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

[Matthausarchery]

Nice job. What bottom metal are you using that is getting you 6+1 capacity in a mini and how does it feed?

Jefferson outdoors hinged bottom metal. As advertised 5+1 capacity. I am able to just fit 6 after I shimmed and bedded the bottom metal in my Stockys stock. It feeds 100% for me, but you must make sure your fitment is set and the bolt face engages enough of the case head as part of the bedding process.

 

[roosiebull]

That’s a healthy buck! (Was)

Nice work, and cool deer, how old do you assume he is?

 

[Matthausarchery]

That’s a healthy buck! (Was)

Nice work, and cool deer, how old do you assume he is?

Im guessing 2.5 based on tooth wear but generally tooth wear is very inconsistent. I removed two teeth this evening. One to send fish and wildlife who will age it and I will cut the other to determine age myself.

 

[Der Schwabe]

Another data point for the 77 grain TMK. This was from 17” 22-250 started at 3000fps. Buck was 313 yards. Wife hit him in the shoulder slightly quartering towards us. Bullet went through shoulder and exited behind opposite shoulder. Buck stumbled 20 yards and tipped over.
View attachment 626227

That buck is a stonker! He's as big or bigger than the ones I saw in Wyoming this year. Well done to your wife!

 

[jadkins223]

Pretty good day. Dongs sporting goods in Tulsa Oklahoma has probably 2,000 77 TMKs. I picked up a few. And some other goodies.

Several lbs of xbr too but I use TAC.

Excited to try these 162 ELDMs too in 7 mag


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[MattB]

When measuring weight retention, is it fair game to bases that on multiple fragments? That seems to be antithetical to what that measurement is trying to capture.

 

[Pharmseller]

Pretty good day. Dongs sporting goods in Tulsa Oklahoma has probably 2,000 77 TMKs. I picked up a few. And some other goodies.

Several lbs of xbr too but I use TAC.

Excited to try these 162 ELDMs too in 7 mag


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Max load so work up to it.




P

 

[jadkins223]

View attachment 626669

Max load so work up to it.




P

Phenomenal. I haven’t seen 26 on the shelf in a long time. I have h1000


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[BAC]

I got to try out the 77TMK opening morning up here in the northeast. 181lb dressed 4pt whitetail.

View attachment 626390

Howa mini action 16”
Hinged bottom metal (6+1 capacity)
77TMK MV @ 2680fps
80yd impact velocity est @ ~2440
Broadside impact in shoulder just behind the scapula and joint. The deer walked 20yds and expired in less than 30seconds. No bloodtrail from the entrance wound, a few specs of blood from caughing. Bloodtrailing would have been difficult as pointed out by others.
View attachment 626377
Through entrance side rib bone
View attachment 626379
Cause severe pulmonary hemmorraging and severed the aortic arc. Bullet traveled ~16” and stopped in the offside hide with a smaller (1.5”) exit out of the thoracic cavity.
View attachment 626382

The performed as other here have suggested. Three fragments including the jacket base, petal, and core were recovered separated but resting together. 42.5 grains (55% weight retention) and maximum diameter of the jacket was 0.675”, the lead base expanded to .440”.
View attachment 626387
View attachment 626388
View attachment 626389
I was very pleased with the terminal performance. I was able to clearly see my impact through the scope and stay on the deer. I had the opportunity to pic my shot through trees and brush which is not very common up her in the “big woods”. We often have to take moving or running quick shots when tracking deer in the snow. I personally believe this combo is up to the task because I can get back on target much faster for follow up shots and the TMK performed as well if not better than other 30cals in similar scenarios I have had.

Finally caught up on this monster thread, every post from start to now. Damned if this bullet isn't a cool little thing. I quoted Matt because I'm appreciative of the close-ups of the cleaned bullet fragments. Those are gnarly and given the speeds they're moving through the animal at, it makes the larger wound tracts make a lot more sense. Good stretch from the temp cavity, tissue torn by those big jagged pieces and prevented from returning. I had it in my head that a lot more of the bullet was fragmented and a lot of the previous bullet remnant pictures weren't clear on how big or how much of the bullet remained.

So it looks like the gameplan for me has definitively changed. I've got a pretty good scope on the way, already have a base for it, have one and a half AR's (soon two) to slap it on, and see who shoots these fancy 77grainers better and that'll be papa's first hunting rifle. At that point I'll be confident that the hardware is fine and it's just the software that'll need learning.

Thank folks, this topic has been a trip but an educational one for sure.

 

[np307]

Quick and dirty zero confirmed on steel and this brand new rifle is ready for gun season. Hopefully I'll be able to stack up a couple whitetails. Going to be using 62gr fusion this year, I'll work up loads for tmks next year.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

Arkansas public land mountain buck. AAC 77gr TMK at approximately 60 yards from factory tikka lite. He ran maybe 50 yards which I partially attributed to him chasing a doe at the time.

Entry side with shoulder cut away.

Exit side. Complete pass through.

Blood trail was 18-24” wide in places starting about 15yards from where he was shot so no issues for the ‘tracking.’

I’ve used 75gr gold dot and 75gr ELDs in the past with great success as well. I’ll likely use this AAC loading if it stays available.

 

[SBR Sarge]

When measuring weight retention, is it fair game to bases that on multiple fragments? That seems to be antithetical to what that measurement is trying to capture.

I always have seen it done based on the weight of the largest piece that is intact.

 

[Matthausarchery]

When measuring weight retention, is it fair game to bases that on multiple fragments? That seems to be antithetical to what that measurement is trying to capture.

I believe the three fragments depicted are representative in this case. The pieces depicted were all resting together under the offside hide. The pieces will actually “fit” back together loosely and traveled “together” to their final resting place. Now if I collected pieces that dispursed throughout the carcass I would say it would be misleading. In the end 42.5 grains of lead and copper traveled through the vitals entirely into the offside of the animal.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Natchez is showing 77 TMKs in stock.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Grandson shot this buck this afternoon with a Tikka T3x in 223. He said it ran about 15 yards.

 

[Pharmseller]

Grandson shot this buck this afternoon with a Tikka T3x in 223. He said it ran about 15 yards.

Great pic.

Congrats to the young man, and kudos to those who raised him a hunter.




P

 

[Trapperkid]

second deer with 223 73 eldm 80 yards 16 inch barrel from ruger ranch behind the shoulders ran about thirty yard

 

[xsn10s]

second deer with 223 73 eldm 80 yards 16 inch barrel from ruger ranch behind the shoulders ran about thirty yard

Nice buck congrats! Do you have a muzzle velocity for that load? TIA

 

[SquatchHunter]

And away we go in michiganistan. Hour into daylight and it appears the orange army is operating under no ROE. . Hopefully get to try out the TMK soon.