Rem 700 223 bolt action for deer ...whats your experiences

[longrangedog]

The issue with a .223 is that it's a varmint round. It will kill deer if you make an accurate shot into the chest cavity using a heavy (60 gr or heavier solid). Hollow points aren't as good as solids for penetrating from one side of the chest to the other side. With a .223 you're using a marginal round for big game that necessitates being accurate and using the right bullet.

 

[SC Hunter]

I've killed truck loads of deer and pigs with a 223 and close to as many with a 220 swift on depredation permits.

Is it my first choice when I grab a rifle to go hunting with? No but it's in the top 3 and I have enough scoped hunting rifles that I can hunt every day of the week with a different rifle.

In the 223 I've used 55 grain soft points, 64 grain soft points, 55 grain hollow points, a few times a vmax round and 77 grain Tipped Match King in a different rifle that I've since sold.

If you put your bullet in the right spot they can't tote it far. People that say "grab a real caliber" or "it's too small" or whatever other line they may have make me laugh. I can shoot more with my little 223's and practice and hit a half inch bolt head at 100 yards way better, more often and cheaper than I can do the same with a 300 or 30-06. I don't knock folks that shoot whatever caliber as long as their proficient with what they tote.

 

[Danuwoa]

My experience.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Can you kill a deer with a .223? Sure. Why? Is my next question.
I've killed a deer with a .22LR, it's possible. (yep, legal here,) but it ain't what I grab when I go deer hunting.

 

[1eyefishing]

My experience.
View attachment 1303912

Another FINE trailing job without a drop of blood.
Did it go fitty?

 

[Danuwoa]

Another FINE trailing job without a drop of blood.
Did it go fitty?

Not quite.

 

[antharper]

My experience.
View attachment 1303912

Nice buck ! I didn’t expect you to be so old . Thanks for sharing Head shot ?

 

[Dutch]

Get a real rifle caliber... 30-06.

 

[Danuwoa]

Nice buck ! I didn’t expect you to be so old . Thanks for sharing Head shot ?

Is there another kind?

 

[Jim Boyd]

.24 cal minimum for me for deer.

I got no dog in the fight but I also use 12 lb + line for farm pond bass.

 

[fatback]

Never shot a deer with a 223. Shot plenty of coyotes and a few pigs with one. I’m sure it would work as mentioned, with the correct bullet and shot placement. I like shooting mine for practice as well.

But I am a bit different and go in the opposite direction, I like shooting a deer or 2 and a few pigs each season with large, dangerous game calibers like 9.3x62, 375 H&H, 416 Rem or 404 Jeffery. I got a new to me 458 Win Mag that will get a chance this season as well. Kills em just as dead as a 22LR in the ear. Typically I don’t lose any more meat than shooting one with my 25-06, 270 or 30-06. Everybody should know their limits in terms of accuracy and recoil tolerance and hunt accordingly.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Shot placement is key. Everyone already knows that.

Use the gun that will work in the worst possible scenario and not the one that will only work in the most perfect scenario.

Can your cartridge and bullet combination get to the vitals on any shot angle?

When I went Nilgai hunting most of the forums filled with Texas Nilgai hunters swore up and down 270 was fine for Nilgai. Well 300 Win Mag was mentioned a bunch too so I went with that. Downed one with a quartering towards shot through the shoulder blade and it died about 50 yds away. Pretty typical I was thinking.

My guide said that the very day before two hunters wounded two different Nilgai that were never recovered with identical quartering towards shots at similar range (60 yds). One used a 270 and the other a 280AI. I know there are a hundred other variables here because I don’t know what bullets they were using or if they even made decent shots. The shoulder blade on a nilgai is pretty tough though and they have thicker skin than elk.

I was using Federal 200 gr Terminal Ascents.

I love caliber wars.

 

[Robust Redhorse]

Your Model 700 in .223 Remington will certainly kill deer with good shot placement.


