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

[atmat]

Okay, I've been lurking on this site for a while appreciating the tips, advice, and banter. But man did this thread suck me in. I'm still working my way through its entirety, but I'm drinking the Kool-Aid... so much so I decided I needed to make a profile to get involved.

I've bought the stainless Tikka T3x Lite with a 20" threaded barrel and a few hundred rounds of the 77 gr. TMK's from Bone Frog (I don't yet reload but that might be another rabbit hole I soon get into). Those two items should be here this week or early next. I haven't bought the vertical grip or cheek riser mainly because I haven't handled the rifle yet. They might get added to the list.

Here is my question, and please forgive me if it has been addressed in the thread and I have gotten that far, which SWFA scope do I get between the 3-9 or the 3-15? The 3-9 makes more sense to me based on the ranges I would be shooting at, but I have a 3-15 SWFA for another rifle. Does it make more sense to have two of the same scopes for training/consistency purposes?

3-9x all the way.

 

[glock233]

Okay, I've been lurking on this site for a while appreciating the tips, advice, and banter. But man did this thread suck me in. I'm still working my way through its entirety, but I'm drinking the Kool-Aid... so much so I decided I needed to make a profile to get involved.

I've bought the stainless Tikka T3x Lite with a 20" threaded barrel and a few hundred rounds of the 77 gr. TMK's from Bone Frog (I don't yet reload but that might be another rabbit hole I soon get into). Those two items should be here this week or early next. I haven't bought the vertical grip or cheek riser mainly because I haven't handled the rifle yet. They might get added to the list.

Here is my question, and please forgive me if it has been addressed in the thread and I have gotten that far, which SWFA scope do I get between the 3-9 or the 3-15? The 3-9 makes more sense to me based on the ranges I would be shooting at, but I have a 3-15 SWFA for another rifle. Does it make more sense to have two of the same scopes for training/consistency purposes?

I like using similar parts, especially if you like them.

 

[TX_Mike D.]

I like both a 3-9x and 3-15x.

I've got a lot of history on a simple duplex 3-9x on what has been my main deer hunting rifle.

I bought the 3-15x SWFA to go on 300 WSM that I bought off of a buddy that he was selling when he needed a bit of cash. It is to replace the cheap scope he had on it. I just need to take the time to mount it...

 

[teamsprock]

100 yard shot on a whitetail went bad this weekend, the shooter sadly just missed his mark. 77 gr TMK's, the sound of the hit, makes me think he hit guts. Deer went 10-15 yards and stood behind a tree for 30-45 seconds and we could not get a follow up shot. Deer eventually wandered off. Went to the spot it stood and two different blood spots, each about 3-4 inches across, after that no blood trail.

Gave the deer a couple hours and then spent the remainder of the day looking with no success. Any thoughts on how long it will take for him to expire? Will he expire?

 

[glock233]

100 yard shot on a whitetail went bad this weekend, the shooter sadly just missed his mark. 77 gr TMK's, the sound of the hit, makes me think he hit guts. Deer went 10-15 yards and stood behind a tree for 30-45 seconds and we could not get a follow up shot. Deer eventually wandered off. Went to the spot it stood and two different blood spots, each about 3-4 inches across, after that no blood trail.

Gave the deer a couple hours and then spent the remainder of the day looking with no success. Any thoughts on how long it will take for him to expire? Will he expire?

It’ll die for sure. How long is anyone’s guess. If you see blood then you’d think a day or less. With how much blood you saw I’d expect it was dead already if you waited hours.

 

[Reddish]

Gut shots are always lethal, but it will take 6-8hr for them to lay down and die. If you bump them they’ll go a long way.

Gut shots rarely leave a great blood trail, so lots of patience required.

 

[atmat]

Gut shots are always lethal, but it will take 6-8hr for them to lay down and die. If you bump them they’ll go a long way.

Gut shots rarely leave a great blood trail, so lots of patience required.

To add to this: gut shots seem to be great at stopping bullets and preventing exits. I assume all the grass operates like sand in a backstop.

