Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints 223 on cougar.

How many big game animals have you killed with the 223?

Cats die easy.

Buddy of mine that runs a LOT of cats uses a 410 shotgun and 2.5" home rolled slugs or his 223 handi-rifle with 50gr vmax's to kill them over dogs. I would imagine that he's been in on more cat kills than most people have killed deer.

I do not hunt big game animals with a varmint/predator caliber savvy!!! I believe in using enough gun and proper bullet weight for the game intended.

The .223 is a very good varmint round but that is as far as it goes in my book. Couger need a larger caliber than a P-DOG gun.

That would be my exact sentiment.

I agree totally!
I own a .45-70 that I bought for bear, but I sure as heck wouldn't use it on a cat.

Me too....Which is why I set my girlfriend up with my 223AI and a 45gr TSX on the weekend to poke a hole in her first buck, which is her second deer.

Talk to what you know Tonk, not to what you think you "know".

OK your lady friend shot a buck! Great for her but the fact remains Pal that the .223 was not designed to kill big game animals period. I know what to use and how to use it for a fact!!! I have only been doing this since the mid-50's.

Now as to what I know about big game hunting, I'll just tell you that my wife wants us to purchase another house, as additonal space is hard to come by at our home of 3600sq ft, the trophy's on the wall are to crowded. Now you can tell me all about your big game hunting success and I am all ears.

As to what you know about big game hunting? No idea....Do know however, that you are missing the mark when it comes to big game killing....


I'm not one much to brag about success in the field, although that doesn't seem to be an affliction you share.

You live in the midwest? Which means, what, whitetails?

Big deal.

Just because you are old, doesn't make you knowledgeable or wise, Pal.

I believe in using enough gun and proper bullet construction for the game intended.

That's better.

A cougar is at best medium game. A 223 with anything besides a FMJ is if anything, overkill. Tonk, I don't doubt you've killed a lot, but its obvious you have not done much lion hunting.

Dog hunter, killing a treed cougar is not much in the way of lion hunting, your right. However, I have done so several times using a 30-30 Winchester, .270 Winchester and later on a .444 Marlin. Now that is a lion stopper just in case you don't know! Yes, I reside in the mid-West, Missouri as matter of fact but don't think for one minute I spent my entire life just hunting friggin whitetail deer Boys!!!

My whitetail deer gun consists of a .444 Marlin and a 6.5/06. The mule deer getter is a 7mm mag and the elk gun is a .338 Win mag backed up by a .338/06. My bear rifle is a .375-Wby and my African batter is a .300 Win mag, .416 Rem. mag and a .475-mag cal. all on model 70 actions.

I have hunted Canada many times, South America twice and every friggin state out West except Nevada at least twice some a dozen or more. Hunted TENN. GA. Alabama and North Carolina a bunch. Gee, I almost forgot the place they call Africa too! Now some more music for your ears BUD! I have put together at least a half dozen varmint rifles over the years when Johnny Ray was alive. I do consider myself something other than a whitetail deer hunter from the Show Me State. I'll stand by my statement that a .223 cal. should not be used on Cougars (mountain lion) and I myself would never tell anyone to do so or even use it on whitetail deer for that matter.

It sounds like you have done you're share of hunt'n (and like to brag about it). Nothing wrong with that. There is also nothing wrong with using big guns. I have killed whitetails with a .450 Marlin as well as a .375 H&H and .340 Wby. Good rifles, but a .223 can easily kill them just as easily. This horse has been beaten into a deep hole, especially in the elk forum.

You keep shooting cats with your .444. Nothing wrong with that. I'll keep shooting them with a .22LR. The guy I run hounds with has been very sucessful with his .17 HMR revolver. Most times they just fall out of the tree dead. I've never seen one run more than 20-40 yards after hit good with a .22 or 17 rimfire. I'll still wager you have not been on too many cat hunts, let alone experienced seeing their reaction to a . Carry on.

Dog Hunter.........I'll just tell you that yes, I have NEVER seen anyone go on a "mountain lion hunt" with a rifle in the .223 caliber and besides that I have never met a guide who would let a client use such a caliber on a cougar savvy. Not in the state of Idaho or Wyoming.

Anybody going to kill a friggin animal the size of a mountain lion, who would use a .17HMR, just is not playing with a full deck of cards. I too carry a pistol on hunts but it is a Smith & Wesson model 29....44 magnum! Please use common sence Geez.

.22lr can kill just about anything in northern america with a VERY WELL placed shot in the right situation. that being said I dont recommend using it on elk. either way whatever you are killing cougars with is GOOD ENOUGH! as long as they are DEAD who the hell cares what you shoot them with. just my 0.02

Dog hunter..IIRC, Cap Atwood,who made quite a name for himself hunting lions in Colorado back in the day, preferred a K-22 Smith& Wesson....

Hollow point through the lungs, cat was dead when he came out of the tree...I'm just sayin.....

As for using .22 centerfires on other deer sized game.....let me think that one over....

Let me think here too Ingwe. I'll bet your thinking 53 gr. tsx. I may be wrong, but.......Nope I was right

Only an idiot would use such a little cartridge for shooting deer and the like.....

I know. Because it would way overpenetrate and we know we wouldn't want that

I have a question though ingwe. If a guy didn't have any IMR 4895 on hand, but he did have 8 pounds of H335; would that work just as well? Have you personally tried that powder with the tsx?

You are of course right..Id better step it up to a .223AI or .22-250

Ingwe, I believe you are correct about Cap Atwood. I seem to remember reading some pieces on him.



That would be me...

I don't really like showing my face on the internet. Couldn't tell you why.
Here's one I got within tail grabbing distance of to determine if it was a tom/lioness.


To the OP, use your .223. It will be just fine with any standard soft point bullet and a lung shot.

I like that pic!...