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

[Drenalin]

FYI there’s a Fieldcraft in 5.56 on GB right now. Close to the Holy Grail for someone, I would think.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Ok so I’ve read most of this. Between losing my page coming back and guessing and scrolling passed the “can’t be done” fudds bickering I’m sure I’ve missed some stuff.

I’ve killed a good bit of shit up to deer sized game with 223 but nothing with TMK’s. I’ve shot deer and hogs with 55gr SP as well as a few Barnes bullets and they all worked well but what I saw wound channel wise with the SP’s I wouldn’t choose it for elk, maybe the Barnes though.

I’m seriously interested in just having one rifle to do it all and keep shit simple. So is anyone doing this with a 16” AR-15? I’m definitely interested in a elk hunt at some point and maybe moose. Has anyone killed a bull elk with this bullet out of a 16” AR-15?

 

[Fatcamp]

Ok so I’ve read most of this. Between losing my page coming back and guessing and scrolling passed the “can’t be done” fudds bickering I’m sure I’ve missed some stuff.

I’ve killed a good bit of shit up to deer sized game with 223 but nothing with TMK’s. I’ve shot deer and hogs with 55gr SP as well as a few Barnes bullets and they all worked well but what I saw wound channel wise with the SP’s I wouldn’t choose it for elk, maybe the Barnes though.

I’m seriously interested in just having one rifle to do it all and keep shit simple. So is anyone doing this with a 16” AR-15? I’m definitely interested in a elk hunt at some point and maybe moose. Has anyone killed a bull elk with this bullet out of a 16” AR-15?

I'm moving in that direction. I have a 3-9 and a pretty lightweight 16" AR. Got powder, primers, and 100 TMK's.

 

[260madman]

Ok so I’ve read most of this. Between losing my page coming back and guessing and scrolling passed the “can’t be done” fudds bickering I’m sure I’ve missed some stuff.

I’ve killed a good bit of shit up to deer sized game with 223 but nothing with TMK’s. I’ve shot deer and hogs with 55gr SP as well as a few Barnes bullets and they all worked well but what I saw wound channel wise with the SP’s I wouldn’t choose it for elk, maybe the Barnes though.

I’m seriously interested in just having one rifle to do it all and keep shit simple. So is anyone doing this with a 16” AR-15? I’m definitely interested in a elk hunt at some point and maybe moose. Has anyone killed a bull elk with this bullet out of a 16” AR-15?

One moose killed with a bolt gun in this thread. There’s guys that have used 60gr Vmax and NBTs from ARs for elk. My daughter uses a 16“ AR for deer and shot her buck at 237 through the shoulder and caught in the hide on the offside and it was dead in about 30-35 yards. I shot a doe through the slats (complete pass through and a nice blood trail) with my 18”AR at 320 yards and died at the same spot, 30-35 yards after hit, as her buck. Elk? I’d give it a whirl.

Im actually surprised to see you over here.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

One moose killed with a bolt gun in this thread. There’s guys that have used 60gr Vmax and NBTs from ARs for elk. My daughter uses a 16“ AR for deer and shot her buck at 237 through the shoulder and caught in the hide on the offside and it was dead in about 30-35 yards. I shot a doe through the slats (complete pass through and a nice blood trail) with my 18”AR at 320 yards and died at the same spot, 30-35 yards after hit, as her buck. Elk? I’d give it a whirl.

Im actually surprised to see you over here.

All good info. 77gr TMK I’m assuming? Do you know your MV with both setups by chance? Pass through on deer is pretty impressive for a non neck or head shot.

I know I can get at least 2750 with XBR and 2900 is probably doable. 2750 would keep it over 2000 to just under 400 yards which seems to the the magic number that just about any bullet that’s expanding will work to at a minimum.

In reality I’ll probably wait to load TMK’s until I would actually be pursuing elk. I just got a case of Federal LE 55gr SP and 2 cases of Federal LE 55gr SGK delivered that I’m planning on using on critters up to deer since I know they work.

 

[260madman]

Yes TMKs. No I haven’t chronoed them. I take all my shooting crap camping and never take the chrono for some reason. I should probably do that soon.

You won’t hit 2900 from a 16” AR. 23.4gr XBR seems to get 2700fps from 18” ARs from what I remember reading. I load 23.7gr.

 

[chicoredneck]

I use an 18” AR15 shooting Hornady 75gr HPBT. I have no issues with the combo killing deer and antelope. Terminal results are similar to a Berger VLD. Seems to make more sense to me to run an AR15 in a .223 than a bolt gun as it’s more versatile.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Yes TMKs. No I haven’t chronoed them. I take all my shooting crap camping and never take the chrono for some reason. I should probably do that soon.

You won’t hit 2900 from a 16” AR. 23.4gr XBR seems to get 2700fps from 18” ARs from what I remember reading. I load 23.7gr.

