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

[Pharmseller]

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

When are you going to start reloading?




P

 

[roosiebull]

When are you going to start reloading?




P

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 down

Need to build my wife some ammo too, just need to get all of my stuff up here, and plan on building a bunch

 

[Billy Goat]

I mean, this almost fell to page 3.....

 

[Big_wals]

I mean, this almost fell to page 3.....

View attachment 631358

Thats how I envision Form on the podcast

 

[NoveskeEnjoyer]

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.

 

[N2TRKYS]

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.

 

[Thegman]

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.

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.

 

[Thegman]

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.

What circumstances hindered finding it?

 

[NoveskeEnjoyer]

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.

I've never had a TMK exit a deer, however I've never had a deer get up from a TMK either.

The TSX went right through, not much of a blood trail at all, took me a minute to find the guy in this super tall grass.

As others have said in this thread some animals have more of a will to survive after being shot, this could have been just that rather than the TSX having less terminal damage.

 

[Thegman]

I've never had a TMK exit a deer, however I've never had a deer get up from a TMK either.

The TSX went right through, not much of a blood trail at all, took me a minute to find the guy in this super tall grass.

As others have said in this thread some animals have more of a will to survive after being shot, this could have been just that rather than the TSX having less terminal damage.

That mirrors my (limited) experience with the TMK as well. Just wondering if you do happen to get a "runner", if a TSX or similar bullet that likely exits leaves a much easier blood trail to follow. I don't have enough experience yet with the 223 on game to know either way.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Blood trails are so variable. Smoked a doe with my bow Wednesday. Rage trypan, cut the top of her heart off, compete pass through. Found a few drops along the way, but nothing great, and certainly nothing that made me think she had a 2+" cut completely though the vitals.

 

[N2TRKYS]

What circumstances hindered finding it?

Lack of a blood trail on her 50 yard death run. It was broadside and hit ribs only. The bullet was just under the hide on the offside. The recovered bullet weighed 27.5 grains.

I’m gonna give it another go before moving on to another bullet.

 

[NoveskeEnjoyer]

That mirrors my (limited) experience with the TMK as well. Just wondering if you do happen to get a "runner", if a TSX or similar bullet that likely exits leaves a much easier blood trail to follow. I don't have enough experience yet with the 223 on game to know either way.

Same here, really enjoying the 5.56 as a deer cartridge now however!

 

[Thegman]

Blood trails are so variable. Smoked a doe with my bow Wednesday. Rage trypan, cut the top of her heart off, compete pass through. Found a few drops along the way, but nothing great, and certainly nothing that made me think she had a 2+" cut completely though the vitals.

Good point for sure, can't count on any particular result all the time. I'm thinking more "on average", which would require a lot more experience with both types of bullets than I have. The other part of the answer though would be how much difference either makes, which I'm guessing might not be too much at all. I'm probably splitting hairs, but curious about the difference, if any, anyway.

I've had to follow two animals shot with a 55TTSX. Without my dog's help, I don't think I could have followed those two blood trails. In those (very limited) examples, the 77TMK may even have done more damage and produced a better blood trail, IDK.

I should add, as with most cases, bullet placement probably had more to do with having to follow, than the bullet itself.

 

[Marbles]

I hear the way to get good blood trails is to shoot them in the leg, than make sure to push them so it does not clot.

 

[atmat]

I hear the way to get good blood trails is to shoot them in the leg, than make sure to push them so it does not clot.

Lol I hate that I hang around here enough to recognize memes from other threads

 

[amassi]

Good point for sure, can't count on any particular result all the time. I'm thinking more "on average", which would require a lot more experience with both types of bullets than I have. The other part of the answer though would be how much difference either makes, which I'm guessing might not be too much at all. I'm probably splitting hairs, but curious about the difference, if any, anyway.

I've had to follow two animals shot with a 55TTSX. Without my dog's help, I don't think I could have followed those two blood trails. In those (very limited) examples, the 77TMK may even have done more damage and produced a better blood trail, IDK.

I should add, as with most cases, bullet placement probably had more to do with having to follow, than the bullet itself.

I guarantee the tmk would do more damage than the 55 tsx.
Monos on whole are unexceptional. .224 monos the worst of the bunch.
Shot a few cow elk with the 77lrx /22 creedmoor less than 100 yards and the wounding was less than a 223/77tmk at 250/300 yards.
Generally the lrx is Barnes best unleaded offering


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[NoveskeEnjoyer]

I guarantee the tmk would do more damage than the 55 tsx.
Monos on whole are unexceptional. .224 monos the worst of the bunch.
Shot a few cow elk with the 77lrx /22 creedmoor less than 100 yards and the wounding was less than a 223/77tmk at 250/300 yards.
Generally the lrx is Barnes best unleaded offering


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting. Did the LRX give an exit wound?

 

[amassi]

Interesting. Did the LRX give an exit wound?

2 or 3 exits out of 8-9 hits
The exits were unimpressive, maybe 1.5x caliber. Certainly not something I’d count on and those impacts were well over 3000 fps which may explain the lack of an exit (higher velocity, larger frontal area, harder to exit).

 

[Tahr]

I guarantee the tmk would do more damage than the 55 tsx.
Monos on whole are unexceptional. .224 monos the worst of the bunch.
Shot a few cow elk with the 77lrx /22 creedmoor less than 100 yards and the wounding was less than a 223/77tmk at 250/300 yards.
Generally the lrx is Barnes best unleaded offering


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure. The 60 grn Hammer Hunters blow a good exit and mostly leave a blood trail. Certainly on average better than the 77TMK. That doesn't though make them better, just different.