.223 deer bullets

[Bezoar]

Its not a post of "is .223 enough?" its a post about how well the bullets actually do on live deer.

Ive seen some rather grisly photos of deer shot with the bullets labeled for deer and the higher weight bullets, but the questions i have.

meat damage?

if i hit the ribcage on an odd angle, and the bullet ricochets into say the leg, does the entire leg get destroyed?

what kidn of internal damage is normal with the solid copper bullets?

when the lead core bullets hit, do they disintegrate and saturate the entire animal with lead and copper fragments that will keep me from eating anything from inside the interior cavities?

 

[courtgreene]

I can only speak about the Sierra game kings, and they do well. They penetrate, they expand, and the damage is not so widespread as to cause a lot of meat loss. Don't worry so much about ricochet. It'll go through unless you're shooting at them long -ways. If that's the case, stop shooting at them long-ways.

 

[Water-Man]

Use Barnes TSX bullets.

 

[Davek1977]

Federal Fusions have provided adequate performance without abnormal meat damage in the two deer I've shot with the 62 gr. .223 load. it a lead core bullet, but is bonded and holds together quite well. MOST lead core bullets DESIGNED for deer hunting will perform roughly the same (Winchester power point, etc). If you use lightly constructed varmint bullets(V-max and similar), you will get explosive bullet performance, but without the penetration needed for reliable deer kills.

 

[Grumulkin]

I've taken several deer with .22 caliber bullets; all with nuisance permits.

The first was taken at night with a 22-250 when I wasn't experience in night shooting. I was using a 55 grain soft point bullet in a factory Remington load. My wife was in her nightgown holding the spotlight. The first shot hit a front leg and almost took it off. The second shot hit the lungs and put it down.

The second deer was as also taken with a 22-250 this time loaded with Speer 70 grain Semi Spitzers. At a GPS measured 360 yards, it was a DRT lung shot.

The third deer was taken with a 222 Remington also loaded with Speer 70 grain Semi Spitzers. The bullet entered just medial to the left shoulder and exited the right lung. The deer went probably 100 yards and died.

Then I should tell you about the 204 Ruger kill at 252 yards with heavy (45 grain Hornady Spire Points, LOL) bullets. Yea, that works as well. It went about 15 feet.

Meat damage in all instances was minimal except for the front leg on the first deer if you wish to count that as meat.

 

[Bezoar]

perhaps anyone have photos of what youve shot with them, or recovered bullets?

 

[R.W.Dale]

55 grain Sierra SP gameking 223 3100fps 25 yards

Pictured is the entrance into the chest cavity



I shot again before the deer's feet really hit the ground after the jump from the first shot and this one was through and through the thick part of the neck.




This years doe I killed @ 160 yards head on shot directly in the chest same bullet but from a 22-250 and the wife cut the largest piece of the projectile (the jacket) out of the heart as she was cutting it up to fry

 

[GooseGestapo]

Most of the deer I've shot with .22cf's; the bullets completely penetrate and perform like any other rifle/bullet combination suitable for the task.

I've only shot two deer with bullets I considered unsuitable after the fact...
One was shot 5 times with a Ruger Mini-14 (only had 5rd magazine) with Remington factory 50gr Power-lock hollow points. These bullets did fragment and all were torso body shots.(iron-sighted; no scope). Deer had to be finished with a .357mag handgun. Bullets fragmented and failed to penetrate over 3-4".
Second was shot with 35gr V-max from .22Hornet at chrono'd 3,100fps (max load of H110). Bullet entered chest cavity, obliterated the heart leaving a grape-fruit sized cavity where heart was. Only remnant of the bullet found was the plastic tip on far side-inside of chest cavity. Jacket and lead core were tiny fragments and mostly ran out with the blood upon dressing. Deer reared up on hind legs when hit, then fell over drt... So, it actually worked well for intended purpose... But I wouldn't recommend them for intentionally shooting deer to be eaten... you may fail to find one if it runs... No blood trail to speak of. But then I've had that happen with the .35Rem, and other "more suitable" cartridges/calibers...

I've only recovered one Hornady 60gr PtSpt. It was from a doe that I shot from my front porch with AR15. Load was 26.5gr of RL15 and range was ~40yds. Bullet entered front shoulder and was lodged under hide of opposite ham- pass through torso hit. Recovered bullet weighs 38.5gr and is perfect mushroom. Though this isn't an "interlok" bullet, it looks like similar bullet in .257 (100gr from .257Wby) from a doe I shot with similar angle hit; only the .257 bullet retained 68.5gr. Ditto; .30/06 w/150gr GameKings, .260Rem w/120gr Speer HotCor's; ect, ect.

Most any 55gr or heavier soft-point bullet from .22-250 or .223 will perform acceptably on deer. Just avoid using Plastic Tipped, SX, Blitz, or Hollow Points intended for shooting ground hogs or prararie dogs. These are intended to fragment rather than simply expand.

