5.56/.223 for deer

[csi-tech]

So I received a new rifle from my parents as a retirement gift (a few months early) and it is a heavy barreled AR-15 with a 3X9 scope and an 18" barrel. It is much lighter and less cumbersome than my usual 30-06 and I want to hunt deep in a valley this year. I am very competent with the platform and can absolutely drop one in a deer's ticker or double lung at 100 yards which is all I can see here anyway.

65 grain Nosler topped boat tail for whitetails? Yea or nay?

 

[Hunt 365]

If you can drop him in the middle of a field, maybe, but I've shot several does with a.223, and have yet to have a blood trail

 

[DaveB]

Twist is probably 1 in 9 so that selection will stabilize. Don't think that is my first choice though.

If you load, get some 60 grain Nosler partitions and park them on top of H335, results are very good.

 

[arctic_cat]

Its fine for deer. I shot a doe last year with mine with the Hornady v max. I didn't find any blood with them though. I did some reading and a lot of people use the Fusion out of there 223. I bought a box but haven't had time to try them out yet but I will be trying them come gun season.

 

[Deer Assassin]

53 barnes tsx
62 barnes tsx
64 nosler bsb
60 partition
64 winchester psp
55 core locket

 

[Deer Assassin]

right bullet 223 is an effective deer round you can punch shoulders all day long with a 53 grain barnes tsx

buddies son blew the shoulder out on 100 lb field dressed doe at 75 yds droped right there with a 53 grain barnes tsx at a mild 3100 fps muzzle vel

i shot this one jan 1 with a 64 grain bsb from nosler


my new load nosler's new bonded solid base bullet 64 gn over re 15 pushing 3150

she ran 40 yds if that great blood trail



deer 28 1-1-14
doe davidson county
rem 700 ADL .223
burris fulfield2 3-9x40
64 gn nosler bonded solid base
max re 15 3150 fps







[/quote]

 

[Deer Assassin]

53 grain tsx 3200 fps 22" bbl r-15 75 yds never took a step



53 grain tsx 3200 fps 22" bbl r-15 60 ish yds ran 40 big doe dressed 100

 

[Winchester]

It will definitely kill deer, as will a .22 lr but just a tad smaller than what I feel comfortable with. To each his own however.

 

[ROVERBOY]

I killed one with my mine and it did ok but, I usually don't use it. A friend's son has killed several with his though. Even dropped a couple DRT.

 

[Rockhound]

I'll add hornady 55 gr. Sp as well tough bullet

 

[csi-tech]

Excellent answers! There is nothing like personal experience to give you a definitive answer. A .223 is not my first choice either, but damned if it doesn't look like it will get the job done! Going down into the valley with the retirement gift this fall! Thank you all very much.

 

[Hunter 257W]

If I were forced into using a 223 for deer, I'd prefer the heavier Barnes TSX bullet. Reason is to maximize the chance of an exit hole for a better blood trail. I'd prefer it even over the old reliable Nosler Partition as I would expect more exits with the TSX since it retains more weight and is harder with somewhat less frontal area most of the time. Tiny little bullets that blow up and don't exit work good - until they don't - and then you have no blood trail to follow and in a thicket that ain't good.

Somehow I was placing your age in mid to late 30's rather than retirement age. Must have you crossed up with somebody else here! :mrgreen: Congratulations on the retirement. I intend to follow along that same path in 3 years myself.

 

[Realtree]

I ain't never had any trouble killing deer with it . I use 55 grain. Hek with a 30 round mag you got plenty of follow ups if you need them

 

[cecil30-30]

Just ordered 2 box of remington hog hammer 223 loaded with the barnes 62gr tsx. Gonna try them in my daughters cz 527 youth carbine. Can't wait to try it on a fat doe this winter. My daughter is only 4 so I'll have to break it in for her

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[mike243]

cecil30-30 I have killed a couple of deer with them and they work fine

 

[wsm]

A little small for me but hay that's just me ,as you read on here it can be done.

 

[rtaylor]

I've been using mine exclusively for a few years now and it works every bit as good as my .270 if I do my part. I've limited myself to 150 yards and under and all of my shots have been behind the shoulder. Nothing has ran more than 60 yards (knock on wood). Last year I was using Fusions and they are fine. Get a couple different manufacturers and see which one groups best.