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

[Don Fischer]

They shoot most as head shots at close range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Doesn't surprise my other than the Hornet bullet is pretty light weight. I think that's a place where it may well work but there are better choices.

Got a chance to go shoot the AAC ammo I ordered. Did not shoot for groups as it was pushing sunset and I was playing with my Xero Crono trying ti learn it as this was my first time using it. I shot a 5 shot string for speeds using the Black Hills 5.56 77tmk as a base line. Accuracy was acceptable from all shot strings given the falling light and the fact I was shooting out of the bed of my truck. All shot from my Howa 223 heavy barrel 20", no suppressor, no brake.

AAC "SABRE BLADE BLACK TIP" 5.56 NATO 75 GRAIN AMMUNITION
View attachment 742629

AAC 5.56 NATO 77 GRAIN SIERRA TMK AMMUNITION
View attachment 742633

BLACK HILLS 5.56 77TMK
View attachment 742637

Nothing spectacular but nothing terrible either. Should work in many rifles and many situations for target, varmints, and hunting if your gun likes them. I bought 10 boxes of each and will see how they shoot in my other "trainer" and maybe in an AR or 2.

Jay

What do you call exceptional accuracy? Shooting out of the bed of your truck might not be the best place to shoot from. And was this a standard twist barrel like what think they are 1-9". It is pretty much believed 1-9" is to slow for that heavy a 22 cal bullet. but then again could also depend on what you call expectable. My 6.5x06 has a 1-9" barrel and Hornady told me it would not stabilize the 140gr bullet, Sierra told me it would theirs. The Hornady bullet's run just over 1/2" at 100 yds from a bench. 140gr Sierra Match Kings blow that away, Sierra said that was the heaviest bullet it would stabilize. Strange things about rifles, some rifles shoot better than they are supposed to.

 

[The Guide]

What do you call exceptional accuracy?

Sub 2 MOA accuracy when shot in failing light (it was sunset and post sunset by the time I got to the 223) with a 3x9 scope at 100 yards earns the right to have additional testing. All ammo was sub 2 MOA on 5 shots and will go to the range to be tested more.

Shooting out of the bed of your truck might not be the best place to shoot from.

Why not? I was on BLM land a couple of miles from my house where I can go shoot after work or whenever I feel like it. I shoot prone from the bed of my truck at cardboard boxes I tape targets on.

And was this a standard twist barrel like what think they are 1-9". It is pretty much believed 1-9" is to slow for that heavy a 22 cal bullet.

Anyone can look up the Howa Mini Action in 223 and see that it has a 8 twist barrel. Plenty fast enough for the 77tmk. This rifle shoots the 77tmk very well.

The object of this post was to share the real world crono data with people who are interested in using the cheap AAC ammo as there isn't a bunch of real workd data on it published yet. This is my data and your data may vary just like your group sizes. I gave the BH 77tmk data for other to compare to a know ammunition that has shown to be consistent in quality.

Jay

 

[Bugger]

The Hornady bullet's run just over 1/2" at 100 yds from a bench. 140gr Sierra Match Kings blow that away

Pretty impressive to blow away .5” groups. What rifle/scope are you shooting, and what’s the average group size with the SMK’s?

 

[atmat]

The Hornady bullet's run just over 1/2" at 100 yds from a bench. 140gr Sierra Match Kings blow that away.

Care to post pics of groups that “blow away” half inches? Are you shooting 3 round groups, or a reasonable number of rounds for the group size?

 

[JLM]

In general, yes. Meat damage with 77gr TMK’s with pure rib/lung shots is minimal, however with scapula hits it can be pretty bad. The 62gr Fusion won’t kill quite as quickly when seen in large sample sizes, but is pretty solid and way better than monos.


A couple 62gr Fusion/Gold Dot deer-


300’ish yards if I recall correctly-
View attachment 742299




270’ish yards-
View attachment 742300




Since people like seeing bullets, both of these were sub 100y IIRC-

View attachment 742301


View attachment 742306

Since the gold dots seem to be unobtainium, what other bullet would you recommend for sub 100 yard shots especially if I wanted to bust shoulders?