 

[Schmo]

And before anyone claims that it’s because it was a 223, long time ago, I accidentally gut shot a small buck in muzzleloader season with a 240 gr XTP at close range, and he wasn’t going down too quick either. It’s just a bad deal all the way around

 

[kkp005]

My 8 yr has been deadly with her tikka / tmk combo . Lately we have been practicing shooting a little farther. I’ve taught her how to dial and she loves shooting gongs. Went 3 for 3 at 375 the other day

 

[Pharmseller]

Watch for birds

 

[teamsprock]

Thanks for the feedback. I hate that it happened, but yes, this stuff unfortunately happens. Everything went right until it went wrong. Just wanted to have some feedback on the gut shot, first time it has happened for me and my buddies.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Thanks for the feedback. I hate that it happened, but yes, this stuff unfortunately happens. Everything went right until it went wrong. Just wanted to have some feedback on the gut shot, first time it has happened for me and my buddies.

A good dog should find it if you get on it.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Watch for birds

Yep. My brother shot a deer two nights ago and birds were on it in less than an hour.

 

[sierracharlie338]

My 8 yr has been deadly with her tikka / tmk combo . Lately we have been practicing shooting a little farther. I’ve taught her how to dial and she loves shooting gongs. Went 3 for 3 at 375 the other day

“HIT IT!” This is so awesome. Well done shooter and dad.

 

[River Reaper]

My 8 yr has been deadly with her tikka / tmk combo . Lately we have been practicing shooting a little farther. I’ve taught her how to dial and she loves shooting gongs. Went 3 for 3 at 375 the other day

Told my wife this will be our oldest daughter in a few years haha! (She’s 3 but we are getting there)

 

[Treeman_MG]

This post is about 6 years in the making. Been lurking here for longer than that, and been reading this thread since its inception. Before that, I was shooting a 300wm on everything, mostly deer. Shooting barnes ttsx's and noslee accubonds. As the data points started to roll in in this thread, I started to question my "knowledge" of terminal ballistics. The stuff Form (and others) were preaching started to make sense.
So I bought a 6.5 cm and killed a few deer- it worked fine, and lots more fun to shoot than the 300. Then I bought a tikka t3x in 22-250, 8" twist. Loaded up some 80gr eldx, and took it deer hunting last year. First deer I shot with it was a young 8 point, about 70 yards. Missed the first shot, causing him to turn 180 degrees, but not run. Never lost him in the scope, racked the bolt and hit him, hard quartering away, right about at the last rib. He ran maybe 100 yards, pouring blood (easy tracking), and died in a field. Bullet under offside shoulder, heart and lungs soup. I was amazed at the damage. . . Just like if you said I would be.
Second deer was a die, 274 yards. Was right at dark, so I used Form's recommended shot placement forward in the shoulder. Deer dropped where it stood, didn't even twitch. Heart and lungs soup. So consider me a concert, sold my 300, and probably gonna get a tikka in .223 with a short barrel to go with my 6.5cm and 22-250.

 

[omicron1792]

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.

Fusions aren’t anywhere close to 100% weight retention.

Here is a fusion you can see shed a ton of lead.

 

[HandgunHTR]

So I bought a 6.5 cm and killed a few deer- it worked fine, and lots more fun to shoot than the 300. Then I bought a tikka t3x in 22-250, 8" twist. Loaded up some 80gr eldx, and took it deer hunting last year. First deer I shot with it was a young 8 point, about 70 yards. Missed the first shot, causing him to turn 180 degrees, but not run. Never lost him in the scope, racked the bolt and hit him, hard quartering away, right about at the last rib. He ran maybe 100 yards, pouring blood (easy tracking), and died in a field. Bullet under offside shoulder, heart and lungs soup. I was amazed at the damage. . . Just like if you said I would be.

Impossible! Everyone knows that you can't take a hard quartering away shot with a .223. /sarcasm

Great job and great buck! Congrats!

 

[Treeman_MG]

Impossible! Everyone knows that you can't take a hard quartering away shot with a .223. /sarcasm

Great job and great buck! Congrats!

Well. . . .it was a .22-250, not a .223. But the point still stands. Certainly opened my eyes though.

 

[DadWil]

which SWFA scope do I get between the 3-9 or the 3-15?

I'd go with the 3-15... 3 for the close up and 15 for dang that's at the edge of my affective range