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

[PNWGATOR]

Appreciate EVERYONE’s contribution to this thread!

THANK YOU!!

Thank you for the willingness to open your minds to an idea entirely contrary to conventional beliefs and to trust in the process…

Thank you all.

 

[Schmo]

@PNWGATOR,
Thank you for starting this thread! It’s completely changed my mind on the effectiveness of the 223. Just wrapped up a Montana hunt with my Tikka 223. Really enjoyed using it. No recoil, not very loud, and just a joy to shoot. On top of that, very effective. Now I won’t hesitate to grab it for a hunt if I need to.

 

[Formidilosus]

Does this hold true for hogs and bears?

Hogs- yes. Or slightly forward of that.

Bears- absolutely not. Middle of the middle on bears.

 

[Poe]

Finally got to try the 73gr eldm on something larger than coyotes. White tail approx 200 lbs Slightly quartering away at around 200 yards. Impact velocity should be around 2450 from a tikka t3x varmint. Hit him just below halfway up on the body just behind the shoulder. Extensive damage to 1 lung and a fair bit of damage to the second. Broke ribs with a fairly large entrance wound and exited between 2 ribs on the off side but did not make it through the layer of meat between the ribs and the hide. I didn’t find the bullet I’m guessing it must have went back inside and got left with the gut pile. Deer ran 50-70 yards and flipped over backwards dead. No meat damage. Sorry I forgot to take pictures of the lungs.

 

[Poe]

I’m sure there has been some posted earlier but I can’t remember. Has anyone shot any larger deer and a fairly steep quartering away angle. Just curious what kind of penetration could be expected when the bullet has to go through some ribs and maybe some guys befor it gets into the hear/lungs. I have no doubt a quartering towards shot will be fine just curious on the other way

 

[bcmntgoathunter.]

I will be adding to this very very soon I got a tikka t3 left handed 223 that I'm having ackly improved and a 22 creedmore built. Iv been reading these forums for about 5 years and after reading all 467 pages of the .223 hunting post I figured it's time to jump in and show some picture and hunting stories should have the .223 ai back in the next 2 weeks and 22 creedmore with in 1.5 months I plan on hunting wolves and coyotes thru the winter and bear in the spring I also have a late season cow elk draw and will bring my 223 ai and my 300 prc on that hunt.

 

[TxxAgg]

My 8 yr old boy's first deer. 16" T3x suppressed with 77 TMK. He was so excited. I'm beyond excited. What a great morning!

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

Awesome! Pretty quiet with that Nomad?

 

[sierracharlie338]

My 8 yr old boy's first deer. 16" T3x suppressed with 77 TMK. He was so excited. I'm beyond excited. What a great morning!


View attachment 795269

Outstanding congrats to the young man and you! Memories for a lifetime.

 

[KChunter71]

My 8 yr old boy's first deer. 16" T3x suppressed with 77 TMK. He was so excited. I'm beyond excited. What a great morning!


View attachment 795269

Awesome job! Can you tell me more about your tikka set up? Compact stock on it? Just picked up a ss 223 tikka t3x for me and my 8y old.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

I’m sure there has been some posted earlier but I can’t remember. Has anyone shot any larger deer and a fairly steep quartering away angle. Just curious what kind of penetration could be expected when the bullet has to go through some ribs and maybe some guys befor it gets into the hear/lungs. I have no doubt a quartering towards shot will be fine just curious on the other way

Mine wasn’t a large deer, but it worked just fine. I posted it a few pages back. I wouldn’t have any reservations on a larger deer.

 

[TxxAgg]

Awesome! Pretty quiet with that Nomad?

Yes, a couple buddies have them and my brother. We all like them.

Awesome job! Can you tell me more about your tikka set up? Compact stock on it? Just picked up a ss 223 tikka t3x for me and my 8y old.

It is compact with the spacer removed so 12ish" LOP. I bought the veritcal grip. It's threaded with an adapter. My only complaint is that it isn't stainless. The scope is a Trijicon Huron. I had him on 4x.

I put the gun in a tripod and we did a lot of dry firing practice. He can work the bolt.

 

[primarchtimmy]

400 yards double lungs shot with ACC 77 TMK. Out of a 20 inch 223 wyde Faxon barrel SPR platform. Ran 35 yards, lungs were obliterated and soup.

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

400 yards double lungs shot with ACC 77 TMK. Out of a 20 inch 223 wyde Faxon barrel SPR platform. Ran 35 yards, lungs were obliterated and soup.

Nice! What trigger do you like in your AR?

 

[primarchtimmy]

Nice! What trigger do you like in your AR?

The PSA 2 stage nickel trigger. I actually like it a lot. 4.5 lbs and no play. https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-2-stage-nickel-boron-trigger-assembly1.html

Admittedly I missed the first and second, got him on my third while he was running. The trigger proved to be easy to follow up and hold it's break.

 

[KChunter71]

Yes, a couple buddies have them and my brother. We all like them.




It is compact with the spacer removed so 12ish" LOP. I bought the veritcal grip. It's threaded with an adapter. My only complaint is that it isn't stainless. The scope is a Trijicon Huron. I had him on 4x.

I put the gun in a tripod and we did a lot of dry firing practice. He can work the bolt.

Thanks for the reply. I bought the full size stainless one. So I’m on the search for a compact stock for it. It’s a fun rifle

 

[SamsonMan22]

Not much of a data point, small bear at close range (sub 50yds) with a 75eldm. Was intended as a frontal shot but it turned as I broke the shot and high shouldered it and shattered the spine. A follow up shot was made, getting close to dark and started raining so no pictures of the internals but the lungs were destroyed and the body cavity full of blood.

 

[TxxAgg]

More 223 carnage this evening

 

[WI-Carcosa]

223 79g DRT TS factory load out of a tikka t3x 223 with 16.5” barrel and can on it. MV of 2500 fps. Impact velocity 2475fps. (12yards). My buddies first deer. First shot high shoulder second in neck as he was told to shoot until it’s dead. First shot dropped deer in tracks. First deer I have seen killed with a 223 and it’s compelling to see that little gun do its thing. no exit and the bullet fragmented all over into the opposIte side of chest cavity.
Onside shoulder/neck (shoulder removed)

 

[bcmntgoathunter.]

I bought 400 of the 75 eldm, 400 of the 73 eldm , 500 of the 75 berger vld and 400 of the 80.5 berger full bore to start. For both my 223 ackly and my 22 creedmore hoping to run the 73/75 eldm in the tikka and bergers in the 22 creedmore..... also grabbed 100 pc of lapua brass for the 223 ai and 100 pc of alpha lrp brass for the creedmore should be a decent start.