5.56 for deer

[jmoore]

I started using .223 quite a while back for deer and it's now my favorite cartridge for said. Just make sure that the bullet construction is appropriate and that you have a clear shot to the chest cavity. My usual bullet is the Sierra 55gr PSP- nothing fancy but extremely effective.

[WarPig1976]

Why do people say a 223/5.56 is not 'humane' to use on deer but yet it's worked well in many wars for killing the enemy?

I've thought this too. The conclusion I came to is we don't want an animal to suffer more then is necessary so bigger is somehow better at dispatching a deer in people's mind. The fact is a deer could be bludgeoned to death with a rock but this would be seen as cruel, or as suggested ambushed and stabbed to death or killed with a .22 which would also be seen as cruel and "unsportsmanlike" again in people's minds.
On the other hand the "Enemy" who is much more dangerous and of our own species would be the one more deserving of a quick dispatch, but no, he is worthless and deserving of all the pain and suffering we can inflict. We would choke the life from him with our barehands all the while shouting our war cry. A very odd species we are. Freud could have a field day with this question.

[CINDERS]

I would like to see the knife trick used on one of our North Wests 6'+ Red Boomer Kangaroo's be a very good chance of you going to hospital or even worse, I have seen them disembowel dogs very easily
I think a 5.56 is to light for deer as you hunt to deliver death quickly and humanely nothing is worse that having to track a wounded animal, even our prey deserves the utmost respect and dignity.

Postscript ~ Me I go by "The enough gun principal" of course the 5.56 will put things down get close enough then again I should imagine allot of you chaps use tree stands where a 50mtr shot is par for the course a 55gn pill in the spinal cord or head will put'em down nuff said. The 55gn SMK Blitz kings are lethal on light skinned game my 22/250 vaporises rabbits, crows and punches lovely big holes in foxes. But when I was hunting pigs I used a 444 Marlin loaded with 240gn Hornady H.P soft points with a maximum hot load of IMR 4227 giving me 2,400fps for 3007fpe pigs just dropped when shot from 5yds to 150yds plenty of gun. For roo's I used the 303 with 150gn Hornady .312 Spire points or 168gn A Max in the 308 both are good value.
I have been with shooters that even though they have a great rifle like a 308 no amount of horse power will anchor the prey if you gut shoot them they are just plain lousy shots or get buck fever or both it is damn frustrating to follow a spore for ages and not find the animal knowing they are dying in agony, nor is it much fun having a 200lb boar angry as hell bore down on you because ol' mate cannot shoot worth a hoot with his big gun (Gun shy).
If you have confidence in your weapon, have a clear shot, knowing your placement to the inch then take the shot easy as that it is all personal choice and like has been said subject to local caliber restrictions not sure on the east coast if they have a caliber restrictions I do not hunt deer never have.

That load in my 444 Marlin was from the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading Rifle - Pistol Vol II it was 41.8 grains of 4227 (looked it up in my book for a reference) Page 299 and the ballistic performance from Page 489 put the 240gn at that velocity yields 3070fpe. So I was 63fpe out oops looks like my memories going!

[browningautorifle]

My usual bullet is the Sierra 55gr PSP- nothing fancy but extremely effective.

I've done that too, shot placement being everything...the authorities here err on the side of a poor shot and require something a little bigger to do the job I think. Some provinces want a .30 cal but the carbine is out. Others want a cartridge over a certain length so .44-40 is out...

[54bogger]

It really strikes me as odd that many people buy ar15's for home defense against 'humans' and it's said to be 'good' for that but not 'humane' for deer and to small.
Of the number of Vietnam vets I've talked with I asked them all the same question, "Did you ever hear of fellow soliders complaining that the 5.56rd was not effective on taking out the enemy?". So far none have said it wasn't effective, and I'm not talking about wounding but outright killing the enemy. I don't go along with the 5.56 was more for wounding the enemy to draw out others into open fire, that could have been done with a .22 rim fire if that was the objective.
We have a week left in our deer season so I'm gonna take the ol' SP1 out and answer this question of to small a caliber or not.

BTW- I've killed a number of deer, all but one was with a .300 weatherby magnum.

[browningautorifle]

the 5.56 was more for wounding the enemy to draw out others into open fire

That's never been the objective.

a .300 weatherby magnum.

That one's top notch for accuracy and getting the job done.

[Daan Kemp]

To put it brutally, in war you don't really care about the enemy you shot. In hunting you usually want the meat or trophy and you usually paid in some form for the hunt; if the animal isn't found soon you lose all.

[vsmith]

Have seen it done but with saying that shot placement is key and be sure to stick to nothing less then 62 grain bullet. Also be sure to check local laws, some states don't allow anything under a 24 caliber bullet.

[browningautorifle]

I know there was a more or less round nose .224 dia bullet available. I would consider that for reasonable use in this. Like I say, I've used 55 gr SP but would rather use a bit bigger. I've used lots of different, including 405 gr 45-70 and still been effective.

[jmoore]

I've thought this too. The conclusion I came to is we don't want an animal to suffer more then is necessary so bigger is somehow better at dispatching a deer in people's mind. ....

I suppose, but a 16" 5.56 carbine puts deer down about like a .308. The 20" barreled rifle usually results in a DRT deer when the bullet "explodes" the lungs. And I've had success from about every angle. Shoulders, ribs, femurs haven't been a problem. Stupid effective. Wouldn't believe it had I not done it so many times.

Started with Nosler Partitiions. They work fine. So do the Winchester 64gr PPs. But the Sierra 55 grainers are the bomb.

I used to be in the "not enough gun" for deer camp. No longer.