Granted our deer are smaller bodied here in TX, but we use hand loaded 62Gr TSX from a 16 inch barrel.  We hunt from blinds and have steady rests.  We take shoulder shots almost exclusively, and it will flat break both shoulders inside 125 yards.  Hope this helps.

My favorite is a tsx. Any bonded will do also. Fusions have a good following. You hunt not too far from my AO and I know the size of the deer. I haven't caught a tsx yet. 53 and 62 variety. I have some 63gr sp American Eagle from 2007 that I bought when I bought my first AR. Speer bullets loaded at 2850fps, I think these were the predecessor to the gold dot. Took a buck with one at very close range and had over 18" penetration. Supposedly these were from a DHS contract overrun. I still have 16 boxes left.

In 2013 I used a 64 gr pulled Fusion/Gold Dot on a doe with great results. This year I'll be trying out three different bullets from two AR's (16'' and 20" barrel). We're overpopulated with doe where I hunt.

I'll be using...


70gr TSX

77gr TMK

85gr Barnes OTM

I am gonna try out .223 first time this year. Always used .308 so my question is I have only 2 types of rounds which one should be good enough within 120 yards

55gr whatever

75gr hornady

??

I've got 2 boxes if Remington Hog Hammer 62gr on the way. Shock ve delivered Thursday if there I no delays. I leave for my grandfather's property Friday morning at midnight after I get off work Thus day night so if they arrive in time I'll bring my ar and my 30-06, this will be my first time hunting so I'll be relying on my 30-06 unless I get a close shot under 50yds, if the shot is close enough I might use the ar.

Picked up a couple boxes of the barnes 55gr. Will try them out on a doe this year and report back after season.

I have taken plenty of whitetails with just the hornady 55sp, I  don't think I would use a fragmenting bullet unless you are sure it was going in the rib cage. For whatever reason this year I loaded up some 65gr sgk's for the opener Saturday, we shall see.

What distances are you guys taking your deer at? I'm looking to assemble an AR to hunt antelope, with shots around 350 yards. Would .223 still be ok for this? Bullets need to be greater than 60 grains.

 

It was a member on here or it was his wife took one at 500-600 yards pretty sure it was an antelope too. I think the thread was last year, they used a 77gr TMK if I recall. I personally would feel comfortable taking a deer at 300 yards.

I know fellow Wyoming Neighbor SKGs wife and him have shot a few antelope but I seem to recall them being with his AR10.

What factory round would you suggest for 300 yards?

 

It was him. What barrel length do you have? There are some 5.56mm TMK loads out there as well as some TSX offerings.












 

 

Looking to build one. Would probably go 20" a4 with a collapsing stock so both myself and wife can use it. Strictly antelope.

ETA have a couple of 16" rifles right now too, both 1/7 twist.

 

I think the 62 gr fusion or fusion msr load would still be in it's expansion threshold at 350 yards out of a 20" barrel if you didn't want to go with the TMK or TSX loads. I know the latter loads are pricey and the fusions can be had much cheaper. I used pulled gold dot/fusions on a doe in 2013 out of 20" barrel and they did well.

Like I said a little further up I was going to switch to 65gr SGK's, 24.5 imr 4895. so far I 6pt 100yds +, pass through, DRT, one dandy 10pt 200lb+, through the heart @80yds , DRT, pass through. One 12 pt about same size as 10 pt except for rack on 10pt measures 22', anyway lung shot around 80yds he ran 20yds piled up, found jacket under his hide on far side the lead was gone? fist sized hole on off side. wow, I found my bullet and it's not a high dollor bullet.
Party hunting allowed here before anyone has a cow

Well, I have now shot three deer with the Federal Fusion out of a 20-inch barreled AR15.  Last year, I shot a doe through the shoulder at about 10 yards and an 8-point buck in the chest from 80 yards with the MSR Fusion.  Today, I shot a doe through the shoulder from 50 yards using the standard Fusion.  Both does were shot on the run in an open field, and both piled up as soon as they were hit.  There were quarter sized exit wounds both times in the ribs, but there was very little bleeding from them.  When the buck was shot, he turned to his right, staggered about 10 yards and fell over.  Although there wouldn't have been a blood trail from any of them, it wasn't needed.  The bullet really tore up the insides.  I couldn't tell that there any performance difference between the two Fusions.

