.223 good for deer?

[armedtotheteeth]

Thanks for the feedback Wpexpert. I expect many :barf: comments, dry heaves perhaps, but I did warn about the Pic. I did a thread years ago.. "Smashedhead syndrome" that was pretty much the same thing, but with a Armalite Ar 30 300 Win mag. It makes as big of a mess. I got lots of nasty comments about that one. That is why i really didnt want to post that pic. I did it to show those that are ok with viewing it, a 223 will do the job. Yes, the 223, with the correct ammunition in it, leaves very devastating holes in game. This aint your grandpas 223 bullet.

[wpcexpert]

I went and found the thread you said. Insane damage with that 300. I've never taken a head shot. I'm about 95% bow hunter. From WV and never had open country to hunt. I've been stationed in SC and AR. Never any private land to really get on. So me and the bow whack and stack. I have run a 100gr Grim Reaper Broadhead down the ear hole of a doe at 25yds. She yelled/groaned and fell over. I shot a doe in the neck at 125 with a 7mm Mag loaded for Moose (175gr) last year. Went thru the spine. Left a softball sized hole on the other side.

Awesome Brother. There are always going to be folks that don't approve. But I'm usually against the grain in these kind of settings. I've said it before, if you are confident in your equipment and abilities, do it.

For those of you that haven't seen the thread search Smashed Head Syndrome. Graphic Pics

[Yithian]

It took me testing out various bullets, and unsuccessful pig hunts, to determine that the V-MAX was no ordinary varmint bullet. All other ballistic varmint bullets I tested resulted very much as most here have warned against. Wounded animals that ran away and suffered.
I went down a long road to forgive myself (ATTT's family had to come to my work to thank me for killing pigs whether I harvested them or not. BIG varmints)
...and eventually found the perfect surgical bullet.

I call it surgical because I can hunt for animals within the confines of an active ranch and livestock. There is no fear of ricochettes or follow-throughs.
The V-Max does indeed disintegrate within the animal it hits.
But what sets it apart, from even Sierra Blitzkings, is that the projectile does not actually explode until it is inside the animal. Inside by one to two inches.

I have used V-MAXs from the lightest .204 caliber, to the .308, 110 gr.
All performed excellent.

The .308 110gr will actually do far more damage than is needed.
I hit "Egg with Legs", a very large and rotund sow, behind the shoulder and it turned a 9 inch length of her spine into splinters. That was 6 inches of bone and muscle, then spine, and then some of the other side.
I shot a skunk with it and the skunk vaporized. The entire skunk.

So, is the .224 bullet enough for deer?
Yes.
Is the V-MAX my recommended bullet to use on deer?
Yes.
Do I recommend head shots with the V-MAX?
Always.
Even if you miss the brain, the bullet will still explode on contact and knock the animal down. It will shatter skulls, and remove entire necks.
As you can see from ATTT's pic, if you hit the skull, the skull becomes its own bowl of soup.
If somehow you miss, the animal runs away with either a scratch, or nothing.
And, the bullet still disintegrates on the first thing it hits. Most often, dirt.

I never recommend using any bullet to shoot uphill. Or if livestock is directly behind your target.
Remember, the V-MAX must hit something to explode on, before it reaches valuable property.

[armedtotheteeth]

Crap, should have let that thread die. Why did I open my big durn mouth?

[butta9999]

That deer's head is no bigger than a kangaroos head. I shoot roos with my .22 through the eye balls.

[armedtotheteeth]

Thats what I did with this one.