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

[Thegman]

Awesome that you've found a rifle to take hunting for bear this year.

However I would advise against the ultra-ultralight AR. I run tactical rifle and pistol courses as my side-gig and I have seen way too many reliability issues with the super ultra rifle that have came to the classes. Some of those have been minor, like failure to feed or light strikes, but quite a few have been major, like BCG's bulging or cracking and gas blocks blowing out.

But don't let that complete dissuade you, you can easily build a reliable AR that falls right around 5ish pounds.

Not to stray off topic too much, but to clarify, I think Luke S is talking about these https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/ultralight-ultralight-rifles.329402/ not a gasser AR. They don't have the same (potential) issues of what you're describing. And as for being fragile, if done right, they aren't, by any stretch. My Montana (stock) has proven more fragile by far.

 

[zdc1775]

Not to stray off topic too much, but to clarify, I think Luke S is talking about these https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/ultralight-ultralight-rifles.329402/ not a gasser AR. They don't have the same (potential) issues of what you're describing. And as for being fragile, if done right, they aren't, by any stretch. My Montana (stock) has proven more fragile by far.

Yeah, that absolutely changes everything I said. They are just not the first thing I think of when people mention building an ultralight AR.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Looky what I found. Testing some this weekend.

 

[BlackHillsShooter]

View attachment 674019
Look is what I found. Testing some this weekend.

That's the stuff I shot a deer and a cow elk with last season. Been reloading alot of 223 but theirs performed well on both paper and animals.

 

[sierracharlie338]

That's the stuff I shot a deer and a cow elk with last season. Been reloading alot of 223 but theirs performed well on both paper and animals.

Bought this for a gas gun I have but will be loading TMKs for my daughters rifle

 

[mtnwrunner]

Up top cause it don't belong on page two.....

Randy

 

[Juan_ID]

Up top cause it don't belong on page two.....

Randy

 

[Tahr]

The 77TMK don't work if you don't hit 'em, but are devastating when you do. Watch to the end where I redeem my self. Centre of shoulder hit. 254 yards.

 

[sierracharlie338]

The 77TMK don't work if you don't hit 'em, but are devastating when you do. Watch to the end where I redeem my self. Centre of shoulder hit. 254 yards.

Nice follow up!

 

[SBR Sarge]

The 77TMK don't work if you don't hit 'em, but are devastating when you do. Watch to the end where I redeem my self. Centre of shoulder hit. 254 yards.

Nooooo. You did not ‘miss’ on the first shot. You were intentionally shooting past them to herd them closer. A crafty, cunning move on your part.

And the second shot sure anchored the critter.

 

[FacePlant]

77 tmk shown in stock at Dillon Precision.
Ordered a couple boxes last night, we’ll see if they ship!

Dillon Precision

 

[gbflyer]

Just flesh and bone. Lots of it.

 

[wind gypsy]

Just flesh and bone. Lots of it.

Rokslide 77TMK polar bear hunt is next.

 

[Luke S]

Relatively few bears get that big. And you can subtract about 4 inches of fluff all around each bear. The fur makes the torso look a lot bigger then it really is. But a real trophy bear probably has the widest chest of anything except a bison.

Remember I'm an adult use your brain if you go tangle with a grizzly. Based on the moose photos I think a 223 will work on the normal bears I see. On a really huge (rare) grizzly I could imagine a bit slower kill IF the bullet doesn't take out both lungs fully.

If I let a kid try the 223 on a grizzly it will be with me backing up with another bigger rifle and we'll avoid tricky situations.

 

[PNWGATOR]

If I let a kid try the 223 on a grizzly it will be with me backing up with another bigger rifle and we'll avoid tricky situations.

This concerns me.

Im all about taking kids hunting and I get it.

There is a HUGE difference between understanding basic firearms safety and shot placement vs being a rifleman killing big bears.

Understanding how to effectively run a gun, the complete shot process, having maturity and discipline to deliver on demand and the ability to efficiently kill animals and shooting them to the ground is entirely different.

This is not a pursuit I‘d take lightly nor would I consider based on the hunting situation you’ve described.

That said, my decision has NOTHING to do with the wound channel delivered by the 77 TMK out of a .223, but rather the significant unknown key performance requirements of any hunter in this position.

 

[Luke S]

Trust me we'll be careful. I've yet to let a kid take a shot at a grizzly with anything. My rule currently is I won't let a kid shoot a grizzly until they have successfully shot a black bear without excessive jitters. I know of two right now who could do it. Another shot a black bear but was so excited I don't think they are ready for more.
But if we tried a 223 I could have the kid run a lot of rounds through it first.
Always the chance I take the shot. Last year I was the only one with a grizzly tag and the boys were egging me on to go for it.

 

[gbflyer]

Relatively few bears get that big. And you can subtract about 4 inches of fluff all around each bear. The fur makes the torso look a lot bigger then it really is. But a real trophy bear probably has the widest chest of anything except a bison.

Remember I'm an adult use your brain if you go tangle with a grizzly. Based on the moose photos I think a 223 will work on the normal bears I see. On a really huge (rare) grizzly I could imagine a bit slower kill IF the bullet doesn't take out both lungs fully.

If I let a kid try the 223 on a grizzly it will be with me backing up with another bigger rifle and we'll avoid tricky situations.

We don’t have those little malnourished interior grizzlies in SE. We call ours brown bear.

 

[PNWGATOR]

We don’t have those little malnourished interior grizzlies in SE. We call ours brown bear.

Sounds like an amazing world!

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

@Formidilosus

Out of curiosity have you tried or witnessed animals taken with M193?

Does the yaw that is supposed to be so effective on humans translate to usable terminal performance on game?

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus

Out of curiosity have you tried or witnessed animals taken with M193?

Does the yaw that is supposed to be so effective on humans translate to usable terminal performance on game?

Yes I have. They are variable as are alk FMJ’s. At very high impact velocities- 2,900 to maybe 2,800 fps impact they do tend to yaw and fragment. Below that, it starts getting sketchy at times.

M193 is not magic or anything close to it. Basically every hunting bullet made is better.