Would You Trust A 6.8 *Significantly* More Than 223 On Deer?

[Boomerang]

Just like a razor sharp arrow slicing a double lung shot, the deer will go down fast. The .224 diameter bullet is great for deer. Obviously shot placement is key with bullets and arrows. A ballistic tip into the lungs takes deer down fast. A bullet that does not explode or expand on thin deer hide will just punch a hole and it takes longer for deer to drop. A larger caliber benefits from hitting muscle and bone in the shoulder to expand, then damages the vitals. A small 40 grain polymer tip in the lungs for deer will do the trick, but several test shows a 50 grain is quicker in the kill. A 55 grain FMJ will tumble and have had mixed results. Some drop in their tracks, others run 100 yards. With a .224 diameter on deer I've found the polymer tip loads using 50 grains or more is the shot placement.

[TxAg]

I've shot 6 or 7 deer with a 223 in the last 2 years using the barnes tsx 55 gr. Two bucks and the rest does. It kills them and I'd use it again but blood trails are non existant. There is definitely a difference in damage from a 223 and say a 270. Your shots need to be accurate. Inpreferred quartering shots so i got lungs and broke a shoulder.

[Colton]

I think the 6.8 is a great deer and pig caliber! I've killed several deer and pigs with mine, all 1 shot kills with the majority of them dropping in their tracks, the others didn't make it past 20 yards. Definitely a step above 223 in my opinion

[gumbl3]

223 kills em just fine

[TxAg]

Might be helpful

http://www.ammoland.com/2014/07/6-8-remington-spc-round/#axzz4H1MyjSrL

[Double-O-Dave]

I only have a single data point to provide with regards to 5.56mm performance on deer: I shot this little button buck this January in Uvalde, TX with my Colt AR-15. I was using Winchester JSP 64 gr. ammo. I shot the deer at 100 yds. distance. My shooting position in the blind was very awkward, I had to shoot standing, off-hand, and had to turn the rifle almost 90 degrees to get the crosshairs on him. I was actually aiming for his left front shoulder, but the crosshairs were more of an "X" on him due to my odd position. As you can see from the photo, my shot actually took him higher and to the right than where I intended to hit him. Performance was excellent. He went down like the Hammer of Thor hit him, shook his leg a few times and was done. DRT. That being said, I would have preferred to have shot him with my .308 Savage 99, but the rules only allowed one rifle in the blind, and I was actually expecting to shoot varmints. There was a single entrance, but no exit wound. The bullet jacket separated and I found pieces of it touching the inside of the hide on his opposite side.

That being said, I just completed mating a PSA lower with a PSA upper in 6.8SPC-II that I hope to use this fall for hog and deer hunting. I am impressed with the ballistics of the 6.8SPC round on paper, and hope the hunting performance is good, and much better than the 5.56mm round.

Good luck,

Dave

[MisterSanders]

Shot a WT doe @ 150 and axis @ 75 with my 6.8 last year. Didn't go far.

[bbqfan5909]

My 6.8 has done work and very accurate with ARP barrel.

[miket]

I've never shot a deer with anything smaller than a 6mm, so I just don't have experienced confidence in the .223 caliber yet. I know LOTS of guys do it, and I'm planning to this year, but I thought I'd let you guys weigh in on this.

I'm going to be using 62-64 grain (TSX or solid copper) ammo when I hunt with my 223, but have been debating building a 6.8 upper to hunt with instead, just to step up the size a bit. If there's a HUGE benefit of stepping up to 6.8, I'm going to hurry up and get an upper built in time to get comfortable with before rifle season. If there's not a tremendous benefit over the 223, I'll take my time.

So what do you guys think? Rush to build the 6.8, or take it easy and throw some 223 at deer this year?

As many others have stated 223 is fine with correct shot placement and bullet. But I would definitely go 6.8spc. It IS a HUGE step up. The damage and penetration is much more extensive, there really is no comparison.

I know I will step on some toes but unless you are going suppressed there IMO is no point in even considering the 300BO. Its ballistics are inferior to the 6.8 in every way aside from the option of suppressing it. I dont have a suppressor so it is ( at this time ) useless to me when I have 6.8's.

[softpoint]

.223 kills deer just fine. As always, bullet placement is more important than caliber. Some of us right here on TBH even poke them with sticks and kill 'em....

[Witchgrass]

Use the right projectiles shoot it in the right place.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Exactly. I put it right in the ear.

[Artos]

6.8 is an awesome whitetail round & superior to the 223 for this application...larger pigs should still be ear holed.

[duckman49]

I love my 6.8!!!!!

[bboswell]

As many others have stated 223 is fine with correct shot placement and bullet. But I would definitely go 6.8spc. It IS a HUGE step up. The damage and penetration is much more extensive, there really is no comparison.

I know I will step on some toes but unless you are going suppressed there IMO is no point in even considering the 300BO. Its ballistics are inferior to the 6.8 in every way aside from the option of suppressing it. I dont have a suppressor so it is ( at this time ) useless to me when I have 6.8's.

Exactly

[H-D]

Deer are gravy for a 6.8