Would you use a .223 or a .308 for hunting?

[jal910s]

I have been told that you can kill a deer with a .223, while I do belive you can kill anything with a gun granted a "perfect shot", I still don't belive it is likley. I do however, belive it to be more likly with a .308 but still not sure.
A co-worker swears he has done it with both, but I can see the brown in his eyes (no offense to those of you with REAL brown eyes).
Any opionion?

 

[2000Z-71]

Just because you can doesn't mean it's a good idea. Yes a .223 can kill a deer, it can also wound one as well. No question that a .308 will kill a deer an be rather effective about it too. A lot of states do not allow anything smaller than a .243 for deer hunting, there's a reason.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Certainly, either one is capable of it, with the correct bullet choice for your style of hunting.

Winchester and I think Federal makes a good 64gr. bullet for the .223 for the purpose- not all barrels will shoot it well though. Nearly all recently made AR's and other rifles will shoot it very well. There have been numerous deer taken with this load, and if it was all I had- I'd use it.

As for the .308- there is a plethora of good deer rounds. My good friend that I shoot with uses the 180gr. round nose Remington exclusively, as most shots around here are well less than 100 yards.

In the state of Georgia, you can now hunt deer with a Baby Browning in .25 Auto legally. I'd at least go with a Mauser in this caliber, as it does give a bit more velocity and better sighting radius from it's longer barrel.

 

[sigp220.45]

You can certainly kill a deer with a .223, and I doubt it requires a perfect or lucky shot.

I used to work with a cop in Montana who killed a moose almost every year with his .223 - he'd shoot them in the ribs until they toppled over. I don't think he ever lost one.

As an aside, another guy I worked with killed his yearly deer with a Hi-Point 9mm carbine using 147 grain Hydra-Shoks I gave him.

It may not be ideal, and it may not even be legal in some places, but a .223 can and will kill a deer handily.

 

[s&wchad]

+1 on State restrictions.

We had a guy at deer camp who took quite a few with one and he swears most dropped in their tracks. Nosler makes a 60 grain Partition spitzer and I have no doubt a broadside chest shot would result in a dead deer every time. I certainly wouldn't recommend it, even if legal. The .308 is a much better choice, but you still have to use the right type of bullet and get it in the vitals.

 

[b52buff]

I would not use anything smaller than a .270. The .223 can kill don't get me wrong but if you wound the deer etc. you many not find it thus you lost your kill and it will probably die later and wasted.

 

[Hermann]

Over here in Germany, where stict "Hunting Ethics" are the law a .223 is permitted for small deer, .308 is OK for anything, but I would prefer something more powerful for moose.
I use a Remington 700 in .308 for wild boar and it is definitely no problem even if the pigs are in the 300+ pound class.

 

[cmort666]

I've been deer hunting twice in the last thirty years. I've never gotten anything.

Both times in the last five years I carried a .30-06 Savage 112BVSS.

On the first hunt, the friend with whom I was hunting shot a deer I couldn't get a shot at, with a .30-06 Remington 700 and Hornady 165(?)gr. A-Max. The deer hit the ground and bounced as though it had been hit with a 20mm Lahti anti-tank rifle.

Good enough for me.

 

[mlk18]

I have shot 2 deer with a Ruger Mini-14 in .223 (and appropriate reduced capacity magazine). The first deer I shot in the spinal column and dropped it on the spot. The second deer (the following year) I shot through the chest. I had to track it quite a while then shot it second time, again through the chest. More tracking and I recovered it some distance away from my initial shooting. Like with all guns and all calibers shot placement is key. I was successful using the .223 on deer, but would probably not choose that platform again. I have since taken deer with a .308, .30-06 and .45-.58 muzzle loaders, I prefer the muzzle loaders.

 

[fyimo]

The 308 can be used to hunt most game in North America and is certainly more then adequate for all Deer sized game. I've killed several large Mule Deer with my 308 and they and required very little tracking when hit correctly. It is legal here to hunt Deer with a 223 and I don't only because I have many other better calibers to choose from. If I didn't have them then I would hunt Deer with a 223 but limit my shots some based on the distance and angle. The 223 will definitely kill a deer and it may require a little more tracking but it will kill it.

