Ingo Report post Posted July 5, 2020 My wife and I have Coues tags for the Nov 6-12 season and it will be her first deer hunt. She has shot rifles many times, is proficient, and I DO have a youth model .243 M70 that she can use BUT... I have a Savage .223 1:9 twist 20" barrel that is a dam laser beam. Taking any recoil or flinch impulse out of the equation sounds attractive to me. With a bullet like the Barnes 55gr TTSX I'm thinking she's golden to 200 yards and may be good for a careful shot at 300? Otherwise, I'll probably be carrying a heavy .260Rem so she'll have no problem shooting that if we have anything further. What you guys think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildwoody Report post Posted July 5, 2020 Title sounds like you want trade your wife for a 223. Lol. It will work, remember whitebutt's are pretty durable, good shot placement.. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThomC Report post Posted July 5, 2020 What are you going to do with all those wifes?😷 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ingo Report post Posted July 5, 2020 9 minutes ago, ThomC said: What are you going to do with all those wifes?😷 I'm one, self-masochistic SOB. 9 minutes ago, wildwoody said: Title sounds like you want trade your wife for a 223. Lol. It will work, remember whitebutt's are pretty durable, good shot placement.. Yeah... For the right rifle anything's possible. I know they are durable. Put an arrow through a nice one in a bad spot a few years ago and I'm pretty sure he lived to see another season. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegunsmith2506 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 I have shot 7 deer with a .223. The Barnes is by far the best bullet I used, The last deer I shot was at 300yds, I hit him 3 times in the lungs and none of the bullets exited. He went 150yds before he died. I only used it because it was the only rifle I had growing up. It wouldn't be my first choice especially since you have other options.  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ingo Report post Posted July 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, thegunsmith2506 said: I have shot 7 deer with a .223. The Barnes is by far the best bullet I used, The last deer I shot was at 300yds, I hit him 3 times in the lungs and none of the bullets exited. He went 150yds before he died. I only used it because it was the only rifle I had growing up. It wouldn't be my first choice especially since you have other options.  Thanks. Good real world experience. That deer you shot at 300 was with the 55 tsx? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegunsmith2506 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, Ingo said: Thanks. Good real world experience. That deer you shot at 300 was with the 55 tsx? Yes. He was quartering to me a little bit. All 3 bullets were in the chest cavity. He never even flinched until the 3rd shot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 Id borrow a rifle before using a 223. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted July 5, 2020 My son shot his muley doe at 200 yds. I can’t remember what viler we used. I think it was something federal. It worked fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ingo Report post Posted July 5, 2020 53 minutes ago, firstcoueswas80 said: Id borrow a rifle before using a 223. I'd always thought this way to until people had told me that they do ok with modern hunting bullets with .223. I'm probably going to set her up with my .243 and a low-fireball load. I like shooting slower powders with almost every bullet I load for .243 but usually there's a huge muzzle blast because of that. That'll give someone a flinch real quick. Probably do an 85-95gr bullet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 90 grain accubondin 243. Or 95, whatever it is. Â I'm not a minimalist. Personally I cringe when this topic comes up, same with 243/6.5 creed for elk. Just a personal opinion. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dse Report post Posted July 5, 2020 With a 9 twist I would look at the Berger 70 gr vld. Killed my buck last year with a 22-250AI and a 80 gr vld @ 733 yds. No tracking necessary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, dse said: With a 9 twist I would look at the Berger 70 gr vld. Killed my buck last year with a 22-250AI and a 80 gr vld @ 733 yds. No tracking necessary. Why?  Is that the only gun you have? (Being an AI I doubt it).  Youre free to do whatever, and I'm not trying to tell you otherwise, but I just don't get this. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dse Report post Posted July 5, 2020 Several reasons actually. One my main deer rifle is shot out and holding a little over 2 moa. The 22-250 will shoot 2" groups @ 1000 yds all day long. Also I knew I may have to hunt solo a few days and with this rifle I can watch the bullet all the way to the target. My rifle selection is still a little short of options since the Goodwin fire pretty well took everything I owned three years ago. Lastly this is the third buck in a row that's been killed dead in his tracks from beyond 600 yds with this cartridge load combo. All bullets exited and left about a 4" hole from entry to exit. So why not? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 Pictures of two inch groups at 1000 please. 3 1 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
