Hunting with the .223 Remington: Not Just a Military Round
Since this is an article about hunting and target shooting etc. we will leave its military history for another time.
The .223 Remington is a center fire bottle neck shaped cartridge. It fires bullets weighing anywhere from 45 grains up to 70 grains. With the right propellants and bullet this round proves to be flat shooting and accurate. Ballistically its performance lies somewhere between the venerable .222 Remington and the formidable .22-250. The .223 can easily launch a 55 grain bullet at 3000 feet per second. The round was designed for the AR-15 assault rifle but performs well as a 300 maybe 350 yard varmint cartridge. It is offered in all types of firearms from single shot pistols to high-end heavy barreled bolt actions.
Now the controversy.
The debate is whether or not the .223 can be used to hunt deer. The majority of shootists seem to believe not but there are some die-hards who swear by it every hunting season. hand loaded with a premium 60 or 70 grain bullet the .223 will and has taken many deer. My father used one for awhile with pretty good success. A careful hunter with a well-aimed shot can humanely harvest deer but it probably is not powerful enough to do the job in every situation. Out of respect for a grand game animal it is probably not wise to use it on deer. It is more effective to use a deer rifle on varmints than a varmint rifle on deer. Besides there are better calibers available for deer hunting.
The .223 shines as a round to hunt predators such as coyotes or fox. It is also used for target competition. This is a good cartridge for what it was intended for. The .223 Remington has been with us for awhile and probably will be here much longer. It is that good.
Published by A.L.C.
I love music, art, writing, traveling, good people, good memories, and just living and loving life. View profile
- 10 Tips to Surviving a Military Deployment
- A New Military Spouse's Orientation Guide to the Military Way of Life
- Will America's Military Fight for Hillary?
- Hunting with the .243 Winchester - Possibly the Perfect Deer Round
- Are Extended Family Members of Military Personnel Allowed to Shop from the Militar...
- Hunting Dogs are Essential for Hunting Success
- Deer Hunting - Enjoy it Year Round!
8 Comments
Post a Comment"Through no fault of its own and due to varying opinions on the subject the .223 Remington, also known as the 5.56mm N.A.T.O., has been a controversial round. Developed for the N.A.T.O. armed forces in 1963"
The 5.56x43 NATO and the .223 are similar but vitaly different rounds. While any 5.56 gun will discharge a .223 the same cannot be said for the .223. The outside dimensions are the same but the pressure created by a 5.56 discharged from a .223 only rated weapon would be dangerous and at the very least damage the weapon.
i killed a good sized deer with a 223 and remington core-loket and it worked just great.
I have taken a nine point with my sons mini-14, it seemed to do great, it was in an abandoned logging road, it dropped in the ditch of that road, drove jeep right up to it, didn't carry it, just loaded it up!!
Have taken 15 deer, both buck and doe with the .223 - all one-shot kills. Prefer lung shots, as we eat all of our game. On at least 3 occasions dropped deer with .223 with shoulder shots. Will use Barnes 53 g. TSX this year without any hesitation.
I would use the .223 as varmint gun. Up close it would work on deer, with the right kind of bullet
here in missouri.. yes the .22LR. does just fine.
so that makes the .223 a pretty good deal.
think about it. would you want to be shot with a .22 ? now how about a .223 with a good bullet ?
a deer is very thin skinned, so is a humam.
humans weigh more than most deer.[sometimes] but we kill lots of humans with a .223.
Here in Texas, a .22" of any type is considered a "deer rifle" round. Long rifle HP works best, but even a short will do the job. Any doubts surrounding an M4-A3's ability to perform the function of a game rifle should be surrendered.
your writing is informative and solid