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

Joined
Sep 7, 2024
Messages
3
Hey guys, long time watcher, first time poster. I am getting ready for deer hunting in Michigan especially with early antlerless right around the corner and I have a few questions. As I am unable to reload, what 223/5.56 loads would you recommend for Michigan deer with the 77 Tmk shortage? Would you rather use 73 or 75 eld-m? Lastly, I am used to hunting woods and taking shoulder shots with a 30-06 but I am hunting more fields where I will limit my shots to 300 yards, would I be fine taking a shoulder shot at all ranges under 300 or do I need to switch to behind the shoulder shots? I would prefer taking shoulder shots if possible. I am not worried about meat loss, I would rather have them drop in the field. Thanks in advance!
 

Reddish

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 1, 2023
Messages
237
Hey guys, long time watcher, first time poster. I am getting ready for deer hunting in Michigan especially with early antlerless right around the corner and I have a few questions. As I am unable to reload, what 223/5.56 loads would you recommend for Michigan deer with the 77 Tmk shortage? Would you rather use 73 or 75 eld-m? Lastly, I am used to hunting woods and taking shoulder shots with a 30-06 but I am hunting more fields where I will limit my shots to 300 yards, would I be fine taking a shoulder shot at all ranges under 300 or do I need to switch to behind the shoulder shots? I would prefer taking shoulder shots if possible. I am not worried about meat loss, I would rather have them drop in the field. Thanks in advance!
Federal Fusion 62gr through the shoulder has put a lot of deer in my freezer.

I would assume the 73gr ELDM will do the same, but have not used it yet.
 

The Guide

WKR
Joined
Aug 20, 2023
Messages
576
Location
Montana
Hey guys, long time watcher, first time poster. I am getting ready for deer hunting in Michigan especially with early antlerless right around the corner and I have a few questions. As I am unable to reload, what 223/5.56 loads would you recommend for Michigan deer with the 77 Tmk shortage? Would you rather use 73 or 75 eld-m? Lastly, I am used to hunting woods and taking shoulder shots with a 30-06 but I am hunting more fields where I will limit my shots to 300 yards, would I be fine taking a shoulder shot at all ranges under 300 or do I need to switch to behind the shoulder shots? I would prefer taking shoulder shots if possible. I am not worried about meat loss, I would rather have them drop in the field. Thanks in advance!
My daughter used the factory 73 ELDM on 2 whitetails on a damage hunt last month out of a RAR with a 16" barrel from 200 to 250 yards. I would not have any issue using it to 300 yards or taking a shoulder shot.

Jay
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2022
Messages
59
Hey guys, long time watcher, first time poster. I am getting ready for deer hunting in Michigan especially with early antlerless right around the corner and I have a few questions. As I am unable to reload, what 223/5.56 loads would you recommend for Michigan deer with the 77 Tmk shortage? Would you rather use 73 or 75 eld-m? Lastly, I am used to hunting woods and taking shoulder shots with a 30-06 but I am hunting more fields where I will limit my shots to 300 yards, would I be fine taking a shoulder shot at all ranges under 300 or do I need to switch to behind the shoulder shots? I would prefer taking shoulder shots if possible. I am not worried about meat loss, I would rather have them drop in the field. Thanks in advance!
Keep watch on palmetto state armory for their 77TMK ammo to pop in stock. I get decent accuracy out of it for factory ammo.


This looks promising. Not sure if anyone has shot anything with it yet.

Can’t go wrong with the ELDMs though if you can find them.
 

atmat

WKR
Joined
Jun 10, 2022
Messages
3,047
Location
Colorado
Keep watch on palmetto state armory for their 77TMK ammo to pop in stock. I get decent accuracy out of it for factory ammo.


This looks promising. Not sure if anyone has shot anything with it yet.

Can’t go wrong with the ELDMs though if you can find them.
I shot one WT deer with it last year and it performed great.

In talking with Form, he said the ELD-M and TMK are better but would be totally fine to use those.

I couldn’t tell a difference in damage between that and 73 ELD-M, but my sample size is small.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2022
Messages
59
I shot one WT deer with it last year and it performed great.

In talking with Form, he said the ELD-M and TMK are better but would be totally fine to use those.

I couldn’t tell a difference in damage between that and 73 ELD-M, but my sample size is small.
That’s good news. I got a stockpile of the Sabres in 5.56/300blk/6.5C. Plenty of tmk to use but I might try them as well this year. Cheap enough and if they work for backups that’s a good bonus.
 

NIHUNTR

FNG
Joined
Sep 7, 2024
Messages
6
DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET.


“Bullets matter more than headstamps.”

“Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”.

I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened.

The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223 is where I ended up after many discussions and objective data regarding bullet performance and numerous pics of field results.

Now for the delivery system. Accurate. Repeatable. Reliable. Reasonable weight to afford steady shot placement and the ability to spot my own impacts yet packable. Tikka T3x, vertical grip, Sportsmatch rings, SWFA 6x MQ in mills. Replaced the trigger spring with a yo Dave, adjusted to my liking, then degreased everything and locked all of the screws down with loctite and got started.

The package checks all of the boxes. Plus, it’s FUN! Time at the range is spent learning to call wind, trigger control, spotting your own impacts and figuring out why a shot did or did not end up where you wanted it. No brake. No flinch. Inexpensive to shoot. The fun factor plus the ability to be able to afford to shoot a lot goes a long way to learning and understanding shooting, accuracy and precision.

With all of that said, I’ve decided to use 77 TMK out of a .223 from this delivery system for bear, deer and elk this season.

Opportunity presented itself a couple of days ago. I killed a mature, dry sow with the 77 TMK. Bullet performance exceeded all expectations! The terminal performance is on par with anything I’ve seen in a .284 or .30. Unreal performance. The bullet is a BEAST!

Practice will continue throughout the summer in preparation for the upcoming deer and elk seasons.

Based on my sample of one, the 77 TMK out of a .223 is truly a lethal combination well suited to a dedicated lower 48 big game rifle.

Would love to hear about others experiences with this bullet or similar bulletts!
Awesome. Would you mind sharing rifle details for more context?
 

omicron1792

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 20, 2024
Messages
289
Hey guys, long time watcher, first time poster. I am getting ready for deer hunting in Michigan especially with early antlerless right around the corner and I have a few questions. As I am unable to reload, what 223/5.56 loads would you recommend for Michigan deer with the 77 Tmk shortage? Would you rather use 73 or 75 eld-m? Lastly, I am used to hunting woods and taking shoulder shots with a 30-06 but I am hunting more fields where I will limit my shots to 300 yards, would I be fine taking a shoulder shot at all ranges under 300 or do I need to switch to behind the shoulder shots? I would prefer taking shoulder shots if possible. I am not worried about meat loss, I would rather have them drop in the field. Thanks in advance!
Black hills 77TMK loaded ammo is available if you look around. There is even a guy here that sells it by the case
 

omicron1792

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 20, 2024
Messages
289
 

Bluumoon

WKR
Shoot2HuntU
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
994
Good seller, sponsored a little shooting comp we did.
 

Poe

FNG
Joined
Aug 20, 2024
Messages
24
Well hopefully I can get some more data to share this season. I picked up a t3x varmint in .223 the other day and the 73gr eldm with 24gr of varget is showing some promise. I’m going to load up some more and make sure it’s repeatable and run some over a chronograph then it’s time to get some coyotes for practice
 

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