5.56/223 for deer? Input welcome

[6ANut]

I really want to use my AR for my late deer hunt I have 3 questions:

 

Is this enough bullet to get the job done?

 

Max clip size I can have?

 

What bullet would you use?

 

Obviously if this isn't enough bullet then last 2 questions are pointless.

 

Thanks

Brian

[firstcoueswas80]

1. Last option, yes only if NOTHING else available.

 

2. (Magazine) no limit

 

3. See answer one. If a must, tsx, partition.

[rancilio]

With a CNS placed shot, a .223 might be ok within 300y or so. Is your AR barrel a 1:7 or 1:8 twist to stabilize a heavier bullet such as >75gr?

[goinhuntn]

With correct shot placement it would work, but why would you want to chance wounding a deer! Clean one shot kills, animals deserve that respect just my opinion. Good luck this season!

[CouesPursuit]

Echoing the above. In 3 posts I see must, might, and chance.

Even with the best possible bullet weight and composition, you're handicapping yourself and risking a buck.

Magazine size is irrelevant when you put that first one in the right spot. AR down them yotes instead!

[cactusjack]

There are many other AR uppers you can get that would be better for the job. 300blackout, 6.8spc, 6x45, 6.8 Grendel, 450 Bushmaster, 458 Socom and 50 Beowulf. The 556/223 is legal.

[STOMP442]

Proper shot placement is key regardless of caliber choice. That being said the .223 is more than capable to tackle deer. A good hunting bullet like the 65gr Sierra Game King which has good weight for carrying energy and offers good penetration and bullet expansion ensuring that energy is dumped into the animal would be my choice in a .22 cal deer rifle.

[Desert muley]

I have seen whitetail and big mule deer taken with a mini-14 but it would not be the caliber of choice for mule deer

[khmer6]

People hunt deer with bolt 223 all across the nation

No mag limit

bullet choice depends on the twist of your barrel, would go for the heaviest and accurate it can stabilize. There are some good 223 projectiles these days to handle the task. Do you reload or off the shelf?

[6ANut]

Thanks all for the responses, didn't think I would be using it due to the lighter bullet weight but wanted to see if anyone had any positive results.

[Havasuhunter]

I would never chance it when having larger calibers available.

[6ANut]

1:8 twist, I did see that there were some 65 grain and 72 grain rounds. I don't reload.

[yotebuster]

I shot this big bodied ND whitetail with 55gr soft points. I put 8 rounds into his ribs as he ran quartering away. You could've laid a softball over the entry holes. About half hit rob on their way in and fragmented only making it to the near lung. The ones that made it between the ribs penetrated to the far lungs. The shots were from 80-120 yards. Would I do it again with cheap 55gr soft points and a big bodied eastern whitetail? Definitely not. Do I think a single well placed broadside shot with a good controlled expansion bullet would work on a coues. Heck yes.

 

 

[firstcoueswas80]

Problem with your buck above and a coues deer is the 80-120 yards. Most coues are 300+ I would venture to guess... 223 losses too much steam.

 

 

6anut, if you're in need of a larger caliber for the hunt, I've got a 243, 257, 300wsm, 270 or 7 RUM you can use. Take your pick. (Although, I might actually be using the 257)

[khmer6]

yeah without reloading i would just go to another caliber. Can't really play too much with the variables. but 1:8 should stablilize a good variety of bullets including the heavier stuff. oh course magazine length would limit it some too.

 

hows the herd doing up there? they getting roudy and noisy yet?