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

[YukonCorneliusAurelius]

If they’re still standing, I’m still shooting.

Exactly

 

[HighUintas]

Im relatively disappointed in the velocity I get from my 16" 223 barrel. What's the cure?

 

[Schmo]

Im relatively disappointed in the velocity I get from my 16" 223 barrel. What's the cure?

What velocity with what bullet?

 

[HighUintas]

What velocity with what bullet?

That's mostly a rhetorical question because I had some beer and then got on the Internet. But here are the speeds just for some extra data.

75gr Hornady black, 2703avg first out of barrel
Blackarc 77otm 2633avg
Aac 77 otm 2526avg
Aac 75bthp Avg 2643
AAC 75bthp Avg 2680 (probably post speed up)

I haven't handloaded anything yet. I've got some 77tmks and some aa2520 to try but haven't done so yet. I'm allergic to reloading now and will probably hunt with either my 223 or flintlock next season to avoid having to load for my 243.

 

[sierracharlie338]

That's mostly a rhetorical question because I had some beer and then got on the Internet. But here are the speeds just for some extra data.

75gr Hornady black, 2703avg first out of barrel
Blackarc 77otm 2633avg
Aac 77 otm 2526avg
Aac 75bthp Avg 2643
AAC 75bthp Avg 2680 (probably post speed up)

I haven't handloaded anything yet. I've got some 77tmks and some aa2520 to try but haven't done so yet. I'm allergic to reloading now and will probably hunt with either my 223 or flintlock next season to avoid having to load for my 243.

You can go 22cm/GT if you just really need more speed. I’d try the handloads and see what you get out of that. Maybe try to source some XBR or other favorite powders. You can also send your rifle to a good smith and get you a little more freebore (like +p chamber)

 

[YukonCorneliusAurelius]

75gr Hornady black, 2703avg first out of barrel
Blackarc 77otm 2633avg
Aac 77 otm 2526avg
Aac 75bthp Avg 2643
AAC 75bthp Avg 2680 (probably post speed up)

That’s plenty fast for a 16” barrel. My handloads using XBR, Fed match primers, and loaded to 2.260 coal average 2769 fps out of my 20” barrel. That same load in my brother’s damn near identical barrel get 2800 fps.

What is the maximum range you need your shooting system to be capable of hitting at 1800 fps or above?

 

[Deere_Man]

That’s plenty fast for a 16” barrel. My handloads using XBR, Fed match primers, and loaded to 2.260 coal average 2769 fps out of my 20” barrel. That same load in my brother’s damn near identical barrel get 2800 fps.

What is the maximum range you need your shooting system to be capable of hitting at 1800 fps or above?

I agree. Get a longer barrel or shoot a lighter bullet. If you are just shooting deer and the ranges are under 300 yards, maybe a 55gr soft point could work. Academy Sports sells an exclusive Hornady American Whitetail 60gr ammo that some friends locally say works great. Hornady’s packaging claims it’s an Interlock bullet.

Hornady American Whitetail .223 60-Grain Centerfire Rifle Ammunition - 20 Rounds | Academy

Outdoors, Shooting, Ammunition, Centerfire Rifle Ammo

www.academy.com

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

I agree. Get a longer barrel or shoot a lighter bullet. If you are just shooting deer and the ranges are under 300 yards, maybe a 55gr soft point could work. Academy Sports sells an exclusive Hornady American Whitetail 60gr ammo that some friends locally say works great. Hornady’s packaging claims it’s an Interlock bullet.

Hornady American Whitetail .223 60-Grain Centerfire Rifle Ammunition - 20 Rounds | Academy

Outdoors, Shooting, Ammunition, Centerfire Rifle Ammo

www.academy.com

View attachment 957766

I thought the whole idea behind the tmk working so well is it ISNT locked copper and core.

 

[Schmo]

That's mostly a rhetorical question because I had some beer and then got on the Internet. But here are the speeds just for some extra data.

