What You Need To Know About .223 Caliber For Deer Hunting

Hunting deer is very challenging and fascinating for hunters. However, the hunters do require good preparation for hunting deer and then enjoying the meat. But, hunting is not as easy as you shoot a deer in your video game. You can never imagine that hunting needs preparation and some quick decisions.

Today, we will discuss the bullet that is used for hunting a deer. There are many ranges and sizes of bullets that are used for hunting. .223 caliber bullets are one of the best and most suitable for all types of deer hunting. Although many hunters do not like to use this type of bullet, this is still efficient.

It is preferred by new hunters around the world because of its unique advantages during hunting. However, many parts of the world do not allow hunters to use cartridges to hunt deer. For that reason, you must be sure that your state allows the hunter to use .223 caliber for deer hunting or not. Contact with neighbor hunters or hunters association of your estate to be sure about the cartridge use before purchasing a rifle.

Things To Keep in Mind About The.223 Caliber

Can it interrupt oxygen production permanently?

The caliber bullet that you have chosen must interrupt the entire oxygen production completely in a single bullet. You may not get time to shoot a deer again once you shoot on it once.

.223 caliber bullets are able to go through the lungs and heart of the deer and stop the oxygen production unit. As a result, there is no reason to shoot at it again because a single bullet can make your hunting process successful.

Does it damage the animal’s body badly?

Long bullets damage an animal’s body badly that you may not use the meat where you shoot. This is because of having a high amount of cartridge on the bullet.

Does it damage the animal is body badly
Does it damage the animal’s body badly

But, .223 caliber bullets do not present you with such kind of problem. In fact, you will not able to find a bullet in the animal’s body! The bullets are so sharp and powerful to go through the body and out at the end.

Can you shoot it from a reasonable hunting range?

While hunting a deer, you must keep a perfect distance from your targeted animal. Otherwise, it may be aware and run away from you. Therefore, your selected bullet type is also fast and has a good range to shoot.

Can you shoot it from a reasonable hunting range
Can you shoot it from a reasonable hunting range?

The bullet comes to 75-90gr. Depending on your bullet choice. However, you can use this kind of bullet for 300-350 yards distance for hunting a deer.

Can you shoot & angle it comfortably?

Of course, you must be comfortable positing your rifle to the deer and shooting it for hunting purposes. Some caliber bullets require those rifles that you may not be able to position comfortably.

As a result, your hunting experience will be painful without being successful. Generally, riles for the .223 caliber bullet are comfortable to use and it enables you to shoot from a suitable angle.

Pros And Cons

223 Caliber For Deer Hunting-1

Many hunters are looking for higher caliber for hunting now a day. But, a .223 caliber rifle is enough to give you the perfect hunting experience for a deer.

Pros
  • The best practice of hunting should be started with a .223 caliber rifle because this is easy and accurate to shoot. If you do have not this rifle, you should go with another hunter’s rifle in order to understand how accurate rifles are!
  • They are not only accurate but also best for practice sessions. Remember that both practice and confidence are essential in the field of hunting. If you do not feel confident to shoot at a deer, you will never be able to hunt it.As the bullets are inexpensive, you will have lots of rounds to practice and grow your confidence before the deer hunting session. Many hunters go with the .270 caliber Winchester bullet but fail to grow confident because they are very expensive to lose.
  • They are easy to pick from any place and you can quickly go with 100 rounds for the practice session. Whether you are afraid or brave, you just need to practice with the cartridge to hunt. Otherwise, you will never become a successful hunter hunting a deer
  • The cartridge is small and lightweight too. For that reason, this is very easy to carry more rounds with you during you are going for hunting
Cons
  • When it comes to rough shooting with terrible angles, you must not go with .223 caliber rifles. Sometimes, you may not able to shoot from a tight angle and it may not be as accurate as you practiced. Overall, accuracy is good but not from any tight angle.
  • Because of being a small and lightweight bullet, the .223 can easily be influenced by heavy wind in a short distance.
  • The bullets have lower penetration and lower energy; as a result not suitable for big hunting opportunities
  • If you are in hurry to shoot, AR .223 caliber is not for you. Sometimes, it requires time to load and shoot. Moreover, you may face extraction and primers problems in case of quick loading
Comparative Drop 20 Practical vs 223 Rem
Comparative Drop 20 Practical vs 223 Rem

If you can accept the limitations of the .223 caliber for hunting a deer, you are most welcome to use the type of rifle. Remember that your right selection of caliber will only bring success to your hunting experience.

.223 vs 22-250 Caliber

If you are willing to start hunting from the next season, you may not have any idea about .223 caliber and .22-250 caliber. But, you will hear many factors regarding these two calibers.

