Good Round for Hunting Deer - 556/.223

[technique]

If you're talking coastal deer, .223/5.56 is enough for a humane kill.
Out here our Mule Deer average 200-250lbs, significantly larger than Blacktail. I've smoked several large Mules with 75gr TAP, however I have not done so past 200yrds.

[Rgarbarino]

Correct me if Im wrong but isn't there a minimum caliber regulation for taking deer in CA and 22 caliber isn't it?

I just scanned the regs but didn't find anything, just something I thought I remember reading one time...

[dwalker]

Correct me if Im wrong but isn't there a minimum caliber regulation for taking deer in CA and 22 caliber isn't it?

I just scanned the regs but didn't find anything, just something I thought I remember reading one time...

I am in TN and .223 is legal to hunt deer with, although it is not legal in CO. NO idea bout California.

[NapalmCheese]

Correct me if Im wrong but isn't there a minimum caliber regulation for taking deer in CA and 22 caliber isn't it?

I just scanned the regs but didn't find anything, just something I thought I remember reading one time...

No caliber restriction in CA. It just has to be centerfire.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[CandG]

From the regs: "any centerfire caliber with softnose of expanding projectile."
So no, a 22 caliber is NOT legal because it is a rimfire.

Another common misconception is that there's a rifle magazine size restriction. I've seen LGS's selling 5rd AR magazines "For deer hunting"

There are no (centerfire) rifle magazine restrictions as long as you follow the general state laws.


Some states do have restrictions for minimum calibers and maximum rifle magazine capacities, which I think is where that myth was born. People often assume that since CA generally has the most strict laws in the country, that it means anything that is restricted in another state must also be restricted here. Most of the time they'd be correct, but in this case they're not.

[newbutold]

Ranch hunting, I've made many one shot to the neck deer kills at 100yds + using 30-06, 270, and 7MM with 130gr to 180gr bullets. Neck shots don't waste meat and they die instantly.

[dwalker]

Another common misconception is that there's a rifle magazine size restriction. I've seen LGS's selling 5rd AR magazines "For deer hunting"

There are no (centerfire) rifle magazine restrictions as long as you follow the general state laws.


Some states do have restrictions for minimum calibers and maximum rifle magazine capacities, which I think is where that myth was born. People often assume that since CA generally has the most strict laws in the country, that it means anything that is restricted in another state must also be restricted here. Most of the time they'd be correct, but in this case they're not.

In TN and CO we have a 5 round restriction on centerfire

[LeadFarmer74]

So all in all is the answer yes? But with ethics being questioned?

[mif_slim]

The answer if if you are asking about what to use to shoot 500+ yards then you need to go bigger caliber until youre better. I hunt with 223 and have had good luck with it. However at the same time, my hunting areas furthest shot is 200 and all the bucks were shot under 100 with 90% of them under 60 yards. So the question of using a 225 for 500 is basically a "no" until he becomes a seasoned hunter.

[CandG]

So the question of using a 225 for 500 is basically a "no" until he becomes a seasoned hunter.

By which point he'll likely be the proud owner of some other fine hunting rifles to pick from. I'm gathering that this question was probably asked because the OP doesn't own anything larger than a .223 currently. If he enjoys hunting, that will inevitably change.

I doubt any hunter who owns both a .223 and a .30cal is going to choose the .223 for a 500yd deer hunt.

OP, if you do see a deer 500 yards away, please do yourself, the deer, and the rest of us a favor and don't take the shot unless you can get much, muuuuch closer. Deer will frequently let you get within 100 yards away from them before they panic and flee. Sometimes you can get close enough to hit it with a stick, no joke. (especially when it isn't deer season, lol). There's no reason you'd ever have to take a shot at 500yds unless the terrain doesn't allow you to get any closer - in which case, how do you plan to retrieve the deer if you do kill it?

[NapalmCheese]

So all in all is the answer yes? But with ethics being questioned?

The answer is that the OP should not use a .223 for deer hunting until he or she has had an opportunity to kill a few large animals at various ranges and with various weapons and studied the performance.

It doesn't matter anyway, I was pretty sure going into this thread that the real reason for the question is simply that the OP is just too scared to ask "I need to hoard ammo in case my house is raided by armies of post apocalyptic ruffians. What round will be a reliable one shot man stopper at 500 yards?".

[CandG]

The answer is that the OP should not use a .223 for deer hunting until he or she has had an opportunity to kill a few large animals at various ranges and with various weapons and studied the performance.

It doesn't matter anyway, I was pretty sure going into this thread that the real reason for the question is simply that the OP is just too scared to ask "I need to hoard ammo in case my house is raided by armies of post apocalyptic ruffians. What round will be a reliable one shot man stopper at 500 yards?".

Hahaha, you may be right

In which case your answer is still valid:

the OP should not use a .223 for post apocalyptic ruffians until he or she has had an opportunity to kill a few post apocalyptic ruffians at various ranges and with various weapons and studied the performance.