There’s a few debates that come up time and time again around the campfire. While cartridge debates will never go away, one often discussed topic is whether the 223 Remington is adequate for deer. There are those who are vehemently opposed to the idea, while others have found success and are happy with the terminal performance of the diminutive cartridge.
First, to be completely honest and upfront, I have hunted and killed deer with the 223 Remington. However, that does not mean condoning the use of the cartridge for every hunting situation. Before we decide if the 223 is suitable for deer, let’s take a look at the numbers.
Ballistics
The 223 Remington typically fires 22 caliber bullets weighing from 45-77 grains. Most loads will be between 2900-3300 fps depending on the bullet weight. As a basic standard for the cartridge we will look at the 64gr Federal Powershok ammunition as it is right in the middle of the range of loadings for the cartridge.
Kinetic Energy (Power of Impact)
One of the big numbers people typically look at when comparing cartridges are the energy numbers. This is not a perfect metric as depending on bullet construction much of the kinetic energy is not transferred to the animal on a pass-through shot. Also, energy increases exponentially with velocity, but only linearly with mass, so typically energy metrics favour faster cartridges. However, it does provide us a starting point.
The 64gr Federal Powershok loading referenced earlier generates 1322 ft lbs of energy at the muzzle. While there is no hard or fast line, a good rule of thumb is that the bullet should impact a deer with at least one thousand foot-lbs of energy. This means that the cartridge will carry sufficient energy out to 108 yards before dropping below the 1000 foot-lb threshold.
Sectional Density (Penetration)
However, energy doesn’t tell the who story. Another important factor is penetration. Without adequate penetration the bullet cannot reach the vitals and the energy cannot damage vital tissues. Bullet construction plays an important part in how far a cartridge penetrates. Keeping bullet construction equal though, there’s a number known as sectional density which is a measure of how heavy a cartridge is for its caliber. The higher the sectional density the more mass there is behind the bullet to drive it though.
The sectional density for the 223 Remington with a 64 grain bullet is only 0.184. This is relatively low. A good sectional density is over 0.25. Even with a heavy for caliber 77 grain bullet the 223 comes in at only 0.221. This means that the 223 is likely going to dump a lot of its energy on impact and not penetrate as well as cartridges with higher sectional densities.
Frontal Area (Size of the Hole)
Finally, let’s look at one final metric. At the end of the day, a bigger hole is better. In order to measure the size of the hole in terms of damage, we must observe the area of tissue that is removed, not the diameter. This is because the area increases exponentially with an increase in diameter, thereby increasing killing power exponentially. For example, a 45-70 has roughly double the diameter of a 223, but leaves a hole with quadruple the area. The 22 caliber bullets of the 223 Remington are small very small and leave a smaller hole than is desirable for deer.
The Takeaways
In conclusion, we have crunched the numbers and learned some things about the 223 Remington. First of all, it should have the required energy ethically kill a deer out to give or take 100 yards. However, the low sectional density means it lacks the penetration capabilities to punch through heavy bone and dense tissue. Finally, the small frontal area means deer are unlikely to expire from blood loss alone when vital organs aren’t hit cleanly.
Concluding Thoughts
These considerations lead us to a set of conclusions. First, it is important to keep shots on deer within 100 yards when hunting with a 223. Second, only take broad-side, quality shot opportunities that present little resistance to the bullet to penetrate through the ribs and into the vitals. Third, avoid high shoulder shots because if the bullet fails it is not large enough to ensure fatal blood loss.
One final note, the bullet construction has a significant effect on terminal performance, particularly concerning the efficacy of smaller cartridges. Be sure to choose a tough bullet with good weight retention. The Nosler Partition, Nosler Accubond, Hornady GMX, Swift A-frame, and Barnes TTX/TTSX bullets all come to mind as solid options.
Operating within these restrictions, the 223 Remington is an ethical option for deer hunting. The cartridge is best suited to areas with dense cover where shot opportunities will be at short ranges. It is also preferable to only select the 223 when hunting smaller deer such as coastal blacktails. It’s also an option for stand hunting where one can wait for an ideal shot opportunity. Keeping these constraints in mind, the 223 Remington will continue to serve double duty as a deer cartridge for years to come.