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

[Lawnboi]

I had promised pages ago to share the load my buddy is getting with his custom 22CM (loads also from the gunsmith) - 80gr Berger VLD, 41.0gr RL 23, Nosler 6.5 case and OBL 2.050. I've asked about velocity but haven't received an answer. The barrel is not short, but I don't yet know the length.

My appeal to the 22 creed would be to be able to walk around with a 16” supressed barrel and still push some velocity. My worry is too much velocity. I’d also welcome the added ballistic performance.

I’d like to cut down my 223 a little more but I feel like I’m already pushing velocity lower than I’d prefer. And 20” with a 7” can is already pushing unwieldy

22br sounds fun but I don’t want to mess with brass. And I have a boat load of h4350

6 creed would be good too. For sure my next barrel will be a 16” 6 or 22 creed on my deer/predator gun.

 

[TheUgly]

No exit ,but how deep was the wound channel? Did it reach the far side at least and destroy both lungs etc? Did you go thru any bone? Thanks

Didn’t measure the wound channel, but both lungs and heart were severely damaged. None of the far side shoulder meat was damaged.

Bullet entrance


Inside shoulder


Front shoulder was completely shattered and hanging on by a thread. Undamaged far side shoulder is on the left for reference

 

[TheUgly]

You guys are tempting me with these shorty 22CM stories.

@TheUgly
Any chance you got some data on the 77tmk out of that 16.5”?

No data on the 77gr TMKs out of the 22CM, unfortunately. All my current remaining TMKs are loaded up for my .223.

88gr ELD-Ms have been very easy to come by, however.

 

[Formidilosus]

Front shoulder was completely shattered and hanging on by a thread. Undamaged far side shoulder is on the left for reference
View attachment 469425

Impossible. I am repeatedly chastised about how elk “shoulders” are bullet proof and stop all but the biggest, toughest bullets….

 

[Formidilosus]

@TheUgly

Can you please take a phot of the scapula from the side to show how impossibly thick the scapula is?



Bonus, if you hold it up to the sky and show how you can see your hand/knife through it…

 

[TheUgly]

@TheUgly

Can you please take a phot of the scapula from the side to show how impossibly thick the scapula is?



Bonus, if you hold it up to the sky and show how you can see your hand/knife through it…

 

[Formidilosus]

View attachment 469510View attachment 469511

Hahaha. My man!

 

[mt100gr.]

Armor!!!

 

[Antares]

Alright guys, I'm ready to join Team 223.

I've got some questions about the setup. Any input is appreciated.
For reference, this setup will be mostly for training, not hunting (I know, "famous last words, etc."). For me but also for young and new shooters.

Action: I'll get a RH Tikka T3x Lite in .223 Rem

Barrel: I'll have it cut and threaded for my .30 cal GEMTECH Tracker. I really don't want to buy a dedicated .223 can if I can help it. How's that 30 cal can going to work for sound suppression?

Thinking about cutting it to 18" (can is 7"), sound about right? Guessing I'll need to loctite on a 1/2-28 to 5/8-24 adapter, sound right?

Stock: I have 3 options on hand, what direction would you go?

Factory stock. Would add LOP spacers, vertical grip, and build the comb up with something.

I have a McMillan Game Scout (adj comb, standard fill) lying around I could use.

I have a KRG Bravo I could try out, but I'd probably get another one dedicated for this rifle because I like my Bravo where it is (on my 6.5CM). I'm definitely leaning this direction just because of the adjustable LOP (see above comment about "young and new shooters).

Optic and mount: I have a 6x and 10x SWFA already. I know people seem to like the 6x for this setup, but my 10x is just sitting in the safe currently so that's what I'm thinking. I guess I could just buy another 6x since they're back in stock. Thoughts?

I can't use the T084s because my long LOP means I need the scope mounted farther back than the arrestor pin will allow. Probably put on a 10 MOA rail and Seekins Extra-Lows (which I already have lying around).

Ammo: This is where I'm really looking for help. I don't reload. The 77TMKs seem to be the go-to choice here, but I'm not concerned with terminal performance since I'm just planning on shooting steel.

What's a good "plinking" round? Cheap-ish, accurate-ish, readily available-ish, etc.?

I'm not at all familiar with .223/5.56 offerings (this will be my first rifle in this chambering). Getting ammo is a pain in the a** for me where I live, so I can't just go pick up some boxes and "see what it likes." I need to buy a few cases to make the freight charges worth it. So I'm looking for direction on what factory loads to look at. Really appreciate input here.

Am I missing anything? Thanks!

 

[Formidilosus]

Alright guys, I'm ready to join Team 223.

I've got some questions about the setup. Any input is appreciated.
For reference, this setup will be mostly for training, not hunting (I know, "famous last words, etc."). For me but also for young and new shooters.

Action: I'll get a RH Tikka T3x Lite in .223 Rem

Barrel: I'll have it cut and threaded for my .30 cal GEMTECH Tracker. I really don't want to buy a dedicated .223 can if I can help it. How's that 30 cal can going to work for sound suppression?

Just fine. You won’t tell the difference.

