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

Simply a guess but I'd imagine they added the extra step as you put it for reliability in detachable box magazine fed guns. The crimp will hold the bullet in place under recoil as well as neutralize the forward inertia of the bullet as an automatic bolt slams the cartridge into battery.

I shoot both the cannelured and non cannelured 77smk and I do not notice a difference. My long range where im at though is 300-400yds.
The shape of the tmk cannelure though is arrowhead shaped and it is on the ogive of the bullet it appears so it must effect BC at some range but again my guess is no significant difference.

Edited to add: I dont crimp any of my 77gr smk with or without a cannelure.
 
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If I remember correctly black hills originally wanted the cannelure on Sierra 77 OTM for the military, and Sierra did not want to do it, thinking it would affect accuracy, but apparently it does not.
 
My experience with the 80gr ELDM is limited but his behaviour is quite similar to their 75gr. If I were to establish a difference between the two I would say the 80gr penetrates more with less damage than the 75gr.
Muzzle speeds in my 5,6x50R are 2,840 and 2,930.
77gr TMK penetrates as much and with more damage.
View attachment 616093
Here is a Chamois I shot with it last week in the French Alps. Distance was 250 meters ca. 275 yds. Bullet passed through biting the rear section of both scapulas. It did not touch the spine and the Chamois was dead before reaching the ground.
Waidmannsheil!
Is that an original Blaser 5,6x50R barrel or are you using a custom barrel?
The caliber was suddenly more interesting if i can reload heavier bullets than the factory options...
 
Waidmannsheil!
Is that an original Blaser 5,6x50R barrel or are you using a custom barrel?
The caliber was suddenly more interesting if i can reload heavier bullets than the factory options...
Waidmannsdank! 🌿

It is a custom barrel made with a 1:8" twist by Bix'n Andy in Austria.

Blaser's original is 1:12" if memory serves, unable to stabilize projectiles like these.

Here is my second Alpine chamois of this season, also taken with the 80gr ELDM at 390 meters ca. 430 yds.

cga2_2023.jpg
 
Nice! Interesting scope mount too. What is it?
It is the original Blaser detachable mount. Incredibly simple and holds zero perfectly. They are also available with rings but the scopes I always use have a rail underneath to which the mount attaches directly. They do not require rings and it is impossible to mount the scope canted.
 
MT youth deer hunt 2023. My 11 year old's mule deer buck taken with a Tikka .223, 77gr TMK at 225yds.
20231021_125725.jpg
Entrance center shoulder with hide peeled back. 20231021_125805.jpg
Entrance side with scapula peeled back20231021_130026.jpg
Scapula removed20231021_131420.jpg
Exit side with bullet jacket just under the hide in the "arm pit"20231021_104238.jpg
Hit was a bit high, but mashed the top of the lungs and shocked the spine20231021_104244.jpg
 
MT youth deer hunt 2023. My 11 year old's mule deer buck taken with a Tikka .223, 77gr TMK at 225yds.
View attachment 617675
Entrance center shoulder with hide peeled back. View attachment 617676
Entrance side with scapula peeled backView attachment 617816
Scapula removedView attachment 617817
Exit side with bullet jacket just under the hide in the "arm pit"View attachment 617818
Hit was a bit high, but mashed the top of the lungs and shocked the spineView attachment 617823
SO happy for your kid!!!!!! AND you!

Thanks for posting.

Thank you for trusting the components and the process.
 
SO happy for your kid!!!!!! AND you!

Thanks for posting.

Thank you for trusting the components and the process.
Thank you!

This was my middle daughter's 1st buck. My oldest daughter took her 4th buck with the .223 /TMK the day prior. Her's was at 285 yds and we called the wind a few inches wrong....impact at the neck/shoulder put it down instantly and the internal damage was impressive but field pics were hasty and they didn't tell what I had hoped. Completely severed the spine, shredded the wind pipe and exited with authority. My oldest also has an elk tag this year and we were discussing the .223 for elk on the drive home from our hunt.

I have posted quite a few pics in this thread over the years and am continually amazed by the 77TMK.

My buddy that allows kiddos on the ranch to hunt is still a bit skeptical of the .223 but great shot placement and terminal performance like this is making him a believer, too - My girls have shot 5 rounds to take their 5 bucks, so far😉....some of the other kids we take have shot that many (and even more) on single deer.
 
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