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

[mt100gr.]

MT youth deer hunt 2024 is in the books again with 2 shots fired and 2 nice bucks in the cooler. The Tikka .223/ 77gr TMK / AB Raptor 10 is wicked combo!!

My oldest daughter (14) took her fifth (with the .223) buck at 305 yds with zero drama. We found him bedded and crawled to a spot to set up. He was bedded with about 25 other deer, and she was hesitant about that. But I asked if she could visualize where his neck meets his shoulder? If so, I said "shoot him there". She touched the trigger and we both watched him simply tip his head to the ground, lights out, done. Barely a wiggle. None of the other deer so much as stood up! I was amazed by that!! I didn't photograph the wound channel on this buck as I avoid rooting around where spinal tissue has been disrupted, but it was basically a Red Bull can or greater volume amount and shape of destruction with jacket pieces piled up against the offside hide. As he lay when we walked up:

My middle daughter (12) and I finally caught up with another nice buck (her 2nd with the .223) and got set up for a 208 yard shot at a slightly quartering deer. She hit him just a hair high in the lungs, but "middle of the front half" nonetheless. He did a short loop and fell within 10 seconds - maybe 20 yards total. Entrance with shoulder intact:
Entrance inside, 2 broken ribs:

Bullet path, no exit, but broke the offside ribs and ended up against the hide.

Entrance side upper lung wound channel

Off side lung wound channel



The more I see it, the more I love it!! And again this year, I watched 2 other young hunters spend 10 rounds of .243 to get their deer....just sayin'.

 

[sierracharlie338]

My daughter got a doe this afternoon with the 77 gr TMK at about 100 yards. It ran about 25 yards after being shot in the onside shoulder. The entrance into the rib cage is on the left and exit on the right (tip of blue arrow). It didn’t go through or break the offside shoulder.

MT youth deer hunt 2024 is in the books again with 2 shots fired and 2 nice bucks in the cooler. The Tikka .223/ 77gr TMK / AB Raptor 10 is wicked combo!!

My oldest daughter (14) took her fifth (with the .223) buck at 305 yds with zero drama.

My middle daughter (12) and I finally caught up with another nice buck (her 2nd with the .223) and got set up for a 208 yard shot at a slightly quartering deer.

Congrats to all the kids, that’s just awesome.

 

[Randle]

My son injured his shoulder in dirtbike mishap.
Didnt want to add insult to injury with his 308 this year so we setup his 556 gas gun for elk hunting with 77 TMK
thanks. Chris ( PNWGATOR)
He ended up shooting this buck at 20 yards broadside. Hit the shoulder . Broke rib with no exit wound. He went about 15 yards.
That teenie weenie bullet is impressive.

 

[UnckleBob]

I have not become a Kool-Aid drinker, but I am willing to tasted test.


1) Tikka T3X in 223
2) Starline Brass + 69g TMk bullets

Anything else I need to test the Kool-Aid?

 

[NSI]

I have not become a Kool-Aid drinker, but I am willing to tasted test.


1) Tikka T3X in 223
2) Starline Brass + 69g TMk bullets

Anything else I need to test the Kool-Aid?
View attachment 779661

Scope that holds zero? Integral rings?

-J

 

[UnckleBob]

Scope that holds zero? Integral rings?

-J

I have Tallley Rings. For now, it has a Leupold VX-Freedom. It will do until I decide what kind of scope I really want for it.

 

[Pharmseller]

Powder maybe?




P

 

[PNWGATOR]

I have not become a Kool-Aid drinker, but I am willing to tasted test.


1) Tikka T3X in 223
2) Starline Brass + 69g TMk bullets

Anything else I need to test the Kool-Aid?
View attachment 779661

I have Tallley Rings. For now, it has a Leupold VX-Freedom. It will do until I decide what kind of scope I really want for it.

Start at the start.

It’s truly an easy journey.

One simply needs to open their mind and objectively consider what’s important.

 

[NSI]

Start at the start.

It’s truly an easy journey.

One simply needs to open their mind and objectively consider what’s important.

Phrased differently… the magic is in the hit probability and the terminal effects. While the latter won’t change, both Talleys and the VX are stacking the deck against reliable hits. Wish you luck on the experiment, keep us posted.

-J

 

[Pharmseller]

Phrased differently… the magic is in the hit probability and the terminal effects. While the latter won’t change, both Talleys and the VX are stacking the deck against reliable hits. Wish you luck on the experiment, keep us posted.

-J

Help me understand, are you suggesting that Talley mounts lead to unreliability?




P

 

[NSI]

Help me understand, are you suggesting that Talley mounts lead to unreliability?




P

In my experience, in my observation of one other shooter, and in the consensus developed on this thread, it appears that Talley direct mount aluminum rings have a higher than average rate of shifting and breakage.

-J

 

[KHntr]

Help me understand, are you suggesting that Talley mounts lead to unreliability?




P

I’m not NSI, but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

Short answer, yes. Best bet is to remove the Talley Lightweights, bash them with a hammer, drive down the highway at 70mph and throw the pieces out the window at 15 minute intervals while on the way to the LGS to buy any number of vastly superior products.
While you have the hammer out, give that Leupold some love too, and start with glass that works.

 

[Pharmseller]

Thanks for the prompt responses.

My experience conflicts with these statements.




P

 

[NSI]

Thanks for the prompt responses.

My experience conflicts with these statements.




P

Mine did too. On both fronts and on multiple rifles, until it didn’t. Game of statistics, we’re all out here trying to make choices that minimize the chance of failure, knowing it can’t be eliminated. My reaction was similar to yours. Just don’t want to see you lose game over it, that’s all.

-J

 

[BradArnett]

Thanks for the prompt responses.

My experience conflicts with these statements.




P

I get it, you are working on your own experience. My experience with talley lw's are having multiple sets break. I guarantee you that yours will work fine.....until they don't.

 

[Pharmseller]

Then let us drink and be merry until that day comes!

And, since this thread is about the .223, here’s some butchering pics from this year’s kill:











P

 

[GiantGreg]

The biggest flaw with Talley is I relies solely on the shear strength( not what a screw is designed for) of the screws to the action.
There is not forward/rearward or lateral lug to take the brunt of forces like recoil or bumps and drops.


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[Tahr]

If you are saying that Talleys are unreliable you are over thinking the whole thing.

The biggest flaw with Talley is I relies solely on the shear strength( not what a screw is designed for) of the screws to the action.
There is not forward/rearward or lateral lug to take the brunt of forces like recoil or bumps and drops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Isn't that the case for every mounting system that relies on weaver type mounting blocks for standard rings?? Just 2 screws holding the block.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Thanks for the prompt responses.

My experience conflicts with these statements.




P

They work fine until they don’t. Ask me how I know.

 

[GiantGreg]

If you are saying that Talleys are unreliable you are over thinking the whole thing.

Isn't that the case for every mounting system that relies on weaver type mounting blocks for standard rings?? Just 2 screws holding the block.

. Yea all those suck, not my fault those people did poor engineering and people still buy their
bad designs.

A good rail will have recoil pins or lugs recoil and bumps then the screws just fasten to receiver.
Or just buy a tikka.


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