When I shot the doe at ten yards, I was sitting at a tree line watching a field.  I happen to look to my right and saw this doe running down the tree line towards me.  I though it was going to run into me when it veered away at the last moment.  Today, I was sitting in the same spot, watching the same field, when I looked to my right and saw another doe running towards me.  This time, the doe was about 50-yards out into the field.  I just waited until she was in front of me and shot her.  Tomorrow, I'm going to go out and sit in that same spot.

I'm batting 100% with my AR15 and Federal Fusion bullets.  Four deer shot and four deer dead.  I shot a doe today from 129 yards.  She was looking back at me over her right shoulder.  I shot her just behind the right shoulder and she dropped like a sack of potatoes.

I had that problem with the horandy 55gr sp I always got my deer, they never would run far, usally seen them fall within 50yds of where they were shot, but never a blood trail. With the 65 SGK's I had big exit holes even on the biggest buck, but a blood trail would have been easy to follow , but was not needed, insides were a mess, exit holes were big. the big 10pt I looked at the carcass again yesterday, I could not believe the damage it caused little hole in huge hole out, heart dam near cut in half, fist sized hole down towards the brisket, nobody gonna tell me the 223 isn't enough gun, BUT use the right bullet and venny will be in the pan.  

Got 2 deer.

AR 18" SS WOA barrel, SSS 3 x 9 w/ Hornady 75gr BTHP

1) Shot between 40-50yrds, complete broadside, heart shot as it stepped forward, it ran 20yards and dropped

2) Shot 30-40yrds, deer was completely facing me, shot between the eyes, DRT, deer never took a single step, just balled it up and down it went, found a small exit hole in the neck, bullet made scrabbled eggs in the brain.

I was leary of .223 performance, but like everything, its about shot placement. I wouldve never taken either shot if I wasnt 100% I could put the bullet where it needed to go. The first was classic kill shot for sure. The 2nd was very precise shooting on my part (atleast I think so), Neither shots were rushed. I only try for ethical shots or ill just pass on the shot.

Will be using 62g fusion msr this season.

Already taken some with 70gr TSX from Silver State. And 64gr PPs. Both excellent results. Using a LaRue Stealth 18" 1/8.


Also will be taking the 6.8 out. Will be Using 85gr TSX.

Here is one of my 55 grain HSM soft points recovered from a 160 lb hog this weekend.  It's next to a 95 gr Barnes TSX projectile recovered from the same animal.

Longtime member, first time hunting with AR. Not my first deer.

AR specs: PSA home build with 16" mid-length 1:8RH 6 groove JoeBobOutfitters barrel chambered in 5.56, free floated with a YHM rail, Wilson Combat muzzle brake. Zeroed at 50yds with consistent 3-round 1" groups.

My original intent with this rifle was for CQB/home defense. This year, I decided I wanted to harvest a deer with it. It has a cheapo BSA 4x scope with mildots.


I researched this thread and, using previous experience and the research here, I decided on .223 Federal Vital Shok 60gr Nosler Partition.

Yesterday, I took it to the woods. Opening day of gun season. I hunt for food, not trophies, so when this good body sized buck came walking up, I decided to take a shot. He was 15yds from the stand when I shot. I watched him bounce maybe 4 times and I lost him in the thicket.  Waited 20min, climbed down and started looking for blood. Didn't see any, so I started off in the direction that he went. I got through the thicket and saw him laying about 40yds from where I shot him.


There was a clean entry wound and no exit, even with a broadside shot. When we opened him up, there was a massive amount of trauma to the organs and not much left of the heart. The bullet entered just behind the right clavicle, exploded the heart, and stopped when it impacted the left clavicle.


Overall, I was very impressed with my build, but I wish I had a longer barrel or another upper to put on it for deer. I worry that the 16" isn't long enough to get the most velocity out of the round. The box advertises 3160fps but I'm not sure at what barrel length.

Anyway, I'm trying to get the pics into Photobucket but my phone isn't cooperating at the moment, so I'll edit later and add the pics.



ETA:

8 Pointer. Round used: 223 77 Gr Gold Dot.  Deer ran 20 yards and crumpled.

Got two on Monday using BH MK 262 Mod 1. Shot out of an accurized 16" mid gas rifle with a Vortex PST 1-4 and a SiCo Saker K. Love this setup.



