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

[Tmac]

The only consistent way I have found to not lose much meat is shoot them in the neck. Have a buddy who does one better and head shoots almost everything, but I haven’t warmed up to that myself

I have lost a lot of the front shoulders even with monos, hit any bone and all bets are off even with meat friendly projectiles… I assume a 45-70 or something, might be easy on meat regardless, or buckshot, but any normal rifle cartridge has potential to make a mess

Neck shooting, it seems most of the time, you only lose the wound channel itself, blood shot doesn’t generally spread like it does in the shoulder.

Well done! Next year I will be knocking a blacktail down with a tmk

I’ve had real good luck with mono’s through the lungs just behind the shoulder as far as meat loss mitigation goes. But most of those shots were open country 200 - 380 yards on much larger bucks where things have slowed down some. I suspect target size and distance helped.

For these blacktails in a jungle with the grands I was OK with meat loss. They shoot the 223 well so it was an easy choice. But boy do those 77 gr TMK’s create havoc internally.

I’m not brave enough for a head or neck shot. I need a big target, lol. I do have a buddy that head shoots cow elk with his 10mm Glock 40 to a bit over 100 yards, but he is crazy good with that thing.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Tikka T3x Compact 223 and have it cut and threaded for a can. SWFA 6x milquad mil/mil mounted with UM rings. Done.

That’s what I put together for my wife. Stainless 223, cut to 18” threaded and collar installed for direct thread 5/8x24. Drop it into a compact stock, SWFA 6x. I needed up using sportsmatch rings though since I have a few sets laying around.

 

[Drenalin]

Longest shot I’ve taken at an animal tonight, whitetail at 386. Hit her a little forward, both front shoulders completely wrecked, lungs shredded, fragmentation to heart and almost definitely spine. Absolutely stoned her though, dropped right in her shadow. No pics of the carnage, another warm day here and a long way to move her, so I didn’t take time once I got to work on her.

Cheap rifle, cheap scope, (relatively) cheap ammo, tons of practice and about the most fun you can have with your pants on. I am blown away by my experience with the 73 ELD-Ms so far, and they are frankly more destructive than I would prefer. But inarguably extremely effective.

Edit to add: very small entrance hole, no exit (being through the shoulders, not a surprise). It doesn’t make much difference when they drop in the scope, but if I get a runner I suspect tracking will be a challenge.

 

[BAC]

Longest shot I’ve taken at an animal tonight, whitetail at 386. Hit her a little forward, both front shoulders completely wrecked, lungs shredded, fragmentation to heart and almost definitely spine. Absolutely stoned her though, dropped right in her shadow. No pics of the carnage, another warm day here and a long way to move her, so I didn’t take time once I got to work on her.

Cheap rifle, cheap scope, (relatively) cheap ammo, tons of practice and about the most fun you can have with your pants on. I am blown away by my experience with the 73 ELD-Ms so far, and they are frankly more destructive than I would prefer. But inarguably extremely effective.

Edit to add: very small entrance hole, no exit (being through the shoulders, not a surprise). It doesn’t make much difference when they drop in the scope, but if I get a runner I suspect tracking will be a challenge.

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You know what, completely unrelated to the topic, but you just made a fine case for having a cheap folding foam mat on a backpack hunt. I hadn't even considered how helpful it might be if shooting from prone.

 

[SouthPaw]

22 creedmoor, 88g eldm. MV 2985fps
Mule Deer buck, 551 yards, impact 2172fps

The deer was bedded broadside, front legs tucked. Bullet went through onside shoulder, broke onside rib, through both lungs, and buried in offside shoulder shattering the knuckle with a few chunks of core making it to the offside hide. The buck managed to get up, stumble 10ft and flopped, all in sub 4 seconds.

After seeing this thread, I knew the 22cal optimized would work but this was shockingly effective.

Delivery mechanism:



Jacket fragments within onside shoulder showing quick bullet upset, entrance w/ shoulder removed in background:




Offside shoulder removed, golfball+ hole through cavity with soupy lungs:




Upon processing, lots of bullet parts in offside shoulder knuckle area about 3" diameter:

 

[Drenalin]

You know what, completely unrelated to the topic, but you just made a fine case for having a cheap folding foam mat on a backpack hunt. I hadn't even considered how helpful it might be if shooting from prone.

I’m going to replace this one with the orange Nemo pad so it can ride as a vis panel on my pack. But yeah, 6-7 sections of an accordion pad is luxurious to sit on and plenty to lay your upper half on in the prone.

 

[BLJ]

I’m going to replace this one with the orange Nemo pad so it can ride as a vis panel on my pack. But yeah, 6-7 sections of an accordion pad is luxurious to sit on and plenty to lay your upper half on in the prone.

That’s a really good idea about the hi viz.

 

[mtnwrunner]

The pad is a staple in my kit. Very versatile piece of gear.
Now, back to the 223.

Randy

ATTACH=full]630548[/ATTACH]TACH]

 

[Marshfly]

I wish Crazy Creek made a blaze orange chair. Sigh.

 

[Big_wals]

Another deer down with the 223/77 tmk this morning. 278 yards, impact velocity around 2125. Slightly quartering away with his offside leg back. It made about a 1" hole thru his ribcage going in, blew theu the heart, and then around an inch and a half on the way out. Shattered his offside leg just above the knuckle and stopped on the hide. He did a typical heart shot/mule kick, and ran around 50 yards. Will update with more pics next week when we process it.

