5.56/.223 for deer opinion

[Rakkin6]

Just want everyone's opinion on this. Me personally after carrying a 5.56 for 24 years overseas and seeing some of the stuff with how little stopping power it has there is no way I could ethically shoot a deer with one. I guess you could take a headshot but why limit yourself. Now I am sure some will say it's about shot placement etc. Which even with a .270 it's still about shot placement. But sometimes things happen and I would rather have a little more KE and a larger hole if I am off. Like I said just my personal opinion and my personal experience. I would not hunt a deer with less than a .243

Just wanted to see everyone else's view on this.

 

[RUGER]

I agree.
.300 win mag through both front shoulders or a low neck / high shoulder shot.
Blood trailing is for bowhunting.

 

[BlackBelt]

I would not use a 5.56/223 for deer because I have seen it fail, but I also understand for some that may be their only option.
I used to use a 30/30 or .308 but got tired of tracking deer.
I started using a 30-06 and no longer have to track deer.

 

[Lost Lake]

Can't speak for a .223, (although today's bullets change everything), but as for hunting deer with anything smaller than a .243, my daughter and I have killed a couple of truckloads of deer with a 22/250. We use the Sierra 63 SMP and the Nosler 60 grain Partition.

No fancy head or neck shots, we just placed the bullets in the same places I would've with much bigger rounds.

What we got was complete pass-throughs on some decent sized deer, a couple being in the 160 pound dressed weight range. They died pretty fast. As far as dropping them in their tracks, CNS hits do that with any centerfire. Doesn't have to be a magnum.

I figured the best way to find out about deer killing ability with it was to kill a truckload, using good bullets, and draw my own conclusions.

 

[backyardtndeer]

I do not deer hunt with my .223/5.56 rifles. I know some do and not going to judge their choice, just going to say we go with .243 and up for deer.

With that being said; if I was hunting coyotes with one of my .223s during deer season, and I had a monster walk out in front of me, I might be inclined to squeeze a round off. Not likely however since I am usually after coyotes with tipped varmageddons.

 

[Spurhunter]

I have some Federal Fusion for my .223 but I'm not going to risk losing the buck of a lifetime using a marginal caliber.

 

[Madbowh]

Minimum .243 completely agree with rakkin. Shot one with my. 270 once that was quartering away didn't hit either shoulder and round was just under the hide on the exit. So love my .270 though, that was the only time I didn't get a pass through and still had good blood

 

[Remington700]

I started my daughter with a 223 because I could shrink it down to fit her. I researched and shot Federal Fusion MSR rounds. She killed several deer with it, they were all heart shots. The deer did not bleed enough to even blood trail. You had to walk the direction they ran and trip over them (30-50 yards). Needless to say I moved her up to a 243. A 223 will get the job done, but its not an optimal caliber for deer.

 

[Antler Daddy]

I tend to trust the guy who carried the caliber for years and witnessed the results.

 

[TNlandowner]

Five years ago, I loaded and tested 65 grain Sierra SBT bullets before letting my children hunt with an AR. I shot and killed two does that season. The bullets passed through the deer's chest, but the wound channels were tiny and gave almost no blood trail. As previously mentioned, I had to search and stumble upon the deer. So I set the kids up with 243 rifles. After they harvested a few deer, I introduced them to 308s, which both kids shoot well and with a lot of confidence.

 

[Safari Hunt]

There was a time in TN that the minimum was a 24 caliber. I know there are people who use the 5.56/.223 to take deer but I would like to have a dime for every deer that was poached by using a .22 LR. No matter what caliber, if the shot is in the wrong place, you stand to lose the deer. I recall a hunter who was asked why he shot deer in the head. "I don't eat the head."

 

[rtaylor]

.223 is definitely not the best caliber to use but my daughters have killed a boatload with it. Knock on wood we haven't lost one yet. Most of the time the tracking job is less than 100 yards but not much blood at all. My oldest will move to the .243 next year but my little one will still use the AR for a couple more seasons because of her size and it fits her so well.

 

[skipperbrown]

There was a time in TN that the minimum was a 24 caliber. I know there are people who use the 5.56/.223 to take deer but I would like to have a dime for every deer that was poached by using a .22 LR. No matter what caliber, if the shot is in the wrong place, you stand to lose the deer. I recall a hunter who was asked why he shot deer in the head. "I don't eat the head."

Back in the '80s, a buddy of mine owned a pawn shop and a group of men were talking deer hunting. The topic of shot placement and caliber came up and there was the usual talk of behind the shoulder, on the shoulder, in the neck, 30-30s and magnums. One boy said, "Heck, I just shine the spotlight and shoot 'em in the eye with my .22. They always fall down."

 

[mike243]

Most bang flop have had a couple run 20y or so , hunting ammo works a lot better than fmj imo

 

[younggun308]

Most bang flop have had a couple run 20y or so , hunting ammo works a lot better than fmj imo

Yep. Geneva Convention ammo would poke holes, tumble, or generate hydrostatic explosions at best.

Awhile back I had aspirations to turn a .223 into a deer rifle. Bought copper hollowpoints and Federal Fusions. But I don't reach for it over a .30 cal. Confidence is key. Might change one day when my sons get older and it's time to hunt.

 

[Stalkhunter]

All the fuss over 223/5.56 too smal, Well I have seen bows fail but yet they are still a go to choice. Hmmmm

 

[dogsled]

I remember when 24 cal was the minimum as well. I have been in stores this year where the only soft point center fire on the shelves was the Winchester 223 "Deer Season" ammo and wondered how many wounded deer would be lost this year due to lack of available ammo in traditional calibers. While I am sure it could be made to work, my opinion is it is less than optimal and only as a last resort. I would go to slug gun first.

 

[Madbowh]

You can't compare a bow to a .223 a bow is all on discipline and practice i.e not taking the shot when it's not good compared to just slinging rounds through the woods. The concentration and preparation with a bow will always supersed anything it will take with a gun. It's to easy to just jump up a caliber. Never the less when you have an option and want clean kills and good tracking with a rifle. 243 minimum

 

[cecil30-30]

Bullets choice. FMJ is a no go for deer. 62 gr Barnes tsx is bad deer medicine. I have killed 5 deer with this load. Had 2 bang flops and the rest expired In sight. Bullet choice and shot placement gentlemen and the 223 is a viable deer round.

 

[infoman jr.]

There's a difference in M855 and a hunting bullet.