“The question is how far will it go?” Hhhmmmmm……

20-50 yards. Dry similar to similar shot placement with a 243, 270, 30-06, or etc.

I routinely shoot deer that don’t run at all but believe it is due more to contacting some part of the central nervous system than any caliber/bullet selection.

With a 55 grain soft point you will most likely be just be looking in the direction they ran, use a better bullet and you will have a blood trail.

Shooting Buffalo has a different set of requirements than what you need for shooting deer, which is what this thread is discussing. Yes bows have a bigger wound channel and exit than a .223 and they need it. They kill by hemorrhaging. If you get an exit on a lung shot deer with a .223 it will be dime to nickel size at best. The lungs will be turned to soup though and instantly disabled. The deer lung shot with the .223 die faster but will most likely be harder to track than one shot with a bow. If you don’t have the restraint to limit yourself to broad side or quartering away shots and do not shoot well enough to either brain or spine a deer the .223 is not a good choice. If your tracking skills are not up to the possibility of locating a deer with a scant blood trail the .223 is not a good choice. If you have the skills, it works just fine on deer and adds a little bit more fun. Very similar to what using archery gear does, or bird hunting with sub gauges. Folks wanting to apply their skill set to all is where a lot of these type threads come off the rails.
With that, I’m out on this debate.

I think there are bullet designs that can change the effectiveness/range of a caliber. Think most people only try a single bullet and thats their hard line stance on a caliber, that bullet choice is probably based off factory twist rates that may or may not limit it severely. 22-250 vs 22 CM is good example: two hot 22’s but completely different bullet profiles 1-10 vs 1-8

The older I get, the less I want to track a deer very far. I’m not deer hunting with a 223, and probably not shooting any more pigs with that caliber if I can help it. It’ll be the 260 for deer season and the 6.5 Grendel for day and night hogs.

Handloading changes the 223's capabilities. 65 grain Gamekings out of my AR have taken more animals than any other singular gun in my safe. It's what my kids hunt with. We haven't lost a trophy yet. These include an Aoudad, 3 mature bucks, 4 doe, countless pigs, coyotes, fox, coons, etc.

Now having said that, it's only my first choice because up until last season it's the only rifle they could get proper form with due to the adjustable stock. It's a 1:8" twist and I bought it due to the ability to shoot heavier bullets. My 22-250 is also 1:8" and I shoot the same 65 GK.

Every few months it seems. Answer is always the same.

I guess if someone can't afford anything else, and they have no other options, then go for it. If they can, and do, then it's kinda dumb, IMO.

I don't think Doc meant to call you dumb

Not very far. But, you put it through the back of one lung, or near the heart, and all bets are off. If you put a 143 ELDX or a 165 SST or 180 Corelokt near the heart or through one lung, the bone shards alone are going to create a lot more damage than that 55gr pill.

Never have hunted with a 223 Remington.

I hunted with a 220 Swift for several years, eventually moved on to a 308. Am having a custom 22 Creed built. Will be running 60-70 gr bullets. Looking forward to it.

Thumbs up on this caliber! I dont shoot mega shots 300+ yds with this caliber, but it puts meat in the freezer
for us! if you handload i have a good load for the remington here, 55grn Nosler balistic tips. Been using this one
last 7 or 8 yrs or so. Have other larger calibers if long range shots are in order! Yes shot placement is paramount,
just behind the eye lower brain area. No meat damage, and no looking at 2am with a flash light hunting down blood
trails!.....

If a .22 rimfire was legal you would have the same question and responses!....Talk about a long row to hoe!
Now wait for all the East Texas poacher stories!

I've taken so many animals over the years with sub sonic, suppressed 223 a super sonic round feels like stepping up to a magnum round.
Put it in the right spot. I used to be a hard core "bigger is always better" type.

So when y’all shot deer with a .223 what went wrong to turn you against using it again?

Nothing will turn good people against each other quicker than a thread about high fences or .22 centerfires for Deer.

It's s stupid question to begin with!
If it isn't illegal and that is what you want to use then use it.
You be the judge if it's big enough or whatever, and I haven't noticed if they've outlawed it yet!....Go for it!

Cigarettes are legal, does that mean smoking them is a good idea?

I have killed several deer with a .223, and several more with a .222. Good ammo and better shot placement are all that are required, and I dont relly shhot anything over 100 yards, because on our place 100 yds is a long poke.

Bad comparison! Smoking effects other peoples health (second hand smoke) and what someone wants to hunt with is their problem not everyone elses.

He didn't ask if anyone else had a problem with it. He asked their opinion.

When people use make the claim that something is okay so long as it's not illegal, I ask them is it okay for a man to sleep with another man's wife?

The stuff you post leaves me shaking my head Dan. Laying with another man’s wife has nothing to do with whether a .223 is a viable caliber for ethically hunting deer. Whether it can be used to cleanly and reliably harvest and recover the deer you shoot with it is what the discussion revolves around. I will simplify for you. There is not a blanket answer. It depends on ones level of skill as a marksman, patience and restraint as a hunter. knowledge of when it will and will not get the desired results, tracking ability, and bullet choice. All of those have been touched on in this thread. It is fine for some while for others it is inadequate. Folks who know their skill own set make it a poor choice for them to use, applying their skill set to those who use it with 100% success gets my hackles up Dan. Up your game or don’t use it but quit casting stones at those that have upped their game. Jeez.

Dan, I know better to do this but here is a question for you Dan. Do you believe you have to have at least 1000ftlbs energy to kill deer cleanly with a firearm like so many gun scribes have claimed for years? Just simple yes or no answer will do.

Actually in Texas I believe that’s illegal too

That depends, is her husband cool with it?