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

[mtnwrunner]

I would stop listening to other Forums!

Exactly! There really is ONLY one.

Randy

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I set my young daughter up with 223 55 grain tsx for whitetail because that's what other forums recommended and the outcome wasn't good. She hit 2 deer and neither one bleed a drop. Neither were recovered. I took the gun shot a doe at 30 yards with snow on the ground, the bullet took the top of the heart off and stopped on the inside of the hide on the exit side. The deer ran 25 yards and died. I found 3 drops of blood in the snow. In short I know 55 grains has less penatration then 77 but the opening is so small that the animals fat will seal it up, so if your shot isn't perfect you may lose your animal. And worse upset your daughter so much that the animal was lost she has lost her interest in hunting. Shoot all the coyote you with a 223 but would never recommended it for any

I read the thread. And took the advise from other forums post and it sucked. So I simply stated my experience, because when I see a title for 223 and large game I will always tell my story, and I will let you tell yours. I just want people to hear both sides

Did forms recommend the .223 TSX or did you screw up?

 

[Castle Rock]

A plain old 55 grain Sierra or Hornady would’ve probably dropped all those deer on the spot

 

[Hoyt tee toy tee]

Did forms recommend the .223 TSX or did you screw up?

The 55 grain tsx

 

[JBradley500]

Has anyone on here used these with success on deer? I have the 77 TMK bullets, but no brass or dies yet.

 

[LimeSpoon]

Unfortunately I haven't personally shot any deer with them, but just from what I know of bullets in general: 73 gr ELD-M, as a fragmenting polymer-tipped hollowpoint, will also create wide wound channels, but as per both ballistic gel testing and anecdotal reports tends to penetrate significantly less than 77 gr TMK.

If I'm not incorrect there are some reports of both 73 gr and general ELD-M performance somewhere in the 30s? 40s? of this thread. I think the general conclusion was that it was doing fine on flesh damage, but was rather splashy.

 

[Nomosendero]

Aaaand Midsouth sent shipping notification late last night. Will be here Friday. UPS vs FedEx, who will deliver with the least amount of damage? I might lose sleep over this. No, no I won’t.

Got mine from MS today!

 

[BAKPAKR]

Aside from living in a sh!thole state that requires monos, WHY would you choose to shoot them out of a 223 for anything?!?!

My daughter and I have had really good luck with 62 gr TTSXs on whitetails, but none were much past 100 yards. She used 77 gr TMKs last year with equal success but stretched the range a bit.

 

[Nomosendero]

My daughter and I have had really good luck with 62 gr TTSXs on whitetails, but none were much past 100 yards. She used 77 gr TMKs last year with equal success but stretched the range a bit.

Your experience is noteworthy as the 62 TTSX is likely the best Barnes of that caliber and likely one of the best monos in 223 and you have experience with the bullet of this thread. How did the wound channels compare in your experience?

 

[BAKPAKR]

Your experience is noteworthy as the 62 TTSX is likely the best Barnes of that caliber and likely one of the best monos in 223 and you have experience with the bullet of this thread. How did the wound channels compare in your experience?

This is from a whitetail I shot with a 62 gr TTSX. I took the photo to show a friend what a bullet should do after he had watched me pencil a 210 gr Berger out of a 300 RUM through another doe.

 

[robtattoo]

I got another 500 delivered today, plus a further 1000 62gn regular Gamekings (my previous preference & still a hell of a good hunting bullet)
Now..... if only I could find a couple thousand primers at non-idiot price....

 

[fshaw]

Are you guys setting OAL for the 77gr TMKs near the lands or with a jump. I’m shooting a Montana and have a load that’s very near an inch at 100 yards with a .025” jump. Closing it up to about .005” (measured at the ogive) and will try again tomorrow. Curious what’s working for you.

 

[Formidilosus]

Are you guys setting OAL for the 77gr TMKs near the lands or with a jump. I’m shooting a Montana and have a load that’s very near an inch at 100 yards with a .025” jump. Closing it up to about .005” (measured at the ogive) and will try again tomorrow. Curious what’s working for you.

Everything I’ve shot has been AR mag length.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Everything I’ve shot has been AR mag length.

My 14.5” AR seems to like the 77 gr TMK.

edit - didn’t mean to respond to @Formidilosus.

 

[fshaw]

BakPakr, Powder?

 

[BAKPAKR]

BakPakr, Powder?

That group was shot with factory Black Hills.

In my daughter’s Tikka, I am using Tac for the 77 gr TMKs. I haven’t tried those loads in the AR due to the bullet being seated out too far (Mountain Tactical magazine in the Tikka). I am using the Tac because that was what I was able to grab when the powder shortage started. I have been watching for 8208 XBR. My reloads shoot a little better in the Tikka than the factory ammo but the Tikka still doesn’t shoot as well as this particular AR.

 

[Adam Gibbs]

5.56 chamber 16" 1/7 BBL
LC 1x fired brass, CCI 450 SRM primer
2.260 COAL, no crimp


I've so far loaded some test rounds with the 77tmk starting at 22.3gr of 8208. Up to 23.1 in .2gr increments. 22.3, 22.5, 22.7 all shot well, and the group was all really tight across that powder range. Really just one sub 1" group. Once I got to 22.9 and 23.1 the group opened up. I still don't see pressure signs. In your guys opinion, should I back down and just load at 22.5gr or keep going up and see if the group comes back together? I know I need the speed to keep the bullet doing its job. Realistically I'm not shooting a deer with this past 300, and that would be a stretch for where I hunt with a rifle here.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Ought to be about time to start seeing pics from this season on this thread!

 

[204guy]

https://imgur.com/a/fcbYBI3

77 tmk out of a 22-250. 3180 starting, 2800 impact no drama.

 

[204guy]

https://imgur.com/a/yeVKx3S

77 tmk 18" .223. 2815 starting 2500fps impact. Broke both shoulders, fairly messy, went straight down.