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

Does anyone prefer the 62gr Gold Dot/Fusion to the 73gr ELD? My state is starting background checks for ammo along with a fee associated with it and I'd like to stock up on .223 and .308 before it goes into effect.
 
Last edited:
Deywalker said:
Does anyone prefer the 62gr Gold Dot/Fusion to the 73gr ELD? My state is start background checks for ammo along with a fee associated with it and I'd like to stock up on .223 and .308 before it goes into effect.
Click to expand...

In my opinion (others may chime in differently), with the .223, a bonded bullet won't actually perform as well as the wound channel will end up being smaller. The reason for using the TMK or ELDM is the rapid expansion and slight fragmenting of the bullet creates a bigger wound channel and kills quicker.

That being said, hitting them in the vitals matters a whole lot more than what bullet passes through the vitals, so if one of those two bullets shoots significantly better in your gun, go with that one.
 
HandgunHTR said:
In my opinion (others may chime in differently), with the .223, a bonded bullet won't actually perform as well as the wound channel will end up being smaller. The reason for using the TMK or ELDM is the rapid expansion and slight fragmenting of the bullet creates a bigger wound channel and kills quicker.
Click to expand...
I have the same belief as well, however I have seen 73gr ELD-m gel tests fail to reach 12 inches of penetration in calibrated ballistics gel (AR-15.coms gel test iirc) even at reduced impact velocities. Given that the shots I would take would be at typical eastern woodland hunting range for the time being, I was worried about penetration depth.
 
Deywalker said:
Does anyone prefer the 62gr Gold Dot/Fusion to the 73gr ELD? My state is starting background checks for ammo along with a fee associated with it and I'd like to stock up on .223 and .308 before it goes into effect.
Click to expand...
I like it haven't used any 73 eld to compare firsthand yet but 55, 62 and 75 gold dots have all been good killers. I wouldn't be upset to have a supply of them on hand. Nor would I be terribly upset about the 73s either, but I tend to pass on most shots that aren't more or less broadside
 
Deywalker said:
Does anyone prefer the 62gr Gold Dot/Fusion to the 73gr ELD? My state is starting background checks for ammo along with a fee associated with it and I'd like to stock up on .223 and .308 before it goes into effect.
Click to expand...
The 73 Eld-m was significantly more accurate than the 62 gr fusions in my tikka fwiw
 
I shot some more of the AAC ammo TMK today that’s a different lot. Accuracy was better this time around but about 25% of the cases were very tight closing the bolt and 3 wouldn’t chamber at all and I didn’t want to force it. It was still dirty nasty shit like the other lot. I didn’t retrieve my targets because it started pouring but the groups were right at .4mil on shoot n see 2” dots which is wider than the actual edge to edge because of the splatter plus bullet diameter so it’s safe to say that it was under 1.25MOA center to center for 5 rounds but not better than 1MOA. I won’t be buying any more, it’s shitty ammo.

I put some other loads through it today too. Federal LE 77gr TMK was cutting little knots pretty much going through the same hole. Those were .2mil or a little under which is sub .5 MOA and then some factoring in the target splatter and bullet diameter. Norma 77gr SMK was averaging just a little larger but still under 3/4MOA including the 10 shot group I shot.

The Federal and Norma shoot to the same POI too which is nice. I have a pile of Norma since it’s what I feed my DMR rifles so I’ll run that for range use and have my dealer order me a few more cases of the Federal.

The rifle is T3X Lite SS in stock form with the pressure point still in the forend and action screws torqued to 40inlbs. I bought a Lumey bottom metal kit with pillars and I was planning to pillar and glass bed it and fully free float the barrel but I’m not even going to bother. That kit will go in the T3X Varmint SS Walnut model I just picked up instead that will benefit much more from pillar bedding.
 
It’s going to be a little slower but it shoots well across 3 rifles for me. The issue is getting it, Federal is very strict about dealers selling it to people that aren’t LE so you’ve either gotta be LE, have someone that’s LE buy it for you, or be friends with a dealer who gives no ***** and will order it for you. I fall under the latter category.
 
Finally joined the club - got some 77gr TMK's on the way!

Question for everyone - has anyone run an XLR Element Chassis? I'm having some AICS mag fitment issues. Thread here.

Curious if it's a one-off or a known issue. I had zero issues dropping my Rem700 based rifle in the same model of XLR chassis.
 
FNG here.
So I'm your basic ol boomer. All my deer hunting has been with either a 270 or 300wm, but I pretty much gave up shooting bambi a decade or so ago. (that might change) Now I hunt coyotes. One of the issues with 223 on coyotes can be spinners and because of that many go with 243. After reading this entire thread I'm pretty sure one of the issues is bullet selection. So I'm wanting to try the 77 TMK, the photos on here it look like it should be devastating. I'm not saving fur this is strictly predator control.

I'd be shooting either a 16inch AR, stainless 223 wylde, 1-8 or a 14.5inch DD barrel 5.56 chamber, 1-7. I have TMK ordered probably go with whichever one shoots these the best.


So for those who have used 77TMK on coyotes is there enough animal to start expansion? Our coyotes aren't real big, probably in the 30 lb range.
 
Old Dog said:
FNG here.
So I'm your basic ol boomer. All my deer hunting has been with either a 270 or 300wm, but I pretty much gave up shooting bambi a decade or so ago. (that might change) Now I hunt coyotes. One of the issues with 223 on coyotes can be spinners and because of that many go with 243. After reading this entire thread I'm pretty sure one of the issues is bullet selection. So I'm wanting to try the 77 TMK, the photos on here it look like it should be devastating. I'm not saving fur this is strictly predator control.

I'd be shooting either a 16inch AR, stainless 223 wylde, 1-8 or a 14.5inch DD barrel 5.56 chamber, 1-7. I have TMK ordered probably go with whichever one shoots these the best.


So for those who have used 77TMK on coyotes is there enough animal to start expansion? Our coyotes aren't real big, probably in the 30 lb range.
Click to expand...
The 60 tmk and 69 tmk work well on coyotes with .22-250 velocity. I haven't shot a coyote with a .223 in a while.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk
 
The 60 grain vmax are very effective on groundhog/rockchuck sized animals. North/South shots out of a 20" 1:9 twist 223 often have the results you would expect to see when shooting prairie dogs. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot coyotes with the vmax. With the better BC of the 60 TMK, seems worth trying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Dave0317
.223, 6mm, and 6.5 failures on big game
33 34 35
Replies
698
Views
33K
Bluefish
B
hunterjmj
Tikka 223
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
mt terry d
M
PistolPete
Mono Wound Channels vs Match Bullets
2 3
Replies
50
Views
3K
KHntr
K
M
  • Poll
Factory Rifle that likes 77gr TMK?
2 3 4
Replies
67
Views
2K
Southernfried
S
R
Thank you Form I’m now a mk12 believer
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
McD18
McD18

Latest posts

Featured Video

Stats

Threads
350,005
Messages
3,687,523
Members
80,068
Latest member
WestcoastWhitetail

Latest Articles

Back
Top