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

[shwacker]

I'm working on saving up for a .223 to be able to practice more. Until then, I'm shooting a .270. Any bullet recommendations from this crowd for western game - elk, deer, antelope? TMK and ELDM aren't made in this caliber.

I like that monos don't ruin as much meat, which I understand is directly correlated to less instant death on the animal I'm shooting. I also don't have to think about lead in the kids' food and am not poisoning whatever eats the carcass. I am not a great shooter and am able to limit myself to shots to within 300 or so yards and still be successful, though I'd like to get better.

I don't hunt a ton of animals, just to fill the freezer, maybe a bear and elk or deer most years. I would like to start killing coyotes for pelts as well - does a smaller bullet make sense for yotes?

 

[SouthPaw]

I'm working on saving up for a .223 to be able to practice more. Until then, I'm shooting a .270. Any bullet recommendations from this crowd for western game - elk, deer, antelope? TMK and ELDM aren't made in this caliber.

I like that monos don't ruin as much meat, which I understand is directly correlated to less instant death on the animal I'm shooting. I also don't have to think about lead in the kids' food and am not poisoning whatever eats the carcass. I am not a great shooter and am able to limit myself to shots to within 300 or so yards and still be successful, though I'd like to get better.

I don't hunt a ton of animals, just to fill the freezer, maybe a bear and elk or deer most years. I would like to start killing coyotes for pelts as well - does a smaller bullet make sense for yotes?

145 eldx, 140 Berger classic if you want to maximize tissue damage.

 

[nobody]

I'm working on saving up for a .223 to be able to practice more. Until then, I'm shooting a .270. Any bullet recommendations from this crowd for western game - elk, deer, antelope? TMK and ELDM aren't made in this caliber.

I like that monos don't ruin as much meat, which I understand is directly correlated to less instant death on the animal I'm shooting. I also don't have to think about lead in the kids' food and am not poisoning whatever eats the carcass. I am not a great shooter and am able to limit myself to shots to within 300 or so yards and still be successful, though I'd like to get better.

I don't hunt a ton of animals, just to fill the freezer, maybe a bear and elk or deer most years. I would like to start killing coyotes for pelts as well - does a smaller bullet make sense for yotes?

If I had a 270, I would entertain the 145 ELDX, 140 SST, 130 SST, or a Berger 140 HVLD. I'm particularly intrigued by the 140 Berger after watching my brother kill a bull at 450 earlier this month with his 270. Quartering away, shooting downhill, entered high in the back 1/3 of the chest cavity and exited right in front of the left shoulder. The bull took the hit, stood there for about 8 seconds all wide-legged and wobbly, and then tipped over. When we got to the bull and started to cape him off, his insides were all "sloshy" and soupy. It's only a sample of one, but I was impressed, and I've not ever even remotely been tempted to try bergers until then.

As far as a "smaller" bullet for coyotes, drop down in caliber and not bullet weight. So many people get hung up on "well you need 130 for deer but 150 grain for elk." BS. When you find a load/bullet combo your gun likes, stick with it and quit screwing around. If you find the 130 grain SST shoots best in your rifle, then shoot the 130's for everything from coyotes to moose and never think twice. If you want something "smaller" for coyotes, buy a 223 or 22-250 or something of that nature.

But then again, you're planning on doing that eventually anyway in a 223 Tikka. So until then, just shoot the same projectile for everything through that 270 and live happy.

And if you absolutely HAVE to use monos for some reason, go with the lightest weight, softest mono you can find (such as a 129 gr. Barnes LRX), and push it as HARD and as FAST as is humanly possible. And then just know you'll probably have to put an extra round into them or potentially track them for further/longer than a similar shot placement with an ELDX/SST/VLD would need. Then just cap your max distance wherever you hit about 2k-2200 FPS (about 450, MAYBE 500 yards). It can be done, it's just not what's preferred for many of us here on the 'slide.

 

[BAC]

I'm working on saving up for a .223 to be able to practice more. Until then, I'm shooting a .270. Any bullet recommendations from this crowd for western game - elk, deer, antelope? TMK and ELDM aren't made in this caliber.

I like that monos don't ruin as much meat, which I understand is directly correlated to less instant death on the animal I'm shooting. I also don't have to think about lead in the kids' food and am not poisoning whatever eats the carcass. I am not a great shooter and am able to limit myself to shots to within 300 or so yards and still be successful, though I'd like to get better.

I don't hunt a ton of animals, just to fill the freezer, maybe a bear and elk or deer most years. I would like to start killing coyotes for pelts as well - does a smaller bullet make sense for yotes?

