet, FMJ or SP.,...

Then the 20 Bullets loaded up with Blue Dot, at 2600 fps MV SUCCESSFULLY penetrated the same plates, and still using Hornady Brand 55 grain bullets, both SP and FMJ.

My conclusions were this...

1. the bullets each have X amount of structural integrity...and so do the Steel Plates.

2. at 3150 fps MV and 100 yds to point of impact, the structural integrity of the steel plates overcame the structural integrity of those bullets, both SP and FMJ.

3. when the MV was slowed down to 2600 fps at the Muzzle, after the 100 yds to the point of impact, the structural integrity of the bullets ( both Sp AND FMJ) were able to overcome the structural integrity of the steel plates, and EACH bullet drilled right thru them.

so with a regular bullet ( non premium type) slow the MV down, and it will INCREASE the bullets ability to penetrate, holding its structural integrity better than at hitting something tough, at a higher velocity....

Kinda the same way I've seen people not recommend a 180 grain Ballistic Tip for hunting elk at 200 yds, shooting it out of a 300 Weatherby or 300 Win Mag, but at the same time, saying its a great bullet to use on elk at 300, 400 and 500 yds.

so my hypothesis would be that the 77 gr TMK would probably work better on penetration of a Louisiana Hog, with a slowed down MV, then it would at pushing it at max velocity, and shooting it at close range... max velocity at a further distance would be a better choice.. so match the bullets capability to a range that its velocity ( and structural integrity) would work best within its parameters... and Here I am guestimating, that more hogs are taken within 200 yds or less, than further out....

We don't have hogs running loose here in Oregon, at least not in my part of the state... so anyone interested will have to test that out for me, if anyone wants any real experienced answer to that question....

but match the bullet to the distance you shoot with a 223, and it will work just fine...

shot an antelope once with a 40 grain ballistic tip, at 4000 fps at the muzzle...yeah, the antelope ran 100 yds, but then dropped like a brick...

not ideal, but it worked... one of those use what ya have, at the time scenarios...

we all hunt with what we have or what we like.

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.

There isn't a deer in North America that I'd hesitate to vent with a .223.

What kind of bullet was it, what vital organs did it hit and what kind of damage was done to the organs?

I can't see a reason why it wouldn't work with the proper load good shot placement and at a reasonable distance. Of course it's a moot point as any round listed as a .22 is illegal for big game in NYS. Thank goodness the nannies who have never hunted get to tell us what we can and can not hunt with in this liberal cesspool.

As with every cartridge out there: Use the right bullet and put it in the right place and it will kill. The 223 is fine for deer, but do not believe it is a good cartridge for a beginner.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


THIS

I never knew Minnesota deer were so big and tough. Of course I’ve never killed anything very big with a 223…..

It’s absolutely legal to use an CF rifle in NYS

I think you’ll like it. It’s been very good for me between 2700 and 2800 in my 223’s. I don’t get many exits but then again they don’t go anywhere usually, maybe a quick plowing in the ground till a quick death happens.

Weird how so many guys who say they'd shoot any deer alive anywhere in the Country with a .223 also own and deer hunt with 7mm-08's, .308's, .280's, .358's etc. etc.. and many will even proclaim one of those bigger cartridges as their favorite deer cartridge. If the .223 is so great, you'd think it would be their favorite deer cartridge and all their deer rifles would be chambered for it.

Some of us hunt with a few tags. When I'm deer hunting, I'm elk hunting more often than not. And while I think a 223 is plenty for any deer I'll see at close- and mid-range, I've killed lots of deer at ranges where I'd rather use something with more power. So there's two reasons. Seems to me your thinking is quite limited by your own experience.

This never use to be but they've made a lot of changes to the regulations in the last 2 years. Use to be nothing smaller than a 243 was legit for big game. Now the only restriction is no 22 or 17 rimfires for big game. Doesn't matter NY still sucks and it's a great place to leave.

I've probably killed more deer with .22 cf's than most here, starting with a .222 back in 1991, the .223 in '92 and the .22-250 in '94. I've killed well over 200 deer at ranges from hard off the muzzle to 440 yards. I've killed them from tree stands, ground blinds, still hunting, tracking, deer drives and spot and stalk. The .223 works surprisingly well. It is not my favorite deer cartridge and I don't think it's the best either.

I've been deer hunting in NY since 1977 and the .22 center fires have always been legal.. New York only sucks because dipshyt liberal down Staters keep voting communist ass holes into office.

The OP's question wasn't what's the best but twist it however works for ya.

Original question:

As the OP, thanks.

You bring up an excellent point. There are many circumstances where I deem a 223 to absolutely be the best for a deer hunt. Which is why the 223 gets hunted. If I thought something else was better, I'd be an idiot to keep hunting and advocating for hunting with a 223.