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

[rclouse79]

Glad they shoot well! Been my experience as well. How does the way they expire give you pause in that sense? Do they go further than you desire after being shot, they are moving longer on the ground, that type of thing. Putting the bullet where you need it is job one and sounds like you have confidence in that gun/bullet combo. If you were asking a question to yourself, you've answered it with respect to what you should be shooting given the info you shared.

I can't say I've put that much thought in it, with respect to how quick they need to expire. Some of them drop where they stand, some of them take a couple steps, some of them have gone 20 or 30 yards. That's with a sample size of over 40 big game animals from pronghorn to Whitetail to muley's to elk. To me it's all the same. Splitting hairs, taking pictures and burning the midnight oil about it doesn't fill the freezer any better.

One example would be the deer my son shot this year from just over 400 yards. He made a good shot and I knew he hit him. I could tell the deer was hurt. The deer moved closer after the shot and we didn’t adjust the scope and he missed high. Hit him again and we had to reload. He was still standing when the next shot put him down. All shots that hit were in the vitals.
I had to shoot my deer twice his year. He ran 30 yards and beaded down. He was very much still alive when I dropped him with the second.
Not a big deal, but all these bang flop stories got me thinking.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Thanks for sharing. Curious what the vitals looked like on the animals with good hits to the vitals. The first deer seemed to be very much alive, although wounded. If it went down with the last shot, maybe that was truly the one that hit the vitals like it should. Not trying to cause any problems, however a vital hit should take them down more quickly in my experience unless the bullet was outside of the expansion window, and that happens at some point no matter what bullet was shot.

With the second deer, with a hit to the vitals and bedding down, what did the vitals look like while field dressing? The first shot apparently didn't drop him, but the second one did. What was the difference in the shots that bullets fired consecutively would behave so differently? I'm trying to understand better and don't want you to take it in the wrong way. Just hard to tell if it was the last shot in each case that was the right shot because both of them dropped on the last shot, in essence the bang flop.

Barnes tatter and chunk the vital tissue vs turning to mush, just been my experience they die quickly. I can understand from the experience you shared the consideration you are having for something different.

 

[rclouse79]

I am not sure what shot was what on my son’s deer. Both of mine were kill shots. The second he was slightly quartering away and the bullet went in right in front of the rear quarter and exited right behind the front quarter.
It would be fun to be able to spot your hits with a smaller caliber and get a better idea of where each shot hit.

 

[35WhelenAI]

Yes, I agree on seeing the hit. With that said, with whatever a person may consider a larger caliber/case, I see the animal go down or not go very far.

 

[Pharmseller]

Canada only on Western Metal?




P

 

[goalie]

Well, I have an ULUL built on a Shaw portless barrel, and will be joining the ranks of deer hunters using a .223.

I have shot a few big deer in the past with an AR in .223, but was using Gold Dot ammo at the time. I'm usually pretty close, so having enough velocity at impact won't be an issue.

 

[Gettincloser]

What is

One example would be the deer my son shot this year from just over 400 yards. He made a good shot and I knew he hit him. I could tell the deer was hurt. The deer moved closer after the shot and we didn’t adjust the scope and he missed high. Hit him again and we had to reload. He was still standing when the next shot put him down. All shots that hit were in the vitals.
I had to shoot my deer twice his year. He ran 30 yards and beaded down. He was very much still alive when I dropped him with the second.
Not a big deal, but all these bang flop stories got me thinking.

Your barrel length / velocity. My initial thought was perhaps the velocity dropped lower than ideal impact velocity and you did not get the bullet upset you were expecting. That may not be the case but just a possibility.

I recently hit a hog moving right to left further back (behind the diaphragm) at 106 yards. Took out the back half of liver and front of stomach. He went 12 yards and laid down in a low spot. Left a blood trail (surprisingly) to the tall grass where he was laying. Thought I had a good shot and walked up to him. He jumped and ran. Left another 20 yard blood trail and saw stomach hanging out the side of him. He was dead in another 30 yards... after the 2nd shot hit him.

Not a great story but similar. I did not do my part but the bullet devastated so much, he did not go far (even with a bad hit) and allowed a follow up shot.

 

[Moose83]

Canada only on Western Metal?




P

Yes. I believe so.

 

[Big_wals]

AAC TMK ammo is back in stock.

 

[np307]

AAC TMK ammo is back in stock.

And 77gr otm for 55c/rd

 

[HNTR918]

Does anyone have pictures of how this round performs on game?

 

[Juan_ID]

22 GT 80 eldx on a mature cow elk, impact velocity about 2100. Went maybe 20 yards
Entrance side, no exit.

Pulled away some of the meat/bloodshot to better show entrance.

 

[Pharmseller]

That looks fatal.

But I’m no biologist.




P

 

[Veloci_Wrench]

Does anyone have pictures of how this round performs on game?
View attachment 805517

Projectile is made by Hornady, and I've read that it's similar to VMax. It should kill just fine, but I don't know its velocity threshold.

Image not mine, from Snipershide here: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/aac-sabre-blade-black-tip.7178190/

 

[waterengineer]

@KChunter71.
I used the 73 ELDM in my Tikka this year with no real noticeable difference between it and the 77 TMK. Total of 2 deer killed with the TMK and 2 with the ELDM.
This is whitetail from 17 to 125 yards.
If you’re going to shoot factory loads, I think the 73 ELDM would serve you well.


View attachment 803862View attachment 803863View attachment 803886View attachment 803891


I will ETA that the ELDM have resulted in considerably better blood trails than the. TMK.

Thanks for doing the comparison. I’ve had great success with the TMK, but will have to try the eld-m if there is a chance for better blood trails.

 

[KyleR1985]

22 GT 80 eldx on a mature cow elk, impact velocity about 2100. Went maybe 20 yards
Entrance side, no exit.
View attachment 805525
Pulled away some of the meat/bloodshot to better show entrance.
View attachment 805529

View attachment 805527

Woof.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

AAC TMK ammo is back in stock.

Are the cases crimped? I’d buy some if they are like the ADI brass and easy to reload.

 

[Juan_ID]

22 GT 80 eldx impact velocity of about 2550fps on a mature mule deer, went less than 20 yards.
I didn’t do a great job of taking pics on this one but it was destructive. I did not see an exit on this one either.

Entrance was somewhere in the yellow circle

Before pulling off the quarter completely off

 

[Juan_ID]

22 GT 80 eldm impact velocity ~2175. I wish I’d have snagged some pics of the insides but having never been around a dead wild dog before them suckers stink. I’ll be better prepared next time I kill one. Entrance was pencil-ish diameter exit was about 3” wide and 1” tall. Didn’t take a step.
This is the exit side.

 

[sierracharlie338]

View attachment 805527

22 GT 80 eldm impact velocity ~2175. I wish I’d have snagged some pics of the insides but having never been around a dead wild dog before them suckers stink. I’ll be better prepared next time I kill one. Entrance was pencil-ish diameter exit was about 3” wide and 1” tall. Didn’t take a step.
This is the exit side.

What was your shot distance?