SWheeler
Good to hear your wife had success with the .223/5.56 hunting deer. Growing up in Texas, the smaller Boolits and Rifle cases were pretty well "Verboten" for hunting anything except Rabbits and Crows. If memory serves me right, the .243 was about the smallest center fire allowed for Hunting. Despite these views held by the Game Wardens and State of Texas back then; I did have a bit of success in the Wind Rows of the Panhandle using the 55Gr. commercial .223 round while hunting Turkey in the mid 70's using my Remington 40X and a 6 Power scope at distances of 150 to 200 yards. Neck and Head shots not body shots; I would say I was running about a 60% shot success ratio. Still have that rifle in the Safe, and it will still put 10 rounds into a group the size of my small finger nail using high quality ammo or tailored reloads; but it is just to heavy to lug around.
It is interesting that we allow and even advocate the use of small caliber, high velocity rounds against personnel by the military and police; but frown on the same for game and in some cases predators and vermin.
Mustang