Winchester deer season. .223 any experience.

[FirstBubba]

I do have a .223 Wylde. Not because I like the 5.56/.223, but because of the ammo availability. I had a lower and found a heavy BCA Wylde barrel for $58! Ergo, I now have a .223 Wylde!
i suppose I'd deer hunt with it if the need arose.

[Old_Sarge]

When I use my AR-15 I usually tote the 6.5 Grendel out to the woods but the shortage of ammo made me switch on over to my AR-15 with the 223 Wylde chambering. It still manages to get the job done with the right ammo and good shot placement.

[FirstBubba]

I used the Winchester deer season XP 64gr to kill a big doe this past deer season. Shot her at about 60 yards and dropped her. She didn’t take another step. I was shocked that it punched through and through like it did. I think next season I will try to find some of the 70gr Nosler accubond or 75gr swift scirocco II for deer hunting needs. If I can’t find that stuff then the Winchester deer season will be my go to if I end up using my AR-15 to hunt with again.

Sure glad to see somebody besides me hunting with an AR! 😃
Only difference is I shoot a 6.8mm but i shoot 90 Gold Dot handloads..
Light tote, low recoil, dead deer....and hogs!

[Milldawg]

I used the Winchester deer season XP 64gr to kill a big doe this past deer season. Shot her at about 60 yards and dropped her. She didn’t take another step. I was shocked that it punched through and through like it did. I think next season I will try to find some of the 70gr Nosler accubond or 75gr swift scirocco II for deer hunting needs. If I can’t find that stuff then the Winchester deer season will be my go to if I end up using my AR-15 to hunt with again.

Thanks for the info!

[Old_Sarge]

I used the Winchester deer season XP 64gr to kill a big doe this past deer season. Shot her at about 60 yards and dropped her. She didn’t take another step. I was shocked that it punched through and through like it did. I think next season I will try to find some of the 70gr Nosler accubond or 75gr swift scirocco II for deer hunting needs. If I can’t find that stuff then the Winchester deer season will be my go to if I end up using my AR-15 to hunt with again.

[Milldawg]

I’m starting to think this guy is doing you a favor by not taking you up on the offer. He sounds like the type that doesn’t take care of other people’s stuff. Since you won’t actually be with him it’s likely things would go south, either with a messed up rifle or having to get it back.

Bad deal all the way around but kudos for trying to be a thoughtful F-i-L.

As Bubba pointed out I’m going to have let him learn the hard way! Hard head make for a soft ass!

[Milldawg]

I like your style milldawg ! Don’t change a thing!!

Thank you sir.

[Milldawg]

Don't know how old this young man is, but you say he's your s-i-l.
So the boy IS out of diapers.
With all due respect 'dawg, at some point, you gotta quit holding their hand.
Hopefully, if your worst fears are realized and he loses a deer due to poor shot placement or lack of firepower, he will rethink his choices.
Just food for thought.

You are correct sir.

[DakotaMan]

Loaded some 110 grain V-MAX for my 6.8mm. I was out of Sierra 90 grain HP's and that's all I could get my hands on.
Killed one pig and one deer. Both one shot kills.
...and it even said on the box they were suggested for varmints.

For sure Bubba. A 110g 6.8mm actually has twice the mass of the .224 version and will work in a pinch. I shoot the .223 50g VMAX at 3450 fps for varmints. It will go about half way through a fox's chest at 200 yards. That was what I used on the antelope and it penetrated 1/4".

[fitch270]

From DakotaMan: ".... I suspect the NBT will do the job but it doesn't have nearly the penetration power of the Partition bullet. The NBT really does the job in a .308 but the .224 version is going faster and the polymer tip causes it to expand real fast."

Seven deer and two hogs would beg to differ, sir. LOL

If they could, lol!

[Ernie]

Actual performance on tissue is the best determining factor.

[FirstBubba]

Son in law wants to use his ar-15 for deer season. He bought the deer season ammo any experience anyone. I offered him my back up 25-06 rem 700 with vx3i but he wants to use his rifle. I think he’s going to find a 400 dollars ar and a Chineseum Amazon scope is going to be a lacking combination. Anyways he will learn the hard way.

Don't know how old this young man is, but you say he's your s-i-l.
So the boy IS out of diapers.
With all due respect 'dawg, at some point, you gotta quit holding their hand.
Hopefully, if your worst fears are realized and he loses a deer due to poor shot placement or lack of firepower, he will rethink his choices.
Just food for thought.

[crm3006]

From DakotaMan: ".... I suspect the NBT will do the job but it doesn't have nearly the penetration power of the Partition bullet. The NBT really does the job in a .308 but the .224 version is going faster and the polymer tip causes it to expand real fast."

Seven deer and two hogs would beg to differ, sir. LOL

[FirstBubba]

Good comment CRM but I have to mention... the VMAX bullet is a highly frangible (i.e. disintegrates when it hits a grape) bullet. Not likely to go through the hide of an adult deer. I suspect the NBT will do the job but it doesn't have nearly the penetration power of the Partition bullet. The NBT really does the job in a .308 but the .224 version is going faster and the polymer tip causes it to expand real fast.

Loaded some 110 grain V-MAX for my 6.8mm. I was out of Sierra 90 grain HP's and that's all I could get my hands on.
Killed one pig and one deer. Both one shot kills.
...and it even said on the box they were suggested for varmints.

[DakotaMan]

I have killed a lot of deer with a .30-'06. I favor heart or shoulder shots, but a shoulder, though a sure knock down, ruins a lot of meat. I've killed a lot of deer with a .25-06, and the only difference I can tell in the knock down or bang-flop, is that I can generally hear the .30 hit, and rarely hear the .25 hit. I can tell by the sound of a bullet hitting whether it hit bone, meat, or solid bone.
That being said, this year I moved down to a .22-250. With the 55 gr. Nosler Ballistic tips, every deer and pig went down like they were hit by a ton of bricks. Two of the heart shots ran, but only a short distance.
To reiterate much of what has already been written, it ain't the size of the bullet, but where that bullet hits. I hope that the young man will use a good NBT, VMax, or some other suitable bullet, and put it where it counts.

Good comment CRM but I have to mention... the VMAX bullet is a highly frangible (i.e. disintegrates when it hits a grape) bullet. Not likely to go through the hide of an adult deer. I suspect the NBT will do the job but it doesn't have nearly the penetration power of the Partition bullet. The NBT really does the job in a .308 but the .224 version is going faster and the polymer tip causes it to expand real fast.