Do these run a lot slower than 77gr SMK’s or something? I’ve gotten over 2900 with them and XBR. My last 18” SPR I got well over 2700 with varget which is pretty slow in an AR with that barrel length. Perhaps the increased seating depth just doesn’t allow it.

 

[260madman]

From earlier in the thread




Velocity is always a concern so I figure this screen shot could help out others that come along wondering about charge weight and seating depth. The above velocities are from bolt guns.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

From earlier in the thread

View attachment 427785


Velocity is always a concern so I figure this screen shot could help out others that come along wondering about charge weight and seating depth. The above velocities are from bolt guns.

“Pole vaulting over mouse turds”

I’ll have to dig out my notebooks and see exactly what I was running with 77 SMK’s and Berger OTM’s and compare.

 

[Castle Rock]

From what I have used your velocity seems high

 

[OldGrayJB]

I was a little under 2600 fps with 77 TMKs in my 16" AR and it was hot. I can't imagine getting 2700+ with any powder. That was a 5.56 nato chamber with CFE223 but I don't remember the load weight off the top of my head.

 

[cod0396]

I was a little under 2600 fps with 77 TMKs in my 16" AR and it was hot. I can't imagine getting 2700+ with any powder. That was a 5.56 nato chamber with CFE223 but I don't remember the load weight off the top of my head.

Weird. I don't hand load, but just under 2600fps is what I get from the black hills 5.56 load out of my suppressed 12.5. 16" pushes them at just above 2700fps.

 

[SBR Sarge]

223 isn’t legal for deer or big game where I hunt. Still, I have waded through this thread (took me several sessions!) and I have found it informative and interesting.

So thanks for everyone who has made constructive posts in it.

The TMK seems to punch above its caliber and is a formidable load.

Seeing mention of this thread on snipershide is what brought me to rokslide.

 

[Grundy53]

77 grain SMKs in stock

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain HP Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count by SIERRA BULLETSDesigned for Service Rifle competition in the M16A2/AR-15A2, our 22 caliber bullets have set an incredible number of new national records. The 77 grain #9377 MatchKing allows seating to an OAL that permits...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Not the same as the TMK, especially terminally.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

77 grain SMKs in stock

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain HP Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count by SIERRA BULLETSDesigned for Service Rifle competition in the M16A2/AR-15A2, our 22 caliber bullets have set an incredible number of new national records. The 77 grain #9377 MatchKing allows seating to an OAL that permits...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Those perform pretty poorly on game. I’ve shot a ton of groundhogs with them, some coyotes, and hogs and one small deer and they usually don’t expand or fragment at all, usually they just pencil through. I lost the deer and several yotes. Groundhogs usually required multiple shots too. I’d say maybe 20% of the groundhogs shot with them they fragmented.

I’ll still use them for groundhogs and pests in a pinch but I still prefer them to not suffer and no way would I use them on the animals that people in this thread are shooting with TMK’s.

 

[BigNate]

I buy 77gr SMK for practice, etc. Save the TMKs for bloodletting.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

223 isn’t legal for deer or big game where I hunt. Still, I have waded through this thread (took me several sessions!) and I have found it informative and interesting.

So thanks for everyone who has made constructive posts in it.

The TMK seems to punch above its caliber and is a formidable load.

Seeing mention of this thread on snipershide is what brought me to rokslide.

Send them a link to this thread, and tell them to get hot on changing their dumb laws.

 

[roosiebull]

Those perform pretty poorly on game. I’ve shot a ton of groundhogs with them, some coyotes, and hogs and one small deer and they usually don’t expand or fragment at all, usually they just pencil through. I lost the deer and several yotes. Groundhogs usually required multiple shots too. I’d say maybe 20% of the groundhogs shot with them they fragmented.

I’ll still use them for groundhogs and pests in a pinch but I still prefer them to not suffer and no way would I use them on the animals that people in this thread are shooting with TMK’s.

I shot a lion with one, and my wife shot a buck with one, and a few coyotes (smk 77gr) and certainly had mixed results… everything died, but some of them didn’t disrupt, some did.

I shot the big Tom lion 4 times before he could get out of dodge, so that’s not a fair representation on effectiveness, haha… first shot was quarter to, and I shot him base of neck through everything and he just kind of spooked broadside, then I killed him again, that shot dropped him, he started rolling around so I killed him again, then he got up and ran and that shot wasn’t great, but that was the only open spot around in a big patch of dog hair reprod, and I really didn’t want to track that thing in that stuff.. he didn’t go far, just far enough to stress me out for a second… there was not a lot of destruction when I started breaking him down, nothing like seen over and over in this thread… my wife’s buck the same… nothing stressful, 2 shots and dead deer, but again, nothing like the tmk seems to