AR15 for Deer Hunting!

ssfeldjager · 09-05-2007, 05:15 PM

Actually, yes, you can take deer with a .223 cartridge.

And yes, you can use xyz cartridge also.

There have been many deer shot with every conceivable cartridge, including .243, 30-30, 30-06, .308... you name it... and there have been many that have needed more than the infamous 'one-shot stop'.

There is no wonder cartridge.

As with any cartridge, shot placement and knowing the capabilities of you and your weapon/cartridge combination are what matters.

BTW... check out AR15.com's outdoors/deer hunting forum. Lots of info on 223 for deer hunting.. and debate... there, too.

GoodAim · 09-05-2007, 06:39 PM

My 2 cents. You can kill a deer with .223. It's if you can aim and shoot it comfortably and accurate. If you try and use something you don't like in any way then the results will suffer. I am not the greatest shot in the world and it shows at the range. I am better with my S&W .22 pistol than I am with my pa-63. So if a "bad guy" comes to my house he is going to have to take .22 cal. lead instead of 9x18. Simply because I KNOW I can hit him accurately with it over and over.

Garand9015 · 09-05-2007, 09:27 PM

A 223 can indeed stop a deer. Of course it will have to be a smaller deer and be within 50yards useing the right round. If you want to hunt deer, use a 7.62x39 it is a little bigger than 30 caliber (308) it is actually a 123gr (311) round and it is in the power range of a 30-30, everyone knows 3030 rounds have been used to take out deer for a number of years now so it would do good on deer thanks.

ssfeldjager · 09-06-2007, 03:52 PM

It's not a deer, but having found this on another site, I thought I'd put this picture up of a hog killed with a 223 55gr FMJ.

Pred · 09-07-2007, 09:01 AM

IMHO using a .223 for deer hunting is inhumane. True, it can kill a deer, but so could a .22 through the eye, doesn't mean you use it. With a .223 you CAN'T miss, being off by the slightest will do nothing but wound the animal causing it great pain, and possibly not being found that day. Anyone who has no problem with this, or doesn't care, shouldn't be allowed to own a gun and or hunt, period. If your going to deer hunt, please use something more along the .30 caliber line(30.30, 30-06, .308). I don't care how good you are at the range, it's much different when you have something in your sights.

502adamh · 10-29-2007, 12:44 AM

Okay I am going to show my ignorance here. What is the big performance difference in .223 and 22-250? I know several hunters that kill deer cleanly with a 22-250 every season. I am a bowhunter at heart and this is my first season gun hunting. I own an AR-15 and the only thing a have shot with it is golf balls, paper, and coyotes. It seem to kill them all pretty dead

. I will be using a 12 ga slug gun this season, with my bow hunting background this seems more than adequit, I'm used to getting close (I never shoot more than 35 yards with a bow any more is not ethical IMHO)but this is a topic of interest.

jmp8927 · 11-13-2007, 09:50 PM

Ok, just for the record, a friend of mine dropped a small deer dead in its tracks with a .22 LR. Point being, you can kill a deer with anything more powerful than an air gun if you hit it in the right place. And also, if a .223 is humane enough to kill humans, its good enough to kill deer which aren't humans. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable using a .223 to hunt, but for someone who is a good shot, I say go ahead.

PrivateSnuffy · 11-14-2007, 02:52 AM

I don't know why you all complain about the 30-06 recoil. I have a light rifle with it and can fire it all day. I'm not that big either, pretty skinny (5'9" 160-170lbs)

Darkfront · 11-14-2007, 09:40 AM

I agree, .30-06 is not that big of a deal in terms of recoil. I'm a short and skinny guy, and it only starts to get tender after about 60 rounds at the range.

ARsniper223 · 12-01-2007, 09:10 PM

i am going to get an ar 15 and i am going hunting with it whether you like it or not.

like some of yall have said its where you hit it not the caliber.

i am going to get good with my gun so i know its a good clean shot so there should be NO!!!! suffering.

i am also going to use it as a small game gun and i don't want some big caliber that ruins the meat and hide.

i also do not want an animal to suffer and thats why i will be good with my weapon.

P.S i don't give a darn what someone says i am going to get an ar 15 and use it for deer and ect...

ArkansasHunter · 12-01-2007, 09:26 PM

My turn again...A 223 will kill a Deer if your lucky. But I would think it's ignorant if you use a 223 to Deer hunt with, it's just to chancy that you'll loose the Deer.
And who are you pretending to be Super Dopper Hunter ? Get a bigger gun and don't tell me... but but it's all about bullet placement.
Get a bigger gun !!!!

A-10 · 12-01-2007, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ARsniper223

i am going to get an ar 15 and i am going hunting with it whether you like it or not.

like some of yall have said its where you hit it not the caliber.

i am going to get good with my gun so i know its a good clean shot so there should be NO!!!! suffering.

i am also going to use it as a small game gun and i don't want some big caliber that ruins the meat and hide.

i also do not want an animal to suffer and thats why i will be good with my weapon.

