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

[jbaav]

Really like it. My first .223
Handle well, and the sights are easy on the eye.
Off hand up to 50 yards, supported to 100 yards.

With a true aperture sight on the rear of the receiver and smaller front bead, those numbers double. This would also allow you to swap with scope easily. (Current rear sight conflicts with scope)

Thanks for the info. I'll going to have to pick one up. Longest likely shot where I hunt is about 75 yards. I really like aperture sights and I hadn't thought of that possibility. I've got an extra Holosun red dot lying around that might be perfect on there too with a quick release base.

 

[Tahr]

There is a caveat that you need to make- your “deer” are not the vast majority of US “deer”. The vast majority of class trails that I have seen with several different 223 bullets has been good. But, add 2-3 inches across the chest and you don’t get as many exits.

For the avoidance of doubt, we have various breeds of deer of various thickness.

 

[FredH]

Sorry, I should have been more specific with my words.

Some blood exited the body cavity - not enough to follow a trail IF they had not fallen in sight. Most of the blood in the picture is from blood squirting out after dragging it

Not complaining - happy with 10ft. just stating observations.

No idea - I don't have a chrono or a place to true velocity, but its a 16" barrel shooting factory Speer Gold Dots 75gr so ball park 2600ish? Their website advertises 2775 and I'm assuming that's either a 20 or 22" barrel

Seems like they are doing as advertised. I am loading them in a 22" bolt gun in 223 to a bit over 2900 fps. I have a trailing dog, actually two. Both Catahoula's. As long as we shoot the smaller bullets I don't think we are going to get heavy blood trails very often. I notice in one of the deer you shot you probably hit the heart. That seems to be a factor in weak blood trails also. An exit hole also lets air into the chest cavity which I have heard hastens death also. I am for exits, nice big ones 1" to 1 1/2" across or bigger.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Not what I was after today. But no exit from a 77TMK at about 30 yards. DRT.

Man I know I don’t get it, but no exit on a yote at 30 yards is crazy.

 

[Schmo]

Man I know I don’t get it, but no exit on a yote at 30 yards is crazy.

Not uncommon. At that close distance, bullet still has all velocity, and fragments almost completely, leaving no mass to exit

 

[TX_Mike D.]

77 TMK, 223, 1870 FPS impact velocity. Bullet was found underneath the hide on the offside.

An incredible amount of destruction in a little bullet.

View attachment 969356

Nice deer!

 

[Cactus kid]

Finally get to contribute to this thread after years of following.

Tikka varmint 223 cut to 16.5”
Black Hills 77tmk, estimated 2650 muzzle velocity


Mature Texas Panhandle Whitetail
65 yard shot. Deer covered approx 35 yards before expiring.

Entrance in the meatiest part of the shoulder, exit meatiest part of far shoulder. Bullet somewhere under the hide.

Most devastating wound channel I have seen to date. I have shot magnums for years. I have shot quick fragmenting “match” bullets for over a decade.

This makes me question everything.

 

[Schmo]

Most devastating wound channel I have seen to date. I have shot magnums for years. I have shot quick fragmenting “match” bullets for over a decade.

This makes me question everything.

Love it! This is exactly why guys that come on here and say we’re foolish, using marginal cartridge, etc get such strong pushback. There’s nothing marginal about the 223 with 77 TMK

 

[Cactus kid]

Love it! This is exactly why guys that come on here and say we’re foolish, using marginal cartridge, etc get such strong pushback. There’s nothing marginal about the 223 with 77 TMK

I had a lot of confidence because of this thread. I thought it was foolish when this thread started, but when I realized it wasn’t a bunch a guys looking for a gimmick to get attention I was all in. Would have done it sooner, but just kept putting it off because I loved how the 6.5 prc was performing.

I even had 223 magazine 3d printed to fit my tikka element LA chassis for this little experiment

 

[rbutcher1234]

You can always shoot your PRC, but because of this thread and your own experience, you now realize the only reason to do so is because you want to do so, not because you NEED to do so.