If it's an older Model 700 it probably has a 1:12" twist which would be optimal with 55g lead and copper bullets. S&B and PMC claim to put controlled expansion 55g lead & copper "big-game" bullets in some of their factory .223 loads. (Who knows???)

https://pmcammo.com/product/bronze-223sp/

I couldn't find the S&B reference, but I've seen it recently.

If the rifle has a 1:8 or 1:9, then it can handle some very good quality bullets that would be absolutely fine for deer.

Now, if the "buck of a lifetime" came along at a few hundred yards out, I would want a .25 caliber or larger.

Shot placement is more important than anything, but please don't hunt deer with varmint bullets. They are made to disintegrate with little penetration, which is exactly what you don't want.

 

[Robust Redhorse]

My mistake...

It was Priv PPU rather than S&B:

Prvi PPU 223 Rem Ammunition PP223S 55 Grain Soft Point 20 Rounds

Prvi PPU 223 Rem Ammunition PP223S 55 Grain Soft Point 20 Rounds

www.outdoorlimited.com

I'm still suspect that they use "big-game" bullets

 

[sleepr71]

Yep. Sure would. With either a premium cup& core bullet..or(my favorite)..a 55 gr Barnes TTSX..I would feel fine out to 150 yds. Shot placement is critical..but easily doable,with next to no recoil. The Barnes bullets will penetrate far better than standard projectiles..in my experience!

 

[Long Cut]

I find it comical guys say things like “shoot a real gun” or “why wound deer with that” then get a 7# .300 Win Mag and develop a flinch and never shoot the gun…

Go to the Rokslide Forum’s, there’s a 250+ page thread on guys using .223’s to kill Moose, Elk, Bear, Hogs and yes… even Deer.

The military used .223’s (5.56) for DECADES in warfare, but yet for a 150# whitetail y’all consider it “inferior”.

I’d rather someone use a caliber that they will actually shoot, practice with and develop good shooting habits… Rather than a large magnum caliber they shoot once a year.

 

[Nicodemus]

Ever heard of Heimo Korth? He is a true subsistence hunter who lives in northeast Alaska in the Arctic Refuge. His game is moose and caribou, and he uses a 223 with excellent results.

 

[SC Hunter]

I find it comical guys say things like “shoot a real gun” or “why wound deer with that” then get a 7# .300 Win Mag and develop a flinch and never shoot the gun…

Go to the Rokslide Forum’s, there’s a 250+ page thread on guys using .223’s to kill Moose, Elk, Bear, Hogs and yes… even Deer.

The military used .223’s (5.56) for DECADES in warfare, but yet for a 150# whitetail y’all consider it “inferior”.

I’d rather someone use a caliber that they will actually shoot, practice with and develop good shooting habits… Rather than a large magnum caliber they shoot once a year.

I shot a 270 from the time I was 13 to 19 or 20 years old. I missed more deer with that 270 than all the other guns I've shot combined. I had a horrible flinch from that A-bolt that took me alot of work to correct.

 

[elfiii]

Ever heard of Heimo Korth? He is a true subsistence hunter who lives in northeast Alaska in the Arctic Refuge. His game is moose and caribou, and he uses a 223 with excellent results.

It ain't the bullet that matters. It's the trigger puller that does. Like Dirty Harry said, a man's got to know his limitations. A bigger caliber can make up for lots of trigger puller mistakes.

 

[coolbreezeroho]

Thanks guys...2 Remington 700 223 ..ones an ADL and the other is a BDL.. Just thinking about getting them. From the date codes they are from the mid 1980s The price is great both for 700...Three for the ADL and 4 for the BDL. .I think that's a really good price.

I do have decent trigger control and wait on the broadside shoulder shot. Have shot out to right at 300 yard a few times and over 200 more than I can count. Also have passed on a lot of shots just because I wasn't steady enough. Figure that they will be back and bigger next year if not tomorrow