The buck trotted about 20 yds after being shot and dropped. Pass through with fragmentation, lungs and liver destroyed. About 125 yds. About 135 lbs field dressed.
Entry:


Exit:


The doe dropped in place. Lungs, heart, and ribs liquefied. About 90 yds. About 75 lbs field dressed.
Entry:


Exit:



Awesome performance!

Chalk another up to MK262 type ammo. It's been very effective for me and I don't have to change zeros with my precision rig. Shot this doe Monday night from about 100yds away. I ended up trashing the far shoulder because it was so shot up.

I don't know how much of this info is out there, since it's a Nebraska regulation.

For us, in rifle season, you have to be using a bullet that has over 900ft/lbs energy at 100 yards.  For me, without a whole lot of ballistic knowledge, that's hard to figure out.  So I said f it, and messaged Black Hills Ammunition on Facebook Saturday night.  I got an almost immediate response (mind blowing part number 1) from them, giving me their test data that have listed.  They use a 24" barrel for their printed velocity/energy for .223 rounds, and a 20" barrel for their 5.56 numbers.  I asked them Saturday what the numbers would be at 100 yards with their bullets, told them our state regs, and whoever was talking to me gave me their base numbers, and would get back to me on Monday for better information.

Here's mind blowing part number 2.  They got back to me on Facebook messenger a few hours ago, with numbers of various rounds out of a 16" barrel, numbers at 100 yards.  That's insane to me, a company would even take my question seriously, then actually follow up on it.  I'm blown away, they've definitely got my business for life.

Anyways, here are a few numbers

.223, 62gr TSX
16" Barrel: At 100 yards, 2,487 FPS, 852 ft/lbs
24" Barrel: At 100 yards, 2,697 FPS, 1,001 ft/lbs

5.56 62gr TSX
16" Barrel: At 100 yards, 2,580 FPS, 916 ft/lbs
20" Barrel: At 100 yards, 2,673 FPS, 983 ft/lbs

70 gr TMX (I don't know this round, it isn't listed on their site, so maybe a typo and they meant GMX? Or maybe I'm just dumb)
16" Barrel: at 100 yards, 2,488 FPS, 931 ft/lbs

Mind you - here's another sciency part I'm not sure on - I'm allowed to hunt with suppressors, so my Surefire SOCOM556-RC will be on this rifle when I take it out.  That theoretically should add a slight amount to those numbers, but I haven't a clue on how much.

This is good shit (and a good story).  Thanks for sharing.

Great pics and stories.
I wanna try my luck using an 11.5 length barrel,  1-7 twist. I will be in a spot with maybe 100 yard shot. I wanna keep my shots well inside that range since I'm using a red dot.
Suggestions on ammo type and weight please.
Thanks in advance

I'd use something in to 70-77gr range. I've use 75gr PPU in my 12.5 in the past and it worked just fine. I was planning on trying the 62gr Fusions in a SBR this year but I may not take anymore animals until next season.

I saw a few boxes of 62gr. Fusion last night at academy.  Gonna stop by Bass Pro today after work to see what they offer. I don't reload so I'm limited to what I can buy off the shelf.  Academy did have M193 for $6.99..... snagged a few boxes ?

Doe ended up coming in at 50 yards from my stand, but it was so brushy she looked to be about the size of my 60 pound 10 month old German Shepherd puppy.  After deciding to pass on her, I sat and continued to watch her shape trail through the brush.  She finally came out in a clearing about 125 yards way, and I could tell she was bigger than I originally thought.  I didn't have the best prop position on the stand, so I put my crosshairs on her center of mass thinking if I hit low I would hit heart, right on I would hit lung, and if high I would take out the CNS.  The top picture shows her exactly where she was when I shot her.  I ended up taking out the CNS and upper lungs.  She dropped instantly and never kicked.  Bottom picture shows the entrance wound (happy mistake that a fly ended up right next to the entrance wound at the processor to give you a scale of the hole), which looked to be about 1"-1.25" in diameter.  The opposite side ribs had a similar sized hole, with the bullet being caught under the off side shoulder.  She ended weighing 115 pounds.  Bullet used was a Winchester 64 gr. PSP.  We were on my hunting buddy's lease and, after coming to pick me and the deer up, said,"I don't see how they don't run forever with that pop gun you use with those little bullets...but I can't argue with it killing one instantly." It can't help but make you feel good!  

