Thread: 223 on deer

Originally Posted by Maca49

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Fallow I got a few weeks ago, have ditched the 223, to fussy as a cartridge, have owned two Tikkas, 1:8and 1:12, both hopeless, a savage 1:12, best I owned for accuracy and a Kimber, yuck. Sold them all and just use a Sako 6.5 x 55. Clover leaf at 100 without trying, so this is now my go to.

You must surely be the first person in the world to call 223rem a fussy cartridge.
It along with 308win would have to be the most simple and forgiving and cheap cartridges to shoot and load for.... everything shoots well!

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Originally Posted by Maca49

Fallow I got a few weeks ago, have ditched the 223, to fussy as a cartridge, have owned two Tikkas, 1:8and 1:12, both hopeless, a savage 1:12, best I owned for accuracy and a Kimber, yuck. Sold them all and just use a Sako 6.5 x 55. Clover leaf at 100 without trying, so this is now my go to.

I’m with @vietnamcam on this one: a fussy tikka 223? Is there such a thing? But sounds like your 6.5 is doing the business, keep up the good work

Double up

Tonight, just on deer o’clock. I’d actually gone up the hill with the intention of longer range rabbits and hares, but these two were in the way. The .223 Remington will always have its place when it comes to precision deer shooting.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Tonight, just on deer o’clock. I’d actually gone up the hill with the intention of longer range rabbits and hares, but these two were in the way. The .223 Remington will always have its place when it comes to precision deer shooting.

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I don’t want to hear of your success


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Originally Posted by Flyblown

Tonight, just on deer o’clock. I’d actually gone up the hill with the intention of longer range rabbits and hares, but these two were in the way. The .223 Remington will always have its place when it comes to precision deer shooting.

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Projectiles/details?

50gr Z-Max, 3400fps, 150m. Mum and progeny I’m guessing. I shot the hind first, the others (4 or 5) ran like a boatload of illegals at the shot, but the young one stayed rooted to the spot staring at the recently departed. So together in life and in death, and now together in the chiller.

Things to remember here Phil is that projectile construction and (impact)velocity are the major players in terminal performance.

Inline with the opening posts question if constrained by twist rate then yes varmint projectiles in the heaviest you can stabilize are an option to extend effective range but a bad option for close body shots.

I have lost count of how many times I have heard someone say and this is with any caliber " they pencil threw up close" "but work good out far"

This is the exact opposite of how bullets work and behave on soft targets.
Ask for more information there is none why?...because..they shot it in the guts in the thermal and it slunk off.

The higher the impact velocity the more violent the expansion, so if you took the same exact shot at 200y I would bet both my testicles it would have reacted simarly and the projectile would have exited.

I recovered another 80gr ELDM from a fallow doe the other day, shot at about 20m high shoulder, nice mushroom under the skin on the offside. A 2nd doe shot at a bit longer range,maybe 40m, the bullet entered the brisket and exited behind the shoulder, not recovered.

The ELDMs are likely a problem to get working well from any factory rifle. The easiest solution for a good factory setup would be a Howa mini 1:8" and shoot 77gr TMKs.

Yep and if you get a Jefferson outdoors bottom metal for the mini you get more overall lenght possible in the mag and a nice flush floorplate.

Mine is the older 9 twist not the new 8 however it did stabilise and shoot the 73gr eldm quite well but only at a low charge so that might be worth a try in your rem Phil

Actually I should revist it now I can load it longer.

@Phil_H while you are on a .223 roll this is worth looking at https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...-deer-antelope

In particular the post from "Formidilosus" (which should be on the page that comes up)

SOME of them were accurate ..some were VERY ACCURATE...shot my first big game animal with one..nanny goat at 50 yards just after cullers had taken 1400 of the farm...headshot her ....was about 10 at the time.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

SOME of them were accurate ..some were VERY ACCURATE...shot my first big game animal with one..nanny goat at 50 yards just after cullers had taken 1400 of the farm...headshot her ....was about 10 at the time.

Hah! A goats head at 50 yards is about 10 minutes of angle. On average their accuracy was shit

(Mind, I've had a glass of wine)

3031 is equivalent to BM2 and ADI book max for BM2 is 23.5gr, likely you can go hotter. It's also not the ideal choice for velocity with a 69gr, too fast burning - 2206H is probably best if you can get some.