.223 for bear, deer, elk and moose.

[PNWGATOR]

Finally got my 223 out this morning to break in the barrel with black hills 77otm, now I just need to get a load for the 77tmks. Also waiting on a rokstok.

Just shoot the thing and disregard ‘break in’ as to not waste your bullets or range time.

 

[Pharmseller]

Just shoot the thing and disregard ‘break in’ as to not waste your bullets or range time.

+1

In my experience there is no advantage to any sort of barrel break-in process with Tikkas.




P

 

[Old Dog]

I "broke" mine in by shooting at steel. Not a fan of the shoot and clean, shoot and clean, break in process but to each their own.

 

[Hunter609]

I "broke" mine in by shooting at steel. Not a fan of the shoot and clean, shoot and clean, break in process but to each their own.

More meant trying to see if the barrel would speed up while just shooting steel. No cleaning involved.

 

[wind gypsy]

haha that's cute that you can get factory second TMKs now almost as cheap as standard ELDs

 

[Lawnboi]

Anyone load 77s with benchmark? It looks like xbr, smells like xbr, makes the same speed as xbr with 62 eldvt and is available.

 

[Nomosendero]

Isn't Benchmark Temperature sensitive?

 

[Castle Rock]

No

 

[northernalpine]

Isn't Benchmark Temperature sensitive?

About the same as Retumbo per chart. I believe it is one of the “Extreme” powders. I’d be curious if anyone has tried it with the 69 or 77

 

[PNWGATOR]

Is it bear season yet…brown, griz, black…seriously!

Spring is in the air and it‘s time for a pile of spring bear pics.

Adventure awaits!

Get out there and help those fawns and calves survive!!!!

 

[SamsonMan22]

Anyone load 77s with benchmark? It looks like xbr, smells like xbr, makes the same speed as xbr with 62 eldvt and is available.

I haven’t used it for the 77s but did use it with the 73eld and 75bthp. It worked well with both of those particularly with the 73eld. I can’t remember now what the velocity was exactly but I believe I had to add .1 to my elevation out to 500yds compared to the 75eld/ varget combo I was using in that particular barrel. I would imagine part of that came from the lesser bc on the lighter bullets. I think I would put it in the top 3 for stick powders I have used.

 

[northernalpine]

I haven’t used it for the 77s but did use it with the 73eld and 75bthp. It worked well with both of those particularly with the 73eld. I can’t remember now what the velocity was exactly but I believe I had to add .1 to my elevation out to 500yds compared to the 75eld/ varget combo I was using in that particular barrel. I would imagine part of that came from the lesser bc on the lighter bullets. I think I would put it in the top 3 for stick powders I have used.

I’d be interested in your 73gr/Benchmark load data if you care to share. No issues if it’s a coveted family recipe

 

[brockel]

Anyone load 77s with benchmark? It looks like xbr, smells like xbr, makes the same speed as xbr with 62 eldvt and is available.

I’m loading 77s on top of benchmark. 23.5 grains for 2700fps out of a 20” barrel. Be sure to work up to that

 

[SamsonMan22]

I’d be interested in your 73gr/Benchmark load data if you care to share. No issues if it’s a coveted family recipe

23.5g at mag length, lapua brass, cci400. I was using it in a wylde chamber and factory chamber and didn’t have any issues but I didn’t shoot it in weather over 60 degrees either.

 

[FCCDerek]

LG Outdoors has 100 count boxes of 77TMK's in stock. Just scored 2 of them. They're running $45 a box. Looks like they had 17 left in stock after my purchase. I'm shooting them at 3200fps out of an 18" 22CM. Gonna try and tag a black bear with one this spring. I'm yet to shoot anything but paper with them, but they group superbly! Same point of impact as my 88ELDM load which is convenient.

 

[Dorian Gray]

It took me a month and a half but I got through all 333 pages of this thread. I'll be putting together a RSS in the coming months and learning how to reload for it. Factory ammo with the 77grTMK is non existent in Canada so I'll have to learn a new skill if I want to get the best out of the Tikka/TMK combo. But if all the stars align and it all works out the way it should, I'll be trying it out on deer and possibly elk in south central BC this fall. Thanks to all those who have contributed to this thread. It has been quite enlightening.

 

[Luke S]

Spring? They are making snow sculptures down in Anchorage. Patience.

 

[roosiebull]

Is it bear season yet…brown, griz, black…seriously!

Spring is in the air and it‘s time for a pile of spring bear pics.

Adventure awaits!

Get out there and help those fawns and calves survive!!!!

I’m ready! I drew a spring tag, and my plan is to utilize the youth mentor program (one thing Oregon got right) and get my daughter on a good bear, and send a tmk into him

I wish 223 was a legal elk cartridge here so she could just use it for everything.

When the shorter LOP rokstok becomes available, I’m going probably just get her an 8 twist 243 and suppress it

There is no longer a draw weight minimum for archery elk, but can’t use a 223

 

[roosiebull]

It took me a month and a half but I got through all 333 pages of this thread. I'll be putting together a RSS in the coming months and learning how to reload for it. Factory ammo with the 77grTMK is non existent in Canada so I'll have to learn a new skill if I want to get the best out of the Tikka/TMK combo. But if all the stars align and it all works out the way it should, I'll be trying it out on deer and possibly elk in south central BC this fall. Thanks to all those who have contributed to this thread. It has been quite enlightening.

Thanks for reading it rather than reading page 1 and telling us all that a 223 is a marginal deer cartridge and should never be tried on anything larger

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

Has anyone tried Reloader TS 15.5 with the 77TMKs?

I know XBR 8208 is the golden child, but I'm going to have to settle for a powder that actually exists...