Killed a bunch with 223 55 grain Remington Core lok.Most anything shot in the head or neck seems to be there when you get over to it
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Deer hunting with a 223
- Thread starter Buckhead
- Start date
A 62 grain Barnes TSX is great.
As for shooting them in the head, I don't like that idea. If you miss forward at all you hit them in the face and nothing vital is hit. They die slow and painfully because they can no longer eat or drink properly. Just a thought.
As for shooting them in the head, I don't like that idea. If you miss forward at all you hit them in the face and nothing vital is hit. They die slow and painfully because they can no longer eat or drink properly. Just a thought.
Sorry fogot to mention I didnt shoot either of those pigs in the head/neck and honestly dont recommend it, but only the shooter can make that call. I also don't recommend useing V-Max on deer that is a varmint round and designed to explode on impact.
+ 1 on the Barnes 62gr TSX. That is one bad booooolit.
I was not recommending anything it happen to be what i had at the time and having shot deer in the neck before i knew the v max would do the job at 40 yards but i think if your gonna hunt with a 223 head and neck shots are a must plus it does waste any meat
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A head/neck shot is certainly not a must with a .223 like I said if you have the correct ammo you can shoot them in the vitals just like any other centerfire rifle. The Nosler Partition I used put a hole in those pigs that I could put my thumb in. Plenty enough for a good vital shot. I wasnt saying that you recommended that round I was just saying that I don't recommend it for anything except what it's designed for.
Conventional wisdom has always been that .223 is too light for deer, definitely for hogs. The fragile high speed light weight HP bullet tends to blow up on contact at relatively close ranges; not penetrate well. My grand daughter shot a doe with one at about 75 yards and it had no exit wound, hence no blood trail. Found it next day after coyote got it. (Shot in evening, too dark to find it).
That said you could use one of the newer solid bullets that don't expand as quickly; I reloaded some of these for same grand childred the following year; much better.
Had a friend years ago that hunted only with .223. Head/neck shots only, but he was an outstanding marksman. Shot placement, if you're up to the task, as stated earlier, is the key.
That said you could use one of the newer solid bullets that don't expand as quickly; I reloaded some of these for same grand childred the following year; much better.
Had a friend years ago that hunted only with .223. Head/neck shots only, but he was an outstanding marksman. Shot placement, if you're up to the task, as stated earlier, is the key.
Come on man. Deer beg to be shot with a .30 caliber. Sounds like a good reason for a new gun to me.
x3 on shot placement. Deer can be killed with a .22lr (not legally of course). I have seen many pigs and cows killed with a well placed shot from a .22. I would not hesitate to hunt with a .223, granted I was a confident shot and I was using the right ammo. I would attempt to minimize the distance as much as possible though. good luck filling the freezer and happy hunting.
