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

[JWP58]

Keeping this alive. Anyone (calling Form') use the 107gr 6.5mm tmk out of a grendel yet? Guessing if the .223 tmk is the cats meow...

 

[LeroyG22]

You all are fortunate, in Wa state minimum caliber requirement is 24 cal for large game.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Hoping to have additional first hand experience to share next month after a trip to WY.

 

[howl]

Been following this thread. Should I start a new one for the .204?


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Yes. I'm really annoyed at the gun world for the lack of rimfire and small centerfire in 5mm. Instead we're stuck with .22. All because of starting the development of cartridges with blackpowder and progressing to smokeless instead of redesigning for smokeless.

 

[jebanning1s]

The 223 round is solid and that 77tmk is dynamite. Only used it on coyotes though nothing larger so far.

 

[Formidilosus]

Keeping this alive. Anyone (calling Form') use the 107gr 6.5mm tmk out of a grendel yet? Guessing if the .223 tmk is the cats meow...

Haven’t used that one. But it’d be good in tbe Grendel I’m sure.

 

[MountainSide]

My experience, for what it's worth....no elk here, but I've personally shot four caribou with a .223, all with Barnes 62 gr ttsx, and one other caribou that had been shot too far back with a 300 win mag. All of these were medium sized bulls, and all of them that were hit in the appropriate place did not go more that a couple steps.

I have also witnessed a few moose shot with .223s, though I have never personally gone after moose with less than a .243 win. The two moose shot with tougher bullets dropped within a few shots, but one was shot with bthp bullets which did not penetrate. I had to finish the bull with my .243 and a 80 ttsx. Here again, I think it was more about an appropriate bullet in the right place, than the caliber/cartridge itself.

As I said...for what it's worth, and my experience....I carry my .223 a lot in the winter while running a trapline, and sometimes we run into caribou and/or moose that are in season. With appropriate bullets, and shot placement, I have seen smaller calibers/cartridges work very well on large game.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Just back from a quick antelope hunt with the 77 TMK. Mature doe at 117 yds. broadside facing left to right that went about 25 yds after the shot.

 

[JWP58]

Ran less than a doe I shot last year with a 308 (near identical shot placement at 380yds with a 165gr accubond).

Congratulations and good luck throughout the season!

 

[dla]

Just back from a quick antelope hunt with the 77 TMK. Mature doe at 117 yds. broadside facing left to right that went about 25 yds after the shot.View attachment 118562View attachment 118563

The faster you get the heart to stop, the less blood you will have flowing along the silver skin. If you can't get that cleaned out it will sour the meat.

 

[False_Cast]

Bumping this to the top. In the name of science.

 

[skywalkr]

Hoping to add to the sample size this season for deer, maybe hogs if one strolls out, now that I have the Form special ready to go (Tikka .223, SWFA 6x, and Sportsmatch rings). Sighting it in this weekend and I am actually more excited about this setup than I have been for a rifle in a long time.

 

[Fatcamp]

The reports stopped. Not happy about it.

 

[JFK]

Looks like a lot of meat damage. Terminal performance is nice but I personally wouldn’t shoot something that resulted in that much bloodshot meat. Looks like what a Berger does. I have to shoot copper cause I live in Ca but I’ll say that there generally isn’t a lot of lost meat due to bloodshot with copper bullets. Once the animal is dead my concern is with getting as much meat as I can off it and into my freezer. Losing an entire quarter or two would be a deal breaker for me no mater how well it killed.

 

[PNWGATOR]

The thread hasn’t stopped due to a lack of effort, but rather a lack of results!

I took the 77TMK elk hunting, but the specific opportunity that presented itself was outside of the performance capability of the delivery platform.

Deer season is open and I’ll see what I can make happen to continue this endeavor and gain first hand experience to share.

 

[Fatcamp]

If you would, what is your opinion on max distance and what twist to stabilize the 77TMK?

We have .223 that is stupid accurate, but 1/9.

 

[JollyRoger]

If you would, what is your opinion on max distance and what twist to stabilize the 77TMK?

We have .223 that is stupid accurate, but 1/9.

I’d like to hear more on this too. That said, I’ve made consistent and solid hits out to 740 with 77gr... but only on steel. Mine is a T3X and 1-8 twist


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[OneRingTrTa]

I wouldnt want a .223 to fight off a large brown, polar, or grizzly bear but it would sure beat a sharp stick.

 

[Yellowknife]

Can’t comment on the larger critters, but can report that a 62 gr TSX will do plenty of damage and exit a Sitka Blacktail. My son tagged two with his Tikka this week. Broke shoulders on the first one (broadside) with two shots. Both exited. Deer died appropriately.

Second one was taken facing us at about 50 yds. Entered the front of the left shoulder and exited about the last rib on the right. That one was instant and spectacular death.

My 30-06 did considerably more damage, but was also massive overkill on those little deer. A rib shot with a ELDX pretty much exploded all the internal organs.

If it weren’t for the giant brown bear following us around, I’d have no issues using a fast twist .223 as a primary blacktail rifle.

 

[Montana Slim]

The thread hasn’t stopped due to a lack of effort, but rather a lack of results!

I took the 77TMK elk hunting, but the specific opportunity that presented itself was outside of the performance capability of the delivery platform.

Deer season is open and I’ll see what I can make happen to continue this endeavor and gain first hand experience to share.

This is reason I wouldn't recommend a small caliber for elk. Good on you for passing. I'm not sure that a lot of guys have that level of composure, ESPECIALLY when antlers are involved... and elk antlers in particular

I like the solid coppers because I shoot a 257wby. Even though they pencil through a bit, there is almost zero meat damage, and the lungs/etc are toast. I didnt like what happened to an antelope buck at 60yrds with 115gr ballistic tips - maybe a different outcome at 400yrds? I've never found a ttsx and never had an exit bigger than about a quarter (50-350yrds - don't really shoot farther). Maybe longer distance, or hunting really dense stuff instead of the prairie would alter my opinion on transferring energy vs. poking holes? Some of the posted pics seem like a lot of waste?

Any equipment can lead to a crappy shot/wounded animal if the equipment between the ears is compromised... I wouldn't rag on someone for their choice in caliber, unless they don't understand their gear and have unreal expectations, which doesn't seem to be the case.