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

[KHntr]

I disagree. I have used 70gr TSX as well as 62gr Controlled Chaos and with identical hits, the deer do identical things. If I place the round through the heart/lung area, the 70gr TSX is going to give me a decent blood trail and a 80-120m run. The 62gr Controlled Chaos will give me the same thing, minus a blood trail, as only the "un-expanded" arse of the bullet leaves the deer.

With a more frangible bullet you likely will have much shorter runs, if any at all.

For context, I’ve only used/seen used on deer/black bears the 45/50/53/55 tsx, the 62 ttsx, the 50 gmx, the 40 and 50 vmax, the 64 psp, 75 Amax, 77 tmk, and 88 eld m.
The 45 tsx at 3000+ impact velocity kills pretty quickly, but still not as fast as the 75 Amax/77 tmk/88 eld m. The other mono’s are decidedly slower killers in my experience.

 

[JohnDough]

With a more frangible bullet you likely will have much shorter runs, if any at all.

For context, I’ve only used/seen used on deer/black bears the 45/50/53/55 tsx, the 62 ttsx, the 50 gmx, the 40 and 50 vmax, the 64 psp, 75 Amax, 77 tmk, and 88 eld m.
The 45 tsx at 3000+ impact velocity kills pretty quickly, but still not as fast as the 75 Amax/77 tmk/88 eld m. The other mono’s are decidedly slower killers in my experience.

I've used MK318 SOST to same effect. 77gr TMK is trash in any gun I've owned, so dunno about it. 77TMK is the only factory 5.56 loading I've found for this class of bullet, and Black Hills normally hits sub 2moa 10 shot groups all day in my SBR and other guns, but 77TMK is just trash 3moa or so from half a dozen guns. I don't mess with it anymore, preferring better bullets. Further, if I take that against a barrier like a windshield or something, it's going to come apart like confetti, so it's a 1-trick pony (killing things a little faster, per the internet of course) that shoots poorly, so I haven't T&E'ed it beyond the accuracy stage as it holds no interest for me. I was tempted to try the .gov issued version of it, but decided against it.

 

[packgoatguy]

I've used MK318 SOST to same effect. 77gr TMK is trash in any gun I've owned, so dunno about it. 77TMK is the only factory 5.56 loading I've found for this class of bullet, and Black Hills normally hits sub 2moa 10 shot groups all day in my SBR and other guns, but 77TMK is just trash 3moa or so from half a dozen guns. I don't mess with it anymore, preferring better bullets. Further, if I take that against a barrier like a windshield or something, it's going to come apart like confetti, so it's a 1-trick pony (killing things a little faster, per the internet of course) that shoots poorly, so I haven't T&E'ed it beyond the accuracy stage as it holds no interest for me. I was tempted to try the .gov issued version of it, but decided against it.

77tmk has worked well in all of the lightweight ARs I've built. MOA or better. 2750fps in a 16 inch barrel. But I always use a 1/8 twist or faster. What barrel twists have you tried?

 

[bcmntgoathunter.]

77tmk has worked well in all of the lightweight ARs I've built. MOA or better. 2750fps in a 16 inch barrel. But I always use a 1/8 twist or faster. What barrel twists have you tried?

Mean while in 2 tikkas with 22 " barrels iv been getting 2745-2775 max and that's with 23.9 varget fed 205 in 1 rifle and 24.8 grains n140 in the other both with nosler 223 brass.... I sent my gun out to have a 26" 1-7" twist barrel put on it it should have it backing 2 weeks went with the 223 ai

 

[JohnDough]

77tmk has worked well in all of the lightweight ARs I've built. MOA or better. 2750fps in a 16 inch barrel. But I always use a 1/8 twist or faster. What barrel twists have you tried?

1/7 twist 11.5, 14.5 and 16.1 barrels so far. I tried the original and the modified black hills loadings. Both were 2.5moa or so out of 1.5moa or better guns. Basically m193 fodder at $1.5/per.

 

[Thegman]

Further, if I take that against a barrier like a windshield or something, it's going to come apart like confetti, so it's a 1-trick pony (killing things a little faster, per the internet of course) that shoots poorly, so I haven't T&E'ed it beyond the accuracy stage as it holds no interest for me. I was tempted to try the .gov issued version of it, but decided against it.

When deer figure out how to drive vehicles, this will be a very pertinent point.

 

[JohnDough]

When deer figure out how to drive vehicles, this will be a very pertinent point.

