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

[TX_Diver]

A møøse once bit my sister.


If you know the reference we can be friends.




P

6000 posts in and this thread keeps getting better!!!

 

[rabbithuntr]

Those of you who are shooting the 75 eld-m.. what length are you seating them to that seems to be the sweet spot? They are a lot longer than the 73gr that I'm used to and seem less forgiving. Thanks!

I just got my first batch and loaded them 2.475. Initially they worked ok but after getting some fouling I had a bullet get stuck in the throat so I’m going to try 2.450 or 2.425. This is in a tikka. The shortest you can go is ~2.390 if I’m not mistaken.


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[SouthPaw]

Those of you who are shooting the 75 eld-m.. what length are you seating them to that seems to be the sweet spot? They are a lot longer than the 73gr that I'm used to and seem less forgiving. Thanks!

2.42ish is where you want to be.

 

[Fudd]

Just finished the whole thread over about three weeks, thanks to all who contributed. I’m a proud fudd at heart, but guns are tools to help me accomplish a task, and this tool works. I actually found this thread looking for tips on making a lightweight 22-250 into a freezer filler, but that will be a rss in 223 now.

All that said, with swfa seemingly out of the game, what’s the go-to lightweight but durable scope?

When it comes to 223 brass/powder at current availability, just grab some starline and varget and roll? Anything else I should be watching out for?

 

[SamsonMan22]

Just finished the whole thread over about three weeks, thanks to all who contributed. I’m a proud fudd at heart, but guns are tools to help me accomplish a task, and this tool works. I actually found this thread looking for tips on making a lightweight 22-250 into a freezer filler, but that will be a rss in 223 now.

All that said, with swfa seemingly out of the game, what’s the go-to lightweight but durable scope?

When it comes to 223 brass/powder at current availability, just grab some starline and varget and roll? Anything else I should be watching out for?

There have been quite a few Swfa scopes in the classifieds lately it’s worth watching for one.

I have switched from Lapua to starline due to availability and doubt I will ever go back. The starline brass has been very good so far and quite a lot cheaper.

There are a lot of powders that work well, I have done well with xbr, varget, n135, TAC, LVR, rl15, ar-comp, and benchmark in no particular order. I buy what is available at the time, I think in all of the loads I have done the most I have adjusted zero switching powders or primers and using the same Hornady 75bthp bullet is .2mil. My hunting loads using the 77tmk usually fall in that category depending on the particular practice load I’m using, occasionally it takes .3 or .4mil to re-adjust.

 

[Jimbee]

Just finished the whole thread over about three weeks, thanks to all who contributed. I’m a proud fudd at heart, but guns are tools to help me accomplish a task, and this tool works. I actually found this thread looking for tips on making a lightweight 22-250 into a freezer filler, but that will be a rss in 223 now.

All that said, with swfa seemingly out of the game, what’s the go-to lightweight but durable scope?

When it comes to 223 brass/powder at current availability, just grab some starline and varget and roll? Anything else I should be watching out for?

Thread 'Swfa 6x mil' https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/swfa-6x-mil.345274/

 

[FB Trout]

Just finished the whole thread over about three weeks, thanks to all who contributed. I’m a proud fudd at heart, but guns are tools to help me accomplish a task, and this tool works. I actually found this thread looking for tips on making a lightweight 22-250 into a freezer filler, but that will be a rss in 223 now.

All that said, with swfa seemingly out of the game, what’s the go-to lightweight but durable scope?

When it comes to 223 brass/powder at current availability, just grab some starline and varget and roll? Anything else I should be watching out for?

I’ve switched to Starline brass as well, have used Norma or Lapua in past, but can’t get much of either, unless it’s primed Norma brass which hasn’t been overly good. I love XBR 8208, but TAC has been good as has PP-2000-MR. I also have some Staball Match to try, but won’t till I burn all the 8208 up. It has reported good velocities and is supposed to be a temp stable ball powder for use with heavy bullet weights in .223.

 

[WestTN2288]

The longest kill we have with the Hornady 75gr was at 340 yards on a big bodied buck. The shot was quartering away with a complete pass through and wrecked insides. The deer ran 20 yard and tipped over. I do a lot of hunting in open country and shoot game at long range every year. I shoot a 6.5prc and a 300 prc currently in my bolt guns and take part in the killing of around a dozen game animals yearly. My longest kill is over 900 yards with a 25 creedmoor. I say all that to make a point - of all the animals I’ve seen killed at various ranges and with different cartridges, the biggest difference I see is in the bullet being used and the speed it impacts the animal at. The bullet size seems irrelevant.

Very cool and glad to see you’re getting good results with the 75BTHP. I wish there was a little more information here than “inconsistent”. I can’t figure out if that’s inconsistent on elk, prairie dogs, or something in the middle. From what little I’ve seen, they seem perfect for whitetails

 

[ResearchinStuff]

for me, inconsistent means that even though i've got 4000 of the 75 bthp, the 77 tmk or 73 eld is going to be what gets shot at anything I have to put a tag on.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

Those of you who are shooting the 75 eld-m.. what length are you seating them to that seems to be the sweet spot? They are a lot longer than the 73gr that I'm used to and seem less forgiving. Thanks!

I'm loading them at 2.42

 

[WestTN2288]

for me, inconsistent means that even though i've got 4000 of the 75 bthp, the 77 tmk or 73 eld is going to be what gets shot at anything I have to put a tag on.

