General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: One Photograph, Two Bullets, And 26 Reasons We Need To Take Action For Newtown, Connecticut [View all]farminator3000
(2,117 posts)The .223 Rem. is legal for deer hunting in a lot of states, and has proven to be effective when proper bullets are used. The down side to the .223 Rem. is not velocity or bullet diameter; a .243 Win. is no faster, and its bullet is only .02 inches wider in diameter. (That's a difference of less than the thickness of your credit card.) Bullet weight is the .223's weakness. Because most bullets shed weight as they expand and penetrate, bullet expansion combined with weight loss limits penetration. For .22 caliber bullets to be effective on deer, they need to expand wide so they can maximize tissue destruction, but they also need to maintain their weight so they can drive deep.
http://www.huntingclub.com/magazine/articles/articletype/articleview/articleid/13457/is-the-223-rem-deadly-for-deer#.UPWhyGcYOTx