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

[6creed]

Out of curiosity, what problem are you solving for using small calibers on large game? Is this for a small framed shooter or something else? I ask as I personally would not consider this proper, common practice or recommended by those with elk experience.

Honest question. Not trolling you.
Thanks

Been hunting elk for over 20 years now. Killed them with arrows, muzzleloaderz, rifles large and small. Guess what, they all work. It's quite nice shooting 6mms and 22 cals. Have not killed an elk with a 22 cal yet, but I have with a 243 and it worked just as well as a 7mm magnum. Plus the evidence you can find around here is overwhelming. Tell you what, when it doesn't work, you can tell me what I should use.

 

[6creed]

I’ve got an 8 twist tikka 22-250.. it shoots 77gr tmk’s well… It doesn’t like 80gr eldx. Literally 3 inch groups with them

What powder are you using? I have the rifle being delivered next week. I have tmks and was thinking of buying a box of eldx, but if yours doesn't like them mine may not either. I was planning on starting with h4350 or possibly staball match. The staball match did not work well for accuracy in my 6 ARC though. Thanks

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

If you look over in the 22 Creedmoor thread you will see the 80 eldx is mentioned a lot.

I’m probably the biggest 80 ELDX fan on this forum. If I had one bullet to choose that was the only .224 bullet available. It would be the 77 TMK.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Out of curiosity, what problem are you solving for using small calibers on large game? Is this for a small framed shooter or something else? I ask as I personally would not consider this proper, common practice or recommended by those with elk experience.

Honest question. Not trolling you.
Thanks

Read more.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’ve got an 8 twist tikka 22-250.. it shoots 77gr tmk’s well… It doesn’t like 80gr eldx. Literally 3 inch groups with them

This is, unfortunately, what we see in 80 ELDX. Especially factory hornady ammo. The faster you shoot 80 ELDXs the more they want to **** off for some reason. Some lots have been good. Most have been 2.5 MOA at best. This is thousands of rounds with multiple barrels, not a box or two here and there.

Hand loaded 80 ELDXs with certain barrels have been in the 1.25ish range or slightly better with properly stress relieved and stabilized barrels.

 

[kkp005]

What powder are you using? I have the rifle being delivered next week. I have tmks and was thinking of buying a box of eldx, but if yours doesn't like them mine may not either. I was planning on starting with h4350 or possibly staball match. The staball match did not work well for accuracy in my 6 ARC though. Thanks

I used h4350 for the tmks and eldx.. it liked the tmks but did not like the eldx’s at all…
My buddy also has a tikka 22-250, he has had good luck with h380 and the 77gr tmks ..
I loaded some 55gr Sierra GK bthp with h380 and it shot them extremely well

 

[madtinker]

Every time I come back to this thread it makes me want to buy a new gun. For sure when my kids are ready to shoot.

 

[Ajsomp]

77gr TMK
80gr ELD-X
80gr ELD-M
88gr ELD-M
75gr ELD-M
73gr ELD-M

Roughly in that order.

This still your order for 22 creed as well?

 

[Deere_Man]

At the speeds generated by 22-250 and 22 Creedmoor, I’d not shy away from a 55gr Barnes TTSX!

 

[Formidilosus]

This still your order for 22 creed as well?

22-250 and 22CM are functionally the same.

 

[nm.otter]

22-250 and 22CM are functionally the same.

These are based on SAAMI specs. Far right column is the ratio of usable case capacity to bore area:

 

[Georgedubya]

In case it is helpful, I have been putting together a spreadsheet of approximate speeds, group sizes, etc. for various factory 223 rounds. Take the group size with a huge grain of salt. All shot very well, and only for a few did I measure with great precision. This should all be regarded as indicative.

All shots were taken with two factory 20” Tikkas (the “Ranahan” model, with iron sights removed. A picture of the two rifles in question is attached. Ignore the wonky mount on the one in the KRG. That scope doesn’t live on that particular rifle.

Speeds were chronographed with the Garmin. Elevation is just above sea level.

I plan to add to this over time.

(Strangely, the Hornady Superformance 223 loaded with 53 Vmax would not fire, despite the firing pin creating significant indentations in the primers. The same rounds would fire just fine in a friend’s AR. I’ll try another box at some point.)

All the best.

 

[ztc92]

If anyone is looking for XBR, they have a large supply at scheels in Billings. $60/pound or $42/pound if you buy an 8-pound jug…

 

[david2duck]

There’s 10 shots in this group. I wanted to get some solid velocity numbers for my boys gun. I shot 5 and he shot 5. He hit 3 in the bullseye and the 2 in the orange. All from about 60 yards. Not bad for a 5 1/2 year old.

16” tikka with a wolf hunter averaged 2630 for the AAC 75bthp.

 

[Georgedubya]

is bonefrog 77 tmk good to go in a Tikka? @Bluumoon @Ajsomp @Georgedubya @fwafwow
mine shoots blacks hills 77 tmk fine but looking for some reports on the bonefrog

Shoots great. Basically a substitute for Black Hills.

 

[The Guide]

Finally used up the rest of my first order of AAC 77tmk ammo and checked velocity on the second batch of 500 I bought. Almost the same velocity (2717 new vs 2714 old) and same POI. Put 10 into a 7" group at 510 yards from my Howa Mini Action 223 sporter barrel in a Bell and Carlson M40 Howa Mini Action stock with a Maven RS1.2 Mil/Mil in UM Premier scope rings.

I've been doing a bunch of shoot at last light since it seems like that is when i get most of my opportunities. Should be ready for early season damage hunts or early antlerless elk shoulder season.

Jay

 

[grfox92]

Finally used up the rest of my first order of AAC 77tmk ammo and checked velocity on the second batch of 500 I bought. Almost the same velocity (2717 new vs 2714 old) and same POI. Put 10 into a 7" group at 510 yards from my Howa Mini Action 223 sporter barrel in a Bell and Carlson M40 Howa Mini Action stock with a Maven RS1.2 Mil/Mil in UM Premier scope rings.

I've been doing a bunch of shoot at last light since it seems like that is when i get most of my opportunities. Should be ready for early season damage hunts or early antlerless elk shoulder season.

Jay

View attachment 920348
View attachment 920349

Hows the barrel? Do groups open up with heat? Not sure if Howas barrels are truly hammer forged or if they are inconsistent.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

 

[The Guide]

Hows the barrel? Do groups open up with heat? Not sure if Howas barrels are truly hammer forged or if they are inconsistent.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

I have one 22" sporter barrel and two 20" heavy barrel rifles. In my experience, they are sub 1" barrels for 5 rounds, sub 1.5" barrels on 10 rounds, and sub 2" barrels on 20 shots. It really all depends upon the shooter and how they are setup. Mine seem to like to be shot suppressed better than bare barreled but that is a trend I'm seeing across all my rifles.

Jay

 

[ianpadron]

Hows the barrel? Do groups open up with heat? Not sure if Howas barrels are truly hammer forged or if they are inconsistent.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

I've shot my Mini in 223 many times to the point where you can't touch the barrel or suppressor, and the only reason I slow down is due to mirage off the can, and it remains a 1.5" gun, shoots particularly well with 77 grain AAC OTMs.

 

[The Guide]

I've shot my Mini in 223 many times to the point where you can't touch the barrel or suppressor, and the only reason I slow down is due to mirage off the can, and it remains a 1.5" gun, shoots particularly well with 77 grain AAC OTMs.

I ordered some of the 77 OTM and I got the new "slow" ammo that was only 2550 fps. Not really what I was looking for. I ordered some of the Bone Frog 77 OTM and haven't shot it yet but it is supposed to be good also.

Jay