Thread: 223 on deer

oldschool....whats happened here,is in your ignorance/quest for information ,you have insulted a LOT of people by implying they are risking wounding animals....
your last line above...has nobody ever told you that assumption is the mother of all fuckups????
if you dont know,you dont know...thats part of the reason this thread is here..so you can read it and learn.
the guy in sport shop is correct..you would be better off with a .308 to shoot deer...NOBODY will deny that...but by same token if your recoil shy you would possibly be better off with .223 you still have to follow the rules,get in close enough and put right TYPE of projectile in right place...
you have two options with .222--223 etc either use fragile and go for head neck or crease and hope it blows a big enough area of damage to knock out animal /disable enough vitals to put it down quickly..or something harder and poke it through vital bits and hopefully break a shoulder if not two.... the heavy weights can do that with ease as can monos BUT you still got to put that tiny wee bit of metal in the right place.
I know people who regularly shoot deer with .22 magnum and others who use a 17 to do the same.... would I recomend it??? hell NO but they are surpurb markmen and are in range of undisturbed animals or animals are in spotlight or thermal scope.... do they occasionally have a cock up??? yip but will be into the follow up shots to disable animal bloody quick as can use semiauto in those tiny cartridges..private land pest control...
the thing with .308 etc is you CAN load them down to lower levels..eg turn your 308 into a 7.62x39mm or 30/30 for all intents and purposes... lower recoil by lowering projectile weight and/or speed. you cant make a 7.62x39mm into a .308..you can try but cant do it...wont get it fast enough.

strangley enough a mate did it on red hind with .30/06..she staggered and stood there after turning around so I shot with .270..same effect,she then fell over..both our shots missed bone.2" apart in and out hole on both sides of her neck. base of neck better option but Im usually a take out he front wheels type of guy. the only time I can recal head shooting a deer..yearling red,son had just shot its mate and another mate was also nearby,If I missed it had 2x 308s ready to drop it,I was sitting with my zastava in hands so head shot it.

You don't have to do anything different with a .223 than with any other cartridge if you load decent bullets. Shoot the animal in the big important organs up the front, through the shoulder if you like. It dies.

Shot 4 deer with the 60 grain Hammer Hunter last evening. 3100 fps. Ranges 150 - 230 yards. All shoulder/chest shot and all pass throughs. 3 of them big lumps of red spikers. One shot each and only one ran (35 yards). Impressive. Expensive too.

You don't get the petal damage around the exit like you do with the bigger caliber Hammers but I guess that its going on inside 'cos its pretty gooey in there.




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Originally Posted by Tahr

Shot 4 deer with the 60 grain Hammer Hunter last evening. 3100 fps. Ranges 150 - 230 yards. All shoulder/chest shot and all pass throughs. 3 of them big lumps of red spikers. One shot each and only one ran (35 yards). Impressive. Expensive too.

You don't get the petal damage around the exit like you do with the bigger caliber Hammers but I guess that its going on inside 'cos its pretty gooey in there.

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Nice work

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Tahr

Shot 4 deer with the 60 grain Hammer Hunter last evening. 3100 fps. Ranges 150 - 230 yards. All shoulder/chest shot and all pass throughs. 3 of them big lumps of red spikers. One shot each and only one ran (35 yards). Impressive. Expensive too.

You don't get the petal damage around the exit like you do with the bigger caliber Hammers but I guess that its going on inside 'cos its pretty gooey in there.

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Comparison test?

Originally Posted by TeRei

Comparison test?

Not enough use to truly compare really. But on a price/effectiveness ratio the Targex 69, 74 and 80 win. All less than half the price of the Hammers and all kill well. The Targex leave good wound channels but seldom exit although the 80's sometimes do. The 60 Hammers' all exited (I like that). The best wound channels and killing of all that I use are with the 77 Sierra Tipped but they are a bit spendy too, but not like the Hammers for price.

Overall I dont think the Hammers are worth the cost in the .223 but if you want penetration and ensured kills they are probably right up there - especially on bigger reds. You dont seem to quite get the petal churn with these smaller Hammers like the bigger caliber ones do. Ive still got 80 or so left so will keep using them and keep reporting. Its all interesting and fun.

Has anyone tried the cutting edge 60gr raptors or 78gr MHTs?

Haven’t heard of anyone using them. The 78’s will need a 1-7” twist barrel and I don’t imagine they (.223s with 1-7” twist barrel) are very common.

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

Haven’t heard of anyone using them. The 78’s will need a 1-7” twist barrel and I don’t imagine they (.223s with 1-7” twist barrel) are very common.

1:8 should do 77's etc

Originally Posted by 300CALMAN

1:8 should do 77's etc

Not solid copper ones…. Manufacturer states 1-7” required

there just about is niche there for blunt monos.like the 30/30 ones so a reasonably heavy projectile will still stabalise in lesser twist..yes I know compromise will be lesser BC and will slow down quickly..but would allow a more heavy pill to be used up close....

The obvious clue is that for you the heavier pills are doing better? Interesting.

Originally Posted by TeRei

The obvious clue is that for you the heavier pills are doing better? Interesting.

Yes. 70-80 grn seem to be the sweet spot - for me anyway. Monos can be a bit lighter. Contingent on barrel twist.

Im doing a goat cull early next week and will try a few Hammers on them - damned expensive culling.

Also on your calculations 3/4 of your best are NZ rollies. Who said kiwi made aint good. Happy culling. Done 200 Hammers. Yet to try. Going sightseeing next week. Might take a couple. Best.