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apache12

223 for Coues?

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I have three young boys 14,12, and 7 and I have little Savage 223 bolt that they love shooting and they're accurate and comfortable. I have larger caliber rilfes and they can shoot them especially my 14 year old, but the 12 year old want to hunt the 223 if he gets a Coues tag this fall. If I keep him under 300 better yet under 200, and the shot is in the kill zone can I be condfident of a good kill?

If so, any bullet suggestion, I dont hand load?

Does anyone hunt with a 223 already?

I don't mean head shot or neck shot for good shot.

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If you stay under 200 yards and use a good bullet (id use a TSX), then go for it. BUT, keep in mind it wont have the power or energy to make those steep angling shots.

 

I would step up to a .243, or similar. My little brother (14 at the time) is smallish, tall and skinny. He used my 257 weatherby no problems, and has shot my 270 with no problems.

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Be very careful, you want to have or make it a good experience specially for your kids. Follow Caseys advice on steping up to a 243, buy one or borrow one.

 

If you decide to use the 223 keep it under 200 yards. No frontal or angle shots. Completly broadside and just tight behind the shoulder. No runing shots, concentrate and make the very first shot count and then be ready for a follow up shot if necessary.

 

The 223 does not have the "power shock" of bigger bullets, there fore the buck will run or walk for 100 yards or so before expiring, keep an aye on it dont loose it.

 

Best of luck on the draw and on your future hunts, with all those kids you have is going to be expensive to hunt :) Thanks and take care........Ernesto C

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You can use a 223. Some will say you shouldn't, and there may be 'better' choices out there for some. We have a 223 and have had good results with it on our Coues hunts.

 

My wife harvest her first Coues deer with our Savage 223. Since then, I have taken a couple more. All three were one shot kills. One was broadside, one quartering away, and one quartering to. Range of 75 yards to 220 yards. All three traveled less than 50 yards before expiring. We really feel confident shooting really well with that rifle and round. Shot placement is always important regardless of caliber.

 

We use Federal Premium 60 gain w/ Nosler Parition. We have gotten great accuracy out of this round along with really good penetration and solid results. We have the rifle sighted in at 200 yards.

 

I will try and dig up some field photos of entry and exits wounds if you would like.

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any reasonable rifle is good enough for deer. the only variable is if you are good enough. i love my 223, but i'd rather have something with a little more thump to it for a deer. i think the 243 is perfect for kids. Lark.

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the 223 will do the job for sure, i was using that with some federals, i think they were vital shocks,not sure but they were a sotfpoint, 55 grain, and killed my mounatin lion at 397 no problem, the first shot did the job but i put a followup in it to drop it where it was biting at the hold in its shoulder.

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I emailed Hornady and asked about the round they'd recommend for a Coues under 300. They said thier new Superperformance at 53 grain would be a great round. I agree with everyone the said a bigger 243 makes more sense and someday I'd like ot own a 243 but I may just give it a try with the 223 this year if the shot presents itself at around 200. Having said that I've haven't seen to may Coues at 200 on my hunts. I'm sure I'll change my mind three or four times before the hunt, but that's half the fun. Thanks for your opinions everyone.

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I helped a kid on a buffalo hunt, and used a 223... all he could shoot. (Think 12 year old Rain-Man, literally) Buffalo went less than 30 yards and I assure you was VERY dead. Not the bang-flop normally produced on Coues, more like a flinch, a short walk, and then he did the "Curly Shuffle".

 

Shoot a coues where it lives with a 223, and it will do the same. Shoot it poorly and you're gonna lose it. That 64 grain power point causes MORE internal damage than you can imagine... and the price is right so you can practice up with those kids. I haven't seen anything shot with them make it more than 10 yards, and that's the exception. Also easy for kids and adults alike to shoot a 223 accurately... VERY accurately.

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checkout nosler parition or barnes tsx my bro uses 223 w/TSX bullets on couesdeer out to 300yd barnes tsx has 53gr,55gr,62gr,70gr fr rifle twist both are little expensive but well worth it if u gona go w/the 233 go w/a premium bullet.. http://www.natchezss.com/images/products/FAP223S.jpg

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I went through the same thing with my daughter,and son.I had built a 223 rifle on a contenter frame.Single shot,have to pull the hammer back,ect. perfect!!The kids both killed pigs,and whitetails with it.Stay toward the heavier bullets-55Gr. on up,and shoot them in the chest.They moved up to a 243 at about 13,and killed 3 or 4 elk with 1 shot apiece.Good Luck,and let us know how they did.

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I have been debating bringing my scoped AR on a coues hunt loaded with 75gr BTHP bullets. I figure if it works okay on a 150lb man at extended ranges, there should be no problem on a coues deer within a few hundred yards as long as I get some decent shot placement.

 

My buddy's dad brought a scoped Mini 14 on the coues hunt last year and had a bedded down 3x4 within a hundred yards of his location for at least an hour. If only he hadn't left the rifle across the canyon. :lol:

 

Edit: I was fully ready to use an AR on a mule deer if I got drawn for a hunt up on the Rim back when I first started putting in for tags. The accuracy and fast followup shots are tough to beat.

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I went through the same thing with my daughter,and son.I had built a 223 rifle on a contenter frame.Single shot,have to pull the hammer back,ect. perfect!!The kids both killed pigs,and whitetails with it.Stay toward the heavier bullets-55Gr. on up,and shoot them in the chest.They moved up to a 243 at about 13,and killed 3 or 4 elk with 1 shot apiece.Good Luck,and let us know how they did.

 

 

Interesting post on the 243 for elk. Was it Cow hunt? My 14 year old has a cow tag I think he'll use my 270 but I had thought about getting a 243 but thought it was to light for elk. How far was the shot?

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