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

[igethangry]

Nice shooting. What barrel length is that with? And is that a compressed load?

That’s the 22” factory barrel. It’s crunchy at 22.0gr varget. I could maybe get 0.5gr more in there, but don’t really feel like I need to? It gets pretty cold here so wanted something temp stable.

 

[BOLIO]

No dialing.
I want minimal holdover / under from 20-300 yards.
Trijicon credo 3-9. Max range 300 if it’s a point and shoot at lungs. Most of my terrain I hunt would be sub 100 yard woods unless I see one crossing the blueberry fields on my way into the swamp woodland

Depends on your velocity but if you are getting 2550:

A 200 yard zero’s trajectory is
+2.5” / -9.9” at 300yds
/ - 6.7” at 275
/ - 3.9” at 250

Hope that helps. Sounds like a great rig. Enjoy.

 

[ztc92]

Depends on your velocity but if you are getting 2550:

A 200 yard zero’s trajectory is
+2.5” / -9.9” at 300yds
/ - 6.7” at 275
/ - 3.9” at 250

Hope that helps. Sounds like a great rig. Enjoy.

No dialing.
I want minimal holdover / under from 20-300 yards.
Trijicon credo 3-9. Max range 300 if it’s a point and shoot at lungs. Most of my terrain I hunt would be sub 100 yard woods unless I see one crossing the blueberry fields on my way into the swamp woodland

I grew up using a duplex reticle scope and a 200 yard zero for deer hunting at 0-300 yards. Our approach was to aim dead on 0-200 and then hold high at 200+, putting crosshairs on their back for 300 and guessing the difference in between. I DO NOT recommend that approach. It’s is not precise and resulted in bad shots on game.

I thought I would get smart and buy a BDC reticle and that would solve my problems. What I didn’t know then (but appreciate now after a lot more shooting and hunting) is that for the reticle to be accurate, you need to be at a given magnification (usually highest power), so 9x on a 3-9 scope like the trijicon credo you want. This is because 2nd focal plane reticles are only consistent size at a specific scope power. The problem with this is you don’t want to be using 9X at close ranges like 200-300 yards. It makes it near impossible to spot your the impact or the animals reaction. At those ranges you’d be better served to use 3-6x, which doesn’t easily work with a 3-9x BDC scope.

So having said all that, I’d strongly recommend you consider picking up a SWFA 6x scope with the mil-quad reticle. Right now, you can just use it like a duplex reticle, ignore the hash marks, set the zero for 200 as suggested above, and forget the turrets even dial. Then if you progress to wanting to dial, you’re already set to do so with a scope that makes it easy to learn.

If you want to stick within your criteria, then I’d buy the Credo 3-9 with the duplex reticle. Zero at 200 and then do your best to hold over from 200-300 with a lot of practice on deer-sized targets at that range. I’d also avoid the urge to ever use the scope above 6x at those yardages and therefore a BDC reticle would not be a good choice.

Attached is a more in depth look at the 77g bullets in a 223 at 2550 muzzle velocity from the shooter app. I guessed 2500 for density altitude as I’m not sure where you hunt but you could use a similar app and refine this information for your specific use case.

Good luck!

Edit - Note that the above chart has a 100 yard zero. You have to do a a little math to calculate the drop for a 200 yard zero but it’s close to the suggestion I quoted.

 

[ztc92]

Here’s the same exact specs with a 200 yard zero if you or anyone else is curious…

 

[MEwaters]

The 3-9 credo is what is on my rifle currently. At this time the swfa isn’t an option

 

[JackButler]

I think the new easy button is 338arc. Throws a bullet about 50% heavier. Only variable you can control with subs.

The easiest button…

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/45-70-government-gr-sub-x#!/

 

[Schmo]

That’s the 22” factory barrel. It’s crunchy at 22.0gr varget. I could maybe get 0.5gr more in there, but don’t really feel like I need to? It gets pretty cold here so wanted something temp stable.

Just saying: switch powders and you should be able to shoot 2800 - 2900 fps

 

[Thegman]

A little long post, but a big bodied spike moose, at about 70 yards, this time with one 75 Fusion @ 2,770, frontal chest shot and a follow-up broadside shot with a 75 ELD-M @ 2,700. Didn't find the Fusion, but was pretty impressed with the 75 ELD-M.