And how are all you guys posting actual pictures instead of just photobucket links? It would be awesome to have the actual picture up there instead of a link.

The 7th icon from the left in the Reply box is the "Insert Image" icon.

Click it and it opens a box for the URL of the pic you want shown.

Here's yours:

So what bullets are best for longer distances?

I just ordered a 20" stealth barrel and am setting up the reloading bench for the first time again in years. Will do this right for antelope next season.

Shots will be under 350 yards.

1 brachial plexus shot with Winchester .223 64 gr power core hp (all copper similar to Barnes). Had to track him the 5 feet he slid down hill.
   As best I could tell the bullet lodged under the skin on the far side of the rib cage.

Took two this year, thought I'd contribute another pair of data points:
1. 77gr TMK fired from a 12.5" at about 50m, broadside hit, ran about 60m before piling up. Dead by the time I walked over to him. Round impacted immediately in front of heart, broke through rib shredded both lungs, severed main aorta, and exited.

2. 77gr TMK fired from a 16" at 40m, impacted just under base of skull, traveling through and out of neck from front to back. Deer fell upon impact. Exit wound was big enough to get two or even three fingers in.

Would going with heavier bullet have better performance?
I've used Speer 65gr GoldDot on hogs with good performance.  I'm getting ready to buy another batch of this 65gr for next year hunting season but I've come across a good deal on the 75gr GoldDot.  Would there be any advantage for me to get the 75gr instead of the 65gr GoldDot?   I'm shooting these out of my dedicated hunting AR rifles with 16" and 18" barrels.  I prefer to stick with just one ammo instead of having two types and getting confused.

Thank you! I was wondering if it was because I had less than 100 posts.  I read on here somewhere you have to post for a while for your pictures show automatically.

Your 75 gr. round is going to be traveling slower, but should have more energy when it gets there versus the 65 gr. round. Using PPU 75 and 69 gr. rounds (because the ballistic tables I use didn't have the GoldDot available as a choice), at 100 yards, the 75 gr. is moving at 2469 FPS and has 1015 ft-lb. of energy whereas the 69 gr. is moving at 2562 FPS and has 1006 ft-lb. of energy.  Now you would have to allow for barrel length changes and a greater difference in bullet weight.  Now, after telling you a bunch of things you probably already know, that would mean that if you were shooting at a deer 400-450 yards away or so, the 75 gr. is going to not only have a little more energy when it gets there, but will most likely buck the wind better too.  For most of us that have a shot 200 yards and in, either would work fine.  I would say, order a box of the 75 gr. and see how it groups in your rifles and go with whichever is more accurate.  Shot placement has been stressed so much in this thread, but it's true.  Those Speer's are some of the best rounds for what we're talking about.

If you're shooting at standard hunting ranges with anything above a pistol length barrel, I'd wager the difference would be largely moot. I got in on the 75gr gold dot deal as well, but I did it largely in hopes the zero will be about the same as my standard 75gr plinking Hornady Steel Match. I haven't personally hunted with the 75gr gold dots though lots have with success, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it assuming your rifle likes it.

I shot a doe perfectly broadside and perfectly behind the shoulder with a 64gr Gold Dot.  Shot came out of an 18in PSA barrel with a 1:7 twist and Wylde chamber.  Drizzly Saturday evening (NYE), just before dark.  This was my first deer ever shot with an AR or .223.  The shot was about 100-110 yards.    

I am sure the rain played a factor in this... but I am considering only deer hunting with my .30 cal rifles in the future.

This little doe ran off like a rocket.  She looked very spry when she disappeared into the woods about 80 yards from where she was hit.  When I got out to the site of the bullet strike there was not a drop of blood.  The doe's body language after the shot and the lack of any blood had me seriously considering a major malfunction in the bullet/barrel/optic/mount as a possibility.  All the while I was conscious that my two buddies were climbing down from their stands to come to help me track.  

The doe didn't bleed a drop its entire track.  We kind of got lucky finding it.  I had seen the spot where she ran into a thicket and my previously-mentioned buddies showed up willing to help just trudge through this briar thicket until we found where she had piled up.  She was about 100 yards from where she'd been shot.  

