.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

Second was a small fork quartering to at 163 yards steep uphill (shot it while I was working on number one). Tumbled down a steep rock face and stopped about 100 yards below where he was hit.

Only took out one lung at this angle but may have damaged spine as well. Required kill shot when I found him where he stopped tumbling in a thick low willow patch.

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Lung

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Last was a good 3x up in the alpine. 293 yards somewhat uphill. Hit was a little too high but bullet passed under the spine and broke the spine. Buck tumbled down about 50 yards and stopped. Finishing shot when I got up to him.

There was a brown bear down the mountain below so not many pics. Just the buck and entrance with the hide removed. I didn't find the bullet but it appeared it was probably against the far side hide.

Not the best shot placement/angles on two of them, but even with that, none took a step after being hit. I don't recall ever having three bucks drop like that with my 308 or 30-06.

Last buckResized_20231024_141348.jpeg

Entrance through ribs

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The deeper I get into this thread, the more impressed I am. I feel like I've been lied to my whole adult life. Thank you gentlemen very much for the shared wisdom!
Totally agree here. I was 100% on building a duplicate of my son's cut and threaded 6.5CM T3x/Trijicon combo for my wife next year but more and more I'm thinking of going with a 223 cut 16.5" with a carbon stock and light scope instead. Would be a nice compact light gun for me to take in the woods for deer also.

But I keep drifting to @Thegman Ultralight bolt AR 223 thread also...
 
Shot a small buck with 223/ 77tmk from 80ish yds. Threaded the needle through some brush as he was quartering away, he didn’t even seem to know he was hit. He staggered a few steps and I shot him again and he stayed down. Initial shot destroyed the liver and one lung, and broke the far leg.Will look into the destruction further once I can skin him out.
 

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Totally agree here. I was 100% on building a duplicate of my son's cut and threaded 6.5CM T3x/Trijicon combo for my wife next year but more and more I'm thinking of going with a 223 cut 16.5" with a carbon stock and light scope instead. Would be a nice compact light gun for me to take in the woods for deer also.

But I keep drifting to @Thegman Ultralight bolt AR 223 thread also...
Just ordered my Solo 300 upper...

Jay
 
I think the HAM'R is a really good option as well. My HAM'R has worked really well. Took it to Kodiak last year and shot 3 deer with it and 125BTs. They didn't drop immediately like they did this year, but pass-throughs and a huge blood trail on the one I did need to follow.

The HAM'R went along this year as well, but the Red Ryder and 77 TMK was the only one that ever went into the field.

Okay, not to be a derailer...back to the 77 TMK...
 
Idaho.

Thanks man. It’s a stainless tikka chopped to 16” and I’m getting 2800 FPS at the muzzle using the book max load of N540 in norma brass with cci 400 primers. Those impact velocities I had were at 6000 ft elevation. Listen to form on the shoot to hunt podcast if you haven’t already. Episode 39 I believe. He talks about this specific bullet being able to kill a pretty low velocities. It’s a great listen.

Reading the thread in reverse to get some more recent pictures of current seasons, this was a 16" bbl .223 at 400 & 500y taking those cows? I read that right?
 
Can someone with a 223 T3x chopped to 16-18” give me a bare weight if you happened to weigh it prior to scope mounting?


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If no one else replies, I can weigh mine but it’s got a scope and CB muzzle brake. You or I could look up the weights of the additional items and subtract them.
 
Can someone with a 223 T3x chopped to 16-18” give me a bare weight if you happened to weigh it prior to scope mounting?


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When mine comes back from being cut, I'll update.
 
What suppressors are you guys preferring on bolt guns? All of my (limited) knowledge on cans is centered around ARs and making them run reliably while suppressed, but that's clearly not an issue with a bolt gun. At that point I'd just want it to be light and handy.
 
What suppressors are you guys preferring on bolt guns? All of my (limited) knowledge on cans is centered around ARs and making them run reliably while suppressed, but that's clearly not an issue with a bolt gun. At that point I'd just want it to be light and handy
I have a few cans but my favorite for hunting is the Gen1 TBac ultra 5 at 9oz and 5” long. Plus I called TB and they said it can handle a 16” 6UM.
 
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