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

[Fireflyfishing]

Read the whole thread- 223/77gr TMK is way more then a 200 yard combo





TMK’s in all calibers kill get well.

I did read your previous posts of effective range in the 400ish yard range. I was looking for a couple hundred yards more than 400 yards. Your second response above answered my question as larger cartridges provide longer ranges.

 

[swavescatter]

I did read your previous posts of effective range in the 400ish yard range. I was looking for a couple hundred yards more than 400 yards. Your second response above answered my question as larger cartridges provide longer ranges.

Don't get hung up on range. Range is determined by velocity. Keep velocity up over 1800fps and you're golden. 22-250 gets you there easy. Maybe even handloads with 223AI.

My boy took a mule deer with factory black hills ammo near 600yds. Velocity was lower than 1800fps but two hits still jellied up his lungs. Not recommended though and I'm converting to 223AI handloads to get a bit more velocity.

 

[wesfromky]

For close range doe/meat hunts- I would/do use Barnes or other narrow wounding bullets in 223’s.

Which ones? Monos? I have 77tmks, but also have a tendency to shoot deer through the front shoulders as well.

 

[atmat]

I did read your previous posts of effective range in the 400ish yard range. I was looking for a couple hundred yards more than 400 yards. Your second response above answered my question as larger cartridges provide longer ranges.

I believe @Formidilosus has taken elk at >800 yards with the 77 TMK. But I’ll let him validate that.

 

[robtattoo]

Exactly. Just like people do with elk.

and goats to a crazy extent

You ought to hear about how "bullet proof" wild hogs are. According to everyone down here, anything short of Africa-class magnums will do nothing but piss them off

 

[kkp005]

You ought to hear about how "bullet proof" wild hogs are. According to everyone down here, anything short of Africa-class magnums will do nothing but piss them off

Ohhhh man. That shield is like armor . Here’s the opposite shoulder of a decent boar after a 95gr tmk blew through him like he was butter . Lol

 

[robtattoo]

Good day in the basement today, until I ran out of TAC......

That's 573 TMKs & 500 77gr OTM

I've still got another 600 pieces of primed brass & 400 TMKs to go. I just need Natchez to hurry it up with the powder!

 

[Boltgun]

You ought to hear about how "bullet proof" wild hogs are. According to everyone down here, anything short of Africa-class magnums will do nothing but piss them off

To be fair, hog hide really is much thicker than most other North American game. I’m always impressed by the shield on big boars.

I can attest, however, that TMK blows right through it, and 77gr is PLENTY big medicine for big piggies, even from an 11.5” barrel.

 

[Formidilosus]

Which ones? Monos? I have 77tmks, but also have a tendency to shoot deer through the front shoulders as well.

Monos. Tipped TTSX, or LRX in the mag and twist will support. I personally mostly use a bullet that isn’t commercially available.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Don't get hung up on range. Range is determined by velocity. Keep velocity up over 1800fps and you're golden. 22-250 gets you there easy. Maybe even handloads with 223AI.

Right, if I were to use either of my 1:7 ARs, one being 14.5” one being 18”, they don’t get real crazy with velocity. Thus, limiting effective range. So, for longer range use, I need to go up a caliber…that I own and have in the safe.

I believe @Formidilosus has taken elk at >800 yards with the 77 TMK. But I’ll let him validate that.

Huh…That’s certainly not achievable with the two rifles I have.

 

[robtattoo]

Right, if I were to use either of my 1:7 ARs, one being 14.5” one being 18”, they don’t get real crazy with velocity. Thus, limiting effective range.

You should easily get 400-450 yds out of either of those, with the right load. I'm good to 440yds (assuming minimum velocity of 1800fps) out of my 16" AR.

 

[crich]

Good day in the basement today, until I ran out of TAC......
View attachment 705318
That's 573 TMKs & 500 77gr OTM

I've still got another 600 pieces of primed brass & 400 TMKs to go. I just need Natchez to hurry it up with the powder!

You pump all that out in one day on a single stage?

 

[Castle Rock]

You would have to be some kind of masochist

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

Good day in the basement today, until I ran out of TAC......
View attachment 705318
That's 573 TMKs & 500 77gr OTM

I've still got another 600 pieces of primed brass & 400 TMKs to go. I just need Natchez to hurry it up with the powder!

How much Tac? I think I need to decrease mine from 24.5.

 

[robtattoo]

You pump all that out in one day on a single stage?

Oh my good lord no! The most I've ever managed on my Forster is 400 & I could barely move my arm for 3 days!
Dillon 550 all the way, these days.

How much Tac? I think I need to decrease mine from 24.5.

Dammit. I just ordered 3lb. PM me a price though, I might have to buy some more.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

In general I use the most effective (read- terminally) bullet in each caliber/cartridge available. I moderate damage by reducing caliber/cartridge- not by taking spark plugs out of a V8 because it’s too fast. If you want less meat damage, drop down in caliber/cartridge. Though, there still will be lost meat if you hit bone.

So, I would use TMK’s or ELD-M’s/X’s regardless of caliber. Impact velocity does play a large part in tissue disruption, along with bullet construction. For close range doe/meat hunts- I would/do use Barnes or other narrow wounding bullets in 223’s.

Re: taking spark plugs out of the V8 / larger caliber bullets being "tuned down" to not cause as much meat damage. Is there any research / literature on that?

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

Oh my good lord no! The most I've ever managed on my Forster is 400 & I could barely move my arm for 3 days!
Dillon 550 all the way, these days.

Dammit. I just ordered 3lb. PM me a price though, I might have to buy some more.

Sorry I meant how many grains of powder do you use for your 77grn with Tac loads haha! I’m on a tight component budget so tac is great

 

[JPeters218]

Finally jumped on the train. Stainless tikka being cut and threaded at 16” as speak. 100 rds of black hills 77 tmk’s on the way. UM rings, and a 2.5-10x56 Accupoint on the way. Looking forward to testing it out on some mn whitetail this year

 

[ElPollo]

Re: taking spark plugs out of the V8 / larger caliber bullets being "tuned down" to not cause as much meat damage. Is there any research / literature on that?

I believe what form is talking about is using what the industry calls controlled expansion bullets versus those optimized to do maximum damage.

 

[Formidilosus]

Re: taking spark plugs out of the V8 / larger caliber bullets being "tuned down" to not cause as much meat damage. Is there any research / literature on that?

What do you mean? Are you wanting to see what 30cal maximized wounds look like?