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

[primarchtimmy]

.........



I'm seeing a pattern

Oh and what's that? Where I'm at, I don't have the lexury to shoot under 200

 

[KyleR1985]

Yeah I agree that the grid search was a failure. But I only know that in hindsight. In the moment I was thinking "maybe I did hit farther back than I thought and it was really a liver hit so since i didn't quickly find it I need to get out of here before I make it too hard for my dog."

Yup.

Mostly saying something to help anyone who may think they're helping by tromping all over. If not done exactly right, it indeed does more harm than good.

It's nice to learn and have venison at the end of the lesson!

 

[Veloci_Wrench]

I can finally add to the data pool.

I built this Howa Mini spring 2023 because of this thread. 18" barrel, Stockys VG Mini stock. Shooting AAC 77 TMK load. I get 2693 fps average velocity, measured with Garmin chrono. Last year was a bust hunting in VT, but now I'm back South in my home state.

This guy came out at 300 yards, and was quartering towards me. I hit him just behind the shoulder, whereas I should have put it just before the shoulder. Impact velocity was about 2135 fps according to Hornady calc. He crossed the back of the knoll out of sight, ultimately going 40-50 yards and then folded up in some thick brush. He was easy enough to find. I found him alive, and he would have died within 10 minutes, but I put another bullet in his neck to kill him quick.

The first bullet blew out the back of his lungs, and front of liver. Liver looked like a grenade went off inside him. My buddy took the necropsy photos while I dressed him. Also, my buddy was a doubter this whole time, as he hunts with a larger caliber. He couldn't believe his eyes, and said the damage in my deer looked more severe than the deer he just killed day before with a 6.5mm Berger projectile.

So after 18 months, I've finally made a kill with this rig. Easily the most satisfying gun to hunt with.