First thing my buddy did was take a look at the shot placement on the deer which he agreed was perfect.

Maybe a combination of factors worked against us (rain, darkness, impatience) as well as the "SH" factor that comes along with hunting.  But I am seriously considering reserving the .223 rifles for predator hunting and home defense under a "no replacement for displacement" theory.

I hate to hear that man.  I'm not going to be one of those to say,"Oh, you must have done something wrong because so many deer in this thread have been killed with .223 with no issues!" It sounds like you did everything perfectly, and I will say this, there was no blood with my deer either...as was the case with many of the deer in this entire thread.  I was blessed/lucky enough that she dropped dead instantly and I didn't have to track her.  There are also a few more days in the season and I'm planning on taking my 30-06 for the remainder of it.  That being said, it could have also happened with a .308 or 30-06...although more rare...and there is documentation of deer being hit with a 300 win mag, the bullet stopping on the offside shoulder, and the deer still running 100-150 yards.  I'm not saying all of that with the intent of poking at you or anything, but as hunters, crazy junk happens sometimes that can't be explained.  Definitely use what you're comfortable with and, sometime down the road, maybe give the .223 another shot.  It may surprise you.  Happy hunting man!

Three weeks ago I shot a doe with my .308, 180 gr SST @ 2650 FPS, 114 yards.  A small amount of blood and hair were found at the impact site.  More blood found 30 yards away, then it looked like someone was pouring blood on the ground from an open bottle for the next 20 yards and after that... nothing.  Not a speck of blood anywhere.  We found her (with the able help of a young Black Mouth Cur) in a nasty thorn thicket about 50 yards from the last spot of blood.   The bullet entered just behind the right shoulder and exited at the point of the left shoulder.  The exit wound was about the size of a golf ball.  I have never been able to understand how they can be bleeding like that one moment, then stop bleeding the next, but I have seen it numerous times.  

Had a very similar situation where a friend of mine shot a nice buck just behind the shoulders with a 7mm Rem Mag at 100 yards at the last minutes of legal light.  The buck collapsed at the shot, kicked a few times, then was still.  My friend and his son waited a few minutes to leave the blind.  It was pretty dark by then and when they walked up to where the buck had been shot they found a huge puddle of blood on the ground but the deer was gone.  There was a pretty substantial blood trail where the deer had walked down a sendero for about 50 yards, then turned into the brush.  My friend decided to let the deer bleed out while we ate supper.  We returned about an hour later and started following a blood trail so obvious that Ray Charles could see it and once again it looked like someone was pouring tomato soup out of a can in places.  We followed that trail on our hands and knees through thorn brush for a good 300 yards.  The trail left the brush and started into a small pasture of waist tall dry grass where it dribbled to a stop.  We used dogs, about a dozen hunters, and a retired Texas Ranger that had several decades of experience tracking game and men but we never found that deer.

I shot a decent 10 point buck with my .416 Rigby, 400 gr round nose soft point @ 2525 FPS, 150 yards with about 20 minutes of legal shooting light left.  The deer was quartering towards me so I was holding the cross hairs just in front of the left shoulder and I expected the bullet to exit just behind the right shoulder.  I saw the muzzle flash in the scope and watched the dirt and hair explode on the deer's chest.  It's legs buckled a bit, but he stayed on his hooves and bounded out of the sendero with very little effort.  No blood at the impact location, or anywhere in the sendero.  I started to doubt what I had seen.  Up to that point everything I shot with that rifle was DRT, not one more step!  I went back to the point of impact and pointed into the brush where I believed the buck had ran and as luck would have it I could see a patch of white fur at the end of my extended arm.  The deer was about 40 yards from where I shot it.  It was laying on it's left side and I was expecting to see an exit wound, but there wasn't one.  I grabbed the antlers and lifted it's head and I could see a nice .40 caliber entry wound precisely where I was aiming but there still wasn't any blood on the ground.  I drug the deer back to the sendero, drove my truck up to it and tried to lift it onto the tailgate but he was a few pounds too heavy and my tailgate was about 4 inches too tall.  I left him on the ground and drove back to the ranch house and got some help.  Got him loaded into the truck, still no blood.  Drove him to the ranch house, about 1.5 miles, still no blood.  Hung him from the gambrels by his hind legs, still no blood.  He didn't start bleeding until I opened his abdominal cavity, then he started gushing blood out of the entry wound, nose, and mouth.  We found the fully mushroomed bullet lodged against the ball joint of his right hip.

