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

[bcmntgoathunter.]

77tmk has worked well in all of the lightweight ARs I've built. MOA or better. 2750fps in a 16 inch barrel. But I always use a 1/8 twist or faster. What barrel twists have you tried?

Mean while in 2 tikkas with 22 " barrels iv been getting 2745-2775 max and that's with 23.9 varget fed 205 in 1 rifle and 24.8 grains n140 in the other both with nosler 223 brass.... I sent my gun out to have a 26" 1-7" twist barrel put on it it should have it backing 2 weeks went with the 223 ai

 

[JohnDough]

77tmk has worked well in all of the lightweight ARs I've built. MOA or better. 2750fps in a 16 inch barrel. But I always use a 1/8 twist or faster. What barrel twists have you tried?

1/7 twist 11.5, 14.5 and 16.1 barrels so far. I tried the original and the modified black hills loadings. Both were 2.5moa or so out of 1.5moa or better guns. Basically m193 fodder at $1.5/per.

 

[Thegman]

Further, if I take that against a barrier like a windshield or something, it's going to come apart like confetti, so it's a 1-trick pony (killing things a little faster, per the internet of course) that shoots poorly, so I haven't T&E'ed it beyond the accuracy stage as it holds no interest for me. I was tempted to try the .gov issued version of it, but decided against it.

When deer figure out how to drive vehicles, this will be a very pertinent point.

 

[JohnDough]

When deer figure out how to drive vehicles, this will be a very pertinent point.

I guess if I had a gun spun up for deer, I'd be more into it. I'd probably just grab a Tikka in .300WM for hunting, though, as I intend to do Alaska at some point and have a .300wm Socom can sitting around doing nothing.

This is just me killing a few deer per year with what's handy by the bed. I figure what it does to deer is roughly analogous to it's other uses.

 

[Shraggs]

1/7 twist 11.5, 14.5 and 16.1 barrels so far. I tried the original and the modified black hills loadings. Both were 2.5moa or so out of 1.5moa or better guns. Basically m193 fodder at $1.5/per.

It’s too bad the BH 77 doesn’t shoot for you.

I think it was served up, as the point of the thread, due to your 80-120 tracking per kill. That’s pretty poor. My last three kills with a 223/77 between 194 and 298 yards shot at was less than 50 yards death stumble combined for all 3.

Maybe hand load or buy sone from unknown munitions.

 

[JohnDough]

It’s too bad the BH 77 doesn’t shoot for you.

I think it was served up, as the point of the thread, due to your 80-120 tracking per kill. That’s pretty poor. My last three kills with a 223/77 between 194 and 298 yards shot at was less than 50 yards death stumble combined for all 3.

Maybe hand load or buy sone from unknown munitions.

3moa is still good enough to hit deer at under 150m. I'll try it to see if it matters if I can find a few tmk sitting around. I'm not sure what more it's going to do than what I already use, but I'll give it a go. Mk318 sost is very similar. I may hit one with m855a1 just because.

Mk318 sost:

 

[z987k]

Anyone happen to have some 79 grain DRT bullets they want to sell? They've been out of stock forever and I was hoping to get at least some to start load development. Figured this might be the best place to ask anywhere...

I've been waiting for them to come in stock for my 22cm as well. I emailed them the end of January and they said 6 weeks or so.

 

[ericmcd]

I've been waiting for them to come in stock for my 22cm as well. I emailed them the end of January and they said 6 weeks or so.

Hmm they told me a few months earlier this month "We are working on obtaining materials to make these projectiles. The lead times are a few weeks out on getting them and then we will need to fit it into production schedules. It may be a few months. You are welcome to check back whenever you like."

I bought their loaded "blemished" boxes. Pulled the bullets to reload then stuck some 77smks in the cases I pulled from for practice ammo

 

[z987k]

Hmm they told me a few months earlier this month "We are working on obtaining materials to make these projectiles. The lead times are a few weeks out on getting them and then we will need to fit it into production schedules. It may be a few months. You are welcome to check back whenever you like."

I bought their loaded "blemished" boxes. Pulled the bullets to reload then stuck some 77smks in the cases I pulled from for practice ammo

Ya I'm not going to do that. It's too bad, they were a really good hunting bullet. Might have to go find something in copper that is the best of the worst.

 

[Trackselk]

Ya I'm not going to do that. It's too bad, they were a really good hunting bullet. Might have to go find something in copper that is the best of the worst.

