Thread: 223 on deer

Posts #49 (18 September 2020/gimp) and #50 (Tahr) in this thread were the first examples of heavy for caliber in .223 being used by members. Now up to #2956 and their use is well and truly validated. The naysayers have dropped away (save for the most resilient) and the heavy frangible bullets are pretty much accepted as being totally adequate by those who actually use them. And the number of converts is growing.
How things have changed.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Posts #49 (18 September 2020/gimp) and #50 (Tahr) in this thread were the first examples of heavy for caliber in .223 being used by members. Now up to #2956 and their use is well and truly validated. The naysayers have dropped away (save for the most resilient) and the heavy frangible bullets are pretty much accepted as being totally adequate by those who actually use them. And the number of converts is growing.
How things have changed.

I only have the same 12 twist .223, so I am still shooting deer with a 55 grainer at 80 yards or so. So, not everything has changed. Somebody has to still shoot normal deer with a .223 with normal bullets at normal distances...hang on - you fast twist heavy bullet guys are all on the in now - are people who shoot big red deer with 55 grainers still "marginal" ?? Still wounding things and causing lingering deaths??

Nope, you still have heavy options with slow twists....and sort of yes,as per always has been the rules,get in close and pick your shots or let animal walk.... And as I've said before...we have reinvented the wheel. The 22hp savage was as capable in theory anyway,as what your using today..the "rest" of the equation has made a huge contribution to final outlook. Folks were shooting deer with 70 GRN .228 projectiles going along about 2800fps fifty years ago,..they didn't have a rangefinder and dialling up a scope was a rare thing as the reliability and repeatability wasn't there...

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Nope, you still have heavy options with slow twists....and sort of yes,as per always has been the rules,get in close and pick your shots or let animal walk.... And as I've said before...we have reinvented the wheel. The 22hp savage was as capable in theory anyway,as what your using today..the "rest" of the equation has made a huge contribution to final outlook. Folks were shooting deer with 70 GRN .228 projectiles going along about 2800fps fifty years ago,..they didn't have a rangefinder and dialling up a scope was a rare thing as the reliability and repeatability wasn't there...

And the ranges bragged about at the pub were wildly over exaggerated

Originally Posted by Gibo

And the ranges bragged about at the pub were wildly over exaggerated

Hunters have been talking shit forever

Originally Posted by Tahr

Hunters have been talking shit forever

I am reliably informed that we only stop when we die. To that extent our respective surgeons have given us both extended shit talk capabilities.

Originally Posted by Rushy

I am reliably informed that we only stop when we die. To that extent our respective surgeons have given us both extended shit talk capabilities.

Exactly. That’s why I’m very happy doing it.

Tut tut..steady on old chaps,the verbal diarrhoea or vocal feacal matter you refer too,has been passed down over many fine ales over many generations so has now become folk lore and the original folk doing the spouting/ passing of such have moved into legend status...if we were ancient Greeks or Egyptians there may have been swandri wearing,SMLE toteing demigods carved in stone. Depicted with hobnail boots and mountain mule packs,leather belt so full of deer tails as to resemble a hula skirt,the belt would also hold canvas pouches and sheath knife .the thousand yard stare of glinting eyes could be seen under sweatybrow if you looked closely under the canvas hat..... And the woman folk would swoon at the very sight of such a handsome fella...... TUI any one??

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

I only have the same 12 twist .223, so I am still shooting deer with a 55 grainer at 80 yards or so. So, not everything has changed. Somebody has to still shoot normal deer with a .223 with normal bullets at normal distances...hang on - you fast twist heavy bullet guys are all on the in now - are people who shoot big red deer with 55 grainers still "marginal" ?? Still wounding things and causing lingering deaths??

Pretty unethical imo, you should be ashamed

What bullet weight do DOC use for their animal control? Is it 55gr because it’s cheap and they buy bulk?

Originally Posted by Fat ninja

What bullet weight do DOC use for their animal control? Is it 55gr because it’s cheap and they buy bulk?

Someone will be along shortly to tell us, I'm sure

Originally Posted by gimp

Someone will be along shortly to tell us, I'm sure

I will play. On Tahr not too heavy because I expect DOC will be using copper. 62 Makers' custom loaded perhaps?
On deer and goats my guess is 55 Belmont.
It might vary from region to region?

So now tell us gimp?

Originally Posted by John Duxbury

are people who shoot big red deer with 55 grainers still "marginal" ??

Yes, I expect some of those people are, John. You, definitely.

Originally Posted by Fat ninja

What bullet weight do DOC use for their animal control? Is it 55gr because it’s cheap and they buy bulk?

I had a few beers with a bunch of young cullers in the Motu a couple of years ago. They were using .223's with FMJ projectiles. They reckoned putting the deer on the ground didn't really matter to them, and the wound from the FMJ would kill the deer eventually. Not my cup of tea but they seemed happy with doing it this way. I really do hope they were the exception and not the norm.

Originally Posted by gimp

Someone will be along shortly to tell us, I'm sure

Why don't you tell us?