 

[Cactus kid]

You can always shoot your PRC, but because of this thread and your own experience, you now realize the only reason to do so is because you want to do so, not because you NEED to do so.

Exactly. I don’t know if i will go back to a magnum sized cartridge. Well I did have to pass on a 530 yard shot last week because the impact velocity would have been questionable. And impacts and misses on the range are easier to see on steel with the prc.

But I watched a bullet impact at 65 yards without effort. Could not do that with the PRC. Especially with a supressor.

But I would have passed on that 530 yard shot with the PRC because the deer was moving too much. And I have shot 4x the rounds this year.

At this point I feel like I am handicapping myself shooting a magnum.

 

[omicron1792]

Finally get to contribute to this thread after years of following.

Tikka varmint 223 cut to 16.5”
Black Hills 77tmk, estimated 2650 muzzle velocity


Mature Texas Panhandle Whitetail
65 yard shot. Deer covered approx 35 yards before expiring.

Entrance in the meatiest part of the shoulder, exit meatiest part of far shoulder. Bullet somewhere under the hide.

Most devastating wound channel I have seen to date. I have shot magnums for years. I have shot quick fragmenting “match” bullets for over a decade.

This makes me question everything.
View attachment 969719View attachment 969720View attachment 969721View attachment 969722

Love those long brow tines. Congrats

 

[Treeman_MG]

Finally managed another data point. No pictures, as it was dark by the time I found her, but a decent sized adult whitetail doe. 309 yards. Shot with my tikka 22-250 (8 twist), shooting 80gr ELDX's. Hit broadside, slightly quartered away. Saw her mule kick in the scope, and several big red spots on trees/brush as she did her death run. Travelled maybe 50 yards from the shot, half of that down hill into the creek bottom. No problems with the blood trail on this one, wish I had pictures of that! Bullet took the top off the heart (it was loose in the chest cavity), left a golf ball sized hole in it, tattered the lungs, and exited. From the looks of the blood on the trees/brush, she was dead on her feet going down the hill, bouncing off everything in sight. Will be testing some other bullets in this gun after the season (77tmk, 75eldm, 88eldm), but these 80 gr eldx's are killers for sure!

 

[Fireflyfishing]

I finally have a “big game” kill with a .224 cartridge. This was my first…definitely won’t be the last! Shot this doe at 154 yards with my 22-250 and a 85.5 Berger. Velocity approx 2730 fps. I double lung shot her. She did the quick WT bolt when hit and piled up about 10' from impact.

 

[ezwy]

Sierra does make the TMK in 60gr. Talk to @KyleR1985 , he can hook you up at a great price.

Curious on this also. State has a 60 grain minimum for deer. Would like to us the 1 in 12" sometime on deer

 

[BradArnett]

Curious on this also. State has a 60 grain minimum for deer. Would like to us the 1 in 12" sometime on deer

At 60gr and above in a 12tw I've used 60partion, and 64powerpoint on deer from a 1-12"tw 223 all with no fuss.

ETA. Have also killed deer with the 50vmax.

 

[naked wombats]

Sierra states 1:10 needed for the 60 tmk. I haven't ordered any to try out yet, but I may coming up.

 

[Bowfinn]

Curious on this also. State has a 60 grain minimum for deer. Would like to us the 1 in 12" sometime on deer

I would look into the 62 grain fusion/gold dot. I would be surprised if they didn’t work in your 1-12”.

 

[Reddish]

I would look into the 62 grain fusion/gold dot. I would be surprised if they didn’t work in your 1-12”.

I have shot 62gr Fusion factory ammo through a 1-12”. Worked on several deer with an old Contender barrel.

 

[ezwy]

I have shot 62gr Fusion factory ammo through a 1-12”. Worked on several deer with an old Contender barrel.

Thanks. Even one data point makes me feel better.