I have come to realize there is no such thing as a guaranteed blood trail regardless of what diameter bullet you use, and just because you have a very healthy blood trail it's no guarantee you will find a dead animal at the end of it.

Edited to add:  Ask txrdnk and The_AK_Kid about "Buck Norris" sometime.  Double lunged with a .270 Win at about 100 yards, caught on game cameras for months after being shot with a bullet hole on each side of it's rib cage, healed completely with a really cool scar to impress the chicks with, only to be shot again about 9 months later.

Yeah the "SH" factor can't be overlooked. Just adding a data point.

Similar to one of the above anecdotes the doe dumped a ton of blood in the beds of the side by side and (later) truck used to transport to final processing point.  That blood seemed to come from her snout.

What about using an 11.5" SBR with a suppressor for hunting deer? Is this to short? The barrel is a 1/7 twist but I imagine thats not going to make a big enough difference.

Nothing wrong with using a shorter barrel.   Just got to remember this also cuts down on muzzle velocities which lessens the effective range of the round your using.   Keep that in mind

Great thread!

I think I'm gonna do some hand loads using the 60 grn Nosler Partition and give them a go next year.

I've killed a good many whitetail with various calibers: 30-30, 270, 308, 20ga slugs, and a .50 muzzleloader. I tend to believe that the deadliest folks are the ones who find a rifle they love and use it exclusively. I've always practiced with the aforementioned calibers, but I've never been able to afford to put the round count through my other centerfire rifles like I have my AR. If .223 turns out to be as deadly as I hope, I would love a bolt gun in it for hunting and plinking. It'd be nice to be able to afford to put enough rounds downrange to "master" that platform. There's nothing more comforting than 100% confidence in the gun you're using when a nice deer walks out.

This is the first factual thread of real hunters using the 233/5.56 I've found. Modern ammunition has really made the AR a great deer rifle.

I know the above is an old post, but I didn't see anyone else point out that if he used the standard XTP and not the XTP-Mag version, with 3 pellets of 777 it was flying way past it's normal expansion threshold and likely fragmented explosively on the bucks shoulder.
The mag version of the xtp is intended for loads over 100gr bp equivalent.

Thinking about taking my MK 12 out this year. I'd rather not use my MK262 (although I would consider this for head shots). Shooting out to about 400 yards. Taking Doe only. Any ammo choice for that, or are the Fusion and Nosler Partition still the go to? Also looking at  the Hornady Whitetail series.

I hate to hear that you are giving up on the 223 for deer. My first experience with the 223 happened 2 years ago, I was hunting in western Ga, over in the Bainbridge area, on a friends property. On the first morning of my hunt, a Friday I believe, I shot a 200# 8 point, that we had been seeing on the game cameras, he was chasing a doe, and when he stopped for a breather I shot him in the rib cage on a slightly quarreling to shot, I am not exaggerating, I have never seen a deer drop so fast. After the shot we used a rangefinder to find out that it was 163 yards to the elevated house blind I was in. The bullet was a store bought 64gr winchester power point, yep the good ole super x. Anyways on that same weekend, on Sunday evening, the day we were to leave for home, me and my father in law decided to hunt the evening stand. We both sat on a huge food plot, he brought his 30-30 and I brought the 308, we figured we would split the field, 150 yards and in would be his, any further and I would take it. Long story short he shot a 100# doe at about 75 yards, she made one jump and piled up, while we were waiting for his doe to expire, a second larger doe entered the field from the other side, at about 200 yards. I shot this doe in the classic boiler room shot and she took off out of there in a dead run. We loaded my father in law's deer into the truck and went to look for mine. Where I shot it looked liked someone had shot a can of red spray paint, everything around was coated to about waist high. We followed that blood trail for 200 yards, then it just quit. We just happened to see the white rump of that doe where she piled up about 75 yards past where the blood trail ended. I think that in hunting weird things just happen, I would have never believed that a 223 and a 30-30 would kill a deer faster than a 308, but I witnessed it with my own two eyes.