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

[stealthgoat]

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

What was elevation?
Daughter's 1:9 rifle shoots 69gr really well out to 500 yards, but we never bothered trying the 75 / 77gr because of slow twist ... thanks

 

[N2TRKYS]

If my rifle won’t shoot the 77s, do y’all think the 69 grainers would have as good of performance? Assuming, of course, my rifle likes the 69s.

 

[BjornF16]

If my rifle won’t shoot the 77s, do y’all think the 69 grainers would have as good of performance? Assuming, of course, my rifle likes the 69s.

already been answered in this thread…page 67, post #1334

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

That 1-9 twist is a real hindrance....... They suck.

www.rokslide.com

 

[N2TRKYS]

already been answered in this thread…page 67, post #1334

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

That 1-9 twist is a real hindrance....... They suck.

www.rokslide.com

Thank you very much.

 

[C.payne]

@C.payne. Any idea of what your getting for muzzle velocity? Thanks.

I am getting 2660 fps out of the 16” barrel. Accuracy has been great as well.

 

[carsonkeys]

I hate to say it and state the obvious, but with the prevelance of tikka take off parts and great prefits from 1/2 dozen companies your an afternoon away from turning that ctr into an ultralight.

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Bold of you to assume it would take me a single afternoon to accomplish this

 

[BLJ]

I am getting 2660 fps out of the 16” barrel. Accuracy has been great as well.
View attachment 468606

Thanks. I’m using different brass and primers, but otherwise my load is the same in the same rifle and I’m at 2564 across a Magnetospeed. I’ve been trying to figure out why.

 

[C.payne]

@BLJ
Ya that’s interesting.
I have probably 40 rounds through my cheap Caldwell crono and have averaged 2660.
I don’t necessarily trust my crono but have verified the dope out to 500m and it seems spot on with that velocity and running a .415 BC.

 

[BLJ]

That’s pretty definitive. My 6.5 RA Predator is slow with 147’s too. I just assumed it was a Ruger barrel or chamber situation. Oh well. I think 2560 will work. Thanks for the info.

 

[Dobermann]

You’re not the only one… not one in the U.S.
It seems CTR left hand .223 is the only version being imported. Searches turn up shops in Canada, UK, NZ, etc with T3x lite (ss), but none here in this country.


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That seems odd - you might want to reach out to Beretta USA to ask what's happening.

I know that Tikka's production and distribution was thrown for six during Covid - my lefty T1X took more than two years to arrive.

 

[ztc92]

Grew up hunting whitetails with a .270 at short ranges (200 yards or less). 6 months ago, I was dead set on buying a 7mm mag to hunt elk this fall because everything I read online taught me that my .270 didnt have enough “knockdown power” for such a large animal at the longer ranges found out west. A friend of mine with far more hunting experience mentioned this thread when he heard I wanted to buy a magnum, and I read the entire thread over the next few weeks.

Against my better judgement, I decided to forego the new magnum and built a rokslide special instead - Tikka T3x in .223, SWFA fixed 6 in Mil/Mil and a suppressor. I told myself this would just be a training rifle so I could get comfortable dialing for long range, as I’d never dialed a scope before. There was no way I’d actually use the little .223 for elk though, that would just be crazy.

I spent the money saved from the magnum on ammo and practice instead, firing about 300 rounds at ranges out to 700 yards in the month leading up to my elk hunt. While this may not seem like much shooting to you all, I grew up with the “3 shots at 100 yards before deer season to make sure the gun is on” method of practice and otherwise never shot my hunting rifle, so this was a vast improvement for me.

Going into the elk hunt, we decided on a max range of 500 yards in perfect weather based on my ability during practice sessions at the range. My Tikka with a 20” barrel and a suppressor keeps the 77 TMK above 1800 FPS out to about 570 yards, so yet again, against my better judgement the Tikka went from a training rifle to my elk hunting rifle because I shot it so much better than any other rifle I owned.

Two days into my first elk hunt, a group of cows came out at about 350 yards and I was able to put 3 solid hits on a cow with the 77g TMK, causing her to go down within about 50 yards of my first shot. Damage was very similar to what others have posted and better than what I was used to seeing with my .270 using Core-Lokt ammunition.

I know this post is long, but I write it in hopes that if others on the fence about what to buy, it will highlight the value of getting a rifle you shoot well and then actually taking the time to practice with it. Thank you all for the wealth of knowledge and advice you provide and know that I will always be grateful you helped steer me away from buying a magnum and likely missing/wounding my first elk.

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

Grew up hunting whitetails with a .270 at short ranges (200 yards or less). 6 months ago, I was dead set on buying a 7mm mag to hunt elk this fall because everything I read online taught me that my .270 didnt have enough “knockdown power”

Any pictures of the wounds from 3 rounds? Nice work!

 

[ztc92]

Any pictures of the wounds from 3 rounds? Nice work!

Unfortunately I don’t have any wound photos as it was getting dark/cold and we wanted to get moving. We used the gutless method so didn’t really see the internal damage. I can tell you externally my first hit was high and behind the shoulder, seemed to go through 1-2 ribs, make a roughly 3” diameter hole and likely destroyed the lungs, though it did not exit. My second hit was where the front shoulder meets the leg, went through the closest “elbow” joint, just above the sternum, destroyed the heart and a portion of the bullet exited and lodged in the far “elbow”. Third hit was unfortunately a bad shot as I rushed it to put her down. Hit her in the rear quarter and that made a roughly golf-ball sized hole in the meat there.

I’ll try to get photos of the rear quarter when I process it if I remember later.

 

[wilydawg]

Am I the only leftie having a terrible time finding a LH .223 T3X non-CTR? Or is CTR the only LH option for a .223?

Have you found the CTR in left hand in stock anywhere?

 

[TheUgly]

88gr ELD-M @ 87y. Impact velocity was ~2910fps.

It was splashy to say the least.

No exit, front shoulder near entrance had noticeable meat loss. Heart and lungs destroyed. He didn’t make it 20y before succumbing.

 

[carsonkeys]

Have you found the CTR in left hand in stock anywhere?

Not in stock at the moment, no. The primary supplier of LH Tikka .223s, that I’m aware of, is Eurooptic. Hopefully others chime in if there’s others.

 

[Rooggvc]

88gr ELD-M @ 87y. Impact velocity was ~2910fps.

It was splashy to say the least.

No exit, front shoulder near entrance had noticeable meat loss. Heart and lungs destroyed. He didn’t make it 20y before succumbing.
View attachment 469213

What cartridge are you shooting? I have been looking at the 88 ELDM's. Congrats.

 

[TheUgly]

What cartridge are you shooting? I have been looking at the 88 ELDM's. Congrats.

22 Creedmoor
Alpha Brass, Federal 210M primer. 40.0gr of H4350, 2.700 COAL

 

[Formidilosus]

88gr ELD-M @ 87y. Impact velocity was ~2910fps.

It was splashy to say the least.

No exit, front shoulder near entrance had noticeable meat loss. Heart and lungs destroyed. He didn’t make it 20y before succumbing.
View attachment 469213

Out to 700’ish yards, that rifle setup will have one of the highest, if not the highest hit rates of cartridge/bullet combo.

 

[Rooggvc]

22 Creedmoor
Alpha Brass, Federal 210M primer. 40.0gr of H4350, 2.700 COAL

What length barrel are you running, and what kind of velocity are you seeing? I have been considering pretty much that exact setup.