Inconsistent expansion? Penetration? I’ve got a few thousand myself and they work well enough that I keep wondering why I’m swapping back and forth

 

[Billy Goat]

Inconsistent expansion? Penetration? I’ve got a few thousand myself and they work well enough that I keep wondering why I’m swapping back and forth

Inconsistent in expansion on game. Frequently a problem with some otm bullets.

They usually open up violently, but a few won't.

 

[packgoatguy]

For those of you with Tikka’s: what barrel length are you guys shooting for the .223?

16 inch

 

[sierracharlie338]

Inconsistent in expansion on game. Frequently a problem with some otm bullets.

They usually open up violently, but a few won't.

I’ve been shooting SMKs for many years and have shot numerous deer size game animals with them. What Billy said is exactly what I’ve seen but work/don’t work ratio closer to 50/50 IME. Shot a 100lb doe with one and it penciled through right behind both shoulders. Two caliber sized holes in both lungs. Non existent blood trail and damn near never found her. Had to shoot her again with a CNS hit to keep her from running again.

 

[MThuntr]

OK TLDR...is there a summary of bullets used in this thread or is just 77gr TMK?

I'm thinking one of the heavier high BC ELD-X bullets would be worthy of attention particularly for deer/antelope.

 

[LCV]

OK TLDR...is there a summary of bullets used in this thread or is just 77gr TMK?

I'm thinking one of the heavier high BC ELD-X bullets would be worthy of attention particularly for deer/antelope.

No, they do not perform similarly in gel. One expands and fragments. One yaws and fragments. The first video is Clear Ballistics Gel which is NOT an indicator or terminal performance and should not be used. The AR15.com videos are generally good. However, if you watched them, how did you come to that those the Horn 75gr HPBT and 77gr TMK are similar?

If you read this thread from the start, I state multiple times that Open Tip Match bullets with relatively thick jackets (SMK, Hornady HPBT, etc.) generally kill fine yet can exhibit variable terminal performance. It is not unusual for most OTM’s to yaw and deviate from the original track after striking a barrier, even light ones. Having said that, you could probably shoot another 20-30 and not have an issue with those bullets.

As for the overall situation and deers reaction, animals shot when utilizing a suppressor often react as they do from archery. What you experienced is not unusual as far as animal reaction goes. Had you shot it unsuppressed it likely would have ran until oxygen and/or blood pressure dropped and been dead before you found it.


I’ve stated this numerous times, for general hunting with .224’s-

1). 55, 62, 64, and 75 grain Speer Gold Dots as well as identically constructed Federal Fusion including the 90gr.

2). Hornady 75 and 88gr AMAX/ELD-M (can be a bit splashy).

3). 77gr Tipped MatchKing

I did not forget any. I did not leave any out. If it’s not one of the above, it is probably because it does not perform like the above.

The 77gr TMK is currently THE .224 bullet for 223’s in soft tissue in the broadest ranges and use.

 

[chicoredneck]

I’ve been shooting SMKs for many years and have shot numerous deer size game animals with them. What Billy said is exactly what I’ve seen but work/don’t work ratio closer to 50/50 IME. Shot a 100lb doe with one and it penciled through right behind both shoulders. Two caliber sized holes in both lungs. Non existent blood trail and damn near never found her. Had to shoot her again with a CNS hit to keep her from running again.

The Hornady BTHP and SMK act very differently. I’ve killed a few animals with the SMK and won’t use them anymore as they are inconsistent when it comes to expansion.

The Hornady BTHP on the other hand has performed more like a Berger bullet, but seems to be a little tougher with a narrower cone of expansion. Most of the animals we have shot with them have resulted in pass throughs. I killed near two dozen animals with the 75gr BTHP from Hornady all out of an 18” AR15 and every one has expanded. I would call that very consistent performance.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

OK TLDR...is there a summary of bullets used in this thread or is just 77gr TMK?

I'm thinking one of the heavier high BC ELD-X bullets would be worthy of attention particularly for deer/antelope.

-77gr TMK is king
-73gr ELD is mag fed and readily available
-75gr, 80gr, 88gr eld if you can load/spin them.
-fusion/gold dot for mag fed and availability
-Some outlier OTMs (not sierra 77gr) & soft points

Roughly in that order from my perspective

 

[MThuntr]

@LCV and @ARK_Ginger Appreciate the help. I didn't do a good search and it seem those were what I would have expected. I just started plinking around with 77gr RDFs in my 223 but I'm not sure I want to send them at animals and of course they're on the edge of stable.

The last deer I shot with a 223 were within 100yards and with 55gr soft points. That was the minimum allowed by the state of NE when I was in college. At the time, I don't remember much being available on the shelves in anything heavier that wasn't an FMJ.

 

[sierracharlie338]

The Hornady BTHP and SMK act very differently. I’ve killed a few animals with the SMK and won’t use them anymore as they are inconsistent when it comes to expansion.

The Hornady BTHP on the other hand has performed more like a Berger bullet, but seems to be a little tougher with a narrower cone of expansion. Most of the animals we have shot with them have resulted in pass throughs. I killed near two dozen animals with the 75gr BTHP from Hornady all out of an 18” AR15 and every one has expanded. I would call that very consistent performance.

I was speaking solely on the SMK but have also shot the bthp. I don’t disagree they perform better terminally than the smk but that’s not saying much. The tipped bullets have outperformed and been more consistent hands down.