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

[Schmo]

I have a 223 Tikka Lite that I’m thinking of having the barrel cut down. What’s the general length most are going with? 18”?

That’s what I currently have, and would recommend. You can still get good speed with heavies

Is yours an 8 twist?

 

[Ajsomp]

I have a 223 Tikka Lite that I’m thinking of having the barrel cut down. What’s the general length most are going with? 18”?

How much velocity are you looking to get?

I went 18” and I can always cut it again if I want it shorter. But 18” was reasonable enough for me to keep velocity where I want it and having a suppressor on it isn’t too long

 

[Drenalin]

I just dropped one off to be cut to 16. I don’t think the velocity lost makes enough difference to make a difference, at least for me.

 

[Dtp465]

That’s what I currently have, and would recommend. You can still get good speed with heavies

Is yours an 8 twist?

Yes 8 twist.

How much velocity are you looking to get?

I went 18” and I can always cut it again if I want it shorter. But 18” was reasonable enough for me to keep velocity where I want it and having a suppressor on it isn’t too long

~2700 with 77s

 

[Ajsomp]

I think I’m seeing 2750ish from black hills out of the 18” tikka

 

[Matt5266]

Ya I went 18 inch and love it. 8 twist Tikka. Avg 2768 FPS with 77 TMK handloads

 

[SouthPaw]

79g DRT for CA. 10x fired Lapua, 23g XBR, cci450. 2800fps from a 20".

 

[Kaleb]

I cut mine at 17-18 can’t remember it’s been a while. Looking at the garmin app it’s 2830 with 26.3 of lever and 75amax. I haven’t kept up with how many I’ve shot on crop damage permits but it’s several. Not hundreds a year like some guys do so I don’t want to be misleading. The farthest shot has been in the 460’s I remember that. Pretty handy rifle. Just a regular SS 223 in a ctr take off with ctr bm and magazine. This year I have the maven on it but the past 5-6 it had a 3-9 SWFA. Sports match rings.

 

[ericmcd]

79g DRT for CA. 10x fired Lapua, 23g XBR, cci450. 2800fps from a 20".

View attachment 890842

An FYI for everyone, I did a ladder with 79 DRTs and XBR and pierced a primer at 23.2 while it was around 80°. I was using cci400s which are soft

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Re: practice ammo, I've been shooting Norma Golden Target Match 77gr SMK's but I'm down to 80 rounds left of the 400 I bought last fall at $0.90/rd. Not seeing any on Ammoseek currently. I shot 152 over the chrono, average 2633.5 FPS with 24.9 SD, 127.7 ES.

Black Hills 77gr TMK has been 2735.7 FPS average with 25.4 SD and 71 ES over 75 shots over the chrono.

Any recommendations on these options for loaded SMK's?

Remington Premier, $0.75/rd
PMC X-TAC, $1.03/rd
Federal Gold, $1.25/rd

That's what I'm seeing so far that I can confirm uses the SMK.

 

[Bluumoon]

Re: practice ammo, I've been shooting Norma Golden Target Match 77gr SMK's but I'm down to 80 rounds left of the 400 I bought last fall at $0.90/rd. Not seeing any on Ammoseek currently. I shot 152 over the chrono, average 2633.5 FPS with 24.9 SD, 127.7 ES.

Black Hills 77gr TMK has been 2735.7 FPS average with 25.4 SD and 71 ES over 75 shots over the chrono.

Any recommendations on these options for loaded SMK's?

Remington Premier, $0.75/rd
PMC X-TAC, $1.03/rd
Federal Gold, $1.25/rd

That's what I'm seeing so far that I can confirm uses the SMK.

That Norma shot very well for me, but was blowing primers (and bolt shrouds) left and right. Check out Bone Frog 77 gr Nosler otm stuff, it shot outstanding groups for me. I think it’s around .85 per shipped this weekend, their TMK a $1 per (albeit a little slow, around 1.3” 20 round groups).

 

[BLJ]

Re: practice ammo, I've been shooting Norma Golden Target Match 77gr SMK's but I'm down to 80 rounds left of the 400 I bought last fall at $0.90/rd. Not seeing any on Ammoseek currently. I shot 152 over the chrono, average 2633.5 FPS with 24.9 SD, 127.7 ES.

Black Hills 77gr TMK has been 2735.7 FPS average with 25.4 SD and 71 ES over 75 shots over the chrono.

Any recommendations on these options for loaded SMK's?

Remington Premier, $0.75/rd
PMC X-TAC, $1.03/rd
Federal Gold, $1.25/rd

That's what I'm seeing so far that I can confirm uses the SMK.

ADI makes good stuff if you’re not set on 77’s.
The 69’s do very well for me in my 1/8 RAR’s.
They’re not as good in my 1/8 Tikka, but there’s a lot of people here who have had success with the 55’s.

 

[ztc92]

ADI makes good stuff if you’re not set on 77’s.
The 69’s do very well for me in my 1/8 RAR’s.
They’re not as good in my 1/8 Tikka, but there’s a lot of people here who have had success with the 55’s.

Second this, the ADI ammo I’ve used work great in my tikka. I annd others have also had good luck with the AAC 77 OTM. They were close to the 77 SMK’s in my gun. Slightly larger groups but perfectly fine for the 100 yard training portion of the class.

 

[Formidilosus]

The ADI 69gr SMK is averaging between 1.5 and 1.7 MOA for multiple 10 round groups. The ADI 55gr Blitzkings are doing solidly under 1.5 MOA. Both are consistent in every tikka we have shot them in.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Prefer to stick with a 77gr projectile, the Norma zeroed the same (within a tenth mil) as the BH 77 TMK's.

 

[rabbithuntr]

Re: practice ammo, I've been shooting Norma Golden Target Match 77gr SMK's but I'm down to 80 rounds left of the 400 I bought last fall at $0.90/rd. Not seeing any on Ammoseek currently. I shot 152 over the chrono, average 2633.5 FPS with 24.9 SD, 127.7 ES.

Black Hills 77gr TMK has been 2735.7 FPS average with 25.4 SD and 71 ES over 75 shots over the chrono.

Any recommendations on these options for loaded SMK's?

Remington Premier, $0.75/rd
PMC X-TAC, $1.03/rd
Federal Gold, $1.25/rd

That's what I'm seeing so far that I can confirm uses the SMK.

IMI razor core $.95 @ midway I bought some a few years ago and it shot well in my ar and tikka. I believe velocity was ~ 2700 in 16” ar. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2090124928

 

[colby12]

Not sure if either is semi difficult to find anymore but Scheels in Overland Park(KC) has at least one threaded stainless .223 and a good amount of IMR8208XBR.

 

[GiantGreg]

What is minimum impact velocity for the hornady 75gr bthp ?
I been hunting with factory 73eldm an my tikka 223. Assuming 1800+ for it.
I got a a lot of the 5.56 FR320. But not sure which be better.


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[Schmo]

What is minimum impact velocity for the hornady 75gr bthp ?
I been hunting with factory 73eldm an my tikka 223. Assuming 1800+ for it.
I got a a lot of the 5.56 FR320. But not sure which be better.


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The 75 BTHP is not recommended for hunting. It shows erratic behavior. Sometimes it works well, other times it doesn’t. You’re better off with the 73 ELD-M, and the 77 TMK is the best.

 

[GiantGreg]

The 75 BTHP is not recommended for hunting. It shows erratic behavior. Sometimes it works well, other times it doesn’t. You’re better off with the 73 ELD-M, and the 77 TMK is the best.

Thanks that was fast respond you must been lurking


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