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

[KyleR1985]

In my 18” Tikka, the AAC TMK load runs 74 fps slower than the BH on average. Given the cost savings, that’s not a huge factor for me.

I need to edit. Checked notes when I read this.

It was closer to 100fps less than black hills, and 150fps less than handloads.

I bought a few hundred of them. They're a heck of a deal.

 

[Poe]

Has anyone tried the 73gr eldm and the 75gr eldm. Just curious if there is much if any difference terminally. I’m debating if I should keep searching for more of the 73’s or if I should get a different mag for my tikka and when I run out of the 73’s try out some 75’s. Or should I just step right up to the 80’s. It’s a 8 twist tikka varmint with the full length barrel if that makes a difference

 

[Pharmseller]

Has anyone tried the 73gr eldm and the 75gr eldm. Just curious if there is much if any difference terminally. I’m debating if I should keep searching for more of the 73’s or if I should get a different mag for my tikka and when I run out of the 73’s try out some 75’s. Or should I just step right up to the 80’s. It’s a 8 twist tikka varmint with the full length barrel if that makes a difference

My stainless Varmint loves the 75 ELDM. I use Ascension Industries magazines.

Benchmark and loading long gets me 2915 fps at the muzzle. That’s lethal farther than I will shoot.

No experience with 73s, sorry.




P

 

[Poe]

My stainless Varmint loves the 75 ELDM. I use Ascension Industries magazines.

Benchmark and loading long gets me 2915 fps at the muzzle. That’s lethal farther than I will shoot.

No experience with 73s, sorry.




P

I have been following your success with the 75’s and they sound really good. I have had good results with the 73’s but a touch more penetration would be nice but in my very small sample size on deer I can’t complain about them to much. The deer I shot with the 73’s this year took out ribs on the way in a penetrated to the ribs on the off side but didn’t make it to the off side hide. Internal damage was great and it worked great but I would have liked to see it make it all the way to the offside hide. Not a deal breaker by any means but a couple more inches would be great. I also think the 75’s have a bit better BC if I’m not mistaken

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

500TMKs for $160.99 after shipping, no tax. Arrived safely, packed well. Based on this single experience it appears shootcenter.com is g2g.

 

[Bluumoon]

500TMKs for $160.99 after shipping, no tax. Arrived safely, packed well. Based on this single experience it appears shootcenter.com is g2g.

View attachment 823182

Must have been a sale? I see around $220

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

Weird. I just picked the cheapest link from gun.deals about 2 weeks ago. Just checked again and they're not on it so I guess you're right it was a sale. My bad for waiting to post it.

Here's what comes up currently, not too far off:

 

[Tahr]

Here's something different from last night. 368 yards using thermal. .223, 74 grn Berger custom projectile.

VID:

Exit

 

[sierracharlie338]

Here's something different from last night. 368 yards using thermal. .223, 74 grn Berger custom projectile.

VID:

Exit
View attachment 823806

Man I wish those Bergers were available in the states. Awesome stuff thanks for sharing as always

 

[flyinsquirel]

If I was in CA and set up to handload, these would be top of my list to try. DRT also sells loaded ammo, but I don’t believe they ship to CA. There have been some posts of kills with these in this thread and the 6.5 thread. They seem to perform about like Bergers.

DRT Terminal Shock™ Elite .224 Diameter 79gr Projectile 50 pcs – DRT Ammo

drtammo.com

They will not ship to CA. At all.

 

[HuntHarder]

Anyone else find it interesting that DRT says the .224 bullet is good for animals up to 500 lbs? I wonder what testing or experiences they have that led them to that conclusion?

 

[ElPollo]

They will not ship to CA. At all.

That’s unfortunate.

 

[HighUintas]

I've got a Tikka takeoff 223 in as lite contour, a 223 bolt, and go gauge .

Let's hope it headspaces correctly! I'm planning to have it cut and threaded and was planning on 16 in for minimum weight and length. Now I'm uncertain of that and thinking about 18 in. The plan was to work on building a Tikka as packable as possible, so I wanted to do short barrel and folding stock or takedown stock. But, I'm really not sure I want to go with a stupid chassis.

I'll use it with my scythe suppressor.

Why can't somebody make a friggin wooden takedown stock for a Tikka?

What do you guys think, 16 or 18 in? 50 FPS is not very much gain

 

[Juan_ID]

I've got a Tikka takeoff 223 in as lite contour, a 223 bolt, and go gauge .

Let's hope it headspaces correctly! I'm planning to have it cut and threaded and was planning on 16 in for minimum weight and length. Now I'm uncertain of that and thinking about 18 in. The plan was to work on building a Tikka as packable as possible, so I wanted to do short barrel and folding stock or takedown stock. But, I'm really not sure I want to go with a stupid chassis.

I'll use it with my scythe suppressor.

Why can't somebody make a friggin wooden takedown stock for a Tikka?

What do you guys think, 16 or 18 in? 50 FPS is not very much gain

I did 16.5 and have no regrets, I say shorter. Mine shoots 73 eld’s around 2750 and 77 tmk’s around 2720, both reloads.

 

[SouthPaw]

They will not ship to CA. At all.

They do, but they only ship to FFLs.

 

[Castle Rock]

What do you guys think, 16 or 18 in? 50 FPS is not very much gain

2 inches is pretty negligible too, we are definitely getting into the area of diminishing returns

 

[Matt5266]

I've got a Tikka takeoff 223 in as lite contour, a 223 bolt, and go gauge .

Let's hope it headspaces correctly! I'm planning to have it cut and threaded and was planning on 16 in for minimum weight and length. Now I'm uncertain of that and thinking about 18 in. The plan was to work on building a Tikka as packable as possible, so I wanted to do short barrel and folding stock or takedown stock. But, I'm really not sure I want to go with a stupid chassis.

I'll use it with my scythe suppressor.

Why can't somebody make a friggin wooden takedown stock for a Tikka?

What do you guys think, 16 or 18 in? 50 FPS is not very much gain

I cut and threaded at 18". I like it. Hunted the hills of Idaho this year with a can screwed on and had no issues.

 

[HighUintas]

If I'm only going to be using the Tikka factory magazines this year, is there much benefit to loading my own rounds of '77 TMK for hunting? This gun won't be my main hunting rifle. It will just be a trainer and backup hunting rifle. So, it kinda seems like it wouldn't be much benefit to loading my own 77tmk

 

[Chris_in_Idaho]

If I'm only going to be using the Tikka factory magazines this year, is there much benefit to loading my own rounds of '77 TMK for hunting? This gun won't be my main hunting rifle. It will just be a trainer and backup hunting rifle. So, it kinda seems like it wouldn't be much benefit to loading my own 77tmk

Hand loading is a lot cheaper than buying factory Black Hills. If I had unlimited ammo budget I would just buy the BH by the case and not worry about handloading.

But I don't.

 

[HighUintas]

Hand loading is a lot cheaper than buying factory Black Hills. If I had unlimited ammo budget I would just buy the BH by the case and not worry about handloading.

But I don't.

I would too, but this will only be a trainer and backup hunting gun. I'll buy the cheap AAC ammo for training and maybe 140 rds for hunting.