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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6621851
01/08/17 02:57 AM
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 497
ctonsmitty
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 497 |
limit your hunting to HOGS with the AR-15
get a .25-06 or 270 to shoot deer
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: FordEvangelist]
#6621944
01/08/17 04:08 AM
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 840
kmkellar
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 840 |
I am thinking about deer hunting with my new AR-15 and would like some opinions. Best option is a larger caliber. ^^ This. I was sitting in the blind calling yotes with my 223 and had 74gr Hog Hammer loaded. A pig came trotting through the field and didn't stop so I took a broadside shot. The impact rolled it and it ran off squealing to high heaven but I couldn't find a drop of blood anywhere. So now I'm building an AR10.
"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." -- George Washington
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6622131
01/08/17 02:39 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,957
don k
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 14,957 |
I don't think it matters what cal. you hunt with. The important thing is make a good shot on the animal. I had 3 deer lost this year because of bad shots. Two were lost with a 30-06 and one with a 243. Maybe those folks were scared of their rifles and that made them mess up. Just maybe if they were shooting something they were more comfortable with their shots would have been better. And all three of these deer were less than 100 yds.from the shooters.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: don k]
#6625659
01/10/17 03:39 PM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 118
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 118 |
I don't think it matters what cal. you hunt with. The important thing is make a good shot on the animal. I had 3 deer lost this year because of bad shots. Two were lost with a 30-06 and one with a 243. Maybe those folks were scared of their rifles and that made them mess up. Just maybe if they were shooting something they were more comfortable with their shots would have been better. And all three of these deer were less than 100 yds.from the shooters. I agree to a certain point. Anything less than .243 is retarded in my opinion. But i will attest to the toughness of a whitetail deer. I have shot elk with my 30-06 using 180gr soft points and had them drop within 10 yards. I made a what i thought was perfect shot on a buck this year using those exact same bullets, and ill be damned if i couldn't find that deer. I even found a piece of bone the size of my thumb on the ground, along with a large area of blood. Only problem was the trail ran cold after about 10 yards. It was a 75 yard shot, and i know i hit him solid. But in hind-sight, i sure wish i had taken a little more time on that shot. I will admit i think i got complacent using a larger caliber (and just for the record i am 100% confident and comfortable shooting my rifle), and thought i didn't need to take as much time on the shot. NEVER again will i make that mistake. But still, it amazed the hell out of me that deer could have ran off. I swear i made a perfect behind the shoulder shot...but it just goes to show you, you can never get complacent no matter what rifle you are using.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6626020
01/10/17 06:58 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547
chital_shikari
Minor in training
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Minor in training
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 12,547 |
There was a huge thread about this. .223 past 200yd IMO is no-no, for deer/pigs.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6626068
01/10/17 07:30 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605 |
I think as long as you're out there hunting and can place the bullet precisely where you want it, I don't really care what you hunt with. But I have to ask why? Can you only afford one gun? The AR is not the best platform for deer hunting but it'll do with proper HUNTING bullets and shot placement.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: fouzman]
#6627050
01/11/17 11:04 AM
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,615
billybob
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,615 |
I think as long as you're out there hunting and can place the bullet precisely where you want it, I don't really care what you hunt with. But I have to ask why? Can you only afford one gun? The AR is not the best platform for deer hunting but it'll do with proper HUNTING bullets and shot placement. That is the key...a 223 round is worthless in brush or grass...it deflects too easy and starts tumbling
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: billybob]
#6628824
01/12/17 03:07 PM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 118
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 118 |
I think as long as you're out there hunting and can place the bullet precisely where you want it, I don't really care what you hunt with. But I have to ask why? Can you only afford one gun? The AR is not the best platform for deer hunting but it'll do with proper HUNTING bullets and shot placement. That is the key...a 223 round is worthless in brush or grass...it deflects too easy and starts tumbling .223 is worthless when you compare it to about any other round north of .243. Why even bother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everytime i see a hunter using an AR i laugh, so unpractical for hunting, and, you look like an idiot.
