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

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I have my bolt gun cut to 18”, and Black Hills factory 77 gr TMK is still at or above 1800 fps to 500-550 yards depending on what elevation I am at.
What velocity/elevation are you starting at? Not too high up around here 8-900 ft.
 

ElPollo

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What velocity/elevation are you starting at? Not too high up around here 8-900 ft.
I’m starting at 2750 with factory Black Hills. But I live at 3300’ and hunt generally between 4500-9500’. If I plug in 800’ in Shooter with 50 degrees and 29 mm hg, it hits 1800 fps at just over 450 yards. That’s outside of my dope though.
 

MEdude

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Jan 12, 2023
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Picking up my barrel tomorrow from the smith. Cut to 16.5”
Raptor came out of jail a couple weeks back…
Oh Boy oh boy, should be some fun this weekend.
 

ElPollo

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Picking up my barrel tomorrow from the smith. Cut to 16.5”
Raptor came out of jail a couple weeks back…
Oh Boy oh boy, should be some fun this weekend.
That with a raptor will be a sweet combo. My 223 is 18” and my 6.5 is 16”. I use a raptor 8-stack on both. Don’t know why I waited so long to get a suppressor.
 

MEdude

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That with a raptor will be a sweet combo. My 223 is 18” and my 6.5 is 16”. I use a raptor 8-stack on both. Don’t know why I waited so long to get a suppressor.
Mine’s an 8 as well, 4” reflex. Went with the 30 cal version, and an extra 5.56 end cap for the 223.

Actually eager to run the 06 with it as well. We’ll see how much recoil reduction it gives.
 

Benjblt

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I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.
 

Curhunter

FNG
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Dec 28, 2020
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I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.
I have a similar era 700 and it's a 1:12 twist. It likes 40gr vmax but not 53 gr vmax.
Haven't tried anything else as it's used for varmints. The 40's usually don't exit so there's less damage if going after fur.
 
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I’ve got 1k small rifle magnum primers… I guess those would work as long as I did another ladder to find pressure?
No need for that you won’t see much difference
I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.
Yes it is 1 in 12
I have been using the same gun since then
The 55 grain ballistic tip will do anything that you desire and do it really well
 

Benjblt

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Yes it is 1 in 12
I have been using the same gun since then
The 55 grain ballistic tip will do anything that you desire and do it really well
I ended up ordering the 69 gr TMK. So I'm doubting that will shoot well. I do have some 52 grain ELDM's so maybe they would work?
 

Baron85

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Feb 23, 2019
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53 vmax work great for small Texas whitetail for the typical 100ish yard feeder/blind shots we have on the east side of the state. Neck and head shots, I haven’t tried chest shots and probably wouldn’t with that bullet. No exits but they go straight down and lots of internal damage.
 
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Jim1187

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I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.
Hornady 55 grain cannelure sp product number 2266, Speers 55 grain gold dot, Hornady 60 grain sp (may not stabilize but does in mine), Winchester's 64 power point, Sierra 63 smp, 55 grain gameking sp or hp and if you like lead free the options continue. Speers 55 gold dot would be my first choice but I have and will continue to use any of the above. I just keep shots closer than I might with a TMK or ELD.
The trick is to stick to shooting them in the parts that are vital for life. How long do you have to wait for your son to begin hunting? It's pretty affordable to get a faster twist barrel spun on a 700.
 
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Benjblt

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Hornady 55 grain cannelure sp product number 2266, Speers 55 grain gold dot, Hornady 60 grain sp (may not stabilize but does in mine), Winchester's 64 power point, Sierra 63 smp, 55 grain gameking sp or hp and if you like lead free the options continue. Speers 55 gold dot would be my first choice but I have and will continue to use any of the above. I just keep shots closer than I might with a TMK or ELD.
The trick is to stick to shooting them in the parts that are vital for life. How long do you have to wait for your son to begin hunting? It's pretty affordable to get a faster twist barrel spun on a 700.
What would you suggest? I might just go with a .556 barrel. I don't want to spend $500. Might as well buy another rifle for that.
 
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Speaking of slow-twist-rate guns, my dad has an excellent shooting CZ 527 in .222, I think the twist rate is 1-12 or 1-14. Is there any experience with decent medium game bullets that would stabilize? It wouldn’t be a deer gun but something that would pull double duty on chicken predators and hogs, with maybe some close range opportunistic deer thrown in.
 

Formidilosus

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I have an a 223 remington 700 from 2012-ish. It doesn't give the twist rate. What do you think it would be? 1:10? What bullet would you recommend for bear and deer? I want my son to use the gun when he starts out.


Speaking of slow-twist-rate guns, my dad has an excellent shooting CZ 527 in .222, I think the twist rate is 1-12 or 1-14. Is there any experience with decent medium game bullets that would stabilize? It wouldn’t be a deer gun but something that would pull double duty on chicken predators and hogs, with maybe some close range opportunistic deer thrown in.



There plenty of short bullets that stabilize from 1-12” twists and kill deer fine. 55r Speer Gold Dots are probably the easiest choice. However, 62gr Gold Dot or Federal Fusions might as well. 64gr Nosler Bonded Solid Base will, and it’s a very good bullet at higher impact velocities.

As well, you can certainly kill deer with 45-55gr varmint bullets. Put them in the ribs and they die without fuss.
 
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