ar15 for deer

[sportsman]

what do think about using a ar15 556 for cali deer is it legal. i have two choices a ar15 or sxs 762/39 the ar is very accurate would like to use it

[technique]

Most people will do it with a .223. My personal min for most larger game (coastal deer aren't really that large) is .243.

But I have shot a deer in the face(nose) with a 22-250 before. I have also seen hogs dropped with .223 with well placed shots.

[PatriotnMore]

You can shoot either with those calibers, I agree with technique, in that, I would prefer a .243/6mm as min caliber. However if that is all you have to hunt with, don't pass the opportunity. If this is big white tail deer hunt, I would highly recomend the .243/6mm.

what do think about using a ar15 556 for cali deer is it legal. i have two choices a ar15 or sxs 762/39 the ar is very accurate would like to use it

[BillyGoatMachine]

Just make sure your within 100y so you can get an accurate shot and not just wound it. It can easily be done. I used to hunt them with a .22 mag when I was a kid. I do agree with the others on using a larger caliber though. I made sure my shots counted using the .22 mag back in the day.

[ocabj]

I figure .223 using a 90gr Berger VLD moving at 2650fps should be on par with a .243 Win.

Maybe use Lake City brass with a Wolf SR Magnum primer in a long throated barrel with a 1:6.5 twist and you're good to go.

John Holliger of White Oak has a special reamer he had made optimized for the 90gr JLK (and should work for the 90gr SMK and Berger VLD). Contact him if you think you might want to get a barrel made by him with this chambering. It's basically going to be a .223 Wylde with a slightly different leade length. Maybe go 1:6.5 to be safe. He has Pac Nor barrels in house with 1:6.5" twist.

[rksimple]

I had to finish off a poached deer with my m4gery and radway green. It had been shot first with a 300 mag through the back. My shot was behind the shoulder from 35 yards or so. It was done after maybe 10 seconds. Point being, its placement. Deer here in CA are like big dogs...not too tough to kill. With some of the heavy Barnes bullets loaded hot in 223, I'd go after deer. Just know its limitations.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

(sigh)

It may be legal to hunt deer with .223 in CA, but is it ethical? A .25 ACP with a soft point would also meet the letter of the law, but most people would agree that it is a bad idea. The same generally applies to .223 with deer. In the hands of an experienced hunter, who only takes the "right" shot, and uses the "right" ammunition, it is just as deadly as any other hunting round. But in the hands of us mere mortals, with regular store bought ammunition or bullets for our reloads, it is a recipe for a wounded deer dying a lingering death a good percentage of the time. If you are hunting in close enough for the .223 to be used, you should be well within the shooting range of your SKS. And the 7.62x39 is a much better deer round than .223. Personally though, I would use this as an excuse to get a new toy. Either a hunting rifle in anything larger or more powerful than .250 Savage (my minimum caliber limit for deer sized game) or a new upper for your AR in 7.62x39 or 6.8 SPC. The 7.62 is only a bit under .30-30 in terms of power. And the 6.8 is the ballistic twing of .257 Roberts. Either of those should be more than enough for deer. Now, regardless of what you choose, do us all a couple of favors. First, get decent ammunition. If you ultimately decide to use the .223, get some good soft points, and not some varminting bullet that will only wound the deer. If you go with another cartridge, even the green and yellow boxes of soft points at wally world will give you enough performance to drop a deer. Second, practice. Don't just go to the range and sight in the week before opening day. Go several times, and practice shooting at different distances. Try using the same ammo you will be hunting with to see how it shoots in your particular rifle. And then go practice some more.

-Mb

[sportsman]

ar 15 at the range

went to the range sunday shooting at 100 yards with some wolf hollow points was shooting 1 inch groups

[professionalcoyotehunter]

Dont forget to sight in with what you will be actually using. If you are in the condor zone then use the Barnes TSX after you get sighted in.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

It isn't a matter of your groups. It comes down more towards the downrange energy (or lack thereof) and your skill in waiting for a shot that can maximize the damage done by the small, lightweight projectile. I know guys that could head-shoot deer all day at 300 yards with a .223 FMJ, and never have one get away. But the rest of us would be better suited with a larger caliber. There is a reason that .223 id banned from deer hunting in many states. For around $300, you can get a Stevens 200 in any of the more common calibers, and be all set for deer for the rest of your life. Or get a used hunting rifle even cheaper. Just be sure to get it in something larger than .223.

-Mb

[sportsman]

ar15 for deer

have to disagree with you on group size doesnt matter when your talking placement its all that matters

[rumblebee]

I asked a similar question on this forum a few weeks ago. "What is the largest game you've taken with a .223"

Some have taken bear, deer, hogs\etc (larger game animals). It ultimately comes down to skill level and NOT taking unrealistic shots, which could only injure the animal.

I was just reading a story in American Hunter (which is supposed to air on the Outdoor Channel sometime) about a guy who hunts with an air gun(pellet) and takes down wild pigs (clean kills)!

Know your skill level and be ethical, is the moral to the story!

[rksimple]

223 wouldn't be my first choice, but it'll work...and work well in skilled hands. Pick the correct bullet, limit shots to 150 or so, and put the bullet where it needs to be. A solid hit with a 223 is better than a peripheral hit with any whiz bang magnum.

[HUTCH 7.62]

I dunno on that one but when I took My m1a deer hunting I got nasty looks everywhere. this year I'm gonna take my FN FAL.

The only problem I could foresee is the knockdown issue. If you can't kill a drugged up somali with one shot I would think it would be hard to a deer with one shot. if anything you'll find yourself spending alot of time chaseing after your kill.

[Fjold]

Any centerfire rifle round is legal for deer hunting as long as you use softpoint/expanding ammunition. I would recommend that you use a 70 grain or heavier SP bullet and know your limitations.

It's weird, a 17 Remington with varmint bullets is legal for deer but my 375 H&H with flatnosed solids is illegal here in California but that load is legal for any game in Africa.