Related to this point, for folks using the TMK and ELDM bullets in .223, how much has fragmentation and lead spoiling been a concern? It's hard to tell from just the pictures how much these bullets are retaining their mass. Some of it is clearly being lost but it looks like a fairly large amount is staying together. One of the goals of my learning to hunt is to fill the freezer, but looking at the good places to shoot vs the largest quantities of meat, I think I should still get 90+% of what I'd ordinarily harvest even with a really big fragmentation path?

 

[dreamingWest]

Goodness, someone update the thread title to include ", and mountain goats."

 

[Dioni A]

@Formidilosus if someone were to go the Tikka Route and wanted to maximize their effective range, what would be your choice between the .223/77TMK, 6ARC/108 or 103, or the new 22 ARC/88 ELDM? I have a Tikka .223 bolt on the way and I have really been debating about having it sent off and opened up to run one of the ARC's.

You could also go with a 22-250 1/8 twist and either run it how it is or have it opened up to a 22 creedmoor. Incredibly shootable and delivers an 88 ELDM fast enough to do damage a long ways out. Buys you a lot more in the wind department too.

 

[BAC]

Those of y'all using the 77gr TMK bullets, in factory or hand loadings, what is the measured COAL? I'm trying to see if this might be usable in my ARs as well.

 

[The Guide]

Those of y'all using the 77gr TMK bullets, in factory or hand loadings, what is the measured COAL? I'm trying to see if this might be usable in my ARs as well.

The factory ammo is magazine length. I have not used handloads yet, only the Black Hills 5.56 TMK loads.

Jay

 

[BAC]

USGI mags or Pmags? As I understand Pmags are a little tighter fitting.

 

[The Guide]

USGI mags or Pmags? As I understand Pmags are a little tighter fitting.

I busy being a bum, relaxing on the couch, and not out hunting cause my wife had an early meeting this morning so I had to take the kids to school in the -5⁰ cold this morning. My calipers are downstairs and it is just too far to go get them at the moment..

I will tell you I have fit them in both an AICS mag and a polymer Howa Mini Action magazine with no issues. I belive from what I remember from this thread, that the BH 77tmk load is 2.26" OAL and fits in all 223/5.56 magazines.

Jay

 

[fwafwow]

USGI mags or Pmags? As I understand Pmags are a little tighter fitting.

I measured my Stand 1 Armory 77gr TMKs at 2.25".

 

[BLJ]

Those of y'all using the 77gr TMK bullets, in factory or hand loadings, what is the measured COAL? I'm trying to see if this might be usable in my ARs as well.

My reloads are 2.26 COAL and fit in 10 and 30 round Magpul Pmags.

 

[BAC]

Outstanding, thank you gents.

 

[jofes]

Anyone use the 75gr. OTM from AAC?

 

[woods89]

Goodness, someone update the thread title to include ", and mountain goats."

Maybe it should just be shortened to "223 for big hairy animals."

 

[Thegman]

Related to this point, for folks using the TMK and ELDM bullets in .223, how much has fragmentation and lead spoiling been a concern? It's hard to tell from just the pictures how much these bullets are retaining their mass. Some of it is clearly being lost but it looks like a fairly large amount is staying together. One of the goals of my learning to hunt is to fill the freezer, but looking at the good places to shoot vs the largest quantities of meat, I think I should still get 90+% of what I'd ordinarily harvest even with a really big fragmentation path?

I don't have much experience with the 77TMK compared to some others here, but if you shoot through ribs-lungs/heart-ribs you will loose very little meat. Not too different with respect to meat loss than shooting a Ballistic Tip through the same in my (limited) experience. I try to maximize salvageable meat as well and avoid shoulders when I can.

 

[BAC]

Sounds like I ought to pick up a couple boxes of the BHA 77gr TMK's to have on hand then. Would be interesting to see how they group in my AR and nice to have on hand for when I pick up a bolt gun. (Note, "when", not "if"... I've seen enough in this thread now to be pretty damned convinced this is a good or great route to go)

 

[The Guide]

Sounds like I ought to pick up a couple boxes of the BHA 77gr TMK's to have on hand then. Would be interesting to see how they group in my AR and nice to have on hand for when I pick up a bolt gun. (Note, "when", not "if"... I've seen enough in this thread now to be pretty damned convinced this is a good or great route to go)

Make sure you have a 8 twist or faster barrel. The heavy girls like to be spun fast across the dance floor so they don't tumble before impact.

Jay

 

[Sadler]

8208 XBR is in stock at powder valley

 

[BAC]

Make sure you have a 8 twist or faster barrel. The heavy girls like to be spun fast across the dance floor so they don't tumble before impact.

Jay

Standard Colt with standard 1:7 twist. Should be fine, I expect.