Russ D
Ultimate Member
My go to rifle is a .308 Ruger compact, but I don't feel limited or undergunned with the. 223. I also plan on taking a deer with the 6.5x55 before the end of the season.
Anybody hunt deer with a .223? (AR15)
- Thread starter vin
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My go to rifle is a .308 Ruger compact, but I don't feel limited or undergunned with the. 223. I also plan on taking a deer with the 6.5x55 before the end of the season.
onespentround
Member
Yep, My son took his first deer with a mini 14 with a silver tip Winchester 40 grain Blastix tip
Russ D
Ultimate Member
I'm probably the biggest proponent of using .223 on here, but even I wouldn't consider using that bullet for deer. Glad it worked and he got his deer, but there are much better bullets out there for deer hunting. The 62 grain Trophy bonded is a great factory load and is cheaper than BST's.
steves1911
Ultimate Member
The short barrell on an m4 type AR15 may fall short of the ft/lbs required to legally hunt deer in this state. Im not 100% sure on that but you may want to chronograph your rifle to find out.
sykesville
Ultimate Member
When you say, "and now .270," are you saying that there are statistics that the .270 is close to the others in popularity as a hunting round? I ask because I am considering a 6.8mm (roughly a .270), and wondered what the thinking was regarding its ability to take deer.
thanks
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Redneck
Ultimate Member
IIRC 6.8 is a .277 but the ballistics between it and an actual .270 are far different. When I get a chance I'll post a ballistic chart comparison for you. Search the site here about it, I know I did a comparison once in another thread
IndispensableDestiny
Ultimate Member
My buddy hunts with a .270 shooting 130 grain Nosler Partitions. Kills them every time. I have three rifles in .308, so have no interest in a .270 or 6.8 for deer.
Going back to the thread, a .223 Remington will kill a deer. So will a .338 Winchester Magnum. I wouldn't use either on white tail deer.
onespentround
Member
Well Russ, I would rather take a deer with a piece of carbon and muzzy.... And for a kid... a 223 or 243 are just fine.
Russ D
Ultimate Member
Well Russ, I would rather take a deer with a piece of carbon and muzzy.... And for a kid... a 223 or 243 are just fine.
Im not talking about the round, but the construction of the projectile. The 40 gr. Silver tip is a varmint bullet designed to fragment, not penetrate on impact. The chances of it blowing up before penetrating the vitals is higher. There are better. 223 loadings designed to penetrate for deer hunting.
onespentround
Member
Russ, I understand what you are talking about. And well aware of the damage of vitals.
Russ D
Ultimate Member
Your response did not show that. There is no way that bullet generates 1000 foot #s of energy at the muzzle which is the legal rquirement. Ill leave it at that.
onespentround
Member
Russ, You are right about being legal..... And I rather take deer with a Bow..... and teach other the same. But if knowledge is gained by shooting paper and reading ballistics And I will leave it at that.
onespentround
Member
onespentround
Member
Only shotgun hunting for me...
Outstanding!!!!
Russ D
Ultimate Member
And being a former Ranger..... 223 KILL!!!!!! Now that's final!!!!
Well that's kinda been my whole point in participating in this thread.
onespentround
Member
Give me a break!!!!
Redneck
Ultimate Member
Its actually 1200 at the muzzle. Either way 40 grains IMO just seems irresponsible..
Most .223 rounds out of a 14.5-16" AR probably just barely on don't even meet that requirement.
Redneck
Ultimate Member
Check out this thread, on post 6 i broke down some average ballistics between a few rounds, 6.8 being one of them. http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=14089&highlight=.280
Other possibilities for you to consider would also be 30RAR, 300 Whisper, 6.5, and even 7.62x39
Russ D
Ultimate Member
I get 1088 and that's out of a 24" barrel.
Redneck
Ultimate Member
Not legal in MD to hunt deer with.
Page 16 of the Maryland Guide to Hunting and Trapping 2011-2012
Rifle Regulations
Bulletin 3
"Rifles used for deer and bear hunting must use ammunition developing a muzzle energy of at least 1,200 foot pounds."
