What can't .223 kill?

[Outerspace]

Why is it that I hear that the .223 is great killing things on the one hand and that it is a completely inadequate round for any thing but varmints on the other? Which is correct?

100 million dollar question right there.

 

[J E Custom]

100 million dollar question right there.

In my opinion both answers are correct to a point.

The 223 will kill any north American game if shot placement is perfect. But how long it takes
is the issue.

On Varmints you have enough energy to take them down in a reasonable time.

Also if every shot were perfect for a one shot kill (Head shot) the 223 could be used for larger
game, but the conditions are seldom perfect and hits are not allways exactly where you
want them.

If you make a poor shot on a varmint it is probably a miss and no harm, but a poor shot on a
deer can spell disaster. This can happen with even a large caliber if the shot is poor or the range
is to much for the shooter. but chances are better with larger calibers because of less deflection
from wind and a larger wound and more energy.

The size and type of weapon used is a personal choice and one must live with the outcome.

Just my opinion.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Jammer1]

I have personally witnessed a solid chest hit on a whitetail doe that ran off without leaving a single drop of blood. Combing the area the next day produced no results. I love the 223 for what it is best at, varmints. I refuse to use it on anything larger than a coyote.

While the laws in many states have been changed to permit its use on deer, it is in my opionion, unethical to use it on deer or anything larger. As for bear and buffalo, if you are stupid enough to try, you are likely to get a quick lesson as to why as you are reduced to bear chow or toe jam.

 

[AussieHunter]

223Kill any thing Or strictly a Varmiter? .223Rem/5.56 NATO is a exception to almost any other calibre in the world , for a number of reasons. Firstly Unlike so many other rounds this calibre comes in a wide array of rifling twist from 1-14" to 1-7" or even 1-6.5" twist this means that it can shoot ( with the slow twist rifles & upto 1-9") Varmint bullets from 30Grain at speeds in the very high end of the 3000FPS bracket and Just under 4000fps and with the tight twist rifles bullets up to 90 Grain Match Boat tails Iv even seen some 100Grain bullets for sale in .224"Dia: there is a wide range of bullet types and styles from varmint to lite skinned game core locked bullet (like the Win 64Gr PowerPoint pill "CX2" its my favourite Goat hunting pill in Australia, on shoulder shots It passes clean through both shoulders and leaves about a 50 cal. exit hole on the far side every time with consistent kills every time, this 1-7Twist combination is zeroed to strike point of aim at 250Meters and with a 8X scope its a "Dead" easy off hand shot at that range, my hand loaded Win 64 Gr P-Point pills leave the muzzle @ 3200FPS with a 23"barrel, with only 25Grains of powder. Its cheap and Very Efficient. light V-Max bullets in slower twist are just devastating on small game like crows , rabbits,feral "house type cats" and chest shot foxes, on the other hand with the tight twist barrels you have still more bullet choices like Barnes copper X bullet types, core bonded bullets, FMJ Bullets long heavy match bullets that out range 308Win at 1000yards and so on, using a tight twist and a long heavy match bullet you in effect have a mini version of the 6.5mm Swede in your hands with a bullet that is a long skinny needle that will penetrate quite deeply it is a VERY VERSITILE ROUND don't let its small size fool you there is so much going on with this little round depending for which bullet weights its built up for??would I hunt Elephant with it NO, but with all the rite circumstances and knowledge of the target body (kill points) Im sure that it Could be done I just would not to put my life on the line proving it, but would it be reliable and consistent No It would not. In short know your gun, Know your load and just what it can do, ( the joy of Hand Loading Gives you this) then lastly Know your games weak points, then apply common sense and reason. Happy hunting all. "Quote of the Day " the only thing wrong with common sense is that its not so common any more?' look at the Democrats? I rest my case. gun)

 

[GermanXJ]

I cant say much for using .223 on big game. I havent tried yet. I can say my Stagg 1 in 9 twist AR has served me well for self defense, and I use cheepo 55 grain steel case Monarch ammo.
I have seen that little bullet penetrate half way through1/4 thick steel at 330 yards, and zip through the hood, dash, steering wheel, both seats and the trunk of a car at 50 yards.
Based on that I would carry it in bear country to protect myself, but not to hunt. No bear on earth wants to eat me bad enough to eat 30 rounds from that rifle first.

 

[hnts4fun]

Killing the charging bear with a 223, or any other caliber, has never been the problem. Stopping the bear, however, before it knocks you down, rips your face off, and dies on top of you remains a challenge

Matt

 

[ken snyder]

The .223 is a lethal little wing zinger. The 22 rimfire has killed every thing on this continent. I watched an Alaskan Trooper show that some one killed a mature moose with an air rifle. Is the .223 likely to kill a deer, the answer is yes, but so could a fondue fork. For me the best I count on is the poorest that is likely to happen and the .223 can be one of those things that happen.

 

[436]

Well'..., here's an ammo kit up {M855A1} for the Army that might change a few things in the .223 Rem killing capability... "Coming Soon" to a shoot out near you.
New Army Ammo Puts Mean in
436

 

[brentdrake]

Well'..., here's an ammo kit up {M855A1} for the Army that might change a few things in the .223 Rem killing capability... "Coming Soon" to a shoot out near you.
New Army Ammo Puts Mean in
436

Please don't hunt with a FMJ. It's cruel. On smaller game use a ballistic tip. On larger game use a soft point.

 

[436]

Please don't hunt with a FMJ. It's cruel. On smaller game use a ballistic tip. On larger game use a soft point.

Wasn't planning too; just a sitrep on a new round from military R&D that may be coming into play soon. You don't really find many game animals on a two way range..... these days. gun)
436

 

[brentdrake]

I'm wanting to try some of the new military ammo. I have heard good rumors about it.

 

[Head shot]

I dont think there is anything a 556-223 wont kill with good shot placement or afew rounds. I have taken lot of deer & hogs and even a black bear with them.One hog was 515 lbs. but he was shot several times, He was running & I dont know witch round killed him but dead he was.gun)

 

[joe0121]

I'm wanting to try some of the new military ammo. I have heard good rumors about it.

For hunting? I wouldn't it is FMJ with a tungsten core.

 

[rdsii64]

There is no doubt that a .223 has killing power. When ever these discussions come up, It doesn't take long before battle field performance becomes part of the conversation. The key difference between how well the .223 performs as a hunting round and how well it performs on the battle field is bullet type. The .mil can't legally use the kind of bullets a hunter has access to. If my fellow Marines could have used the same kind of bullets those who hunt deer and pigs with .223's use, the subject of battle field performance would be a very different conversation. As long as its handicapped with the kinds of bullets the .mil is forced to use, it will never have the smack down it could have on the battle field.