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

[JackButler]

Those perform pretty poorly on game. I’ve shot a ton of groundhogs with them, some coyotes, and hogs and one small deer and they usually don’t expand or fragment at all, usually they just pencil through. I lost the deer and several yotes. Groundhogs usually required multiple shots too. I’d say maybe 20% of the groundhogs shot with them they fragmented.

I’ll still use them for groundhogs and pests in a pinch but I still prefer them to not suffer and no way would I use them on the animals that people in this thread are shooting with TMK’s.

I shot 130 deer doing depredation with the 69gr match king and the furthest one went about 50 yards.

 

[General RE LEE]

This thread reminds me the 108 ELD-M out f my 6 ARC has the potential to ethically deer out to 575 yards (1816 fps, 791 ft/lbs.).

 

[JJ3]

Here is some velocity data I gathered the other day with the AAC Sabre Black Tip 75gr.

10.5“ suppressed AR. I plan to hunt with this gun as an alternative to my Howa mini depending on terrain, expected range, etc. Figured I‘d run TMKs with the bolt gun, and try the Sabre stuff with the AR.

One shot didn’t register because I shot too quickly. Pretty decent ES and SD for such cheap ammo. Also seems pretty accurate with a red dot at 36 yards.

If this projectile is in any way similar to the 77TMK regarding velocity threshold, this is a 250 yard gun with Sabre ammo. TMK at same MV would be a 300 yard gun.

I also plan to chrono BH 77 TMK vs AAC 77 TMK vs Federal LE 77 TMK at some point.

I personally took a 180lb mature buck is GA hill country with a suppressed 10.5 using 73eld over a2520. 40yd… It died fast.

 

[Mikido]

Any opinions on a 308 projectile with an effective range to 600 on elk? Thanks

 

[Juan_ID]

Any opinions on a 308 projectile with an effective range to 600 on elk? Thanks

 

[Shō[t]gun]

Any opinions on a 308 projectile with an effective range to 600 on elk? Thanks

“There is no 308, only 223. There is no range, only velocity.”
-Dalai Gator

(Try a different thread)

 

[PNWGATOR]

Any opinions on a 308 projectile with an effective range to 600 on elk? Thanks

Appreciate the question and I’m certain there is an answer.

Would you mind starting an independent thread with this question?

I‘m certainly interested in the answer and have ideas, but no first hand experience. Yet…

Thinking about killing everything with a .308.

Simplicity.

 

[JackButler]

Any opinions on a 308 projectile with an effective range to 600 on elk? Thanks

Same answer, tmk…

 

[PNWGATOR]

View attachment 691453

Juan…thank you.

You sir are a good man.

 

[Castle Rock]

308 can suck my date

 

[MEdude]

Any opinions on a 308 projectile with an effective range to 600 on elk? Thanks

E Arthur Brown offers a sabot that allows for a .22 cal projectile in .30 cal round. (Link provided below)
So I’d recommend a 77 TMK in your .308

Accelerator Type Sabots for .30 Caliber Cartridges

Optimize your .308 reloading with Accelerator Sabots. High-performance, precision-engineered for accuracy. Available now at EABCO

eabco.com

 

[SouthPaw]

79g DRT hpbt tungsten core (lead free).

160ish pound sow, 2380 fps impact. High shoulder hit resulted in a bang flop. To me it looks like the bullet upset almost immediately and achieved good max wound width (maybe 3" or so?) No exit.

Entry:



Underneath onside shoulder:



Cavity entrance, shoulder removed:



Offside shoulder, and recovered jacket:

 

[flyinsquirel]

“There is no 308, only 223. There is no range, only velocity.”
-Dalai Gator

(Try a different thread)

@PNWGATOR - If this doesn't end up as your sig at the bottom of your posts from now on, we're all gonna be disappointed in you.

 

[roosiebull]

79g DRT hpbt tungsten core (lead free).

160ish pound sow, 2380 fps impact. High shoulder hit resulted in a bang flop. To me it looks like the bullet upset almost immediately and achieved good max wound width (maybe 3" or so?) No exit.

Entry:

View attachment 692452

Underneath onside shoulder:

View attachment 692457

Cavity entrance, shoulder removed:

View attachment 692453

Offside shoulder, and recovered jacket:

View attachment 692456

View attachment 692455

How deep did it penetrate? Cool to see some results with this projectile

 

[Pharmseller]

@PNWGATOR - If this doesn't end up as your sig at the bottom of your posts from now on, we're all gonna be disappointed in you.

 

[SouthPaw]

How deep did it penetrate? Cool to see some results with this projectile

10-12" or so. Found more bullet jacket pieces in the offside shoulder while processing.

If you like what Bergers do, you'll like the DRT. Its unlike any other lead-free option I've used/seen.

 

[cowdisciple]

Good information. Nice to have a nonlead alternative that seems to perform pretty well.

 

[roosiebull]

Thanks SouthPaw, look forward to more results from that projectile, it shows potential with the little bit I’ve seen of them

 

[Rolltide]

Wow, I've went through all 342 pages of this thread, reading most and looking at all of the pics.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed!

It's amazing to see what the little .223s can do! I primarily hunt in Virginia, where .243 is the smallest legal caliber for deer and bear.

I'm still going to put together a RSS because it seems like the perfect tool for a lot of the other places I hunt.

Cheers!

 

[PNWGATOR]

Silly to me there are places that specify caliber restrictions.

Even sillier are the places dictating bullet composition.