frizzellr

NO!

1mile50

I agree. But this 6x45mm (6/223) with a 100 grain R.N. at 2200fps or so is O.K. But there are still much better cartridges available for deer.

Briman

If you are even considering a Mini-14 and are looking at the .223 mainly for cheap shooting, then take a look at a SKS. They are dead reliable and shoot very cheap ammo.

HighDesertWolf

I beg to differ.........
I've killed a couple whitetails with no problems with a .223, just most states have a 60 grain or heavier rule for bullet weight and also I wouldnt recommend using a .223 on a deer any further then 100 yards. But yes it will kill a deer, The only problem with the .223 is that it is a lower powered cartridge asfar as deer hunting goes so shot placement is vital for a clean kill so under most circustances and if you are not sure of your marksmanship then I would say dont use it.

1mile50

Thank you. After I bought the blue Mini, it was a love/hate relationship. Reliable and handy, the Mini-14 was of course very inaccurate. I read an article in a gun rag while in my barbershop waiting for a haircut, back in '96. It was about a company called Accuracy Rifle Systems. They accuratize Mini 14s and Mini-30s. You can get a Mini 14 rebarreled in .223, 6/223, or .222. You can get a Mini-30 in 7.62 x 39mm with a .310 bore or a .308 bore, but you have to shoot one or the other projectile. Or you can get your Mini 30 rebarreled in a .22 or 6mm PPC chambering.
I don't know what Tim is charging these days. I paid $333 for the .223 conversion in '96, plus the drop in target trigger group was around $80, it was available a year or 2 later. The rifle was wearing a Vari XIII 8.5-25x40mm in that photo, but that never worked out, the ejecting brass would bump the cap on the windage turret. I put that 8-25 on my Savage Model 10FLP and put back the VariX II 4-12x40mm AO that was on the rifle at the start. The rings are Ruger style Burris Signature rings, no longer made. The stock is a Ramline, weighted with lead shot to balance the heavy barrel.
How does it shoot? You wouldn't believe me if I posted it. It shoots so well, I turned around and had the 2nd Mini converted, the SS in 6x45mm. The 6x45 is not as accurate. The best I have gotten the 6x45mm to do is .75 MOA, and usually I get 1 to 1.25 MOA.
When I got my Bushmaster and was getting much needed advice from the AR-15.com board, those guys would hoot and holler over my Minis, "Like hopping up a Vega" they would like to say. It's true, for practicality an AR is better to trick out. But there was an AR shooter with his AR all set up for the matches out at the range, laughing at that blue Mini until we walked down range and compared targets. When we got back, he packed it all up and took it down the road! He who has the last laugh and all that. Bottom line, I don't regret it, as I like having something different. But it is a dead end, you can't free float the barrel and you have got that op rod and all slamming back and forth every shot, never locking into battery the same way every time.

frizzellr

Differ all you want, but he asked if 223 was good for deer, not if it would kill deer under ideal conditions.

USMC PMI

.223 can kill deer but shot placement becomes more important in a smaller caliber like this. I personally have seen a few deer killed with a .223, they were well placed shots which effectively killed the deer quickly. I wouldn't say it was ideal for whitetail but is effective if used with care.