.223 for bear, deer, elk and moose.

[amassi]

Not sure. The 60 grn Hammer Hunters blow a good exit and mostly leave a blood trail. Certainly on average better than the 77TMK. That doesn't though make them better, just different.

“Good” being subjective
Out of 30 or so hammer exits I’ve seen most were a little larger than caliber unless the shank hits a bone on the way out. The best hammer exit ever was when one clearly tumbled and exited perfectly sideways.
Blood trails are very much over rated, this thread especially.


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[rabbithuntr]

Blood trails are weird we had a guy shoot a buck last year that left a significant blood trail for over a 100 yds we can to a spot where he had stood for a bit with three puddles (entry exit and mouth/nose). After that we couldn’t find another drop looked for hours and never found the buck.


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[jadkins223]

Why don’t you put it through the shoulder and spine?

Old habits I guess. As a bow hunter I am just so use to tucking everything behind the shoulder. Going tomorrow again. Will aim for shoulders and report back. A bang flop would be sweet


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[N2TRKYS]

Blood trails are absolutely not overrated for me. They’re essential.

 

[Luke S]

Yeah blood trails are nice where we bear hunt. Some of the death runs described here would probably result in a lost bear if there was no blood to follow. Just really thick brush. I'll probably stick with my 308 for those. Might be overkill but our longest run was maybe 50 yards. Most were shorter and good blood trails if the bear didn't die super fast.

 

[np307]

62 gr Federal Fusion at 60 yards, 75 yard death run. Decent blood. Will show a wound cavity when I clean her, letting her sit in case she was in estrus. View attachment 631743

Blood trail pic [representative of the average trail, some spots there were a couple pin pricks, some spots there was better blood than this]
Entry:
Exit:
Heart and lungs (picture of the heart and lungs outside the body won't upload, but the heart was destroyed and the lungs with decent damage surrounding the heart)

Didn't lose any meat on either shoulder.

 

[Thegman]

Blood trails are absolutely not overrated for me. They’re essential.

Like you say here essentially, for some people/hunting situations they're important, for others, maybe not so much. Can't really be addressed with any one blanket statement I don't think.

When I have my dog with me, which is 90% of the time, they're interesting to follow if they're present, but not really important. The other 10% of the time there are situations where like you, "interesting" sometimes changes to closer to "essential".

 

[N2TRKYS]

Like you say here essentially, for some people/hunting situations they're important, for others, maybe not so much. Can't really be addressed with any one blanket statement I don't think.

When I have my dog with me, which is 90% of the time, they're interesting to follow if they're present, but not really important. The other 10% of the time there are situations where like you, "interesting" sometimes changes to closer to "essential".

When mine run off, that’s the only way for me to find them. Especially, when it’s dark.

 

[Trapperkid]

https://eagleeyeguns.com/500-round-...6n19-5-56-nato-77-grain-tmk-tipped-matchking/
Being a good rokslide citizen they have 8 in stock of 500

 

[fwafwow]

Old habits I guess. As a bow hunter I am just so use to tucking everything behind the shoulder. Going tomorrow again. Will aim for shoulders and report back. A bang flop would be sweet


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I’ve been so scarred from recent archery blood trails and failed tracking jobs that when I hunt with a rifle, I press the easy button and shoot the shoulder.

Good luck tomorrow

 

[macatac]

Shot a nice buck this morning with the 77 grain TMK. He was about 50 yards and went less than 20. Just behind the shoulder hit. Lungs and heart were jello. There was absolutely no blood on entrance and there was not an exit. I attribute some of that to the fact that he did not go far enough to start bleeding. . Sorry I don't have any pics, but the proof in in the cooler.

 

[Mountain_Life]

.223 77tmk, 150 yards, 2750 muzzle velocity. Quartering away with head down, bullet entered right side behind shoulder. Bullet recovered against hide top of neck. Went 10 yards with a heavy blood trail.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Why don’t you put it through the shoulder and spine?

My daughter followed this advice today. She did not have to worry about a blood trail.

Tikka T3x Superlite in a Compact stock with a 77 gr TMK.

 

[bbell]

My daughter followed this advice today. She did not have to worry about a blood trail.

Tikka T3x Superlite in a Compact stock with a 77 gr TMK.

View attachment 632105
View attachment 632106

That’s an excellent trophy photo!

 

[mtnwrunner]

That’s an excellent trophy photo!

I was going to say the same thing. Outstanding photo and congratulations on a nice buck and great shot.

Randy

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Blood trail pic [representative of the average trail, some spots there were a couple pin pricks, some spots there was better blood than this]View attachment 631800
Entry:View attachment 631801
Exit: View attachment 631802
Heart and lungs (picture of the heart and lungs outside the body won't upload, but the heart was destroyed and the lungs with decent damage surrounding the heart)View attachment 631803

Didn't lose any meat on either shoulder.

That's fairly typical Fusion performance.

 

[leomort]

This might be a dumb question but the Black Hills 77gr tmk I found online is for the 5.56. Has anyone shot that ammo in their tikka t3x? Wonder if it is safe. My CZ 527 was safe to shoot nato round through and hoping tikka's are too.

 

[Nomosendero]

It is safe in a Tikka

 

[leomort]

Thank you, Nomosendero!

 

[Dust Rider]

My daughter followed this advice today. She did not have to worry about a blood trail.

Tikka T3x Superlite in a Compact stock with a 77 gr TMK.

View attachment 632105
View attachment 632106

You should enter the photo in the youth hunt contest. Great picture.