Marshfly
WKR
I wish Crazy Creek made a blaze orange chair. Sigh.
Great shot!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.
Thank you!Great buck huntercole. Congratulations.
That’s awesome congrats!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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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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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
Very soon, after I burn through this ammo, I am going to reload it all, probably start before that, but have everything I need, just need to get to my other house down south and get all of my reloading equipment… I haven’t been at our “primary” house since the last day of April, but need to soon now that work has slowed downWhen are you going to start reloading?
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Thats how I envision Form on the podcast
Doesn't appear to be, but any difference in blood trail with the TSX compared to the TMK? (although a 25 yard run might be too shot to tell) I imagine the TSX is much more likely to exit. I don't know how much difference that makes with a blood trail in a 223 though.Switched from TMK to a 70gr TSX for this one. 50 yard shot, clean double lung broad side entry and exit. He dropped, got up and ran 25 yards and dropped dead. Big, strong buck. Very happy with the performance.
Will switch back to TMK this afternoon for my doe.
What circumstances hindered finding it?I shot my first deer this morning with 77 grain TMKs in my 223. I was pretty lucky to find it. Probably wouldn’t have found it if it was dark.