On the other hand, different hunters prefer different calibers for hunting a deer. You need to understand, which is the best caliber for your hunting career?

Yard
Price
Availability
Best for Practice Purpose
Speed & Accurate
Muzzle Value
Wind Influence Rate
223 Caliber
.223 Caliber
Efficient for 300-350 yards distance
This is less expensive than .22-250
Due to being inexpensive, gun stores often face shortage problem
As is inexpensive, they are highly used for practice purpose
.223 is very accurate to its target but does not shoot faster than .22-250
Almost 3428 fps
High
22-250 Caliber
22-250 Caliber
More efficient for longer distances than. Probably more than 400 yards distance
This is expensive to buy
Every gun store has a good number of .22-250 calibers for hunters
22-250 ammo is not suitable for practice purposes as it is expensive. However, if you can bear the expense of the ammo, 22-250 practice will be great for the hunting experience.
The accuracy depends on your skill on .22-250 rifles. However, it shoots faster and harder.
Nearly 4060 fps
Low than

Now, you have the compare table between .223 caliber and .22-250 caliber. Therefore, this is easier to decide which caliber, you will choose for your hunting session.

Remember that .22-250 caliber is made for long-distance shooting and hunting deer. Meanwhile, the .223 caliber is highly used for practice purposes, especially for newbies to improve their self-confidence.

My Experience in using .223 caliber for deer hunting

In my beginning time as a hunter, I used deer hunting and practiced hunting. Since it is easy to buy and inexpensive. Usually, the caliber helps me to carry more rounds with me because of the lightweight. Two years ago, I hunted my first deer with it from a distance of 240 yards (probably)

My Experience in using 223 caliber for deer hunting
My Experience in using 223 caliber for deer hunting

However, after trying for several years, I have moved to another caliber cartridge because it is not perfect for windy situations. Lightweight bullets are easily influenced by wind and lost their accuracy

In my 2-year experience using it for hunting deer, I have faced some problems with unique advantages. I did not need to spend a high amount of money for caliber as well as felt no short of money for the practice sessions.

FAQs:

Is it legal to use a .223 caliber for hunting a deer?

Yes, this is legal to use .223 caliber for hunting a deer. However, not every state allows using this cartridge to use for hunting a deer. For that reason, make sure that your state allows using the cartridge.
However, you need to place the bullet in the right place for hunting a deer. On the contrary, proper Nosler is important at the time of loading.

How to I know my rifle is perfect for .223 caliber?

Most gun manufacturer stamps the barrel about the caliber of the rifle. So, look for the stamp of the rifle in order to know this. If your gun does not have any stamp about caliber, ask your manufacturer to know it.
Tip: Tilt the gun at an angle of about 45 degrees so you can see it better

Can I convert my .223 caliber gun to any other caliber?

Yes, you can convert your .223 caliber gun into a lower caliber that suits your magazine. You can use 5.45 x 39 mm, 7.62 x 39 mm, .204 Ruger, 6.8 SPC, and 6.5 Grendel calibers in your .223 caliber rifle.

Will I face any problem if I use .22LR caliber instead of .223 caliber AR-15?

The AR-15 rifles are made for longer calibers like .223 only. Therefore, you may not get enough accuracy with a .22LR caliber on an AR-15. You may hunt using .22LR but you will not get the same pressure and accuracy as you get from .223 caliber.

Can I use 5.56 NATO caliber in my .223 AR-15 rifle?

No. you can’t. Although both of the calibers seem to be similar, actually, they are not. In fact, the .223 caliber comes with a shorter throat chamber.
But 5.56 NATO ammo needs a longer throat chamber. As a result, this does not get enough pressure during shooting. On the other hand, 5.56 NATO ammo could damage your AR-15 .223 caliber gun.

Can I use conversion kit for .22LR in my AR-15 Rifle?

Yes. .22LP conversion kits are useable to the .223 caliber chambered AR-15 rifle.

Do I need any steel for my .223 Caliber?

yes, you just need 3/8-inch steel for your .223 caliber

How long anyone can hear the sound?

The distance depends on the wind and hearing protection. Generally, a person can hear the sound of your shooting from several yards.

From where I should shoot using .223 caliber?

You should shoot from a minimum 100-yard distance with a .223 caliber. Use to load over 3000 fps on your rifle if you do not hurt your target.

Conclusion

.233 caliber for hunting a deer is a good choice for hunters, especially for newbies. Easy to find and low price is the best advantage of the caliber cartridge to the hunters.

However, you should practice with the caliber first, understand the cons of the caliber and then, decide about the caliber. So, buy 10-20 rounds of .223 caliber for practice and then, decide whether should you go with the caliber for hunting a deer or move to another.

admin
We will be happy to hear your thoughts

Leave a reply

Outdoorhill
Logo