Thinking about cutting it to 18" (can is 7"), sound about right? Guessing I'll need to loctite on a 1/2-28 to 5/8-24 adapter, sound right?

Yes.

Stock: I have 3 options on hand, what direction would you go?

Factory stock. Would add LOP spacers, vertical grip, and build the comb up with something.

I have a McMillan Game Scout (adj comb, standard fill) lying around I could use.

I have a KRG Bravo I could try out, but I'd probably get another one dedicated for this rifle because I like my Bravo where it is (on my 6.5CM). I'm definitely leaning this direction just because of the adjustable LOP (see above comment about "young and new shooters).

I would personally choose the factory. The KRG Bravo is great for shooting, however it controls the rifle so much in 223 that you lose some training value. The Factory stock is light enough that it will show if you are not correct in body positions and spotting.

Optic and mount: I have a 6x and 10x SWFA already. I know people seem to like the 6x for this setup, but my 10x is just sitting in the safe currently so that's what I'm thinking. I guess I could just buy another 6x since they're back in stock. Thoughts?

6x far and away. The 10x is fine, however part of the training aspect of the 223 is learning to spot your own hits from all positions and see that FOV matters more than magnification.

I can't use the T084s because my long LOP means I need the scope mounted farther back than the arrestor pin will allow. Probably put on a 10 MOA rail and Seekins Extra-Lows (which I already have lying around).

That will work, but I greatly prefer the factory CTR rail due to its very low profile. Glue it one as the factory CTR is.

Ammo: This is where I'm really looking for help. I don't reload. The 77TMKs seem to be the go-to choice here, but I'm not concerned with terminal performance since I'm just planning on shooting steel.

What's a good "plinking" round? Cheap-ish, accurate-ish, readily available-ish, etc.?

Hornady Frontier 68gr or 75gr HPBT shoot well enough from all the Tikkas I’ve seen to be just fine for the practice aspect.

Am I missing anything? Thanks!

Yes. You will end up hunting with it.

 

[black dawg]

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

Elevation is 5k or so. And like I said, have only shot them to 100yds as that is the max range they will get used for....for now.

 

[Castle Rock]

The T084s work better if you don’t use the supplied recoil pin but put your own in the back pin hole

 

[amassi]

The T084s work better if you don’t use the supplied recoil pin but put your own in the back pin hole

What do you use for that?

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[Stu]

@Antares

I second sticking with the factory stock. Mine wore a Bravo for a while, but the benefit didn't outweigh the crazy handiness and smooth feeding of the factory stock.

I also would second the 6x over the 10x. I have both.

Are you saying the scope can't come further rearward or that the ring can't come further rearward with the pin setup?
I wouldn't worry about the arrestor pin if I were you. Just remove it and move it back. Still crazy clamping force. Edit: I think this was poor advice, see Antares' post below.
However, if your scope bell is hitting the barrel, then I get it.


All that being said, I have a second 223 with a thicker contour barrel that wears a Bravo and 10x scope, but it's just a toy. The only action it sees is the rare groundhog.

 

[Antares]

Are you saying the scope can't come further rearward or that the ring can't come further rearward with the pin setup? I wouldn't worry about the arrestor pin if I were you. Just remove it and move it back. Still crazy clamping force. However, if your scope bell is hitting the barrel, then I get it.

I tried running them without the pin and this happened, so now I have trust issues. I get that the .223 has much less recoil but still... Who knows, I do have a set T084s lying around, maybe I'll give it another try.

Thanks for the input on the factory stock and 6x. I think that's the direction I'll go.

 

[cod0396]

Have any of you .22 creedmoor guys tried gold dots? I know the 75gr gold dot expands and penetrates very well at .223 velocities but doesn't fragment much. I'm curious if/how their behavior changes at velocities well over 3000 fps.

 

[Antares]

Thanks for all that @Formidilosus, especially the ammo suggestion. Any preference between the 68gr and 75gr HPBT?

Your point about the the Bravo controlling the rifle too much makes a lot of sense to me. I'll setup the factory stock and see how it goes.

I knew the 6x was the strong favorite, thanks for reaffirming. I'll just steal mine off my CZ 457 and put the 10x back on there... that's where it used to live anyway.

On the hunting thing... >95% of the hunting I do is solo on Kodiak. I just can't get my head around a .223 as bear deterrent, not yet at least.

 

[Formidilosus]

On the hunting thing... >95% of the hunting I do is solo on Kodiak. I just can't get my head around a .223 as bear deterrent, not yet at least.

Haha. There isn’t a brown bear alive I would hesitate to kill with a 223 and good bullets. But…. I get it.

 

[Stu]

I tried running them without the pin and this happened, so now I have trust issues. I get that the .223 has much less recoil but still... Who knows, I do have a set T084s lying around, maybe I'll give it another try.

Thanks for the input on the factory stock and 6x. I think that's the direction I'll go.

I stand corrected. I've got my 5-20 in Sportsmatch rings on a creedmoor without the pin that I'll have to watch now.

 

[Antares]

Haha. There isn’t a brown bear alive I would hesitate to kill with a 223 and good bullets. But…. I get it.

Broadside at 200 yards, sure I can see that. Dancing around in the brush at 10 yards... I don't know...