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

[mt terry d]

I’ve seen around 10 animals or so with the 77gr TMK below 1,800fps- there are several that I posted in this thread. All of them the bullets upset well and created very good, to excellent wound channels. It is very likely that the 77gr TMK is reliable well below 1,800’ish fps. However, in general bullets start struggling to upset consistently somewhere around 1,800 or so regardless of make. Being that is the case, until I see a bunch more, I would suggest 1,800fps as a safe bet.

Okay. On my phone. Missed this too.
Thanks

 

[BLJ]

1/8 twist 22 Hornet to find the bottom number????

@mt terry d

 

[BOLIO]

First hog with 77 TMK. 22-250 1 in 8 Tikka. . Guesstimate of 3350 fps. High shoulder. Small eater hog about 35-40 pounds. Distance was only 45 yards. Stressed the bullet…a lot.



Entrance was devastating.


It made it through the rib cage and the smallest piece of shank was stuck in the offside hide.


Damage to the inside area of the offside ribs.


Lungs.


In summary, I am good with this performance. I hit a quarter inch above the shoulder blade. It did not even twitch. I had my choice from the small sounder of six hogs. I had two lined up perfectly for a twofer but this bullet, at that speed and the short distance…nope. Anyway, it reminded me of Roy Weatherby’s goal. Wicked fast. An explosive bomb in the vitals and no exit…Check.

I look forward to many more case studies. I also started loading the 77 TMK for a 5.56 AR. I am interested in its performance as well. Out of a safe full of rifles from 243 to 45-70, the little Tikka is going to be my main rifle for the next year. I will also use a Weatherby Mark V I just bought in 25-06. The little 100 grain Speer behaved very similarly to the TMK two weeks ago on another eater hog.

Good times. I am glad I found this thread last month.

 

[Valumpessa]

First kill with the new .223/77 tmk.
360 yds across a canyon. One shot and rolled downhill 20 yards, drt. I'm sold!

 

[kkp005]

165 yards and dropped right there.
18” 223 and a 77 tmk. My 8yr old continues to be deadly with her little tikka

 

[Grant76]

Haha. I doubt any/many commercial NV or thermals scopes do. Much like aiming lasers, daily/multiple daily zero confirmations need to happen.

Do we know of any thermals that are relatively trouble-free in the commercial market?

 

[Nine Banger]

Do we know of any thermals that are relatively trouble-free in the commercial market?

I can grab my pulsar trail lrf and move it around with my hand. The mount is solid with loctite but the device housing flexes.

My buddy just got the XL60 from pulsar and its form factor is more like a scope than a camera and its solid.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

I haven't seen any issues with the Zulus stuff. I have the regular NV but it's the same housing they use on the thermals. Mine is on an AR that gets tossed into an aluminum boat and pounds crossing a big bay and I've not had to adjust the zero on it. These things all have the one shot zero that gets it close enough for hogs so wouldn't be terribly difficult anyway but it would be annoying.

 

[NWBLKTAIL]

First kill with the new .223/77 tmk.
360 yds across a canyon. One shot and rolled downhill 20 yards, drt. I'm sold!

View attachment 942701

That’s a good looking bear and rifle

 

[gbflyer]

Blacktail, 150 yards broadside. 77TMK leaving at 2815. Stood up on hind legs then flopped. One front quarter is toast unfortunately. It would be no more dead with a .375 H&H

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LimeSpoon]

Has anyone chronographed any recent 2025 lots of Black Hills 77 gr TMK?

Found a rumor that it was downloaded so now I have to bother people again with this question.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Has anyone chronographed any recent 2025 lots of Black Hills 77 gr TMK?

Found a rumor that it was downloaded so now I have to bother people again with this question.

Haven't had a new batch of BH 77 TMK but some BH 108 ELD-M's that were so slow compared to Hornady I thought the chrono was broken.

 

[glock233]

Has anyone chronographed any recent 2025 lots of Black Hills 77 gr TMK?

Found a rumor that it was downloaded so now I have to bother people again with this question.

Wow do I have some great data for you. See below. Shot a full box of 2025 BH TMK 5.56. 1200 ft of elevation. 82 degrees temp. Tikka factory stainless 22” barrel.

I’d call it underwhelming but not terrible. The spread and deviation wasn’t great.

 

[LimeSpoon]

Damn, that’s pretty disappointing, it’d always been my go-to source for 77 gr TMK. It’s slow enough that I feel like you might as well just shuffle that under the .223 instead of the 5.56 ammo category on their website.

Oh well, good excuse to get into handloading it, I guess.

 

[Deere_Man]

Damn, that’s pretty disappointing, it’d always been my go-to source for 77 gr TMK. It’s slow enough that I feel like you might as well just shuffle that under the .223 instead of the 5.56 ammo category on their website.

Oh well, good excuse to get into handloading it, I guess.

Or a 22-250! I’m looking forward to some mild loads with 77TMK and 2950-3050 fps mv.

 

[Tahr]

Do we know of any thermals that are relatively trouble-free in the commercial market?

The notion that thermals and NV are unreliable and have to be sighted in "daily" is absolute rubbish. The current crop are reliable and hold zero very well. I use them extensively culling deer and they are as reliable as any day scope I have.

368yds. .223. 74 grn projectile.

 

[omicron1792]

The notion that thermals and NV are unreliable and have to be sighted in "daily" is absolute rubbish. The current crop are reliable and hold zero very well. I use them extensively culling deer and they are as reliable as any day scope I have.

368yds. .223. 74 grn projectile.

I agree with this fully. I’ve killed close to 100 coyote now and my pulsar hasn’t lost zero once.

 

[schmidty3]

Has anyone chronographed any recent 2025 lots of Black Hills 77 gr TMK?

Found a rumor that it was downloaded so now I have to bother people again with this question.

Im not sure what lot I have, but just got them.

2790 fps out of my 20" AR criterion barrel

 

[LimeSpoon]

Im not sure what lot I have, but just got them.

2790 fps out of my 20" AR criterion barrel

Strange. That’s much closer to what I was expecting.

 

[h2so4]

Has anyone chronographed any recent 2025 lots of Black Hills 77 gr TMK?

Found a rumor that it was downloaded so now I have to bother people again with this question.

I got 2735 fps from a 17" Tikka a couple of months ago. I don't recall the lot number...