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

[MEwaters]

Yes.

Tikka Varmint.

Would 30 yards be too close or is the threshold just at minimum velocity for results? 77tmk. I thought I came across somewhere a 2600 fps number but my brain is also mush from the reading over the past 2 days.

 

[ARK_Ginger]

Would 30 yards be too close or is the threshold just at minimum velocity for results? 77tmk. I thought I came across somewhere a 2600 fps number but my brain is also mush from the reading over the past 2 days.

Keep it off the shoulders if you want meat at that close but it'll make it to the vitals regardless. People are shooting these bullets out of 22 creedmoors and 22-250s with much higher starting and impact velocities.

 

[MEwaters]

Keep it off the shoulders if you want meat at that close but it'll make it to the vitals regardless. People are shooting these bullets out of 22 creedmoors and 22-250s with much higher starting and impact velocities.

Great, thanks. A lot of guys around here say hit the shoulder with 06 or 308 but I’ve always wondered why they wouldn’t just go for vital shot?

 

[Steve300xcw]

I like taking out the running gear. That said 30yrds its getting a round in the neck

 

[omicron1792]

Great, thanks. A lot of guys around here say hit the shoulder with 06 or 308 but I’ve always wondered why they wouldn’t just go for vital shot?

Better chance for a dead right there with no tracking.

 

[KJ_ND]

I bought a case each of the AAC Sabre Blade Black Tips and the AAC 77tmk. Shot of box of each with no issues and acceptable accuracy from both bullets. The 77tmk load was about 100 fps slower than the Black Hills load. I still have 500+ of the Black Hills 5.56 77tmk loads so I haven't used the AAC ammo on game yet. The other 223 we use is setup for the 73gr ELDM ammo and i have 2 cases of that so I haven't gotten a chance to shoot any game with the 75gr Sabre Blade Black Tips either.

Buy some ammo, shoot a bunch with it, and take game to your effective range. If you are using an AR, it is a no brainer to shoot the animal multiple times if it is still standing. I used to take pride in the 1 shot/1 kill line of thought but have change my mind to a game of how fast can I get the animal to hit the ground. 3 shots and 15 seconds to hit the ground is way better than 1 shot turning into a hour long rodeo to have to take a second shot with the animal even further from camp.

Jay

I had issues with my first batch of AAC 77 TMK. 2 FF and case separation in one AR. So I ran the rest in my PSA beater along with AAC 77gr OTM and IMI bulk. Four more FFs with the TMK and no issues with the others. I just received another batch of TMK to test out again. Chrono data attached. The IMI and OTM was 30 shots but I outpaced the chrono shooting.

 

[BigNate]

Great, thanks. A lot of guys around here say hit the shoulder with 06 or 308 but I’ve always wondered why they wouldn’t just go for vital shot?

About 1/3 up on "the shoulder" is going to be top of the heart and lungs. As in the advice to shoot the crease. Many shoot farther back and actually do less damage.
This advice is usually with the idea of a broadside shot. Most need a refresher in anatomy.

 

[Jsmalls273]

Hey guys. Currently making space for my first Tikka. I'm buying in and moving down from my weatherby 270. But..... I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with 243 due to just liking the cartridge more as I, like many, grew up hunting with it before I thought I needed bigger. So my question is, besides a little more recoil and cost per round, why would I choose 223 over 243 when ballisticly 243 is better all around.

I Currently have an older 243 Remington 700 BDL and obviously the recoil is not much and can shoot all day long. I am a factory ammo shooter but part of me would love to get into reloading one day to be able to use the new 1/8 twist for heavier bullets. I'm almost convinced to sell my weatherby in order to afford a good scope for the Tikka I buy.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

 

[Steve300xcw]

No flies on a 243 either. pick what makes ya happy

 

[Robobiss]

Hey guys. Currently making space for my first Tikka. I'm buying in and moving down from my weatherby 270. But..... I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with 243 due to just liking the cartridge more as I, like many, grew up hunting with it before I thought I needed bigger. So my question is, besides a little more recoil and cost per round, why would I choose 223 over 243 when ballisticly 243 is better all around.

I Currently have an older 243 Remington 700 BDL and obviously the recoil is not much and can shoot all day long. I am a factory ammo shooter but part of me would love to get into reloading one day to be able to use the new 1/8 twist for heavier bullets. I'm almost convinced to sell my weatherby in order to afford a good scope for the Tikka I buy.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

It’s been said before, at least in a roundabout way, but the biggest advantage is the cost to train with/shoot with a 223 vs everything else. 223 is the cheapest rifle ammunition available, in a lot of cases close to 1/2 the price of 243 and similar cartridges. You can buy a case of 223 for peanuts and pull triggers to your hearts desire without worrying about going broke.

