Is the .223 legal for deer in the counties that allow rifles..???? Thanks!!

Yes in the areas where there are no firearm restrictions in place it’s legal.

efw, many thanks.. I have a cz .223 I wanted to give to my great grandson if it were legal for deer.. He is a little guy and the rifle and caliber should work ok for those deer.. Thanks again..

The Midwest deer are big deer, 223 is kinda light for them. Unless a good shot. Just saying. Probably get flamed as well.

You will. But not by me.

Just teach him to use proper loads(heavier, sturdier bullets) and to pick his shots carefully. Most Michigan deer are shot at 50-60 yards, many closer, and some further. Try Barnes or Nosler monolithic bullets which are suited for the barrel twist on that CZ. Maybe Nosler
Accubonds but something that will hold together.

Google Michigan.gov/DNR. You should be able to find a map delineating the rifle zone from the "shotgun" zone. Rifled slug barrels, muzzleloaders, pistols larger than .35 caliber, and rifles shooting 1.8" straight walled cartridges .35 and larger are legal in the shotgun zone.

The line is basically M-57. North of that line, the .223 is legal for deer and bear.

in Minnesota there are plenty deer shot with a 223, in bigger cities in this state night time deer snipers kill a bunch of deer they usally start on a Sunday about 10 pm thru thurdays ,in some areas in a week these trained deer snipers take out 200 -300 deer in a week at night all shot with either 223 or a 556.a friend helped the DNR in a TB diseased area they shot 100 deer all with a 223. 223 that`s a great starter for a kid little recoil,accurate and easy to handle rifle. we use 55 gr. soft point Black Hills ammo.

Killed a bunch with the Partition, not in 223 but 22-250.

Getting ready to order me up some 60 grain Partitions to try in my 223. No doubt they will be damn fine in the 223.

We used the 55 grain Gameking on quite a few deer a number of years ago, I cannot recall losing a deer with these either, at 223 velocities they usually spit right through em with a lot of deer falling where they stood.

I've taken plenty of deer with a 223 over the years...

Pretty much two bullets I go for, both pretty oldie.. but they worked then and continue to work now..

Sierra 63 grain SMP and the Speer 70 gr SMP...

Usually using 28 grains of H 380.... < 3000 fps out of a 22 inch barrel while giving pressure in the 40,000 CUP range..
Bolt action rifle of course...Particularly a Featherweight in 223...

You don't need any super special bullets to kill deer with a .223. I've been killing deer with .222's and .223's since the 80's. I've used 55 gr. Soft points from Hornady, Winchester and Nosler {solid base}, 50 gr. nosler solid base, 60 gr. hornady sp. and 65 gr. Sierra Game Kings. Not one deer ever lost with any of them. I killed a 172 lb. dressed 8 point in 1993 with a .222 and 50 gr. Nosler solid base over a max charge of IMR 4198. 125 yard quartering away shot. Bullet hit near last rib and was recovered from off side shoulder. The buck dropped in it's tracks. A 140 lb doe a few years back shot through BOTH shoulders from 80 yards with a .223 and 55 gr, Hornady sp. dropped in her tracks. The bullet was recovered mushroomed nearly to it's base from just under the skin of the off side shoulder. All but one of the 25 - 30 deer I've killed with the .222 and .223 have gone down inside 50 yards. One doe shot broadside double lung from 150 yards {bullet exited the far side} with the 65 grain Sierra made it about 80 yards. I've had deer go farther when shot through the lungs with much larger cartriges/bullets.

I thought Michigan has a 6mm minimum requirement.

Thats Wyoming

Used to be Wyoming.
4-5 years ago, they allowed the use of .224" bullets greater than 60 grains for deer and antelope.
I think there's also a COL length requirement, and it can't be a .22 Hornet.

Thanks guys for all the help.. We have shot some game with the .223, and they don't shoot very far where his folks hunt.. This will get him going if his folks want it.. He can decide if he needs something else later.. Have a good one..

Well done, WCH. I teach hunter safety and some parents give the kids too big of gun to start. Recoil is too much and they don't want anything to do with it after that. 223 should be just the ticket for the little guy to learn. A parent must be in arms length at all times, so they can help with aiming, breathing, etc. I know a couple "grown-ups" who use it just fine for deer here.

Charlie, thanks.. He is a little guy and not very stout... But seems to have a real interest..

Sounds like a roadtrip for grandpa-great come fall!