Is it ethical to hunt deer with a 223 or 5.56x45mm

[BigMoose]

I use 5.56 for hogs, (as well as 30 carbine, and 7.62x51). I can offer some observations.

The group I hunt with only allows 5.56 with 20 inch barrels using 62 grain and heavier stuff.

Why? That is the issue with 5.56/223.
55 grainers using a 16 inch barrel. Very much a "peashooter" level, NOT suited for hogs (or deer)
62 grainers using a 20 inch barrel. Different level of power

I personally use 223 Remington, 64 Grain WInchester Silvertips... these work great on hogs.

But that is the issue with 5.56. Unlike a lot of other calibers, 5.56 is fired out of a wildly varying barrel lengths, with wildly varying twists and bullet weights. it makes it hard to quantify in legal terms..

Now 30 carbine. Do not discount it. The Hornady 30 Carbine 110 GR FTX Critical Defense... Hornady made this cartridge a hog slayer. I have an M1 carbine I use this load in, it slams the piggers down good.

 

[two70]

I use 5.56 for hogs, (as well as 30 carbine, and 7.62x51). I can offer some observations.

The group I hunt with only allows 5.56 with 20 inch barrels using 62 grain and heavier stuff.

Why? That is the issue with 5.56/223.
55 grainers using a 16 inch barrel. Very much a "peashooter" level, NOT suited for hogs (or deer)
62 grainers using a 20 inch barrel. Different level of power

I personally use 223 Remington, 64 Grain WInchester Silvertips... these work great on hogs.

But that is the issue with 5.56. Unlike a lot of other calibers, 5.56 is fired out of a wildly varying barrel lengths, with wildly varying twists and bullet weights. it makes it hard to quantify in legal terms..

Now 30 carbine. Do not discount it. The Hornady 30 Carbine 110 GR FTX Critical Defense... Hornady made this cartridge a hog slayer. I have an M1 carbine I use this load in, it slams the piggers down good.

I've killed two mature boars with live weights over 200 lbs. both shot in roughly the same area where the back of the skull joins the spine. One was shot with 50 grain TSX from a .223 and the other was shot with 140 grain Fusion from a 6.5 PRC.

The 50 grain TSX shattered the spine and exited the far side leaving a more than respectable exit wound. The 140 grain Fusion essentially exploded and failed to penetrate more than half way through the head/neck. I'm convinced that I'd have had a real good chance of losing the boar I shot with the 6.5 if I had tried a heart/lung shot with it. Bullet selection matters at least as much as caliber.

 

[BigMoose]

I've killed two mature boars with live weights over 200 lbs. both shot in roughly the same area where the back of the skull joins the spine. One was shot with 50 grain TSX from a .223 and the other was shot with 140 grain Fusion from a 6.5 PRC.

The 50 grain TSX shattered the spine and exited the far side leaving a more than respectable exit wound. The 140 grain Fusion essentially exploded and failed to penetrate more than half way through the head/neck. I'm convinced that I'd have had a real good chance of losing the boar I shot with the 6.5 if I had tried a heart/lung shot with it. Bullet selection matters at least as much as caliber.

I have never heard of the 50 grain TSX but it sounds like a special hot load. My comments were mostly aimed at run of the mill 55 grain soft points.

Ether way, the 20 inch rifle gives you more from anything you use.. over the carbine or mid length stuff.

 

[two70]

I have never heard of the 50 grain TSX but it sounds like a special hot load. My comments were mostly aimed at run of the mill 55 grain soft points.

Ether way, the 20 inch rifle gives you more from anything you use.. over the carbine or mid length stuff.

My comment was meant to be more along the lines of a bigger caliber is not always better than a bullet comparison within the same caliber. I only replied to your comment because you were talking about shooting hogs and gave me a good opening to tell my own hog stories. The 50 grain Barnes TSX is a solid copper bullet so it performs like the 64 grain soft points you recommended, its just a little bit tougher. I did use a 16" barrel for convenience but with that bullet and load it is probably really close to a heavier bullet from a 20" barrel.