Bull almost dropped from the Fusion chest shot, but regained his feet so put the next round, the 75 ELD-M through the back of the left shoulder, which ended up stopping against the offside hide behind the right shoulder. That bullet weighs just under 50 grains, so retained about 66% of its weight.

ELD-M entrance

ELD-M path through shoulder

ELD-M entrance into body cavity and path through lungs

ELD-M from far side hide

ELD-M bullet cleaned up

75 Fusion entrance through chest

The "trophy bull"...

 

[Deere_Man]

A little long post, but a big bodied spike moose, at about 70 yards, this time with one 75 Fusion @ 2,770, frontal chest shot and a follow-up broadside shot with a 75 ELD-M @ 2,700. Didn't find the Fusion, but was pretty impressed with the 75 ELD-M.

Bull almost dropped from the Fusion chest shot, but regained his feet so put the next round, the 75 ELD-M through the back of the left shoulder, which ended up stopping against the offside hide behind the right shoulder. That bullet weighs just under 50 grains, so retained about 66% of its weight.

ELD-M entrance
View attachment 938778
ELD-M path through shoulder
View attachment 938779
ELD-M entrance into body cavity and path through lungs
View attachment 938780
ELD-M from far side hide
View attachment 938781
ELD-M bullet cleaned up
View attachment 938782
75 Fusion entrance through chest
View attachment 938783
The "trophy bull"...
View attachment 938784

Nice! That will put a hurting on a freezer.

From two separate rifles? Or do you load two different types of 223 ammo into your rifle?

 

[Thegman]

Nice! That will put a hurting on a freezer.

From two separate rifles? Or do you load two different types of 223 ammo into your rifle?

From one rifle, one of my UL-ULs.

I like testing different bullets. I used a 77TMK on last year's bull. This year 75 Fusion, 75 ELD-M and 62 TSX were in the lineup for testing. I have loads for all of those and 77TMKs that all impact within an inch or so @ 100 yards, which is fine for where I hunt moose, since one can't even see beyond 100 yards in most spots.

I loaded 75 Fusion on top, followed by 75 ELD-M, 62 TSX and 77TMK, in that order. Only got to #2 which is about as far as I figured I'd get. I want to test the 75 Fusion and 75 ELD-M more, but both seemed to work well in this case.

 

[FredH]

Well I am playing this year with the 75 gr. Fusion and the 80 gr, ELDM out of my 16" 22 ARC going right at 2700 fps. My other rifle will mostly be a 300 Ham'r. No Moose down here but a lot of deer and feral hogs.

 

[280ai_alaska]

I killed a caribou 2 weeks ago with Barnes 55 grain tsx. The shot when right behind the shoulder and had great expansion for a 150 yrd shot

 

[Nine Banger]

We broke in the Left Hand 223 last night that Jake @Unknown Munitions was kind enough to import from Finland.

Junior got his first deer ever at around 85 yards. Liver shot with a hint of lung, probably from a fragment. The deer kicked up the front and back legs in unison at the thowp and ran straight for 35 yards or so and crashed into heavy grass. It tried to get up once that I could see and that was it.





I got my first left handed deer. He passed his rifle to me and I bang flopped a 67 pound doe at 184 yards. I held around .3 up on the mil quad reticle and went for high shoulder since we weren't exactly sure where the buck was and it was his first one.





I was at 26gr Lever last year and it worked fine but it went over pressure this summer so I backed it off to 25gr. Loaded at 2.26". I haven't checked lands.



Rifle is a left handed t3x with 20" barrel that I cut a few inches off the factory stock, reattached the pad and wrapped about 4 layers of paper towels on the comb with vet wrap that also covers the hook from the too large recoil pad. Scythe Ti on the end. Gen2 Swfa 6x is great for spotting shots.



Position was sitting supported with the front of the rifle on the strut that flops over after you get in a ladder stand and I handed him a hiking stick and helped him hold it upright while he supported with his off hand. Check out that trigger control in the pic below, atta boy. All the training is hard and drawn out, but it pays off in dividends.



