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From: cassman@athena.mit.edu (Baby Killer)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: .223 to little for deer, but big enough for people?
Message-ID: <554@erb1.engr.wisc.edu>
Date: 18 Apr 91 11:33:34 GMT
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tas@sat.datapoint.com (Tom Stewart) writes:
# Although I've thought about taking it deer hunting here in the Texas
# Hill Country and along the Gulf Coast I've never done so.  All the
# statements about "a .223 is too little to kill a deer" have had
# something to do with not using it.  However, I haven't really ever
# understood why a .223 is big enough for the military to shoot at
# 200+ pound warriors in a battle but not big enough for a 50-130 pound
# deer at rest.  Obviously, an M16 is gonna push several rounds at
# a single man, but I don't believe all of them are expected to hit.

# If anyone would care to express an educated (or not so educated)
# opinion on why 55-65 gr. bullets work on people but not whitetails
# I'd appreciate it.

The .223 is generally not suitable for deer because the cartridge is
 insufficient for causing a reasonably quick kill for medium-sized
game (deer). The light 55-65 gr. bullets do not penetrate as far as
heavier bullets, and the wound channel caused by the small-diameter
bullet is relatively small.

The .223 is fine for Wounding soldiers. If medical attention is not
fast enough, the soldier will die if anything vital has been hit.
Also, it takes more than twice as many people to treat and care for
a wounded soldier as it does to bury a dead soldier; consequently,
clean and quick kills are not a big concern for the military.

Clean and quick kills are a concern for hunters that hate to wound
animals and cause them unnecessary suffering. A .223 could kill a
deer, but there are more humane choices for those whose shooting
skills are less than expert.

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- I was gambling in Havana
- I took a litte risk
- Send lawyers, guns, and money
- Dad, get me out of this
----- Warren Zevon
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