Last edited by deftsound; 01/12/17 03:08 PM.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6629157
01/12/17 06:32 PM
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 256
D6Ranch
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 256 |
You might be taken a little more serious and less like a troll if your grammar was a little better.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6629537
01/12/17 09:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611
MarkE
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611 |
I have no problem using my 22-250 at 200+ I’ve shot exactly 20 whitetails (MLD) so far this year with a 22-250. Over half were head/neck shots and the rest were BEHIND the shoulder, which I rarely had an exit wound with a 50 grain v-max. I know, I know, that isn't the best bullet, but it is NASTY and that's the bullet I reloaded most of my brass with. I will admit that while it’s plenty deadly (hollow point or solid), I don’t trophy hunt with a 22-250. Large calibers WILL leave more room for error. I was just wanting to get a little practice for the upcoming varmint hunts and couldn't put the 22-250 down. It's a sweet caliber. It's all about shot placement. As for a .223, they will knock'em dead, but smoke one square on the shoulder at 250 yds and you might have a problem. They aren't going down where they are easy to find very often. I haven't shot may deer with a .223, but I put a lot of holes in pigs. While it will kill them, it isn't enough gun to make every shot a "one hitter quitter." SHOT PLACEMENT!
Last edited by MarkE; 01/12/17 09:51 PM.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6629556
01/12/17 09:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
titan2232
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067 |
A little birdie told me once that HF deer are weaker and thus drop much easier with a .223
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: titan2232]
#6629580
01/12/17 10:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611
MarkE
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611 |
A little birdie told me once that HF deer are weaker and thus drop much easier with a .223
I wouldn't know but I would think that with all that protein they ingest, they would be pretty strong. By the way, a little birdy told me that they are all shot with high powered rifles with BIG muzzle breaks. They only use .223's when they are going through the "AR" phase of their life. The coolness wears off after a while. I'm sorry, I'm just being serious.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6629922
01/13/17 02:00 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 27,091
Nogalus Prairie
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 27,091 |
I can understand shooting does, varmints, hogs, etc. with one.
I will never understand why anyone would want a .223 in their hands if there was any chance the buck of a lifetime (or even a season) might step out.
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: Nogalus Prairie]
#6629966
01/13/17 02:12 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 9,776
mustafa
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 9,776 |
I like my chances with 30 bullets lol I can understand shooting does, varmints, hogs, etc. with one.
I will never understand why anyone would want a .223 in their hands if there was any chance the buck of a lifetime (or even a season) might step out.
Last edited by mustafa; 01/13/17 02:13 AM.
Team Barbacoa Pro Staff. Dallas Safari Club Life Member
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6630162
01/13/17 03:52 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,175
texaspatriot.308
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,175 |
save some money and get a decent bolt action with a caliber in the class above .243
TexasPatriot.308
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Re: Deer Hunting with AR-15 223 opinions?
[Re: huntinfish]
#6631055
01/13/17 08:22 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 104
Kell
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 104 |
I grew up hunting on a ranch where the rifle of choice was a .222. Later, when teaching youngsters to shoot and taking them hunting, we rolled over a lot of deer with a .223. Many dropped in their tracks and very few that ran went far. Well, over the past few years my wife suffered from cancer. She could not hunt last year and this year she could only handle the little 223 due to pain with recoil from her 243. Well, we went hunting for does. As it happened, an exceptional buck showed itself. In spite of all the many, many deer we have seen harvested with 222's and 223's, she could not bring herself to take a chance on wounding a big, well-boned and bulky buck. I couldn't do it either and one of the nicest deer we have seen while hunting with each other for more than several decades walked back into the brush without a shot fired. Lesson: Take it from an old hunter, 223's are fine for hunting does and will drop bucks just fine, but when a large buck walks out into the sendero you will wish you had at least a 243 in your hands.
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