And judging by your handle....a .223AI would be better yet!


I certainly hope so, because its my "go to" rifle for deer. I have opted for 55 grain TTSX though, and it has been excellent in any of my AIs....

And I know, I know some of you 223 loving deer hunters are going to say I've never lost a deer when I shoot it with a 223. It drops them in its tracks blah blah. But most of us know better. If you have dropped then and never had one run off your very lucky.

Will take field experience over arm chair quarterbacking any day... .223 sure has proven to be a excellent Caliber in the Military for a reason ...

I'll throw in my .20 cents worth. I've hunted deer all my life, taken the wife, kids, ect. I shoot a Remington 700 30-06. Bought it as a junior in high school when I was legally old enough to purchase a gun. It's killed many deer and the occasional pig. Right behind the shoulder and never have to do a track job. The wife and kids shoot a 243, using 95gr hornadys. Most shots are under 100 yards for them. Every deer they've shot even with perfect shot placement takes it and I end up tracking for 100 to 800 yards. That's fine except when the deer cross on neighbors places or get to the thick stuff which makes it hard to recover. One thing I love more than deer hunting is predator hunting. I've used a 223 for the longest time. Ive seen coyotes and fox take a 223 behind the shoulder in the lungs, even the heart and still run several hundred yards. I've lost contests because every now and then u can't find them. I've seen fox take a 223 in the shoulder, blow his guts out and still manage to make it another 200 yards dragging them 5 yards behind him. 223 is adequate for coyotes and fox but I'm moving to the 243 if I'm hunting coyotes only this year. My thoughts are if a 35lb coyote or 10lb fox can take a 223 and still make it several hundred yards, sometimes to never be found. I can't imagine having it as my go to gun for deer. I wonder how many who swear by it for deer have lost just as many deer as they've recovered? Mind boggling. But hey to each his own.

I'm actually sitting on a model 7 action, debating whether to go lightweight 223ai or 6x45 just to be different. I've had 3 previous fast twist 223ai's, and they're simply unfair to game animals ;-)

A kindred spirit! One of my AIs is a Model Seven Predator, and it kills does and small bucks







But to kill bigger deer something like this .222 I put together for a friend will be needed....



240 Yards...

30-06 blows body parts off fox and coyotes. Don't want to lose any weight. Most predator contests have a heavy category for coyotes, fox, bobcat. 223s are tack drivers don't get me wrong. I have 2 of them that have specific uses. I'd just never use one for deer when I have a better suited caliber for deer. Good thread.

To bad they don't make a 90 grain or even a 110 grain bullet for that 30-06...you would never have to track any predators.

Correct shot placement and there will be no deer lost with any caliber. Put the bullet in the wrong place and you will be tracking no matter what the caliber is.

You know, folks say that like it's just the answer to all things. When, in reality, it says nothing of real value in the field.

I mean, let's advocate to make the .22LR legal for deer. It falls under the heading of "any caliber", right?

I love it when these threads follow their predicted progression from:
1)the .223 is too small for deer; to
2)it will work for deer with limitations; to
3)it is the Hammer of Thor and the best deer caliber going (replete with all the "never/hardly lost a deer in my life and they are all/nearly all DRT" stories).

Now we even have a guy being made fun of because he prefers his .223 over his .30-06 for varmints - as if that's some outlandish proposition. This place is a riot.