Thread: .233 factory loads for deer

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Why don't you just head and neck shoot them with your bigger guns? Is there a "hero element" about shooting deer with a 223?
Personally, I think people who shoot at big animals with projectiles designed for exploding varmint size targets(sierra blitz, hornady vmax etc) are idiots and do nothing to curb the view of those who think hunters are blood thirsty murderers.

The 223 has sufficient power to bring down every deer species in NZ. Having a big calibre to take shots from all angles and basically destroy large portions of meat is not a good hunting practice in my opinion. But what do I know, I'm just an idiot for using a 223...

Hi 7mmwsm i respect & understand your opinion. A lot my hunting is done in close proximity to live stock, and in areas where deer are a major pest (private property). Therefore as well as ruining less meet i have choosen to use the .223 (with suppressor) because it is less likely to disturbe stock and other deer.

I dont intend to use it on large deer i.e roar etc where i do use my larger rifle, but at this time of year we are mainly shooting yearlings & spikers at relativley close ranges for meat. I am a confident marksmen and am happy to pass up shots that are not ideal, therefore i feel the .223 is suitable with the right ammunition.

Cheers,


Hot barrels.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

My questions were directed at Dawg.
You will notice he/she (sorry don't know) stated they have larger calibers. And was considering using Hornady Superformance varmit.

Lack of knowledge about suitable projectiles for the task doesn't make someone a bloodthirsty idiot. You could say the opposite based on the fact that they asked for advice here instead of just going out and doing it.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Red deer aren't that hard to kill with a well placed shot. Fallow even easier. You seem to understand its limitations, so go for it.

I've shot enough with Remington 55 grn factory ammo and Winchester 64 grn to know that it works. They will shoot fine through your 1:12 because they are not long bullets, but you might just want to check that the 64 grn factory actually does in your rifle. If it does, that's what I would use.

And as said above, the Norma Onyx should be a good factory loaded bonded bullet too. They are a stumpy little job so should shoot ok in your rifle's twist. I've only shot them at paper but they were accurate enough. I could give you a few to try if you PM me your address.

Hundreds of thousands of deer in NZ have been shot by the .222 and .223. You should be able to add a few more.

Some very good advice here IMO.

@Dawg Try the 60gr load done by Belmont Ammo, uses a Hornady pill and runs really well out of a 1:12 as a rule. I've used it a lot over the years in my 1:12 Sako, it's a great load.

New ammo out called buffalo river in h&f is loading 55gr Sierra gameking soft points. Price is v good, Shoots wicked too

Hornady 55 gr soft points Training Ammo works fine for fallow & goats etc. I try and stay under 200m, 250m max if get good rest etc, with most shots 80-150m.
I use in a Ar15 it is easy to double tap if necessary so increasing the knockdown power of the 223 without any significant damage as it doesn't really pole axe animals and best to leave them for a little bit than move straight up on them at times.
Was using 308 150 sst other day and was a bit overkill. Fallow spikers tend to move, trot around a lot though and on longer shots bullet can easily go not quite where you intend so anchored them I guess rather than wrong place with the 223 wouldn't have been good.

Double tap? Huh? What does that mean?

It means you have two holes to eat around

When they doing the 223 drunken stumble, pop another in the neck to be sure, probably not necessary but sometimes I can't help myself. Probably sounds backwards and should go for neck to start with but shoulder much bigger target @ 150+ and much easier if have to take from say a sitting position to shoot over grass say

2 x 223 holes are still way less than 1 308 or no deer as it has sprinted or rolled down into some shit right on dark and can't find

Ok. So "double tap" is firing 2 shots at the same animal then.

I think that this can be my new term for the week. I will use it as much as possible. It should make me a hit with the young people.

Originally Posted by jackson21

2 x 223 holes are still way less than 1 308 or no deer as it has sprinted or rolled down into some shit right on dark and can't find

My father always maintained his 223 ruined much more meat than his 30-06 and he is absolutely correct because he uses a very frangible soft point at well over 3000fps in the 223 and a comparatively solid 180gr in the 30-06 at probably less than 2700fps.
Guess which one he uses roar hunting in the bush.

It is not the caliber or chambering that bruises meat or kills animals it is the bullet construction and the impact velocity that determines the amount of "meat damage"

Shot a few deer with the Hornady 55gr SP in .223 thru a few different rifles. Was my favorite projectile until the swifts. I havent body shot many with them but they were capable of major damage to head or neck.

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I have used the Katipo on a few reds and goats but not many and it performed well enough, I am pretty sure it is a copy velocity and projectile wise of the hornady training ammo but was cheaper at the time and may still be, it also shot very very well for factory ammo in that rifle.