P.S i don't give a darn what someone says i am going to get an ar 15 and use it for deer and ect...

I'm curious as to whether or not you have ever been hunting. I'm not sure If you have taken into account the heat of sitiuation. When you see a deer passing through and that adreniline hits your heart, your accuracy will suffer. I've had this happen and lost one with a poor hit with a 150 grain 30-06 bullet. Never mind a .223 The AR-15 is accurate, but will you be where it couts? Also, if you are concerned with saving the hide and meat, .223 is a poor choice for small game. It's simply too fast. The bullets tend to fragment upon stiking their target, shredding tissue and making for a nasty exit wound. Will an AR-15 drop a deer? Sure. Will it do this consistently and reliably? Definately not.

samuel · 12-02-2007, 11:17 PM

After reading all of this great knowledge from both points of view I have decided that we should make it against the law to shoot a deer with any size firearm for fear they may suffer.From now on you can only take a deer with your automobille which I believe everyone will agree at 40mph+ is large enough and plenty efficient to kill a deer mercifuly and humanely.Good hunting drivers.Of course large motorsicles would be allowed. sam.

A-10 · 12-03-2007, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samuel

After reading all of this great knowledge from both points of view I have decided that we should make it against the law to shoot a deer with any size firearm for fear they may suffer.From now on you can only take a deer with your automobille which I believe everyone will agree at 40mph+ is large enough and plenty efficient to kill a deer mercifuly and humanely.Good hunting drivers.Of course large motorsicles would be allowed. sam.

Right on!

UbErChAsE · 12-06-2007, 09:25 PM

Where I live, you aren't supposed to shot a deer with anything less that a .243. Besides, it's like the perfect caliber anyway!

Rem 742 30-06 · 12-06-2007, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by samuel

After reading all of this great knowledge from both points of view I have decided that we should make it against the law to shoot a deer with any size firearm for fear they may suffer.From now on you can only take a deer with your automobille which I believe everyone will agree at 40mph+ is large enough and plenty efficient to kill a deer mercifuly and humanely.Good hunting drivers.Of course large motorsicles would be allowed. sam.

Absolutely hilarious and right on.

ArkansasHunter · 12-06-2007, 09:37 PM

Where I live automobiles are illegal to harvest a Deer with. LMAO !!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

My turn again...A 223 will kill a Deer. But I would think it's ignorant if you use a 223 to Deer hunt with, it's just to chancy that you'll loose the Deer.
And who are you pretending to be Super Dopper Hunter ? Get a bigger gun and don't tell me... But it's all about bullet placement.
Get a bigger gun !!!!

Rem 742 30-06 · 12-06-2007, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArkansasHunter

Where I live automobiles are illegal to harvest a Deer with. LMAO !!!

Oh you guys gotta use them there tractor-trailers to kill that deer

Those 50 cal beowolf cartriges look pretty cool and those would be good to use.

khahn79 · 12-06-2007, 10:03 PM

The question has been asked many times and yet never answered... Why would you want to hunt deer with an AR 15? Yes, it could be done w/ "proper shot placement", yes, you might be the best shot around, yes, your buddy may have done it before... Great. But WHY? I'm beginning to wonder if this topic was posted just to stir up controversy, especially since the question of why has never been answered. I'm with A.H. on this... get a bigger gun!

WMBIGS · 12-06-2007, 10:27 PM

The AR15 is a great prairie dog gun! There are bigger caliber semi-autos that would be a better choice. Like it has been said before, the 223 will knock a deer down if shot in the head. Otherwise be prepared for following a blood trail.

09-05-2007, 06:39 PM	#42
GoodAim Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Beaumont Tx Posts: 406	My 2 cents. You can kill a deer with .223. It's if you can aim and shoot it comfortably and accurate. If you try and use something you don't like in any way then the results will suffer. I am not the greatest shot in the world and it shows at the range. I am better with my S&W .22 pistol than I am with my pa-63. So if a "bad guy" comes to my house he is going to have to take .22 cal. lead instead of 9x18. Simply because I KNOW I can hit him accurately with it over and over. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Power is useless with out Direction.

09-06-2007, 03:52 PM	#44
ssfeldjager Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 6	It's not a deer, but having found this on another site, I thought I'd put this picture up of a hog killed with a 223 55gr FMJ. Attached Thumbnails

12-01-2007, 09:26 PM	#51
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas. Posts: 17,211	My turn again...A 223 will kill a Deer if your lucky. But I would think it's ignorant if you use a 223 to Deer hunt with, it's just to chancy that you'll loose the Deer. And who are you pretending to be Super Dopper Hunter ? Get a bigger gun and don't tell me... but but it's all about bullet placement. Get a bigger gun !!!! __________________ IN GOD WE TRUST NRA MEMBER

12-02-2007, 11:17 PM	#53
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 10,911	After reading all of this great knowledge from both points of view I have decided that we should make it against the law to shoot a deer with any size firearm for fear they may suffer.From now on you can only take a deer with your automobille which I believe everyone will agree at 40mph+ is large enough and plenty efficient to kill a deer mercifuly and humanely.Good hunting drivers.Of course large motorsicles would be allowed. sam. Last edited by samuel; 12-02-2007 at 11:20 PM.