 

[Formidilosus]

Since the gold dots seem to be unobtainium, what other bullet would you recommend for sub 100 yard shots especially if I wanted to bust shoulders?

Federal 62gr Fusion.

 

[JLM]

Federal 62gr Fusion.

Should have clarified I was looking for component bullets to reload

 

[Formidilosus]

Should have clarified I was looking for component bullets to reload

Ah. Nosler 64gr BSB would be my first choice for 100’ish yards and damage. But even the 75gr Hornady HPBT is good at higher impact velocities.

 

[LCV]

Ah. Nosler 64gr BSB would be my first choice for 100’ish yards and damage. But even the 75gr Hornady HPBT is good at higher impact velocities.

Speaking of HPBT’s, have you had any experience with the 69/75gr hpbt from rocky mountain reloading? I believe the owner has said on other forums he designed them for larger game

 

[Formidilosus]

Speaking of HPBT’s, have you had any experience with the 69/75gr hpbt from rocky mountain reloading? I believe the owner has said on other forums he designed them for larger game

I have not.

 

[JLM]

Ah. Nosler 64gr BSB would be my first choice for 100’ish yards and damage. But even the 75gr Hornady HPBT is good at higher impact velocities.

Looks like the Nosler BSB is discontinued but I have a box of the 75 HPBT sitting on the bench so that's an easy choice. Thanks.

 

[Firth]

Speaking of HPBT’s, have you had any experience with the 69/75gr hpbt from rocky mountain reloading? I believe the owner has said on other forums he designed them for larger game

I have no experience on game but the 75 3gh has not shot great. I bought 1k when they first became available. I probably have targets somewhere but just from memory I believe they were around 2 to 2.5 inches for 10 shots out of a 223 T3x that is generally around 1 MOAish for 10 shots with Hornady 75 bthp and 73 ELDMs (all at 100 yards). Only shot them in a couple guns, (T3x and Larue AR) so maybe just bad luck. I don't have a lot of motivation to try very hard if stuff doesn't shoot well pretty easily. Prefer to just move to something that does.

 

[bigeyedfish]

Ah. Nosler 64gr BSB would be my first choice for 100’ish yards and damage. But even the 75gr Hornady HPBT is good at higher impact velocities.

On Friday, I was searching for real world experience with the 75gr HPBT and hoping I could find your input. I got tired of searching, so I just ordered some and figured I'd give it a try. Glad to hear they perform well.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I have no experience on game but the 75 3gh has not shot great. I bought 1k when they first became available. I probably have targets somewhere but just from memory I believe they were around 2 to 2.5 inches for 10 shots out of a 223 T3x that is generally around 1 MOAish for 10 shots with Hornady 75 bthp and 73 ELDMs (all at 100 yards). Only shot them in a couple guns, (T3x and Larue AR) so maybe just bad luck. I don't have a lot of motivation to try very hard if stuff doesn't shoot well pretty easily. Prefer to just move to something that does.

i had 4k of the hornady 75 hpbts. after trying a few powders, a new barrel, multiple scopes, and a bunch of other rigamarole, i just sold the 2700 of them that were left. best 10 shot group ever was 1.2 moa, average was about 2 moa, many groups at 2.2-2.5 moa for 10 shots. they were the least accurate projectile I have ever tried.

 

[ElPollo]

Just in case this offer gets lost in the shit show that is that other thread, here is a guy offering to guide people on bait hunts for AK grizzlies with a 223…

What caused the Rokslide shift to smallest caliber and cartridges?

You're like everyone else on the planet.....smaller, lighter recoiling cartridges are easier to shoot more accurately than bigger harder kicking ones. I'm a recovered magnumitis shooter as well.

rokslide.com

Someone should take this guy up on it if they have the resources.

