[riddleofsteel]

OH the great debate.
It never ceases to amaze me how folks will advocate the .223 as the ultimate battle cartridge for 150 + lb. humans dress in battle gear but will not accept thte same performance on a 75 to 100 lb. deer running naked.
Varmit size cartridges with well designed fast bullets will kill deer like hot lighting with a well placed shoot. With a poorly placed shoot there is no future in anything more powerful or larger caliber.
I, myself, mainly use the 6.5 X 55 or the 25-06 for deer but I have cleanly killed deer with rounds as anemic as the .22 LR (behind the ear) and as powerful as a .60 muzzle loader at 15 yards (chest shot). Both deer dropped on the spot.
This brings to mind the writings of a Christain missionary to the Cree Indians of northern Canada. The folks hunted caribou twice a year when the great herds passed thru their territory. You can be sure a cartridge or a weapon that did not perform would not last long. We are talking survival food here. Their favorite weapon for these 400 to 500 lb animals was the Ruger Mini-14 in .223.

Perhaps the question here is not;

"Is the .223 good enough for eastern deer?"

But;

"Why would I intentionally use a .223 for eastern deer when there are so many better cartridges?"