That, and the lesser recoil. 243 is obviously not a lot, but compared to a 223, specially a suppressed bolt gun, it’s night and day. A suppressed 223 bolt gun is closer to 22mag recoil than a 243.

Terminally, especially when talking distance and how far you can shoot things with fur, the 243, 243ai, 6creed etc. are “superior” with their longer legs.

 

[Thegman]

2 77TMK’s between the shoulders at 100 yards is a bit brutal.View attachment 771877View attachment 771878

Why did you shoot it twice? Did it need a follow-up, or? Just wondering about the details.

 

[tikkashooter88]

Taking my newly put together Tikka 223 Roughtech Ranch on a deer hunting trip this weekend. I'm really late putting this together and don't have a lot of ammo for it. I have 30 rnds of Norma Golden Target 77gr and 20 rounds of Sig Marksman 77gr OTM. It shoots the Sig lights out (sub moa 7 rnd 100 yards shooting in a hurry) so I'm leaning towards that.

Would terminal performance vary much between the two bullets sub 400 yards?

 

[Formidilosus]

Taking my newly put together Tikka 223 Roughtech Ranch on a deer hunting trip this weekend. I'm really late putting this together and don't have a lot of ammo for it. I have 30 rnds of Norma Golden Target 77gr and 20 rounds of Sig Marksman 77gr OTM. It shoots the Sig lights out (sub moa 7 rnd 100 yards shooting in a hurry) so I'm leaning towards that.

Would terminal performance vary much between the two bullets sub 400 yards?

Neither one of those. They will kill, but perforce is erratic. Find Hornady 73gr ELD-M match ammo.

 

[tikkashooter88]

Neither one of those. They will kill, but perforce is erratic. Find Hornady 73gr ELD-M match ammo.

Roger that.

Thank you!

 

[tikkashooter88]

Neither one of those. They will kill, but perforce is erratic. Find Hornady 73gr ELD-M match ammo.

Found some that I'll pick up this afternoon! What muzzle velocity should I expect out of a 16in barrel. Just need a place to start for the ballistic calculator before truing. Hornady says 2790 on the box.

 

[Taudisio]

Found some that I'll pick up this afternoon! What muzzle velocity should I expect out of a 16in barrel. Just need a place to start for the ballistic calculator before truing. Hornady says 2790 on the box.

25fps per inch at 8” is a start. Subtract 200fps should be close enough.

 

[MEwaters]

I like taking out the running gear. That said 30yrds its getting a round in the neck

Isn’t that knowingly giving up a lot of meat?
And with a neck shot is there higher risk of error? Not hitting the trachea, artery, or spine and just a large chunk of flesh?

 

[The Guide]

Found some that I'll pick up this afternoon! What muzzle velocity should I expect out of a 16in barrel. Just need a place to start for the ballistic calculator before truing. Hornady says 2790 on the box.

I have a 16" Ruger American Ranch that I get 2534 fps out of the factory Hornady 73gr ELDM ammo.

Jay

 

[WI-Carcosa]

Thank you all for the great info here. Finally took my tikka stainless 223 to the range. 16.5” barrel chopped with banish backcountry on it. What a riot to shoot I wish I had one of these growing up rather than getting rocked by un braked in suppressed 30 cals to practice as a kid (built character or whatever I guess).
I tried a number of factory rounds but the first few I needed to work on form so the data is trash. I got my stuff figured out for the aac black sabres and the tmks. Those shoot great for the price.

AAC 77 tmk: 2659fps avg, .9 moa
AAC 75 black Sabre: 2677 fps avg, 1.39 moa

 

[Steve300xcw]

Isn’t that knowingly giving up a lot of meat?

I hunt a lot of steep ground. 30+yrd death run can lead to an animal in the bottom of a canyon. I'll deal with losing a lil bit of meat, in exchange for anchoring an animal

And with a neck shot is there higher risk of error? Not hitting the trachea, artery, or spine and just a large chunk of flesh?

Sure.
I have no issues taking a head or neck shot, and it has worked well for me. Its obviously not a shot you toss at a moving animal or such. I am however, a lot more cautious taking it on a broadside animal than I am one head on or facing away.