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

[primarchtimmy]

I know it’s not large game but I got a chance to finally try out the new to me tikka and the 73gr eldm. Shot was around 100 yards and actually pushed part of the lungs out the exit hole. Hoping to try this out on white tails this season aswell as a bunch more coyotes. I will be splitting my coyote calling up between the tikka with the 73’s and my semi auto .223 shooting Speer 52gr HP’s and 60gr vmax

Fiochi 40 VMAX works incredible. I found it better than the 50 VMAX out of a 1:8 twist. I'll do some grouping but it was very impressive out to 100

 

[ElPollo]

UPS just dropped this off. View attachment 772452

I shot AAC 77 gr TMK stuff today. Averaged 2680 fps out of an 18” Tikka barrel with a suppressor. That’s about 80 fps slower than the Black Hills TMK. I shot a 20 round group with it at 100, prone off a backpack, a Molinator, and my bino harness that was right at 1.6”. I think that is pretty respectable. It hits center and 0.1 Mils lower than my Black Hills. Shot it on steel after that at 350 to 630. I’m not unhappy with that for $0.80 per round. I shot about 150 rounds of it today.

 

[Tahr]

I processed the larger of the 2 deer (above) today.
As said the bullet was a 60 grn Hammer Hunter at 3280fps from a 20" barrel .223, the range was about 200 yards and she was quartering towards me. The bullet struck her through the bottom joint of her leading shoulder. It split the heart. Impact velocity was 2600fps.

Simply posting this to show a different perspective and to add to the evidence that the .223 is very effective on deer, especially where there is adequate penetration combined with fragmentation.

This pic is of the inside of the shoulder (nothing was recoverable really).


This pic is looking into the body cavity at the entry through the ribs inside the shoulder. You can also see shed petal damage too.



And here is the shank that I found in the off side flank just under the skin. They are designed to shed their petals like this.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I processed the larger of the 2 deer (above) today.
As said the bullet was a 60 grn Hammer Hunter at 3280fps from a 20" barrel .223, the range was about 200 yards and she was quartering towards me. The bullet struck her through the bottom joint of her leading shoulder. It split the heart. Impact velocity was 2600fps.

Simply posting this to show a different perspective and to add to the evidence that the .223 is very effective on deer, especially where there is adequate penetration combined with fragmentation.

This pic is of the inside of the shoulder (nothing was recoverable really).


This pic is looking into the body cavity at the entry through the ribs inside the shoulder. You can also see shed petal damage too.



And here is the shank that I found in the off side flank just under the skin. They are designed to shed their petals like this.

Nice work thanks for sharing that!

 

[Reddish]

I usually shoot through ribs, lungs/heart, but on this last, sample of one, bear, hitting a bunch of bone, it seemed like there might have been more penetration(???). Have you seen anything like that?

There’s probably a more scientific explanation, but usually soft tissue and organs cause rapid expansion of a bullet. I’ve had the same experience of hitting bone on entry and it seems to penetrate farther. Guessing it’s bc the bullet doesn’t expand the same as it would in soft tissue.

 

[Salty Guerrilla]

22CM 291 yards, had just stood up out of his bed or was about to lay down. One poorly placed 75 gr ELDM broke his front left humerus clean in two just below the joint with the scapula and entered low in his chest. No damage to heart but lower right lung was shredded. No exits. This shot knocked him down into his bed where he laid for a few seconds and appeared very dead. However, he did stagger back to his feet and took a couple steps in the sage brush immediately surrounding him. 2nd shot tore through his neck and blew a baseball size wound out the back. That was lights out of course. Died about 10 feet from his bed.

View attachment 773188

Beautiful buck! Bravo!

 

[Poe]

Fiochi 40 VMAX works incredible. I found it better than the 50 VMAX out of a 1:8 twist. I'll do some grouping but it was very impressive out to 100

I haven’t tried the 40’s for a season and on the closer shots I had no issues but on the longer shots the 55’s did seem to anchor coyotes better. The BC’s really suck but in my opinion for coyotes under 300 yards in a .223 or 22-250 the Speer 52gr hp is one of the most under rated coyote bullets.

 

[Poe]

From my understanding, which is limited, the 22 creedmoor should do that.



But we need to be honest with our selves on the ranges we can shoot and make ethical hits. I do a lot of shooting out to 600 yards shooting PRS, a few further, and I don't have the skill to shoot an animal that far. A 12-16" steel circle, yep I can do that! A deer or elk, not a chance because I can't keep the group size to half of the vital area.

If you can do the practice and confidently make the shots, then the 22 creed is probably the one you want. Other options could be 223AI or 22arc depending on velocity you get and making sure to keep impact velocities above 1800fps.

I’m just getting into the longer range game so I am still far from being ready to try and shoot animals at 600 yards but would this maybe be a good option for something like a 6 creed for the higher BC bullets. Would the improved BC make much of a difference in hit percentages at say 6-700 yards. I’m buy no means trying to make a argument just asking

 

[JBradley500]

Fudds on YouTube trying to use this thread to grow their channels... so hot right now.

 

[Deere_Man]

What bullet does Black Hills load into their 55gr soft point 223?

 

[nritzell]

What about the 75gr AAC "Sabre Black Tip" anyone used it..?

 

[Big_wals]

What about the 75gr AAC "Sabre Black Tip" anyone used it..?

I have only used them on pigs, they work fine. IME they don’t penetrate as far as a TMK or ELDM.

 

[cumminsbassguy]

Fudds on YouTube trying to use this thread to grow their channels... so hot right now.

So far I've seen 4 different shorts on the YouTube about it figured I would check back in for any more updates

 

[primarchtimmy]

I have only used them on pigs, they work fine. IME they don’t penetrate as far as a TMK or ELDM.

Would you use 75 Sabre for varmints? Without worrying about over penetration?

 

[ElPollo]

What about the 75gr AAC "Sabre Black Tip" anyone used it..?

It’s a Hornady VMAX with a black tip. It will penetrate a bit less than a TMK or ELDM. But there have been other posting in this thread that have used them on pigs. I’ve only shot it at the range.

 

[Deere_Man]

It doesn’t look like a Vmax. Here is a cross section Jboomhauer did on Snipers Hide:

 

[atmat]

What about the 75gr AAC "Sabre Black Tip" anyone used it..?

I asked @Formidilosus about the differences between the AAC SBT vs ELD-M and his words were “eh, same/same terminally.”

 

[Big_wals]

It doesn’t look like a Vmax. Here is a cross section Jboomhauer did on Snipers Hide:


View attachment 773931

Aac states that it is made by Hornady, and the packing slips say Vmax on them

 

[Big_wals]

Would you use 75 Sabre for varmints? Without worrying about over penetration?

I’ve shot a few coyotes, the sabres will definitely blow a big exit hole sometimes. AAC sells 55 and 62 grain versions also, that would probably be my pick for varmints if you’re worried about over penetration or saving hides. I have never used them for anything but it’s just a vmax.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Aac states that it is made by Hornady, and the packing slips say Vmax on them View attachment 773932

Yep same on my order