.223ammo

[TxMulie10]

I just bought a howa in .223 for hunting. I'm mostly going to be varmint and predator hunting with it but I want to take it deer hunting. Since there are an endless amount of choices for .223, I was wondering if y'all had any feed back for a good hunting round?

[timberghost]

Judging from experiences from friends that used a 223 for deer I would shy away from doing so. I'm sure that a properly placed shot would do the job but it's just the power factor that concerns me. My .02 cents.

[JayzDaddy]

I would look for a quality bullet tip. Such a small caliber needs weight retention to drive into the vitals. Personally i would take headshots. I handload for mine.

If i had to do it i would look at black hills ammo in around a 90 gr round.

[Hellbilly]

62g fusion will tear them up

[Tricky]

If your going to use your 223 for deer you need to use a heavier constructed bullet. While not the best it can be done. You don't need to take head shots either. Put a good shot into the heart/lung area and you should be okay. Just remember that shot placement is key. Try the federal fusions or a nosler partition and see if your rifle likes either. Keep your shots at a decent range hopefully 100 yards or less.I don't know your shooting skills but avoid a risky headshot whether its a 223 or a 30/06 etc........

[GATideHunter]

Also try the Hornaday 75 grain BTHP... Those should do a good job as well.

[JayzDaddy]

No you dont need headshots. But personally i would take them. I have a open field and regularly target shoot 400+yds. A headshot does 2 things. 1 its a clean drop on the spot kill or a clean miss and 2 damages no meat. This is personal experience and preferance.

[GATideHunter]

I am a new hunter, but I have seen pictures of deer who have had people take head shots at and they just ended up hitting the jaw and not killing the deer. The deer runs off, the hunter never finds the deer, and the deer ends up dying later from starvation in agony. You can kill a deer by shooting it in it vital parts with a .223, which would be the only shots I would take IMHO.

[Hunting Man]

223 for deer is just not a good choise, go up a bit, 243 if you are recoil sensitive. head shots not for me, a solid double lung shot works best as you have a lot of area to hit. Just my 2 cents. I am old school when it comes to deer hunting.

[GATideHunter]

The whitetail deer when have down in the south is smaller than the ones y'all have up north. They dont have to contend with the cold and dont have the extra weight. The coldest it may get down here on average is the low 30s with the occasional snow fall. I would prefer to use something bigger than the 5.56/.223 round, but it will work for the ones down here. I only have a rifle that will fire that round, but could easily convert my rifle to the 6.8 (.270) by changing out the upper receiver, but will have to live with what I have until I get the funds to purchase something like that. There have been many strides for that round. I will not hunt with anything that is not designed and tested specifically for deer. If they can get a 62 grain .223 to take down a deer, I am sure a 75 grain 5.56 could do it. Just my thoughts about it. Shot placement is the key for any round IMHO.