I've been loading up some of their 62gr bullets out of desperation, but thinking it's a bad idea to stretch them beyond deer at this point with little data

 

[RDF1]

I've been loading up some of their 62gr bullets out of desperation, but thinking it's a bad idea to stretch them beyond deer at this point with little data

You could give these a try.
I use his 105gr MKZ in a 6.8 and love their performance on deer/hogs.

Cavity Back MKZ 70 grain 5.56/.223

COPPER BULLETS COPPER PROJECTILES NONLEAD ALL COPPER SOLID COPPER HUNTING TARGET

www.cavitybackbullets.com

I haven't tried the 70gr .224 yet. Got some ordered tho.

 

[JohnDough]

You could give these a try.
I use his 105gr MKZ in a 6.8 and love their performance on deer/hogs.

Cavity Back MKZ 70 grain 5.56/.223

COPPER BULLETS COPPER PROJECTILES NONLEAD ALL COPPER SOLID COPPER HUNTING TARGET

www.cavitybackbullets.com

I haven't tried the 70gr .224 yet. Got some ordered tho.

Lots of testing done on those on other forums. They seem G2G.

 

[Trackselk]

You could give these a try.
I use his 105gr MKZ in a 6.8 and love their performance on deer/hogs.

Cavity Back MKZ 70 grain 5.56/.223

COPPER BULLETS COPPER PROJECTILES NONLEAD ALL COPPER SOLID COPPER HUNTING TARGET

www.cavitybackbullets.com

I haven't tried the 70gr .224 yet. Got some ordered tho.

Thanks!, I'll check them out

 

[mtnwrunner]

My tikka loves the factory black hills 77 tmk but I get misfires about every 5th round due to the primers. The hornady match 223 73 grain eldm shoots well also and has been averaging 2670 and consistently shoots under an inch with a 20 inch ctr barrel.

Randy

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

My tikka loves the factory black hills 77 tmk but I get misfires about every 5th round due to the primers. The hornady match 223 73 grain eldm shoots well also and has been averaging 2670 and consistently shoots under an inch with a 20 inch ctr barrel.

RandyView attachment 847002

I shot 3 boxes of the Black Hills 77tmk when I first got my tikka 223, never had a misfire. That’s interesting to hear.
That stuff was incredibly accurate and consistent.

 

[mtnwrunner]

I shot 3 boxes of the Black Hills 77tmk when I first got my tikka 223, never had a misfire. That’s interesting to hear.
That stuff was incredibly accurate and consistent.

Yes, it is very accurate but my tikka just doesn't like them (great when they go off) and I've taken the round and tried them in other tikkas......same thing.
Never had an issue with them in any of my AR'S. It is good practice for trigger control/flinching.......

Randy

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

Yes, it is very accurate but my tikka just doesn't like them (great when they go off) and I've taken the round and tried them in other tikkas......same thing.
Never had an issue with them in any of my AR'S. It is good practice for trigger control/flinching.......

Randy

View attachment 847066View attachment 847067

That’s good information, and agree on the trigger control and flinching. It will let ya know no doubt

 

[HighUintas]

What's the consensus on 80eldx vs eldm in both killing and accuracy from a factory Tikka barrel?

I like the price of the eldm more, but I've seen a couple more favorable reports of killing with the eldx in the searching I've done.

 

[LifeByTheWaters]

I understand this thread is about the ability and prowness of the 77gr TMK load.

Just purchased a IWI Zion 15 SPR with a 1-8" 18in barrel. Wanting to do most of my shooting with AAC 77gr OTM (the Hornady variety) because of it's cost per round.

Within sub 500yd distances, would the OTM be fine for things under 150lbs, such as smaller hogs and Texas whitetail and would they reliably tumble and fragment at these working distances and velocities?

Thank you for insight.

 

[eric1115]

I understand this thread is about the ability and prowness of the 77gr TMK load.

Just purchased a IWI Zion 15 SPR with a 1-8" 18in barrel. Wanting to do most of my shooting with AAC 77gr OTM (the Hornady variety) because of it's cost per round.

Within sub 500yd distances, would the OTM be fine for things under 150lbs, such as smaller hogs and Texas whitetail and would they reliably tumble and fragment at these working distances and velocities?

Thank you for insight.

General consensus is that the 77OTM (whether Sierra, Nosler, or Hornady) is an erratic performer; you will get some great kills as it does sometimes upset well. However, you'll get lots of times where it pencils through with no upset.

77TMK, 73ELDM are the top performing AR mag length friendly options.

I shoot a ton of SMK's for practice, but switch to the TMK for hunting season, I get away with only shooting a few hundred TMK per year.