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

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

United States Army Corps of Engineers

 

[3gunyotehtr]

Shooting Times had a pretty decent writeup on using the 223 on big game. Definitely becoming more mainstream.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Shooting Times had a pretty decent writeup on using the 223 on big game. Definitely becoming more mainstream.

Looks like that's authored by our very own @Thegman

 

[Thegman]

Looks like that's authored by our very own @Thegman

Thanks for the heads-up...I was wondering what happened to that one...

 

[cowdisciple]

Received a call about my son drawing into a youth hunt, and they asked "out of curiosity" what cartridge he was shooting. They were relieve to hear he had a .243 because "223's typically result in the deer running a lot further". Perhaps I should link them this thread.

Makes you wonder how many of those .223s are shooting 55gr FMJ.

 

[FaaSamoa]

Yes. I got around 1.5”’for 20 rounds, low 2600s from 18” barrel. Good for the price imo

same here, not sure velo.

I’m running a 20 in barrel out of t3x and getting 1.5 with 20-30 round groups

 

[Yooper25]

We were able to get a couple kills with the tikka. Caribou was 150 yards away quartering to. Shot hit the back of the onside lung. Caribou went about 40 yards and laid down and died. Sheep was 286 yards at a bit more than a 45 degree downhill angle. Shot went in the spine just above the shoulder and into the offside lung. Sheep was DRT. Used 73 eld m hand loads for both.

 

[ianpadron]

View attachment 922818View attachment 922819View attachment 922820
We were able to get a couple kills with the tikka. Caribou was 150 yards away quartering to. Shot hit the back of the onside lung. Caribou went about 40 yards and laid down and died. Sheep was 286 yards at a bit more than a 45 degree downhill angle. Shot went in the spine just above the shoulder and into the offside lung. Sheep was DRT. Used 73 eld m hand loads for both.

Siiiiiiick

Nice work team

 

[Steve300xcw]

Makes you wonder how many of those .223s are shooting 55gr FMJ.

Yup.

Years back I shot a buck with a 223. No big deal.

My boss caught wind of it and had opinions that needed shared. Seems they peppered a deer with fmj's several hundred yards away. Still needed a finisher. Said the bullet holes looked like bee stings.

 

[kingruin12]

I've gotten about halfway through the 560 pages of this thread and have been lurking for some time. I'm convinced enough to try it out and hang up the 6.5PRC for a bit. I was able to pick up 300 77gr tmk rounds at my local store for about $105 and will try to get to reloading those soon. The evidence on terminal performance is impressive, but the training aspect of using a .223 is what really convinced me.

New scope on the way (RS1.2, already have one), suppressor on the way (UM/US Reaper), just can't seem to find a stainless Tikka T3x .223 anywhere for sale that's not $900. My wife isn't overly sold on the whole idea and the money it's costing us lol. Eventually I'll have the RSS up and running.

Thanks for the interesting read and all the info you guys have put into this over the years.

 

[Ajsomp]

An interesting day comparing different 77 grain through my 223 tikka

If you were to guess which of the below groups was black hills TMK and which was AAC TMK what would you say. Same shooter, range, conditions etc.

Also shot AAC 77 OTM , bone frog 77 TMK and some 62 grain copper today

 

[kingruin12]

I've gotten about halfway through the 560 pages of this thread and have been lurking for some time. I'm convinced enough to try it out and hang up the 6.5PRC for a bit. I was able to pick up 300 77gr tmk rounds at my local store for about $105 and will try to get to reloading those soon. The evidence on terminal performance is impressive, but the training aspect of using a .223 is what really convinced me.

New scope on the way (RS1.2, already have one), suppressor on the way (UM/US Reaper), just can't seem to find a stainless Tikka T3x .223 anywhere for sale that's not $900. My wife isn't overly sold on the whole idea and the money it's costing us lol. Eventually I'll have the RSS up and running.

Thanks for the interesting read and all the info you guys have put into this over the years.

Quoting myself because I can't figure out how to edit a post.

Sidenote: I can get a non stainless 20" tikka easy enough, but I've always tried to buy stainless. I've considered being impatient and just getting the standard one and maybe cerakoting it later. Does anyone have any input regarding waiting for a stainless vs just getting a standard?

 

[Ajsomp]

Quoting myself because I can't figure out how to edit a post.

Sidenote: I can get a non stainless 20" tikka easy enough, but I've always tried to buy stainless. I've considered being impatient and just getting the standard one and maybe cerakoting it later. Does anyone have any input regarding waiting for a stainless vs just getting a standard?

Get what you can afford. Call @Unknown Munitions see if they have any available

Swfa 3-9 or 6x also would work and save you some cash.

 

[SouthPaw]

Quoting myself because I can't figure out how to edit a post.

Sidenote: I can get a non stainless 20" tikka easy enough, but I've always tried to buy stainless. I've considered being impatient and just getting the standard one and maybe cerakoting it later. Does anyone have any input regarding waiting for a stainless vs just getting a standard?

Stainless is preferred but don't shy away from the standard. I got a standard steel CTR because it was the only left handed Tikka .223 in the US, and it's been fine through several thousand rounds and lots of field days in snow and rain. I did cerakote it, and wipe it down after wet days. My wife's Tikka .223 is also standard and it too has been fine.

 

[ChrisAU]

An interesting day comparing different 77 grain through my 223 tikka

If you were to guess which of the below groups was black hills TMK and which was AAC TMK what would you say. Same shooter, range, conditions etc.

Also shot AAC 77 OTM , bone frog 77 TMK and some 62 grain copper today
View attachment 924304

I’d say AAC up top, but guessing I’m wrong

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Quoting myself because I can't figure out how to edit a post.

Sidenote: I can get a non stainless 20" tikka easy enough, but I've always tried to buy stainless. I've considered being impatient and just getting the standard one and maybe cerakoting it later. Does anyone have any input regarding waiting for a stainless vs just getting a standard?

My second hand stainless steel Tikkas were $600 (1:10” twist .223 - not the more desirable 1:8” twist) and $650 (6.5 CM). That’s a couple of hundred bucks cheaper than sale prices. But then I had to spend $150 each to get them cut down and threaded. I recommend being just a bit patient with it if funds are tight.

The best time to purchase used firearms, in my experience, is December through March. A lot of guys basically rent a firearm for hunting season and then sell it to pay for Christmas presents. The worst time is July-September.

Edit - if you are on a phone, hold down on your post and select “more.” That will bring up the edit button.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[Ajsomp]

I’d say AAC up top, but guessing I’m wrong

You’d be wrong. Which made me perplexed. The MV is about 100 FPS slower but grouped better

 

[ianpadron]

You’d be wrong. Which made me perplexed. The MV is about 100 FPS slower but grouped better

Good example of how every gun is different. Seems most rifles in this thread shoot Black Hills about .5" better at 100 but there's obviously an exception to every rule! You should be pumped that the cheaper option shoots that well

 

[Deere_Man]

I have a T3X Lite that is just a regular old blued barrel and it looks great to me. No reason to wait for stainless if budget is a concern.

 

[Ajsomp]

Good example of how every gun is different. Seems most rifles in this thread shoot Black Hills about .5" better at 100 but there's obviously an exception to every rule! You should be pumped that the cheaper option shoots that well

Yes, from a cost perspective. But that 100 FPS difference really bugs me.

Guess I’ll just keep shooting.