75gr Hornady black, 2703avg first out of barrel
Blackarc 77otm 2633avg
Aac 77 otm 2526avg
Aac 75bthp Avg 2643
AAC 75bthp Avg 2680 (probably post speed up)

I haven't handloaded anything yet. I've got some 77tmks and some aa2520 to try but haven't done so yet. I'm allergic to reloading now and will probably hunt with either my 223 or flintlock next season to avoid having to load for my 243.

Try some Bone Frog 77TMK or Black Hills 77TMK. Might be a little faster. 2750ish gets you to 500 yards

 

[Deere_Man]

I thought the whole idea behind the tmk working so well is it ISNT locked copper and core.

Lots of bullets will kill a deer. Bonded bullets work well. 62gr Speer Gold Dots are on my list to try one of these days.

Speer Gold Dot 223 Remington Ammo 62 Grain Speer Gold Dot Bonded

Speer Gold Dot ammunition’s reliability has made it the No. 1 choice for law enforcement, and now the same performance is available for...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[Matt5266]

Lots of bullets will kill a deer. Bonded bullets work well. 62gr Speer Gold Dots are on my list to try one of these days.

Speer Gold Dot 223 Remington Ammo 62 Grain Speer Gold Dot Bonded

Speer Gold Dot ammunition’s reliability has made it the No. 1 choice for law enforcement, and now the same performance is available for...

www.midwayusa.com

Shot 1 small doe with them. Shot was about 40 yards. Deer died quick. Bullet did exit. Im sure they would work fine if you wanted to use a bonded bullet. Its also my LEO agency's bullet of choice.

 

[glock233]

If the goal is to kill the most quickly, Gold Dot and American Whitetail are not the best choices in 223.

I'd use one of the ELDM rounds if you don't like TMK.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I agree. Get a longer barrel or shoot a lighter bullet. If you are just shooting deer and the ranges are under 300 yards, maybe a 55gr soft point could work. Academy Sports sells an exclusive Hornady American Whitetail 60gr ammo that some friends locally say works great. Hornady’s packaging claims it’s an Interlock bullet.

Hornady American Whitetail .223 60-Grain Centerfire Rifle Ammunition - 20 Rounds | Academy

Outdoors, Shooting, Ammunition, Centerfire Rifle Ammo

www.academy.com

View attachment 957766

That’s a great bullet in the 223. Killed a pile of animals with it.

 

[Luke S]

I'm seriously tempted to take my 223 out for a late season moose hunt. Has anyone tried the 73 gr ELDM on a moose? Most of the kills I recall on here where 88 gr. Can't do that in an ULUL AR and I don't have time to reload before the hunt.

 

[Deere_Man]

If the goal is to kill the most quickly, Gold Dot and American Whitetail are not the best choices in 223.

I'd use one of the ELDM rounds if you don't like TMK.

Oh, I don’t know about all that. Both the Gold Dot and the 60gr Interlock are well designed for killing deer. Maybe those match bullets have an edge over them at the 300-500 yard distance, or they may penetrate better on a thicker animal. Your mileage may vary.

 

[nm.otter]

I thought the whole idea behind the tmk working so well is it ISNT locked copper and core.

It's not a Partition -- the Interlock is a crimp ring, similar to the back half of an ELD-X.

 

[glock233]

Oh, I don’t know about all that. Both the Gold Dot and the 60gr Interlock are well designed for killing deer. Maybe those match bullets have an edge over them at the 300-500 yard distance, or they may penetrate better on a thicker animal. Your mileage may vary.

Moving past the fact that almost anything will kill a deer, the question is about optimizing.

On the gold dot, I just disagree that a nearly 100% weight retention bullet is well designed for killing deer most quickly.

The Interlock is just ok, but people should just be using EDM for all of the reasons. It's not even a cost savings.

 

[Good Stuff]

Waiting for the rain to stop here in N.C so I can get to the range and find a load this ULUL likes.