12-06-2007, 10:03 PM	#59
khahn79 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 207	The question has been asked many times and yet never answered... Why would you want to hunt deer with an AR 15? Yes, it could be done w/ "proper shot placement", yes, you might be the best shot around, yes, your buddy may have done it before... Great. But WHY? I'm beginning to wonder if this topic was posted just to stir up controversy, especially since the question of why has never been answered. I'm with A.H. on this... get a bigger gun! __________________ Well behaved women rarely make history!

09-05-2007, 05:15 PM	#41
ssfeldjager Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 6	Actually, yes, you can take deer with a .223 cartridge. And yes, you can use xyz cartridge also. There have been many deer shot with every conceivable cartridge, including .243, 30-30, 30-06, .308... you name it... and there have been many that have needed more than the infamous 'one-shot stop'. There is no wonder cartridge. As with any cartridge, shot placement and knowing the capabilities of you and your weapon/cartridge combination are what matters. BTW... check out AR15.com's outdoors/deer hunting forum. Lots of info on 223 for deer hunting.. and debate... there, too.

09-05-2007, 09:27 PM	#43
Garand9015 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 70	A 223 can indeed stop a deer. Of course it will have to be a smaller deer and be within 50yards useing the right round. If you want to hunt deer, use a 7.62x39 it is a little bigger than 30 caliber (308) it is actually a 123gr (311) round and it is in the power range of a 30-30, everyone knows 3030 rounds have been used to take out deer for a number of years now so it would do good on deer thanks.

09-07-2007, 09:01 AM	#45
Pred Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,866 Blog Entries: 3	IMHO using a .223 for deer hunting is inhumane. True, it can kill a deer, but so could a .22 through the eye, doesn't mean you use it. With a .223 you CAN'T miss, being off by the slightest will do nothing but wound the animal causing it great pain, and possibly not being found that day. Anyone who has no problem with this, or doesn't care, shouldn't be allowed to own a gun and or hunt, period. If your going to deer hunt, please use something more along the .30 caliber line(30.30, 30-06, .308). I don't care how good you are at the range, it's much different when you have something in your sights.

10-29-2007, 12:44 AM	#46
502adamh Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Posts: 71	Okay I am going to show my ignorance here. What is the big performance difference in .223 and 22-250? I know several hunters that kill deer cleanly with a 22-250 every season. I am a bowhunter at heart and this is my first season gun hunting. I own an AR-15 and the only thing a have shot with it is golf balls, paper, and coyotes. It seem to kill them all pretty dead . I will be using a 12 ga slug gun this season, with my bow hunting background this seems more than adequit, I'm used to getting close (I never shoot more than 35 yards with a bow any more is not ethical IMHO)but this is a topic of interest.

11-13-2007, 09:50 PM	#47
jmp8927 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Walterboro, SC Posts: 2,268 Images: 18	Ok, just for the record, a friend of mine dropped a small deer dead in its tracks with a .22 LR. Point being, you can kill a deer with anything more powerful than an air gun if you hit it in the right place. And also, if a .223 is humane enough to kill humans, its good enough to kill deer which aren't humans. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable using a .223 to hunt, but for someone who is a good shot, I say go ahead.

11-14-2007, 02:52 AM	#48
PrivateSnuffy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 169	I don't know why you all complain about the 30-06 recoil. I have a light rifle with it and can fire it all day. I'm not that big either, pretty skinny (5'9" 160-170lbs)

11-14-2007, 09:40 AM	#49
Darkfront Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 379	I agree, .30-06 is not that big of a deal in terms of recoil. I'm a short and skinny guy, and it only starts to get tender after about 60 rounds at the range.

12-01-2007, 09:10 PM	#50
ARsniper223 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2	i am going to get an ar 15 and i am going hunting with it whether you like it or not. like some of yall have said its where you hit it not the caliber. i am going to get good with my gun so i know its a good clean shot so there should be NO!!!! suffering. i am also going to use it as a small game gun and i don't want some big caliber that ruins the meat and hide. i also do not want an animal to suffer and thats why i will be good with my weapon. P.S i don't give a darn what someone says i am going to get an ar 15 and use it for deer and ect...

12-06-2007, 09:25 PM	#55
UbErChAsE Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2	Where I live, you aren't supposed to shot a deer with anything less that a .243. Besides, it's like the perfect caliber anyway!

12-06-2007, 10:27 PM	#60
WMBIGS Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 22	The AR15 is a great prairie dog gun! There are bigger caliber semi-autos that would be a better choice. Like it has been said before, the 223 will knock a deer down if shot in the head. Otherwise be prepared for following a blood trail.