Checkout what we're dealing with invasive warm season grasses and tracking:

 

[sierracharlie338]

We broke in the Left Hand 223 last night that Jake @Unknown Munitions was kind enough to import from Finland.

Junior got his first deer ever at around 85 yards. Liver shot with a hint of lung, probably from a fragment. The deer kicked up the front and back legs in unison at the thowp and ran straight for 35 yards or so and crashed into heavy grass. It tried to get up once that I could see and that was it.

I got my first left handed deer. He passed his rifle to me and I bang flopped a 67 pound doe at 184 yards. I held around .3 up on the mil quad reticle and went for high shoulder since we weren't exactly sure where the buck was and it was his first one.

I was at 26gr Lever last year and it worked fine but it went over pressure this summer so I backed it off to 25gr. Loaded at 2.26". I haven't checked lands.

Rifle is a left handed t3x with 20" barrel that I cut a few inches off the factory stock, reattached the pad and wrapped about 4 layers of paper towels on the comb with vet wrap that also covers the hook from the too large recoil pad. Scythe Ti on the end. Gen2 Swfa 6x is great for spotting shots.

Position was sitting supported with the front of the rifle on the strut that flops over after you get in a ladder stand and I handed him a hiking stick and helped him hold it upright while he supported with his off hand. Check out that trigger control in the pic below, atta boy. All the training is hard and drawn out, but it pays off in dividends.

Congrats to the young man on his first deer! Thanks for sharing, those are some memories for a lifetime.

 

[FredH]

From one rifle, one of my UL-ULs.
View attachment 938802
I like testing different bullets. I used a 77TMK on last year's bull. This year 75 Fusion, 75 ELD-M and 62 TSX were in the lineup for testing. I have loads for all of those and 77TMKs that all impact within an inch or so @ 100 yards, which is fine for where I hunt moose, since one can't even see beyond 100 yards in most spots.

I loaded 75 Fusion on top, followed by 75 ELD-M, 62 TSX and 77TMK, in that order. Only got to #2 which is about as far as I figured I'd get. I want to test the 75 Fusion and 75 ELD-M more, but both seemed to work well in this case.

This seems like pretty controlled expansion. Hung together pretty good.

 

[FredH]

We broke in the Left Hand 223 last night that Jake @Unknown Munitions was kind enough to import from Finland.

Junior got his first deer ever at around 85 yards. Liver shot with a hint of lung, probably from a fragment. The deer kicked up the front and back legs in unison at the thowp and ran straight for 35 yards or so and crashed into heavy grass. It tried to get up once that I could see and that was it.


View attachment 939271


I got my first left handed deer. He passed his rifle to me and I bang flopped a 67 pound doe at 184 yards. I held around .3 up on the mil quad reticle and went for high shoulder since we weren't exactly sure where the buck was and it was his first one.

View attachment 939256

View attachment 939255

I was at 26gr Lever last year and it worked fine but it went over pressure this summer so I backed it off to 25gr. Loaded at 2.26". I haven't checked lands.

View attachment 939258View attachment 939257

Rifle is a left handed t3x with 20" barrel that I cut a few inches off the factory stock, reattached the pad and wrapped about 4 layers of paper towels on the comb with vet wrap that also covers the hook from the too large recoil pad. Scythe Ti on the end. Gen2 Swfa 6x is great for spotting shots.

View attachment 939260

Position was sitting supported with the front of the rifle on the strut that flops over after you get in a ladder stand and I handed him a hiking stick and helped him hold it upright while he supported with his off hand. Check out that trigger control in the pic below, atta boy. All the training is hard and drawn out, but it pays off in dividends.

View attachment 939259

Checkout what we're dealing with invasive warm season grasses and tracking:

View attachment 939254

Cool can't ask for better than that. I am running 26.1 of Lvr under the 75 gr. Fusion getting a bit over 2900 fps out of a 22" barrel. My magazine and throat allows me a 2.325 OAL and the bullet is shorter than the 77 TMK. Guess thats why I haven't noticed any pressure issues. Possibly my 1-9 twist gives a bit lower pressures. It's max for sure loaded to fit a magazine in a 5.56 or Wilde chambered AR.