223 as a deer cartridge

[Doghunter23]

I think you'd be hard pressed to get an 80 eld-x in a standard AR magazine.

Very true, I have a great load for 75gn ELDM and Varget, but must single load and fill magazine with something compatible with mag length. Just haven't needed a follow up shot yet.

 

[KNOTFERSAIL]

.223 rem great on anything up to grizzly bear size game.

I concur, especially if you can put one right down the ear hole. DRT

 

[Doghunter23]

Thanks. That is a bit strange as my AR is currently running Hdy 75g bthp match bullets as mag fed.

I think the 75 ELDM is longer I run 77SMK and the ELDM looks comically long in comparison. Have to just single load the longer bullets

 

[Doghunter23]

I concur, especially if you can put one right down the ear hole. DRT

I know you joke, but the Indians up there in Alaska tote them for everything including polar bear defense.

 

[KNOTFERSAIL]

Alright, alright… here's a little secret I have done to load 62gr eld-vt in my ar mags that people say can't be done and hornady doesn't recommend. It may help you with 80gr?

These are stupid accurate at a measly 2850 and function flawless. OAL 2.315 puts them up against the mag well.

I used a dremel on this 10round mag and you can see I "cut" to far down it but it works great.

Just an idea

 

[Longtine88]

My kids killed lots of deer with Blackhills 77 OTM 5.56. Not sure how many they killed combined but I the never had a mishap. All were shot under 200 yards. We use them still in hogs at night. Maybe 70 to 100 hogs per year. I'll say this if I was going to battle that would be my ammo!

 

[choprzrul]

My 20" Howa mini action shoots the 51gr Absolute Hammers to 3428 fps. Haven't tried it on deer, but ballistically, it should have adequate terminal performance to 250 yards IMHO.

 

[Greatgrandad]

Alright, alright… here's a little secret I have done to load 62gr eld-vt in my ar mags that people say can't be done and hornady doesn't recommend. It may help you with 80gr?

These are stupid accurate at a measly 2850 and function flawless. OAL 2.315 puts them up against the mag well.

I used a dremel on this 10round mag and you can see I "cut" to far down it but it works great.

Just an idea

We did something similar years ago, but we cut out a small front, top portion of a couple of metal mags so 5 rounds would load and still maintain mag integrity.

 

[Greatgrandad]

My kids killed lots of deer with Blackhills 77 OTM 5.56. Not sure how many they killed combined but I the never had a mishap. All were shot under 200 yards. We use them still in hogs at night. Maybe 70 to 100 hogs per year. I'll say this if I was going to battle that would be my ammo!

Yep. We've been killing deer and some hogs with 223's, 222's and 22-250's since the 1970's. With proper shot placement and bullets at shorter ranges, the average deer and hogs are not that hard to kill. With the 80-90's in the 22-250 and AI, deer and hogs at longer ranges die about the same as being hit with my 6mm's.

 

[Hand Skills]

The 60gr Partition can be quite devastating.

I moved to 64gr Hammer Hunter and then the 68gr HHT.

I like the Hammers because there is less meat damage, and more penetration, but from what I have been reading the 57gr HHT might be the sweet spot and I'll be loading those next (for niece and nephew)

Personally I do prefer 270win and 280rem when I am deer hunting, just offers a little more flexibility with quartering shots and longer range (just my opinion)

Shot a doe in the eyeball with a 60gr Nosler Ballistic tip one time. No exit wound, looked like she died of natural causes. That reminded me to be very careful with placement, especially when using softer bullets

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

I would say I have killed enough deer to be an expert with 22 caliber rifles. The lightest a 22 hornet--the heaviest a 22 creedmor.

I will say a 223 will kill a Texas whitetail very dead as long as shots are kept prudent and of moderate range.

I have found heavy 22 caliber bullets (70 or heavier) and mono bullets tend to be the best.

I like as much speed as you can get--and I'll tell you the 22 creed at about 3000 fps and a 88 eld or a 73 grain hammer hunter will flatten deer toot sweet

 

[BigGriz]

Go over to Rokslide and read thread after thread on the subject.

I have some 77 gr tmk's that I am going to try for my kids. The Rokslide thread was the catalyst.

 

[waspocrew]

223 will kill deer very easily. Check out the huge thread on RS if there's any doubt.

 

[TRG65]

My boys used a 223 loaded with 75gr swift siroccos. I think they only ended up shooting 3 deer (2 bucks and 1 doe) before they moved to bigger cartridges. All were one shot kills. Two dropped and one ran about 40 yards.