Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .223 for deer

Would a 55 grain soft point .223 Hornady SP bullet do the job on a high shoulder shot on a white deer?

JDY

Try a 60 grain Nosler Partition or similar heavy constructed bullet.

Here we go again.....

From Hornady's web site:
"Explosive expansion, even at low velocities."

This is a varmint bullet and the likelyhood of a wound is high. There are .22 cal bullets designed for big game but this isn't one of them.

Some things never grow old: "What's better, 270 or 30-06"; "Can the 223 kill deer"; "Are the short mags here to stay"; "Are shots over 100 yards ethical".

It's a discussion board, or bored, whichever is applicable.

Nothin' wrong with questions. It's how most of us learned the craft. So they tell me. ;O)

Then there are really pressing questions, like which is better: The front mount, or side mount distributor 8Ns?

The load you mention would kill deer quickly on classic broadside behind the shoulder hits. It would work most of the time on high shoulder shots, but every so often it would give you trouble. If you are going to use a .223, there are better deer bullets, like the monolithic bullets, the Partition and the 64 gr. Winchester factory load. Personally I would avoid aiming at heavy bone structure with all of them.

I killed quite a few deer as part of my job with a .223 in the 80's and 90's and used either handloads with the 60 gr. Hornady HP (advertised as a deer bullet back then) and the 55 gr. M193 military load with good results from both. I was always surprised how effective the military FMJ was, although today I would be using the 60 gr. Partition for the job.

If it is like the one they have in White Deer Texas it wouldn't because that one is made of concrete.

BCR

I would go with partitions, infact I do. I hear the TSX's work well also

As others have said, there are better choices. Personally, I've found the 65 grain SGK to work well.

[img:center]http://[/img] Give the Partition a try. Federal and Black Hills Ammo both offer it in a factory load, or just handload it. My oldest used the Partition on this doe with no problems.

223 and 53 gr triple shock would be good deer rig under 250 with well placed shots.

Yes, it should blow through the shoulder if you keep shots within 100yards or so.But you can't go wrong, if you aim a little behind the shoulder.Lung shots kill very fast!!!And less bones to deal with!!

+1

YES!!

BTDT.......with 55gr sierra sp's

Thanks to all for responding.
JDY

Hey JDY, I shot a 1 1/2 yr old spike last year with my .223 shooting the factory 62gr Federal Fusions. I still have 16 out of 20 of those. If you'd like id be more than happy to mail them to you or anyone else that would like to give them a try. I began reloading and now shoot the 63gr Sierra. Drop me a PM and I'll get them to your door.

Brett (Mac)

If these are unloaded bullets I would very much like to try these.
THANKS

FWIW if you research the 223 and penetration issues... the 55 SP is suggested for in house defense because it opens fast, and does not penetrate very far at all... it would be my last choice with other choices out there.

I'm partial to TSX type bullets and run them as much as I can... 53TSX would get teh nod for me personally..... personally the partitions loose a hair too much weight too... but they would be better than the 55sp... 63 sierra semi point... old fugly... has done very well in my 223 and 22-250 over the yeras.... not as well as the 53 tsx (right now the 62 tsx)

I think I'd be paying attention to those penetration discussions with 55s... especially using a smaller round.

I bet he won't run far after you shoot him though!

I wouldn't do it with regular cup and core bullets. But with tougher bullets like a partition or the monos like the Barnes and correct shot placement it will work. Many on this site do it every season.