I put up the article so some might get an idea about what muzzle velocity is and to compare the 223 round with others....... If I were to go deer hunting I would pull out my Remington 700 .270 which is a considerably "meaner" round than the .223.

http://ballistics101.com/270_winchester.php

The last thing I shot with my 700 was an apple that was about 50 to 60 yards away. Needless to say, the apple didn't survive. This was in 1996 and I haven't shot it since then.