Has anyone ever hunted using a .223 caliber rifle?

I never have and never will. The 223 is too under powered to take big game. I wouldn't even use it for antelope, and they are really easy to kill. The smallest I would go is a 243.

I hate admitting this, but I have before. I am in a state where it is legal, and harvested a few does at short range with one. By short range I mean under 75 yards, perfect broadside shot, good rest, good softpoint. So it does work if you do your part, however there are way too many things that make it too iffy. It is undersized and underpowered to consistently harvest game of this size cleanly. Most of the available bullets in this cartridge are unsuitable, either they are designed for targets and don't expand, or are designed for varmints and don't penetrate well. Even in areas where it is legal it is not a good idea, but can work if it's what you have. Personally while I have had decent luck with it when I was younger and wanted a challenge, I would not even consider it anymore unless it was a true survival situation. As far as I know none were wounded due to very careful shot selection, but no sense in risking it.

Me?.... Yes..... Coyote, smaller hogs and varmints...... Some use it for small deer but I wont - even if it was legal in my state.....

Yes. I have taken a 150lb white tail with one. With a .223 shot placement and bullet design are everything. Taking white tail deer with a .223 is not for beginners. It's great for coyotes. A small hog... maybe. Use solids only! I've gone to a 6.8SPC for hogs.

Some states allow use of 223 (or ANY center-fire) cartridge for game,personally I feel the 223 is under-powered and not appropriate. There are many alternative cartridges like the 243 for a minimum,I like 25-06 more as a dual purpose rifle these days-having loaded for my son's first 243 deer rifle we were limiting his shots to presentation and range and the 25 is a more potent cartridge for the deer side AND varmints. I suggest 270 and 7mm-08 as near perfect deer/hog cartridges,both have enough mass/energy and both could be used for bear or elk with proper bullets. The 7mm-08 is similar to 7mm Mag and 280 as for bullet choice using a 308 case base. If you do decide you want to use a 223 on game you need to use GAME specific loads with bullets like the Nosler Partition,Accu-Bond,Barnes TSX, or similar. You may also look at rifles with faster barrel twists that can utilize heavier bullets like 65+ grains. Also realize your best shot placement is going to be the Lung/Diaphragm/Aortic Arch area behind the shoulder and not a direct shoulder shot. No one I know uses a 223 for anything bigger than yotes;that includes Idaho and Washington F&G guys,and folks that have hunted longer than me-and I started in 1973. I reload for my 223,243,30-06 and 300 WSM. My is using 30-06 now that he is 15 and can handle the recoil a bit better-fired it first time when he was 11.

223 is appropriate for coyote and very small deer like you might find in the desert southwest

.223 isn't suitable for large game because it simply isn't powerful enough to kill the animal unless you get lucky and have direct head shot or hit a vital organ. Its much more likely to just tear a hole in the animals flesh, leavng them wounded but not dead, which is not a good outcome for the hunter or the animal. A wounded animal will run away and bleed to death slowly which is not only cruel, it defeats the purpose of hunting. .30-30 & .30-06 are probably the most common cartridges for large animals such as deer, elk, etc. because they have enough power to take down the animal in one shot.

223 is not well to hunt. dont do that.

yes i have, that round is a really good round, but if ou intend on taking a bear with that...good luck. i may live in australia, but i imagine that a .223 on a bear, is kinda like the time a boar caharged us and all we had was a .22lr... so i suggest on the animals that are not so large...unless you are an AWESOME shot.