I've got a superbly accurate load for the 70gr Berger VLD from my AR15 and Mossberg MVP that I intend to try on deer this fall.
If it performs like the 115gr VLD did from my .257Roberts, it'll be excellent.
I personally prefer bullets to expand substantially on thin-skin game such as deer.
I also don't think that such as Barnes or Hornady GMX are needed either, except where necessary by local regulations (ie: lead-free).
I have nothing against them. I just don't use them, never have and likely never will. They're just Too $$$

Besides; other than the aforementioned load with .223, I'll most likely kill the rest of the deer I'll take this coming year with cast boolits; either with .358" or .338" 220gr FNGC's.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

My daughter shot this small doe with a SGK BTHP at about 40-50 yards.

It was a poor choice of bullet as it was more for varmints than medium sized game, but she put a decent shot on it (it was a touch too far back) and it did the trick. Did not get complete penetration and there was no blood trail at all. Luckily it did massive internal damage and it didn't go far.

This coming season I'm going to get some Nosler Partitions.

 

[Kachok]

The limiting factor in .223 performance on deer is penetration. So generally speaking the tougher TSX, TBBC, Fusion bullets are recommended since they are more likely to reach the vitals with adequate energy. That said the 65gr Sierra Game King is a legendary performer on deer despite it's old school cup and core design, unfortunately I can only use the 55gr version since I am limited my a 1:14" twist on the Browning 22-250, with that one I advise neck shots only like most cup and core designs especially if you are shooting larger deer, smaller deer like the ones we had in South Alabama are a different subject.
As to meat damage anytime you are hitting with a high velocity expanding bullet you are going to have considerable meat damage, the faster the bullet the more the bruising and little 22 cals have to hit fast or they simply lack the energy for quick ethical kills, that said the TSX bullets due to their non-fragmenting design have a reputation for reduced meat damage.

 

[mnhntr]

I have been using 75gr Hornady BTHP match bullets with great results. And yes you will hear from the crowd who has never used a Match bullet for hunting telling you it wont work. The work really well on all thin skinned game. I use them on coyotes and deer and have never had an animal go to far.

 

[Eb1]

I have pics of where a 55 grain soft point @40-50 yards went in quartering, and it destroyed both front legs to the hooves, and half of the back straps. After that, I stopped using my AR15 for deer hunting, and went back to the .30-30 and now a .25-06 or .44 Magnum.

I don't care that people use the .223 for deer. It works, and works well as with any shot the placement is key. You can use 64 grain Winchester PP, Federal Fusion 62 grain SP, or just a 55 grain SP. All will work.


Try to make a neck shot if you can. You'll drop the deer, and not loose any meat but the neck.

 

[Pit4Brains]

Use Barnes TSX bullets.

I could not agree more..
I use these on cow elk out of a .25-06 and the performance is outstanding. All of my rounds have expanded as advertised and passed clear thru all four of the elk i shot. I'm no ballistics expert, but from what I understand, the less a bullet breaks up, the more energy it delivers through the wound channel. All of my elk have dropped within feet of impact.
As for deer, you will probably have the same results with the bullet going all the way through and leaving a path of lethal destruction in it's wake. Bones are no match for copper bullets either. You will normally find a clean break and a section of bone missing where the bullet went through. Minimal to no fragmentation also means less damage to meat.

 

[Eb1]

I have read stories where the TSX was to much for whitetail, and didn't dump much energy at all. Leaving a small wound channel close to a FMJ unless they hit bone.
I'd opt for a Winchester PP 64 grain SP, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better thin skinned medium game bullet. If your gun doesn't shoot 64 grain bullets well then a 55 grain SP will do the job to 150 yards which is where I'd call the limits of a .223 for a body shot. Neck shots would be taken further, but nevertheless I'd try for a neck shot for the sake of less meat damage.

 

[Pit4Brains]

The TSX can and will act like FMJ's at low velocities. How low, I don't know. I'm apples to oranges here as I have a muzzle velocity between 3100 and 3200. I have no idea what a 223 will deliver. I'll keep on eye on this thread as I'm on the fence for a caliber for my 10 year old son..

 

[d2wing]

I have shot a few big Northern deer with 55 gr soft points including a 250 lb buck. I limit my shot to under 150 yards to assure enough velocity. They perform well penetrating and expanding to produce lots of tissue damage. The heart and lungs are a mass of bloody mush. I also have only taking broadside shots. Heavier bullets may assure good penetration. I don't know. I am not a fan of head shots or neck shots. Heart shots are always fatal.

 

[jmr40]

The copper bullets will retain very near if not 100% of their weight and give excellent penetration. They need to impact at around 2000 fps or they do act almost like a FMJ. From photo's I've seen 2200 fps and above is where expansion is dramatic. I think they are a good bullet if used at reasonable ranges where impact speeds are fast. Biggest mistake folks make is using a bullet too heavy and too slow. Even tiny copper bullets are going to penetrate. Go light and fast with copper.