 

[Andy Griffith]

I
Both times in the last five years I carried a .30-06 Savage 112BVSS.

That thing is too heavy to tote very far! But it will reach out and touch them like Ma Bell. *thumbup*

 

[venomballistics]

223 just isnt the best choice. at the reloading bench one can torture a caliber into a wider variety of roles.
With a press stroke, a 45 - 70 can make a fine rabbit smasher a 30 - 06 can make a good squirrel rifle and the 44 magnum becomes a swiss army knife.
a 223, however is just too limited on the top end for my taste. I would opt for any of the prior mentioned chamberings long before I considered it.
In lieu of a reloading press Id gravitate directly to the 308 our of the two since you are stuck with factory chamber feed in this case where the caliber absolutely is what it is.

If you anticipate hunting off your reservation where you cant get to your reloading press again your going to the store for ammo 308 wins again.
dont care how good we think we are "I cant believe I forgot the @&#$% AMMO!!!!!!!!!" happens.

 

[cass]

I've taken deer with both. I carry my Mini 14 daily, and have taken deer out to 100 yds, but only neck shots - dropped like a rock. It's not my choice for deer, it's mainly used for coyotes. The .308 will take anything in Texas, but my go-to deer rifle is the 30-30. It's easy on my 65 year old body.

 

[RdrBill]

All.
For hunting zombies down here along the Mexican border, either would work. Best time to hunt is after the sun goes down, the zombies come out and start migrating North. Mostly in single file herds.
.223 has a greater rate of fire, is better for close in work.
.308 has much greater power and range, allows for some stand off work.
We are having a real zombie problem this year.
Bill@Yuma

 

[Doc Mark]

Greetings,

My older cousin, Phil, God bless his soul, used to shoot his deer with a .222, and swore he never lost one. He used to shoot them in the neck, and told me they dropped as if pole-axed. However, when I was questioning him about whether this was a really good idea, his young son piped up and said, "Dad, what about that one that you shot in the antlers, which did a flip, jumped over the fence, and ran away"??!! Cuz promptly responded, "Shut up, I'm trying to impress Cousin Mark"!!

I think something "a bit more" is the best course of action, most of the time. Just my opinion, and worth what you have paid to read it! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

W.D.M. Bell hunted elephants with a 7MM Mauser, but in addition to being a crack shot, I suspect he was very good with the fieldcraft, the stalking, etc. I am not a hunter myself, I know-from experience-that a big part of the selling point of the .223/5.56 to the military was that it was perfectly satisfactory for wounding an enemy, the idea being that dealing with a wounded soldier put strains on the enemy's resouces that a dead one wouldn't. It seems to me in hunting the opposite is true

 

[tyusclan]

A .223 is legal for deer in Florida, and while I have never used it for deer (I never owned one until a few months ago) I have a cousin who has killed a dump truck load of deer with one over the years.

As others have said, shot placement is important. If you hit him right with the .223 it'll take him. If you miss with the .308 he'll keep walking.

 

[walnutred]

I would not use a 223 on an Ohio deer, but it will probably be sufficient for those miniature whitetails you hunt in Michigan. ;-D With good shot placement of course.

 

[K1500]

I believe that no less an authority than David Petzal mentioned the .223 as an adequate deer ctg. in the very latest Field and Stream. It seems he believes the newer projectiles turn the .223 into an adequate deer gun, and he advocates a behind the shoulder shot.

I suppose that if you rely on one to stop a doped up felon during a traffic stop, a 150-250 pound whitetail shouldn't be an issue. I would choose a .308, but I would use a .223 if that's all I had or what I wanted (and the law allowed). CLearly, a .223 will provide for more limited shot opportunities.

 

[Faulkner]

Anything you would hunt a .30-06 with you can hunt using a .308.