 

[Luke S]

I had a 223 AR15 set up with 77 gr TMKs but none of the people using it had a chance at a grizzly. We did get 4 different black bears using my 6.5 Grendal and 123 ELDMs. I was impressed. It made bloody exits on body shots. It's a small sample size but I'd say it did as well as a 308 or 358 did at killingbears fast and kids like it. Thegman has his report about a grizzly with the 223/TMK combo somewhere around here.
Sadly it's unlikely I'll shoot a grizzly with a 223 this fall. My 223 has been a bit finicky with accuracy so I'm not taking it on hunts that aren't on bait.

 

[z987k]

Just in case this offer gets lost in the shit show that is that other thread, here is a guy offering to guide people on bait hunts for AK grizzlies with a 223…

What caused the Rokslide shift to smallest caliber and cartridges?

You're like everyone else on the planet.....smaller, lighter recoiling cartridges are easier to shoot more accurately than bigger harder kicking ones. I'm a recovered magnumitis shooter as well.

rokslide.com

Someone should take this guy up on it if they have the resources.

Unless he's a guide he can't do that for griz. Probably black bears.

 

[WIDrake]

Well it only took me a month to read, is the reason I joined the site, and is still boggling my mind.

I know it works and can see it but will continue to question until I go do it(but thats just a character flaw I have in regards to anything, I need to see results first hand to truly accept and stop questioning). I plan on taking the trusty crusty PRS gun out hunting this year in it's original stock and putting the almighty 223 to work. Currently I run the 73 eldm as my match bullet because I'm dumb and decided a 223 would be the best way to start so it's a challenge and I have to learn more. I have a cert for 500 free Sierra bullets and will be getting the 77 TMKs to see if they'll stabilize in ol crusty. Sadly ol crusty is a Remington 700 PSS with a 1:8.xx" barrel(supposed to be 1:9 but it's actually a touch faster and I can't tell where it lands between 8.6-8.9). 77smks sometimes stabilize given enough speed and proper atmospherics so I don't have high hope. The 24" gas gun is 1:7 so that's an option, but so is my match load seeing how a guy killed a FRIGGIN MOOSE with the 73eldm.

Thanks god I have all my stuff already because if I didn't, this thread would have been expensive!

 

[Drenalin]

Well it only took me a month to read, is the reason I joined the site, and is still boggling my mind.

I know it works and can see it but will continue to question until I go do it(but thats just a character flaw I have in regards to anything, I need to see results first hand to truly accept and stop questioning). I plan on taking the trusty crusty PRS gun out hunting this year in it's original stock and putting the almighty 223 to work. Currently I run the 73 eldm as my match bullet because I'm dumb and decided a 223 would be the best way to start so it's a challenge and I have to learn more. I have a cert for 500 free Sierra bullets and will be getting the 77 TMKs to see if they'll stabilize in ol crusty. Sadly ol crusty is a Remington 700 PSS with a 1:8.xx" barrel(supposed to be 1:9 but it's actually a touch faster and I can't tell where it lands between 8.6-8.9). 77smks sometimes stabilize given enough speed and proper atmospherics so I don't have high hope. The 24" gas gun is 1:7 so that's an option, but so is my match load seeing how a guy killed a FRIGGIN MOOSE with the 73eldm.

Thanks god I have all my stuff already because if I didn't, this thread would have been expensive!

I used the 73 ELD-M last season from I think 60 to almost 400 yards, and had no drama with deer being dead (wounds were fairly dramatic at all ranges). Looks like we're about to pick up some damage tags, so hopefully I'll have a bunch more evidence in the near future.

 

[Firth]

i had 4k of the hornady 75 hpbts. after trying a few powders, a new barrel, multiple scopes, and a bunch of other rigamarole, i just sold the 2700 of them that were left. best 10 shot group ever was 1.2 moa, average was about 2 moa, many groups at 2.2-2.5 moa for 10 shots. they were the least accurate projectile I have ever tried.

Most of what I've heard on the Hornady 75 bthp from others has been positive, but I've heard of a couple experience with people who couldn't get them to shoot. I suppose that's just how it is sometimes. After my experience with the RMR 3gh I've been watching a bit, and I don't believe I've seen any reports from anyone bragging about the accuracy they've had with them. Anecdotal for sure, and may not mean anything.