Norma whitetail .223
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1000kilograhams
Member
New member here so morning all, popped an introduction in yesterday and hope you've all had a good Christmas 
Found this via the search bar and to avoid a new topic I thought I'd bring this back up as there were no replies for this chap.
I am also interested in basically this exact scenario.
I have some muntjac who are a bit too keen and my only centre fire (rifle at least) is a .223 T3X, 20" 1:8 with a stallion on the end. Been feeding it mil surp 5.56 for paper, but given it's FMJ it's not ideal (maybe not even legal? Need to read up a little) here.
I always appreciate that pest control and culls are essential for the species' good as much as ours, and I also appreciate the massive majority of people I've met and seen from lurking here over the past couple of years have respectable morales, but I am on the more extreme end of the spectrum of absolutely needing to do this ethically. I put my time in at the range, off sticks and bipod and off-hand, I'm patient and I want to ensure my hardwear is appropriate.
Some say they drop like a stone and some say they can be hard bastards, especially the bigger bodied fellers, so if I need to suffer a variation and get a .243 or jump to a 6.5 then so be it and I respect you folks' experience.
Thanks for your time and happy new year
Found this via the search bar and to avoid a new topic I thought I'd bring this back up as there were no replies for this chap.
I am also interested in basically this exact scenario.
I have some muntjac who are a bit too keen and my only centre fire (rifle at least) is a .223 T3X, 20" 1:8 with a stallion on the end. Been feeding it mil surp 5.56 for paper, but given it's FMJ it's not ideal (maybe not even legal? Need to read up a little) here.
I always appreciate that pest control and culls are essential for the species' good as much as ours, and I also appreciate the massive majority of people I've met and seen from lurking here over the past couple of years have respectable morales, but I am on the more extreme end of the spectrum of absolutely needing to do this ethically. I put my time in at the range, off sticks and bipod and off-hand, I'm patient and I want to ensure my hardwear is appropriate.
Some say they drop like a stone and some say they can be hard bastards, especially the bigger bodied fellers, so if I need to suffer a variation and get a .243 or jump to a 6.5 then so be it and I respect you folks' experience.
Thanks for your time and happy new year
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
@1000kilograhams A .223 is just fine for small deer. Feed it a hunting round, SP, or if head/neck shooting, I like 60 grain Vmax homeloads.
Plenty of hunters overseas use the .223 for larger deer.
Plenty of hunters overseas use the .223 for larger deer.
.223 is fine but ethically, get a guide/mentor and do a couple of stalks so you can see the difference between shooting a live animal and paper. Especially muntjac which rarely stop moving so less room for error.
nf-fuse
Well-Known Member
No fmj aren't legal for deer in the UK.New member here so morning all, popped an introduction in yesterday and hope you've all had a good Christmas
Found this via the search bar and to avoid a new topic I thought I'd bring this back up as there were no replies for this chap.
I am also interested in basically this exact scenario.
I have some muntjac who are a bit too keen and my only centre fire (rifle at least) is a .223 T3X, 20" 1:8 with a stallion on the end. Been feeding it mil surp 5.56 for paper, but given it's FMJ it's not ideal (maybe not even legal? Need to read up a little) here.
I always appreciate that pest control and culls are essential for the species' good as much as ours, and I also appreciate the massive majority of people I've met and seen from lurking here over the past couple of years have respectable morales, but I am on the more extreme end of the spectrum of absolutely needing to do this ethically. I put my time in at the range, off sticks and bipod and off-hand, I'm patient and I want to ensure my hardwear is appropriate.
Some say they drop like a stone and some say they can be hard bastards, especially the bigger bodied fellers, so if I need to suffer a variation and get a .243 or jump to a 6.5 then so be it and I respect you folks' experience.
Thanks for your time and happy new year
A soft point deer round like the white tail is ideal for muntjac. 0.223 is fine.
Yes I would put in for a variation if you want to take other species.
Norma .223 whitetail is great on the muntjac. Not too much damage. .223 is a great cartridge for munties
shot lots of munties with .222 50 gr
1000kilograhams
Member
Appreciate the responses, thank you
Definitely won't be on my own initially but I do appreciate the concern, thank you. Like you mentioned they just don't seem to stop, so it'll be an adjustment for sure...
I bag some smaller stuff with my .22 and smaller again with the air rifles, but of course it's not the same. Been reading up on anatomy and shot placement and whatnot too.
We mainly see muntjac here, roe pass through but are quite rare and don't seem to hang around. If the 223 with a good soft point then that'll do me for the moment. Some of the calibre laws for England still seem odd, but that's no surprise I guess... I'll crack on with a variation if things evolve.
Always good to get a second/third/fourth opinion and this is certainly the right place to get them, so I appreciate you folks time answering.
Definitely won't be on my own initially but I do appreciate the concern, thank you. Like you mentioned they just don't seem to stop, so it'll be an adjustment for sure...
I bag some smaller stuff with my .22 and smaller again with the air rifles, but of course it's not the same. Been reading up on anatomy and shot placement and whatnot too.
We mainly see muntjac here, roe pass through but are quite rare and don't seem to hang around. If the 223 with a good soft point then that'll do me for the moment. Some of the calibre laws for England still seem odd, but that's no surprise I guess... I'll crack on with a variation if things evolve.
Always good to get a second/third/fourth opinion and this is certainly the right place to get them, so I appreciate you folks time answering.
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Stalker-of-the-deer
Well-Known Member
Main tip with muntjac is dont worry too much about "the stalk" if you bump one dont worry. You will see another one soon enough.
Just move quietly but normally through your ground down wind and you will be fine.
Snap shooting is a good skill, I keep mine on a low mag so I can aquire it fast and squeeze the trigger. But that comes with practice and time
Just move quietly but normally through your ground down wind and you will be fine.
Snap shooting is a good skill, I keep mine on a low mag so I can aquire it fast and squeeze the trigger. But that comes with practice and time
1000kilograhams
Member
Appreciate that, thank you, that's actually a good confidence boost.
They're pretty abundant so I'm sure you're right, but I was still a bit worried about being a clown and spooking one, but live and learn I suppose
They're pretty abundant so I'm sure you're right, but I was still a bit worried about being a clown and spooking one, but live and learn I suppose
Stalker-of-the-deer
Well-Known Member
Yea wouldnt worry about it.Appreciate that, thank you, that's actually a good confidence boost.
They're pretty abundant so I'm sure you're right, but I was still a bit worried about being a clown and spooking one, but live and learn I suppose
Personally I just put the round through the front end. Theres not much on the front anyway so gives you a good sized target aswell.
Unless a headshot presents its self at sub 50m which is quite rare
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