Question for the group. I want to take my 8 year old daughter out for deer and have a TC Venture in 223.
It has 1:12 rate of twist and I use Barnes VOR-TX ammo - 55 grain triple shock X hollow point.

I don't want to open up a caliber discussion as I have larger calibers I hunt with. I use the rifle to hunt predators in the offseason, but want to get her into the blind and maybe have a chance at a deer or a hog. She is small framed so she can't shoot my 270 or 30.06

What are your experiences with this caliber on whitetails or hogs?

All about shot placement, try to keep the shots within 50 yards

I have killed a lot of deer with my .223 and Remington 55 grain PSP over the past 5-6 yrs now. Shot placement is more critical than the bullet size. Just get her a good rest and show her where you want the bullet placed on lots of pics of deer standing differently.

My 10 year old son shot his first deer this year with a 243. Started him out on 55 grain and then moved him to 100 grain. He never noticed the difference. He was always concerned about the recoil but when I asked him how the recoil was after shooting the deer, he said he hadn't felt a thing. I told him that was called adrenaline.

I hunt with smaller cal. rifles alot. She should be very comfortable with it and practice quite a bit before trying to take an animal with it because such an accurate shot is needed to take a big animal down with it. I would have her shoot at least a box of shells out of it to work on her accuracy.

Thank you all for the feedback. I have been working with her on shooting the rifle so she understands that part. I was just concerned that if she was a little "off", which she might be because of nerves, it would not be a good shot. Everything everyone said makes sense. I was hoping to avoid buying a 243, which is why I was asking

As long as she has shot the .223 and feels comfortable and has had the opportunity to sight it in to her eyes then I don't see a problem. .223 will take a deer down with proper shot placement like stx said.

I have killed deer out to 125 yards with the 55 grains, but try to keep them 100 or less. I have shot a few a bit farther. I do shoot high point of the shoulder so they drop in their tracks when I can. If I miss a little it can mean a real faint blood trail if it still in the shoulders. I can honestly say I have only had one deer that I could not find with that caliber. It was a high shoulder shot that was off a bit and it was with the wrong bullet. I had just bought 7 boxes of ammo at the local Wally World. I asked to see a box and make sure of the grain and bullet type. I asked clerk how many they had in that stack of them, she said 7 and I took all 7. 3 boxes were FMJ. I had shot several deer and had to track a couple with minimal blood trails but still found them. Could not figure out why until I could not find the one deer and checked the ammo box. Very stupid rookie mistake on my part. A good bullet that will get you a pass through should get a kill.
One thing I tried to do with young first time hunters when I could was to practice in the stand ahead of time. Unload the rifle and let them set it up and pic something like the feeder or a tree to practice on. Have them find it and then squeeze the trigger off on a shot. Would ask them did the crosshairs move? Let them do that several times. Even used and empty rifle on a deer when the first one came out if it was far enough away and had some wind to hide noise.
Good luck and have some fun this weekend

In my opinion if you had to ask it basically means you are not that comfortable with her using the 223.

Youll be just fine shooting the barnes...

My experiences haven't been all that good with the .223 so I'll just let it go at that.
As long as she is confident shooting it and can hit where she is aiming she should be fine. As mentioned it's about shot placement and if everything falls into place as it should she will have no problem.
That said, you have the "buck fever" you have to also consider, and have here staying calm is where you might find some problems if she's not a seasoned hunter.
I would also add that explaining to a kid upset after not finding a deer after the shot is not a pleasant task. A .223 will take a deer and that isn't an argument, it's just that it requires a more precise shot, and young kids don't always hit exactly where they aim.
It's up to you, and short range shots 50 yards or so would help.

If you have room in the blind and the windows are not to tall then I would suggest getting something like this to rest the rifle in for her. It takes a lot of the buck fever shakes out of the equation. We used a window style rest similar to this with all hunters. They had to make sure they had the crosshairs in the right place and squeezed the trigger.
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/search_catalog_command.cmd?fromProductSearch=true&item1=IK-230748

Me, maybe. 8 yr. old, no.

all valid points. thanks again

Understand about not wanting to outlay the money on a 243, as you might think she'll outgrow it. But I bought my daughter a 700 - 243, and if my daughter isn't with me, I take that. I've got a 7mm mag that I'll use in South Texas, but Im shooting further, and shoot much heavier bullets. These are all trophies and I feel better shooting 150-180 gr bullets.

Agree with not using FMJ, ballistic tips are a good choice.

My son is small and he is 8 he has killed at least two deer a year shooting a 223 55grain, I myself have shot a 223 the last 4-5 years for deer and hogs and I have yet to have to track an animal. I love the 223 round and I have many accurate rifles of bigger calibers but none that quite shoot like the ol trusty 223!!

Let her use it and post pics of the deer/hogs she knocks down with it!

She won't have any problems. My 10yr old has killed a buck and doe the past 2 years and neither went more than 40 yards. As long as she puts that Barnes where it needs to go, it will be all smiles.

Good luck and post pic's afterwards!!!

my wife started hunting with my rem 700 .223, we shoot a federal 60grn nosler partition. my brother hand-loads them, but you can buy them off the shelf too.

she shoots her deer square in the middle of the front shoulder...this buller will break both shoulders and exit on a deer. (she's mostly shot south texas does..100lbs deer). although last year she took the same shot on a 190lbs boar hog. bullet didn't exit on the hog, but he only traveled about 20yds after the shot.

its a mean bullet. and the front shoulder is as big a target as you could ask for.

This little .223 has been the demise of countless deer. He has taken 5 or 6 with it, my daughter took her first with it, as did my sister. I've killed several with it as well. Great gun for a first time hunter especially a girl. Kids like this one because of the short stock, pistol grip, and bull barrel that rock steady on a rest.

I agree practice, practice, and use the right loads NEVER use Fmj or hollow points. This gun likes 62 grain noslers. I never let a kid shoot until they know where proper shot placement is, they are comfortable with the gun , and they have a good rest.

I've let my buddy's daughters hunt with one my 223, with a 64 gr. winchester vs the lighter weight bullets. Never had a problem but as many have said, it's about the shot placement.

I have shot many deer and hogs with a 223. Shooting v-max ballistic tips and most soft points I usually never got a pas through, even on head and neck shots. On body shots if you didn't hit central nervous system and drop them on the spot you had a running deer with no blood.

We shoot 60 grain nosler partitions through it now, it will produce an exit on shoulder/behind the shoulder shots and a blood trail. Shot placement is always important but quality bullets can turn the 223 into a legit shorter range deer gun.

Another option would be if she could shoot your .270 would be the reduced recoil loads for them. I have used them in my .270 for first time hunters a time or two. The felt recoil is like a .243 at most.

very good point. i did not think about that. thank you

Much better option IMO....

In my experience a 223 with good ammo is as good or better than a reduced load for a bigger gun. The reduced loads don't have near the shock value. I have shot a fair number of deer with 223 and reduced 270 loads. They both work but if I have my pick ill reach for the 223 and 60 grain partitions over 100 grain prohunter and 270.