Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Center shoulder shot on whitetails with a .223- any issues?

Shot this last doe at last light, and did the Steelhead thing-high shoulder shot-because I didnt want her to go anywhere...

It didnt completely work...cause she went somewhere..( in the freezer )



50 gr TTSX

I've never used the 53's but have used quite a few of the 62's in the 223AI on deer. Shots have ranged from 20-280yds and all have been shoulder shots. I've yet to recover a bullet but am still trying.

I had loaded up some 53's in one of my kimber 84m 22-250 for a youngster to use this season on his first year of deer hunting but he wasn't comfortable with the rifle weight. He ended up trying my Faux-Ti 243 and loves it, so that's what he's gonna run. I'm sure the 53's would have worded just as well as the 62's do (grin)

How fast are you running them in 223AI?

Thanks!

3250'ish they could go more.

Thanks!

Just shot a coyote at 258 yards(ranged with a Leica). 223 with a 75 amax over 24.5 grains of RL-15( I think that's my load) loaded way out there.
She was laying down with her head facing away from me. Put my pack on the ground and hit her right in the middle of her skull. Ripped the whole top of the head off and most of the snout. Looks like the bullet held together fairly well but did expand.
I'd have faith in it at that range to punch a bucks scapula, shoulder joint or spine. May not exit but I bet it would be close.
Gonna put some swift 75s through some bone asap. Hope they shoot like these amaxes. And I may be able to get those down to AR mag length. Gonna try RL-15 first unless someone gives me a great load w another powder that I don't have to compress real bad?? Really want a bonded 70-75 mag length load.

I've put a 75 amax via 223AI through a shoulder at 250yds. He was quartered away and it hit behind the near shoulder and exited the off shoulder. He was decidedly dead. (grin)

I've never shot a whitetail with a .223 rem, but I have stoned many muley's with it. I think it will work just fine.

I would love to have a faster 22 of some sort with a 7 twist barrel and a long mag well. Would love to not have to worry about what bullet is gonna fit or stabilize.
Any suggestions? I know a 7 will shoot anything I would like but what cartridge will let me shoot any bullets I want without mag well issues. Also don't wanna go super overbore crazy. Would be a hunting rifle for deer,axis, yotes, pigs and javelina, so barrel life really doesn't bother me if I can get 1,000-1,500 out of it.

For the life of me I can't figure out what the infatuation is with hunting deer with 22 centerfires? ALL the states I've ever lived in have a 24 cal minimum.

IMO use enough gun for the job and a 22 CF isn't enough for me under all conditions.

Here is CT its 6mm or better for deer hunting with a Rifle, With a Nosler Partition or Barnes X a 223 or 22-250 would be plenty for white tails here. Since our deer are on the small side, we have an over population in most parts of the state. Its not uncommon for me on a six mile drive from town to were I live, to see as many as 20 deer either on the road, the side of the road or in front yards. A well loaded 223 would be just fine, its not legal thou.

I shot this buck Monday with my .223 and a handloaded 55 grain Speer SP. Shoulder shot on a slight towards me angle. The result was minced lungs and a 25-30 yard recovery. He field dressed well over 200 pounds.



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Got yourself a nice deer, 223 did well.

Same here in Virginia, and I firmly believe that there are people out there shooting bigger calibers that really oughtta be using a .223.....

I'm presently using a .308, but I keep thinking about a .243. Another dandy for the terrain here would be one of those little Ruger compacts in 6.8 SPC.

Nice deer!

Yes indeed, love them big bodied SOB's.

I have been running 70gr TSXs the last couple of years. Shoulder shots are not a problem.

My cousins wife has taken may deer in da U.P. with 55gr soft points. She doesn't like recoil, but it hasn't stopped her from dropping deer consistently for many years........

Nice pics Caneslinger, beautiful buck!

I have had zero issues with cup n` cores behind the shoulder out of a .22-250. I don't get crazy with super premium bullets though through talking with more than a few people who do use them shoulder shots are just as reliable.

Go for it.

two of my friends(yes I have a few)uses a 22 hornet. the woman friend only uses the hornet no other rifle for deer.

the man friend uses it about 3/4 of the time and I SAW him kill a buck at 150 yards with a lung shot it went less than 50 yds before piling up .

I don't understand why people think it is so hard to kill a deer they are thin skinned animals and any gun will work on them.

why do people head and neck shoot a deer?

I do because they are often looking at me and their head is in the clear for a good shot. if I can hit a groundhog at 200 yds I sure as heck can hit a deers head up to that distance and it is a instant kill.

I shot one doe looking at me at about 75 yds she fell so fast I thought someone else shot her as I seen her fall in my scope I was using a 99c savage in .308 caliber.