# .223 deer bullets



## hunter06 (Oct 21, 2007)

I own a mini 14 which i would like to take deer hunting this year. Federal has a factory loaded Vital Shock 60 gr. nosler partition bullet that they claim is good for hunting medium game(whitetail deer, mule deer, antelope, and black bear according to them). What do you guys think about this? Anyone ever used this bullet? Any other suggestions on bullet type? Thanks!


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## stolenbase (Aug 23, 2003)

IMO, don't. They're sweet guns but they're just not enough for deer. Sure we all know a well placed shot with anything will kill just about anything- that being said if you still choose to shoot this get something loaded up pretty hot.


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

It will be enough as long as you do your part. It does not take a belted Mag to kill a deer.

Edit
Using a mag only gives you room for slop shooting. Unless you are shooting at long range. The more power you have it allows you to have error in your shot placement.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I think there is a 60 gr Bearclaw also. I would use it because the Nosler Partitions that I have used in my 243's expanded rapidly on impact which retarded their penetration. A 223 is small and rapid expansion will even further ****** penetrations. I would go with the Bearclaw. If you know someone who reloads the 53 gr Triple Shock X bullet is devastating in nearly any cartridge.

edit: I notice there is something on the site that doesn't like the word r e t a r d. When you see the word stupid in my post mentally replace it with r e t a r d.


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## bobcatbo (Sep 10, 2007)

illegal in ks .223 s for deer that is


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## SDHandgunner (Jun 22, 2004)

Hopefully after this Deer Season I can let you know. I recently loaded up some test load to test in my DPMS Panther Bull 20 Fluted with 60gr. Nosler Partitions. With a little luck I am going to try to get out and shoot these test loads tomorrow.

Winchester also markets a Factory Load with a 64gr. Power Point Bullet that they say was designed for Deer Hunting with the .223. Federal also loads the 55gr. Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, as well as the 60gr. Nosler Partition. In regards to the Barnes TSX with the twist rate of your Mini 14 you could use either the 53gr. TSX or the 62gr. TSX.

In regards to the 60gr. Nosler Partition there is an article on the net called "When Bullets hits Bone". In this article the author tested 4 different calibers in a Ballistic Test Tube, with and without Deer Leg Bones in front of the Ballistic Test Tube. The one Cartridge / Bullet tested was a .223 Remington with 60gr. Nosler Partitions. If you can find this article on the net (do a google search) I think you'll be surprised at the outcome.

Larry


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## People (Jan 17, 2005)

SDHandgunner can you post the link to that article? I did the search and found the lyrics to the well known song and a many pages that do not include any of the information you were talking about.

Thank you.

Edit.

I found it. It was farther down on page 5.

http://www.gunsandhunting.com/Bullethitsbone.html


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## handyman (Oct 22, 2007)

People that don't recommend it tend to be the ones that say "you better be a real good shot if you do". Well..........I think you better be a real good shot if your going to hunt with any kind of gun! Hunting season of 2004 I tried the 223 for the first time on a couple of does in the garden and to my suprise it worked great! Killing those two does in the garden with that 223 sealed the fate of my 7mm magnum BBR killing too many more deer. :lol: I got rid of the seven mag (for a TC 223) and since then I have killed 15 deer with my Ruger 77. I killed one 80 pound doe at about 350 yards. I killed two bucks, one weighed 165 pounds and the other weighed 190 pounds. The rest were does.

I do caution against taking the longer shots because of the lack of a blood trail. You better pay attention to where the deer runs if you shoot them at over 300 yards. The 223 is the perfect calaber at any distance up to 200 yards and if you can group the shots well at 300 yards it is just as effective. It is very forgiving because it shoots so flat and accuratly. I dare say it is more effective because it doesn't go through the animal like the larger calibered heavy loads do. The animal's body absorbs all of the shock and that does more damage than anything that would go completly through its body.

I hunt with 55 grain soft point factory ammunition. Everything seems to shoot good out of my Ruger 77 and the ammo is less than 1/3 the cost of 7MM ammo. 

I have looked longer for deer I have shot with my 7mm mag than I have with my 223, and I contribute that to the fact that the 7 mag bullets went clean through the deer.

What makes the 223 such an all arround perfect load to me is it is powerfull enough to take the big game, it's real cheep to shoot, it's VERY accurate, any gun that shoots it doesn't kick and it isn't an "ear ringing" load to fire.

Sure, the shots have to be well placed, but there isn't a shot that doesn't have to be well placed.

I was an avid user of the big calibers, even sucessfully hunting with the 45-70 TC pistol, but I'm a firm believer in the effectivness of smaller calibers!


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## Wyomingpredator (Oct 16, 2007)

cant say for 223 but a good solid 60 grainer in 22-250 has brought many a deer to the table


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Quality bullets are key when shooting any of the .22 centerfires at deer and antelope. Light, fast bullets need penetration to make them effective killers. When considering light bullets, one also needs to realize that they do not penetrate heavy bones at all well. Yes, some of the premiums will go through a shoulder blade, but they might deflect from a joint, or heavy leg bone, causing a wound that might not bring the animal down. Heart/lung shots are the only good choice for the .22's. Limiting range is also important. Lighter projectiles lose energy quickly over distance. Savvy shooters will limit themselves to 200 yards or so. I know many will argue with this, but the fact is most folks just don't have the ability to place their shots EXACTLY where they need to be, at extended range. Exact shot placement is even more vital, as you reduce bullet size. If you choose to shoot a .22 caliber for deer, use all the advantages you can to ensure a clean kill.
Burl


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

The Barnes X bullet is the only one I'd use for deer in this caliber PERIOD. Reason being it stays in one piece, and you still have plenty of bone crushing power to 250 yards or so. After that I would not shoot a deer or antelope sized target with the .22 centerfire rifle....just too much room for error. my .02.


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## 308 (Jul 10, 2007)

Good for black bear 
I have to see someone shoot one with that
:beer:


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

According to "The Perfect Shot North America" by Craig Boddington, The Inuit often shoot polar bears with 222 REM's.


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## Estaban (Mar 17, 2006)

I agree with Handyman. .223 is plenty of rifle to bring down deer & as a matter of fact I first started hunting deer when I was just 12 years old and I used a single shot .22 LR. Yep, thats right a single shot .22 that I was able to bring down several deer with quickly with a well placed shot in the lungs. The furthest that they ever ran was maybe 50 yards. I am all grown up and for awhile I too would hunt using rifles that were WAY too much gun for the area (300 win. mag) I was hunting where 50-75 yards was the furthest shot normaly taken. I now use a 243 but I have been interested in using a .223. :sniper:


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