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

[KHntr]

Any experience with the Hornady 75gr BTHP?

I do, on whitetails and black bears.
Not in the same category at all. They deflect a little easier as near as I can tell, and don't open up the same. They will crush shoulders if you are reasonably broadside and break bones, and that is your best bet as near as I can tell if you are using them.

Seem to be a little harder maybe than the others in the category, and need a lot of resistance and impact velocity. I only tried them as I thought they might be a bit tougher than the 75 Amax I had been using. Turns out that isn't necessarily a good thing.

 

[Castle Rock]

 

[Ajsomp]

Palmetto currently has AAC 77 gr tmk loaded ammo available

I ordered 300. Kind of wishing I ordered more. I’ve got a new stainless 223 I need to break in and shoot a bunch

 

[ianpadron]

I ordered 300. Kind of wishing I ordered more. I’ve got a new stainless 223 I need to break in and shoot a bunch

Still in-stock homie, get you some! Last refresh took almost a year!

 

[Blaw]

My guess is that it will kill fine for most uses, however the penetration is on the low end. The 100gr 6.5 version should be just fine for killing.

Those bullet with a tapered jacket from from the ELD-X would be fantastic- like a TMK.

@Formidilosus or anyone else.
anymore info on the hornady eld-vt 100gr bullet for the 6.5 creed. I'm shooting an 18.5" barrel with Winchester staball 6.5
I seem to get 200ish fps less that max velocity on imr's calculator. I should get around 3050fps mv

that would be a slick little bullet getting me out to 650ish yards with 1800fps being the impact velocity goal.

 

[Big_wals]

Anybody have any experience with these? Wondering if they are comparable to the 62 grain gold dot or federal fusion bullet.

 

[Jt89]

@Formidilosus or anyone else.
anymore info on the hornady eld-vt 100gr bullet for the 6.5 creed. I'm shooting an 18.5" barrel with Winchester staball 6.5
I seem to get 200ish fps less that max velocity on imr's calculator. I should get around 3050fps mv

that would be a slick little bullet getting me out to 650ish yards with 1800fps being the impact velocity goal.

I definitely want to see some ELD-VT necropsy photos. To my mind they're everything a Lapua Scenar/Berger with the large cavity behind the open tip *should* be were it not for their tougher jackets.

 

[Gettincloser]

I am only on page 68 and post 1341... still playing catchup. I have already order 200 rounds of loaded 77gr TMK and do not own a rifle yet. I was thinking about a 223 AI and based on this reply, you have or had one. The beauty of the AI is you can shoot standard 223 rem or 223 AI. What accuracy were you seeing firing standard 223 rem out of your 223 AI? Is it worth building a 223 AI for extra velocity when you reload and still have the pleasure of picking up shelf ammo if you want/need? Or does it only make sense to get the 223 AI if you are more or less hand loading?

In central TX we do not get many deer over 200#. Hogs on the other hand, we have had above 290 (3x) but never broke 300#. This sounds like a fun setup to hunt hay fields for the deer/hog/coyote.

I have seen hog pictures but I have not seen "big" hog pictures. Are they carrying them off, people are not talking about it? I wouldn't think that big hogs are tougher than moose... but they can have a 2-3" thick shield outside the shoulder. Not sure about moose hide/shield... feel free to educate me with regard to big hogs as well.

*At this rate, I will get to the end of this thread in the next 6 months!

 

[JBradley500]

I couldn't imagine a benefit to an AI 223 with 77tmk unless you're shooting very long ranges and need more speed to stay above minimum impact velocity.

 

[Turkeytider]

385 pages to justify the use of a caliber and load as a big game cartridge is indeed remarkable! Is this a Rokslide record yet? It`s interesting that this thread even gets comments on other sites! Never guessed my little ole Savage 110 in .223 could be so " controversial".

 

[wirehead]

Have a 22-250 with 1:12 twist. 77 gr TMKs are pretty much a no-go due to barrel twist rate… at least that’s my assumption.

So what’s the recommended bullet for such a cartridge and twist rate for deer?

 

[Axlrod]

I am only on page 68 and post 1341... still playing catchup. I have already order 200 rounds of loaded 77gr TMK and do not own a rifle yet. I was thinking about a 223 AI and based on this reply, you have or had one. The beauty of the AI is you can shoot standard 223 rem or 223 AI. What accuracy were you seeing firing standard 223 rem out of your 223 AI? Is it worth building a 223 AI for extra velocity when you reload and still have the pleasure of picking up shelf ammo if you want/need? Or does it only make sense to get the 223 AI if you are more or less hand loading?

In central TX we do not get many deer over 200#. Hogs on the other hand, we have had above 290 (3x) but never broke 300#. This sounds like a fun setup to hunt hay fields for the deer/hog/coyote.

I have seen hog pictures but I have not seen "big" hog pictures. Are they carrying them off, people are not talking about it? I wouldn't think that big hogs are tougher than moose... but they can have a 2-3" thick shield outside the shoulder. Not sure about moose hide/shield... feel free to educate me with regard to big hogs as well.

*At this rate, I will get to the end of this thread in the next 6 months!

I have had a couple 223 AI's. The top 2 best things are they look cool and you don't have to trim brass as much/ever. The velo gains are not much, and won't hardly be noticeable in any hunting situation.
But if you just want something different and have no regard for money do it!
I think I gained about 2 grains of H2O capacity. But here is some info on 223/223 AI.

You are being redirected...

If you want about the most capacity from a 223 based case, look into the 22-204.

 

[Blaw]

I definitely want to see some ELD-VT necropsy photos. To my mind they're everything a Lapua Scenar/Berger with the large cavity behind the open tip *should* be were it not for their tougher jackets.

hey how are those scenars? I think there is a 108gr in 6.5...

 

[Jt89]

hey how are those scenars? I think there is a 108gr in 6.5...

I haven't used them based on research done here and elsewhere. I was looking at information on the 155's in particular (it may be different for a 108gr 6.5) but my understanding is that projectile expansion and upset is less than expected in most cases. Despite the large hollow cavity behind the meplat I have been reading that they don't open up as violently as I personally would expect from their construction, and that TMK's and ELD-M's expand more readily at lower impact velocities.

The idea of a thin match jacket on a particularly long, medium for caliber bullet with a big ass cavity up front tickles me. I run short rifles because bush bashing in NZ with a suppressed 22" barrel sucks. Gaining some velocity back by running a medium weight bullet with an exceptional BC to offset a 16-18" barrel is what I'd like to do, but I accept that there's no such thing as a free lunch.

 

[Castle Rock]

I have had good results with both the 55 Ballistic Tip and 55 grain Sierra SP BT

Have a 22-250 with 1:12 twist. 77 gr TMKs are pretty much a no-go due to barrel twist rate… at least that’s my assumption.

So what’s the recommended bullet for such a cartridge and twist rate for deer?

 

[wirehead]

I have had good results with both the 55 Ballistic Tip and 55 grain Sierra SP BT

Sierra SP BT being a good ole game king?

 

[Castle Rock]

Sierra SP BT being a good ole game king?

Yeah, although it is known by various names