deer hunting question?

[macywouldgo]

im going on a deer hunting trip soon. this is my first trip ever. i have a 223 rifle i will use. what grain or ammo types sp,hp,etc... i want to shoot between 100 and 300 yards.

[Geo]

You don't know what you don't know. .223 is a pretty piss poor round for deer hunting... yeah, it will kill a deer, but the terminal balistics leave no margin for error, and you sound like a noob, so expect to make many errors. I suggest something at least .260 caliber.

But back to your question, since what I said above is not what you wanted to hear...

Because you're a noob, you will be best served by practicing A LOT, shooting from many different posisions, and from many different ranges, and under many different lighting and weather conditions. That pratice will make a much bigger difference at minimizing your errors, thus maximizing the potential of the very poorly performing .223 (when compared to the myriad other calibers available to hunt deer with). Don't worry about what bullet you are shooting, as long as it is designed for hunting (i.e., soft point)... practice with the bullets you will you when hunting.

Good luck...

[Blacktail 8541]

Off the shelf ammo, Winchester 64 gr power points, Federal vita shock w/60 gr Nosler partitions or any loads with Barnes X tsx bullets.

[rumblebee]

I don't think that a .223 is what you need.....It may do the job (with good shot placement)...but, ethically, I don't think you'd want to go that route.

I just posted a thread asking a question along the same lines, as I'm curious myself.

[GunDog]

Better check the hunting regs for the state you'll be deer hunting in. Many states require a minimum rifle cartridge of .243 Winchester. The .223 Remington just doesn't have enough "oomph" to reliably put down a deer size animal.

[Beelzy]

Too small a caliber unless it is Roebuck you are hunting.

[Blacktail 8541]

The .223 Remington just doesn't have enough "oomph" to reliably put down a deer size animal.

Tell that to the 10+ that i have taken with the .223. I haven't lost a single animal and not 1 has gone more than 20 yards. All i use are Barnes x bullets and keep the range to 100 yards or less. I also do not take iffy shots.

[GunDog]

Forgot to add...

Have you attended a Hunter Education Class?

[Fjold]

If you don't know what load to use in your 223 to hunt deer then you shouldn't be hunting with it.

[Blacktail 8541]

If you don't know what load to use in your 223 to hunt deer then you shouldn't be hunting with it.

I agree with you on this.

[Vacaville]

Technically, with the right shot you can take a deer with almost any cartridge - but that doesn't mean you should do it. With a .223 chances are pretty good that you will injure the animal and it will run off to die a long and painful death. In the American hunting tradition you are supposed to cause as little pain as possible by using a sufficiently powerful cartridge for an instant kill (ideally). Please borrow a real deer rifle if you need to.

[Jonathan Doe]

I would look for heaviest bonded bullets that my barrel can handle.

[cassius]

OP doesn't state where, and central CA coastal and sierra ranges are 'No Lead' zones.

If the OP is determine to use a .223, I suggest lots of practice at the max anticipated range, with the heaviest bullets his barrel will stabilize.

[mag360]

if a 5.56 is strong enough to take down 200lb humans how is it not going to be effective against a deer?

[M. Sage]

if a 5.56 is strong enough to take down 200lb humans how is it not going to be effective against a deer?

Ever heard of a person being hit through the heart and both lungs with something like a 7mm Magnum running a hundred plus yards before dying? I've seen it happen with deer. They can be shockingly hard to kill.