I guess if I had a gun spun up for deer, I'd be more into it. I'd probably just grab a Tikka in .300WM for hunting, though, as I intend to do Alaska at some point and have a .300wm Socom can sitting around doing nothing.

This is just me killing a few deer per year with what's handy by the bed. I figure what it does to deer is roughly analogous to it's other uses.

 

[Shraggs]

1/7 twist 11.5, 14.5 and 16.1 barrels so far. I tried the original and the modified black hills loadings. Both were 2.5moa or so out of 1.5moa or better guns. Basically m193 fodder at $1.5/per.

It’s too bad the BH 77 doesn’t shoot for you.

I think it was served up, as the point of the thread, due to your 80-120 tracking per kill. That’s pretty poor. My last three kills with a 223/77 between 194 and 298 yards shot at was less than 50 yards death stumble combined for all 3.

Maybe hand load or buy sone from unknown munitions.

 

[JohnDough]

It’s too bad the BH 77 doesn’t shoot for you.

I think it was served up, as the point of the thread, due to your 80-120 tracking per kill. That’s pretty poor. My last three kills with a 223/77 between 194 and 298 yards shot at was less than 50 yards death stumble combined for all 3.

Maybe hand load or buy sone from unknown munitions.

3moa is still good enough to hit deer at under 150m. I'll try it to see if it matters if I can find a few tmk sitting around. I'm not sure what more it's going to do than what I already use, but I'll give it a go. Mk318 sost is very similar. I may hit one with m855a1 just because.

Mk318 sost:

 

[z987k]

Anyone happen to have some 79 grain DRT bullets they want to sell? They've been out of stock forever and I was hoping to get at least some to start load development. Figured this might be the best place to ask anywhere...

I've been waiting for them to come in stock for my 22cm as well. I emailed them the end of January and they said 6 weeks or so.

 

[ericmcd]

I've been waiting for them to come in stock for my 22cm as well. I emailed them the end of January and they said 6 weeks or so.

Hmm they told me a few months earlier this month "We are working on obtaining materials to make these projectiles. The lead times are a few weeks out on getting them and then we will need to fit it into production schedules. It may be a few months. You are welcome to check back whenever you like."

I bought their loaded "blemished" boxes. Pulled the bullets to reload then stuck some 77smks in the cases I pulled from for practice ammo

 

[z987k]

Hmm they told me a few months earlier this month "We are working on obtaining materials to make these projectiles. The lead times are a few weeks out on getting them and then we will need to fit it into production schedules. It may be a few months. You are welcome to check back whenever you like."

I bought their loaded "blemished" boxes. Pulled the bullets to reload then stuck some 77smks in the cases I pulled from for practice ammo

Ya I'm not going to do that. It's too bad, they were a really good hunting bullet. Might have to go find something in copper that is the best of the worst.

 

[Trackselk]

Ya I'm not going to do that. It's too bad, they were a really good hunting bullet. Might have to go find something in copper that is the best of the worst.

I've been loading up some of their 62gr bullets out of desperation, but thinking it's a bad idea to stretch them beyond deer at this point with little data

 

[RDF1]

I've been loading up some of their 62gr bullets out of desperation, but thinking it's a bad idea to stretch them beyond deer at this point with little data

You could give these a try.
I use his 105gr MKZ in a 6.8 and love their performance on deer/hogs.

Cavity Back MKZ 70 grain 5.56/.223

COPPER BULLETS COPPER PROJECTILES NONLEAD ALL COPPER SOLID COPPER HUNTING TARGET

www.cavitybackbullets.com

I haven't tried the 70gr .224 yet. Got some ordered tho.

 

[JohnDough]

You could give these a try.
I use his 105gr MKZ in a 6.8 and love their performance on deer/hogs.

Cavity Back MKZ 70 grain 5.56/.223

COPPER BULLETS COPPER PROJECTILES NONLEAD ALL COPPER SOLID COPPER HUNTING TARGET

www.cavitybackbullets.com

I haven't tried the 70gr .224 yet. Got some ordered tho.

Lots of testing done on those on other forums. They seem G2G.

 

[Trackselk]

You could give these a try.
I use his 105gr MKZ in a 6.8 and love their performance on deer/hogs.

Cavity Back MKZ 70 grain 5.56/.223

COPPER BULLETS COPPER PROJECTILES NONLEAD ALL COPPER SOLID COPPER HUNTING TARGET

www.cavitybackbullets.com

I haven't tried the 70gr .224 yet. Got some ordered tho.

Thanks!, I'll check them out