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

[FredH]

Yes it is. It’s the heavy composite version, which is great for taming the 243’s recoil shooting from the bench. I put that rifle in a carbon sporter stock when hunting.

I thought so as I have one that is just like it. Yep no lightweight but aluminum furniture inside and it make shooting from the bench a pleasure. I had it set up with a 308 barrel for a while but pit a 7-08 mountain rifle contour barrel on it and it's in a SPS synthetic for carrying around. Looking for a better stock but the SPS stock works okay and is light.

 

[FredH]

Yes, I asked him about it via PM.

Stocky's® Long Range Composite Stock (LRC™ Accublock®) - Remington 700™ - NEW Premium Finishes

Stocky's Stocks Aftermarket Rifle Stock Supplier

stockysstocks.com

Factory barrel contour and limited paint options on the sale but still a good price. Mine is a Strata color scheme.

 

[RockChukkar]

I’ve always had good luck with Sierra 77gr otm’s on white tail under 400yds.. but this talk of the tmk’s have me wanting to give them a spin.

Out of the factory loads that black hills, bone frog and aac offer what’s the go to? I know BH is probably top of the heap but is bone frog or aac lacking in accuracy and velocity? Are there other options I don’t know about.

 

[Tahr]

Well frick boys. Figured I'd join the fun. Got the Maven for it today too. Waiting on rings and a rokstok. Rings should be here. Think I've got a lead on another rokstok. Worse case I'll use my 6UM rokstok.

Man tikka is missing a huge market by not just selling the actions naked... tikka stocks are like Glock sights. Cheap plastic crap that gets you buy. But serious dudes plan on throwing it away as soon as the gun gets home!

What evidence do you have that a replacement stock shoots any better than the factory Tikka stock? I rate the Tikka as one of the best factory stocks. Yes, Ive replaced them with carbon for weight reduction but have never improved accuracy. They are stable and perfectly adequate.

 

[wirehead]

Anyone out there shot deer, etc with both the 60 gr partition and the heavier ELDM / TMKs? Interested in / hoping for first hand comparison of the two re: impact on game.

bumping - curious on this...

 

[TradLife406]

What evidence do you have that a replacement stock shoots any better than the factory Tikka stock? I rate the Tikka as one of the best factory stocks. Yes, Ive replaced them with carbon for weight reduction but have never improved accuracy. They are stable and perfectly adequate.

Honestly I'm sure the oem shoots ok. But want the rifle to be a clone of my main hunting rifle

 

[longrangelead]

bumping - curious on this...

apples to apricots and only 1 of each...
I shot a antelope with 60gr np from a 22-250 years ago.
iirc, low shoulder/ribs, big entry no exit, bang-flop.

shot a 5' bear last spring. 298 yards standing facing me. 73ELDM between front legs, roughly 2262 impact. Bullet somehow slid between the lungs and upset when it hit the plumbing/ribs near the spine making a tennis ball size cavity. bullet was against hide between shoulders.

 

[Speaks]

What evidence do you have that a replacement stock shoots any better than the factory Tikka stock? I rate the Tikka as one of the best factory stocks. Yes, Ive replaced them with carbon for weight reduction but have never improved accuracy. They are stable and perfectly adequate.

It made zero change to groups off a bench, and unless you had stock contact I wouldnt expect it too. Frankly any improvement wouldnt have mattered on game anyway.

What it did do was help me shoot better from field positions and get faster follow ups. It didnt make the gun shoot better, it made me shoot better. Ymmv

 

[deer_hunter132]

I’ve always had good luck with Sierra 77gr otm’s on white tail under 400yds.. but this talk of the tmk’s have me wanting to give them a spin.

Out of the factory loads that black hills, bone frog and aac offer what’s the go to? I know BH is probably top of the heap but is bone frog or aac lacking in accuracy and velocity? Are there other options I don’t know about.

Having used a little aac myself, i like the stuff. Their 75gr black sabre did just as well as my 77 tmk hand loads.
There were issues at some point with ammo QC (over pressure). I haven't had issues, but its on the 'net. As always, your mileage may vary. Im pretty sure the aac stuff i bought is post covid.

 

[turbo406]

Anyone see aac is having issues getting powder and is suspending production?

 

[BAKPAKR]

I can’t seem to get blood trials from bears with anything- 338’s on down. I would love to see actual constant blood trails from bears, and how people are getting them. YouTube is full of 338 and 375 shot bears with no blood trails (and lost bears).

My first bear left a good blood trail. I shot it right after my 12th birthday with a Remington 742 Carbine in 30-06, using 180 gr Silvertips. Of course, the fact that it was standing up looking at me when I shot it in the white patch/heart might have helped the blood trail.

 

[liv3mind]

bumping - curious on this...

My experience with .223 is as follows:

Hornady 55gr SP - reliable, longest shot for me 160y, expands well, never had a pass through, almost always lodged on offside hide unless stuck in offside shoulder.

Winchester 64gr Deer Season XP - not reliable, longest shot 90y, small sample size of 3 for me, had a couple behave like vmax and 1 pencil through, quickly threw the box away.

Hornady 73eldm - reliable, longest shot 220y (out of a 10.5 barrel) good expansion, out of my longer barrels under 100y they have a little more come apart than I would like but kill well, had 2 pass through the rest were some shrapnel inside and main semi intact lodged on offside. I tend to prefer this out of my shorter guns to get the velocity lower at the distance typically shoot. Usually 30y or less track with a good shot, high shoulder with this one is basically guaranteed to plant them immediately.

77otm - reliable, longest shot just under 300y, expansion more controlled, holds together better, all passthroughs so far, this is what I shoot out of barrels over 16" typically. Typical has been good blood trail but with a longer track than the eldm.

 

[goalie]

Is that the AAC 77g OTM?

 

[Poe]

40gr Vmax seems to get it done on coyotes.

But yeah, if it’s in the heart, or disrupts the autonomic plexus really small mass bullets realistically should get it done.

I think the number of bullets though that are built to correctly do this shrinks dramatically as you go down in weight.

I have never tried the 40gr vmax on deer but I did have some issues with them on coyotes. At closer ranges say 50-75 yards out of a 22-250 I have seen then blow up on a shoulder without making it to the vitals. I also had one come apart on the back of a coyotes skull and come out its ear

 

[wirehead]

Is that the AAC 77g OTM?

I think they sell both 77gr OTM and TMK

 

[goalie]

I think they sell both 77gr OTM and TMK

That's why I asked. I'm flush with the OTM

 

[43.6N]

I have never tried the 40gr vmax on deer but I did have some issues with them on coyotes. At closer ranges say 50-75 yards out of a 22-250 I have seen then blow up on a shoulder without making it to the vitals. I also had one come apart on the back of a coyotes skull and come out its ear

Same. I wouldn’t and haven’t hunted deer with the 40gr vmax. Just coyotes. Nothing against the bullet inside of its niche, simply it doesn’t have the flight ballistics or the sectional density I prioritize compared to the 77 or 80gr bullets.

The post you quoted was me pointing out an extreme example of low weight bullets that CAN still be terminally effective.

That is all. Now back to the pictures