 

[BlackHillsShooter]

Another deer down witb the 223/77 tmk this morning. 278 yards, impact velocity around 2125. Slightly quartering away with his offside leg back. It made about a 1" hole thru his ribcage going in, blew theu the heart, and then around an inch and a half on the way out. Shattered his offside leg just above the knuckle and stopped on the hide. He did a typical heart shot/mule kick, and ran around 50 yards. Will update with more pics next week when we process it.

Great shot!

 

[Big_wals]

Thanks!

 

[JohnDough]

Today I shot a doe which I estimate at 100-120# on the hoof. The shot was taken with an 11.5" 5.56 SBR, suppressed. The distance was 90m. The deer ran 125m and promptly expired. At the impact site there was foamy blood with chunks (lung tissue). Within about 20 feet of where the deer lay, there was significant blood trail. I did not bother tracking all of it, because I could see where the deer piled up. The reaction to being shot was a shoulder twitch (or maybe that was impact?) and a little "startle kick" and then the deer took off running, keeping pace with the other 2, until it didn't. It just collapsed and died. The structures impacted were ribs upon entry, both lungs, and ribs upon exit. The angle was directly perpendicular to the shooter. Ammunition used was MK318 MOD 0 SOST.

This is the entrance, picture taken at site of recovery, after rolling the animal to expose entrance:

This is the exit, picture taken without moving the animal at site of recovery:

This is the entrance. Note the immediate appearance of expansion and disruption:

This is the lung tissue. Note the appearance of copper and lead fragments and small secondary channels caused by same (maybe not visible in photos):

Fragments were recovered from lung tissue (very small, not photographed).

This is the exit. Note fragments clearly visible embedded in rib and ribcage, as well as small secondary wound channels caused by other fragments:

Projectile entered from (photo) Right to Left:

 

[huntercole]

I read through this entire thread earlier this summer and it really got me thinking of picking up a new 223. I ended up ordering a t3x and getting it chopped to 17.5" and threaded. I also added the vertical grip and a cheek riser. I worked up decent load with the 77gr TMK over XBR. I practiced quite a bit and had my data dialed out to 560 yards, but planned to keep shots inside 400. I ended up taking my 308 Tikka to New Mexico, but decided to take the 223 to Montana. The first night out I was after a smaller 2x3 when this buck stepped out. I couldn't believe it when I saw him in the scope. I ranged him at 275 and dialed the scope quick. I was able to keep him in the scope during the shot and saw it hit right on the shoulder crease. He went about 40 yards out then 20 yards back and was down around 6-8 seconds. I hit the meat, but not the bone of the near shoulder and got an exit behind the offside shoulder. I've hunted out west for several years and messed up some opportunities but was super excited to get my first mule deer and out of state big game animal. I got some bonus prairie dogs on my birthday while I was out there too.

 

[fshaw]

Great buck huntercole. Congratulations.

 

[huntercole]

Great buck huntercole. Congratulations.

Thank you!

 

[Nomosendero]

Fine Mule Deer !

 

[sierracharlie338]

I read through this entire thread earlier this summer and it really got me thinking of picking up a new 223. I ended up ordering a t3x and getting it chopped to 17.5" and threaded. I also added the vertical grip and a cheek riser. I worked up decent load with the 77gr TMK over XBR. I practiced quite a bit and had my data dialed out to 560 yards, but planned to keep shots inside 400. I ended up taking my 308 Tikka to New Mexico, but decided to take the 223 to Montana. The first night out I was after a smaller 2x3 when this buck stepped out. I couldn't believe it when I saw him in the scope. I ranged him at 275 and dialed the scope quick. I was able to keep him in the scope during the shot and saw it hit right on the shoulder crease. He went about 40 yards out then 20 yards back and was down around 6-8 seconds. I hit the meat, but not the bone of the near shoulder and got an exit behind the offside shoulder. I've hunted out west for several years and messed up some opportunities but was super excited to get my first mule deer and out of state big game animal. I got some bonus prairie dogs on my birthday while I was out there too.
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That’s awesome congrats!

 

[roosiebull]

Finally got to shoot mine today, and I can’t believe I haven’t had one all along. Such a fun rifle to shoot. That rifle is going to be bad news for lots of stuff. Got it zeroed in 4 shots and then shot until I ran out of light

The black hills tmk shot really well which I was happy with, and of course the federal 77gr smk shoot good, and I have a bunch. Hopefully the 73gr eldm do too, and assume that they will, because I have a case showing up any day

It’s crazy that such an easy weapon to shoot can cause so much hell on big animals, I guess that’s the beauty of it

 

[Pharmseller]

I read through this entire thread earlier this summer and it really got me thinking of picking up a new 223. I ended up ordering a t3x and getting it chopped to 17.5" and threaded. I also added the vertical grip and a cheek riser. I worked up decent load with the 77gr TMK over XBR. I practiced quite a bit and had my data dialed out to 560 yards, but planned to keep shots inside 400. I ended up taking my 308 Tikka to New Mexico, but decided to take the 223 to Montana. The first night out I was after a smaller 2x3 when this buck stepped out. I couldn't believe it when I saw him in the scope. I ranged him at 275 and dialed the scope quick. I was able to keep him in the scope during the shot and saw it hit right on the shoulder crease. He went about 40 yards out then 20 yards back and was down around 6-8 seconds. I hit the meat, but not the bone of the near shoulder and got an exit behind the offside shoulder. I've hunted out west for several years and messed up some opportunities but was super excited to get my first mule deer and out of state big game animal. I got some bonus prairie dogs on my birthday while I was out there too.
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Dude,
If you fill your tag the first day, you’ll never give yourself a chance to shoot a big one. Patience.





P