My daughter shoots a model 7 223 with a 55gr np federal bullet. Is that enoufgh gun or should I be worried? Thanks in advance for the input.

The 223 is NOT an adequate deer cartridge, and although others will give me grief for saying it, neither is the 243.

The 223 is NOT an adequate deer cartridge, and although others will give me grief for saying it, neither is the 243.

The 223 is NOT an adequate deer cartridge, and although others will give me grief for saying it, neither is the 243.

The 223 is NOT an adequate deer cartridge, and although others will give me grief for saying it, neither is the 243.

i couldn't agree more. the 243 may be fine for EXPERIENCED shooters.

I understand what you were saying Stovepipe, I wouldn't recommend a .223 for a novice shooter, but the .243 is more than adequate for deer especially with the 95-100 grain bullets.

yep u were right...lol

never lost a deer
never had a deer run more than 30 yds
complete pass thru on every deer, even a couple thru both shoulders
over 50 deer with my .243

I'd worry. I have every since they lowered it from .24 minimum.

If a youngster cannot handle a .243, I don't think they are ready for deer hunting.

I don't mean to be harsh. I just don't think .22 cal centerfires should be justified as a 'crutch' to get 6-10 year old kids into the early stages of the deer hunting.

Sure, a .223 will kill a deer, a .22magnum will. But only if that shooter is experienced with bullet placement. Maybe your youth is, I'm not discrediting that. I just have reservations myself about 1. smaller bullets and 2. inexperienced shooters with smaller bullets.

I'm just not always sure about a .223 through a deer shoulder. Sure, for a heart shot, or a double punch on both lungs.

I might take heat for saying this, but it's just the way I feel. My 11 year old does fine with a .44mag gas operated Ruger rifle. He's never killed anything with it. Recoil is comparable and we're taking about a 240gr bullet vs a 55gr bullet.

I hope you can sort out your indecisiveness.

If the kid can hit a milk jug consistently I dont see why they couldn't get a double lung shot.

I've seen grown men that couldn't do!

I would NEVER even consider using a 223 on deer!! Are yall kidding, why use a 223 when there are other calibers that are MUCH BETTER!! In my opinion, they should outlaw 223 as a deer caliber. When my 2 sons are old enough to hunt, they will be using a 7mm08. i could kill a deer with my pellet gun but why on earth use it when i can use a 270,308, 300 mag etc? i just dont understand??

I hunted with and killed probably 50 deer with a 243 in swva and easttenn all with clean kills. Then one day I had a mature buck come in on a doe and present a quick frontal quarter shot. He hit the ground, got up and ran down off the mtn and was later killed when jumped by another hunter. I learned that I needed a bigger gun and retired my first deer rifle.

I would make sure that you don't use highly frangible/explosive varmint bullets on deer, such as HP's or ballistic tips. The manufacturers of these bullets did not design them for penetration, but to explode on small targets (such as groundhogs) on contact. They may get the job done, but you are asking for bullet failure, especially if bone is encountered. Many may disagree with this, but "splash wounds" can occur if all conditions are right (wrong), even if bone is not encountered. Also, you will not have much of a blood trail for tracking from a single entry with no exit, if tracking is required. I know that many post pics of deer shot with .22 centerfires all of the time, even with these bullets, but it only takes once to lose a deer. I am not saying that .22 cf's will not consistently kill deer with proper shot placement and angle, especially if one is on a field watching feeding deer and can wait for a "perfect shot," but in the woods sometimes you need more gun for quartering to or shoulder shots, etc. I still believe that fragmenting type bullets should not be used on deer.
Bullet construction is the main thing.

I agree that .223 and .243 are marginal deer calibers.

You really need a premium bullet and excellent shot placement and that means that your shot angles and target zone will be smaller than the "milk jug" zone you get with a heavier caliber.

I have shot two deer with my.223 and three with my .243. All dropped in their tracks except the one with a .223 it went 20 yards and it was a 240 yard shot.

I hunted with and killed probably 50 deer with a 243 in swva and easttenn all with clean kills. Then one day I had a mature buck come in on a doe and present a quick frontal quarter shot. He hit the ground, got up and ran down off the mtn and was later killed when jumped by another hunter. I learned that I needed a bigger gun and retired my first deer rifle.

you are my boy Fish but i have to disagree on 1 point here. A .243 is much more then "marginal" for deer and to be honest IMO for SE deer herds it may be one of the best calibers there is. I have killed over 150 deer with my .243 ranging from MS, AL, TN and GA and only had 1 take a step when the trigger was pulled. Most of those were killed with 85grain hollow points as well or the cheap core-loks. i agree on placement of the round but that goes with any weapon to be honest. You have to be a bit MORE precise with a 243 as the room for error is much less then a 300 or 30-06 but overall a 243 is a deer killing machine especially for the size of the deer in the SE. 250lb deer are not really the common around these parts. I would take a 243 any day of the week with no worries about it at all.

The 223 is NOT an adequate deer cartridge, and although others will give me grief for saying it, neither is the 243.

I've got even less personal use for a .243. I have close friends, who are firearms experts and excellent marksmen with decades of deer hunting experience, watch the buck(s) of their dreams get up and trot off after being shot with a .243

The 5.56mm military round was designed to allow our infantry to double their ammo carrying capacity so they could increase their rate of fire, and thereby increase their WOUNDING casualty capability. The body mass of a whitetail is very similar to that of the intended target of the 5.56mm (.223 Remington commercial) round. Loaded with limited-expansion bullets of heavy construction, the .223, or .243 for that matter, are great culling rounds. The most recent military ammunition trials to answer the valid concerns about combatants getting up, running off, returning fire after being wounded, etc., after being shot by a 5.56mm, found the following: The .264 (6.5mm) caliber bullets were the most accurate and the .284 (7mm) bullets were the most lethal. I'm still scratching my head over their final recommendation of a .277 round (6.8mm SPC) loaded with 115-grain bullets, but that's a whole different discussion.