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

[MattB]

He asked a legitimate question in a thread about hunting big game with 223…

Can you tell me if a .223 is sufficient for bear. Deer, elk, and moose? Legitimate question.

 

[SquatchHunter]

I was thinking about TAC, but I'd prefer something that wasn't temp sensitive

Check out shooters world powders. I’ve had great luck with them so far. The Match, tactical, AR plus, and precision all have loads for 77g. Based on their charts they all push them between 2700-2800ish. Tactical powder pushes them the fastest. The precision powder is very similar to varget. Makes nice loads. Saw a few guys that compared it to varget and actually got better results. Only problem is the price on that has doubled recently.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Can you tell me if a .223 is sufficient for bear, deer, elk, and moose? Legitimate question.

What? Read the thread. Personally I wouldn’t use one for anything bigger than deer but it can obviously work.

 

[Lawnboi]

I was thinking about TAC, but I'd prefer something that wasn't temp sensitive

Yes but it’s not bad from what Iv seen. If I were in your shoes I’d be buying some and likely will end up shooting tac for quite a few other applications. Out to 400 with a 223 there is some wiggle room, and that change can be tracked.

H4895 and Xbr are going to be your best bet if you cannot load longer. If you can the. Varget is an option and has been fairly available lately.

Who the hell knows when Xbr will show back up. Iv seen it once in the last year. Good thing a pound makes a decent amount of ammo in the 223

 

[260madman]

XBR is on the shelves in the UK. Does us no good here but if you have a hookup with Hunter Biden I’m sure you could get some.

 

[robtattoo]

I've had good luck, accuracy & velocity wise with TAC. Varget have great accuracy but slooooow with 77s, barely breaking 2600 fps out of a 20" barrel. TAC put me into the low 2700s with zero pressure & MOA accuracy.

 

[mt100gr.]

Such a ferocious little bullet, that 77 TMK is!!

My 12 year old daughter knocked down another big bodied mule deer buck during the MT youth hunt a couple days ago - 1 and done at 125 yds.

Completely shredded the lungs and he rolled within 20 yards.

 

[ridgeline]

Red deer spike, Hornady 75gr Amax, 223AI launched at 3115fps with bullet impact speed of 2540fps at 250yds was high shouldered and folded instantly...

 

[Fatcamp]

Has anyone used Stand One new manufactured ammo before? I see TMKs in stock, but have never heard of them prior to today.

I ordered two boxes of those. Shoot straight out of a Steven's 200, and delivery was quick.

Kid will use them for his deer tag this year.

 

[superA]

Ordered some from Stand One Armory, UPS driver delivered the box looking like he had used it as s soccer ball. Loose rounds in the bottom, missing boxes. Stand One immedietly shipped out the missing ammo and even threw in a t shirt.

I'm going to give it a try on Hog and deer this year.

 

[grappling_hook]

Red deer spike, Hornady 75gr Amax, 223AI launched at 3115fps with bullet impact speed of 2540fps at 250yds was high shouldered and folded instantly...

Nice! In which country was this?

 

[ridgeline]

grappling_hook, that was killed in Australia.

 

[Lawnboi]

77 tmk don’t blow them up too bad at 15 yards

 

[N2TRKYS]

What are the odds of the 77 TMKs being able to stabilize in a factory barreled Remington Model Seven 223?

 

[h2so4]

What are the odds of the 77 TMKs being able to stabilize in a factory barreled Remington Model Seven 223?

If it is a 1:7 or 1:8, pretty good.

 

[N2TRKYS]

If it is a 1:7 or 1:8, pretty good.

It’s gonna be 1:9 or 1:12. I’ll have to measure it to be sure. None, however, were offered in a 1:7 or 1:8 twist.

 

[clperry]

It’s gonna be 1:9 or 1:12. I’ll have to measure it to be sure. None, however, were offered in a 1:7 or 1:8 twist.

I’ve seen a few 1:9 twists shoot them, but they’re exceptions and always 24 inches long or more. You’d just have to try.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[black dawg]

It’s gonna be 1:9 or 1:12. I’ll have to measure it to be sure. None, however, were offered in a 1:7 or 1:8 twist.

I have only shot them (77tmk) at 100 yds so far, but in two 1:9 rifles accuracy was very good. Even tried them in a 1:10 rifle and shot a .75 10 shot group??

Killed a deer with one of the 1:9 guns. Seemed to perform as expected. 100yds

 

[N2TRKYS]

I have only shot them (77tmk) at 100 yds so far, but in two 1:9 rifles accuracy was very good. Even tried them in a 1:10 rifle and shot a .75 10 shot group??

Killed a deer with one of the 1:9 guns. Seemed to perform as expected. 100yds

Awesome!! Thanks for the reply.

 

[C.payne]

Well I took my first deer with the 223 and 77 TMK combo last night.
Results were on par with what has been proven in this thread.
I took a shot on a whitetail from a treestand. Deer was roughly 100 yards and very close to broad side with his front leg/shoulder back covering his vitals. My shot was right on the money. Broke the shoulder and destroyed the onside lung, with heavy fragmentation taking out the heart as well. No exit wound but a few small holes in the cavity from fragments. Under the offside shoulder against the ribs had some blood shot as well.
Deer had a classic jumping reaction and ran 15 yards then stopped for a few seconds. He then turned around took 3 steps fell over and expired within seconds.

Gun:
Ruger Ranch 5.56
Load:
77 TMK
23.5 grains of 8208 XBR
Nosler Brass
CCI BR-4 primers
COAL 2.260

A big thanks to all the positive contributors to this thread.