.223 and rabbits

Ya talkin' cotton tails or Jacks? CT's no meat. Jacks, possible depending on the POI. We shoot a ton of rabbits, both CT's and Jacks, every year out here. For eating, CT's only, we use 22 and head shots. We go about an hour prior to sundown and can shoot 30-50 in an hour.
 
I have seen .223s blow jack rabbits in half with full metal jackets. Use an expanding bullet and it only gets worse. If you're wanting to eat the rabbits, first don't eat the Jacks, eat the Cotton Tails, and second use a .22lr or a shotgun.
 
My .223 totally messes up jacks and cottontails... but since I'm shooting them for bait it doesn't matter. But for meat the round is totally inappropriate.
 
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If you're wanting to eat the rabbits, first don't eat the Jacks, eat the Cotton Tails



We don't have Jacks around here. I'm curious why not eat them?
 
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They taste like sh!t!!!!!! They have to be the gamiest tasting rodent I have ever tried to eat...especially if they have been feeding on the manzanita---then they really stink and leave a bitter aftertaste in your mouth!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
I can tell you from personal experience that popping a cottontail with a 223 at 20 yards will leave no meat to speak of. Of course a leg flying 20 ft in the air at the shot should have been an indication. Pretty spectacular. Note to self............bring the single-six next time.
 
This last summer, my wife and I were enjoying a warm
summer evening, on the porch, and out hops a cottontail,
on the meadow below the house. My wife HATES rabbits,
for the damage in her garden, so when I asked for permission
to take out the bunny, she gave me a hearty, "Yes!". I
quickly ran to my AR-15 carbine, stashed inside for home
defense, grabbed a mag of 55 gr. Nosler BTs, and headed
back to the porch. Said rabbit was still grazing on the
meadow. So I locked and loaded, and took a rest off the
porch rail. 120 yards, rifle sighted 1" high at 100 yards,
and crosshairs on bottom of head. First thing is my wife
complained about not being told that this little AR-15
carbine is LOUD. She will plug her ears next time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Rabbit did a couple of flops, and then no movement. So I
head down to the meadow, to get the rabbit, and "dispose"
of it, and found 1 ear, on a strip of fur, and that was
it for the head. Skinning and cleaning would have been
a breeze, except my wife doesn't eat rabbits, especially
ones that have been dispatched in front of her. So
yes, a .223 Rem. is a fine rabbit varmint round, if one
goes for head shots. Body shots would be maximum
"red mist", but I doubt if there would be anything left
to clean.

Squeeze
 
I'm sorry, but WABBIT and 223 don't even belong in the same sentence together... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
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but WABBIT and 223 don't even belong in the same sentence together...



Oh, I wouldn't say that.

My .223 is a guaranteed wabbit death sentence.

See? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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but WABBIT and 223 don't even belong in the same sentence together...



My .223 is a guaranteed wabbit death sentence.




That's my point. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Nuttin' left but fur. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I have shot them with a 30-06 and still had meat but I shot just in front of the nose when the bunny was sitting still that rolls them right over. 44 Mag knocks them down also just hit right in the head
 
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