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

[spicyaluminum]

First post on this forum and I figure I'd add another Iowa whitetail from last week. Got my first deer with 556 last weekend. Shot was 90-100 yards, from a slightly elevated position. On the hit, the deer spun, staggered about 30 feet and flopped over. I'm normally using 350 legend out of another upper I have for this rifle, I'd say damage wise they are extremely similar, at least with this hit. I didn't see the fist sized exit some have posted, but the internal damage was very lethal. I did see from fragments in the chest cavity, but didn't grab a picture as I was cleaning it by myself. Best I can figure is only a piece of the round exited. Black Hills 77g TMK, 16 inch AR, no chronograph yet, but testing drops put me right around the 2700 fps muzzle velocity on the box. Would put my impact velocity right around 2500 or so. 556 is only legal in Iowa for our late season antlerless quota hunts, but based on this I'd use it during the general season if it was legal.

 

[TJudeB]

My bro in law took our nephew hunting with his 223 in an AR platform. 12.5-inch barrel with a 73 grain eld match bullet. Did a full necropsy. Deadly little round. @blazingangel09

The shot was a little over 100 yards. This was a Texas doe, around 105 to 110lbs which is mature for this area. Full pass-through.

 

[SBR Sarge]

It is commonly accepted here that 5.56 ammo is fine in our 223 Tikkas.

What are folks’ thoughts/experiences with the new NAS3 cased 5.56 loads?



My thought is that since they are still within safe limits for 5.56 chambered guns, they should be fine in any rifle that handles 5.56.

But there are plenty of folks on here with more experience and knowledge than I have, so please share your thoughts/analysis.

SBR

Just bumping my question up, hoping for your thoughts on the issue.

 

[rafiki]

My bro in law took our nephew hunting with his 223 in an AR platform. 12.5-inch barrel with a 73 grain eld match bullet. Did a full necropsy. Deadly little round. @blazingangel09

The shot was a little over 100 yards. This was a Texas doe, around 105 to 110lbs which is mature for this area. Full pass-through.

might have missed it in the video, but what's the velocity they're getting with that setup?

 

[TJudeB]

might have missed it in the video, but what's the velocity they're getting with that setup?

@blazingangel09 You know off hand what your rig is putting out?

 

[Formidilosus]

Just bumping my question up, hoping for your thoughts on the issue.

The NAS3 ammo is fine in a Tikka.

 

[spicyaluminum]

Speaking of NAS3 ammo, have you guys seen this?

 

[SBR Sarge]

Thanks Form. I was hoping you’d have some insight.

Cheers,
SBR

 

[WestTN2288]

Speaking of NAS3 ammo, have you guys seen this?

Can anybody say whether this guy had lost his mind? If this is true, I might be interested…

 

[9487329]

It would be very cool to have a 223 trainer and a "22 creedmoor" in the same rifle by just changing ammo

 

[spicyaluminum]

Can anybody say whether this guy had lost his mind? If this is true, I might be interested…

100k psi is definitely something I'd be wearing saftey squints for. That said, according to him, he put 5300 rounds through it with nothing but accelerated wear. Douglas MK12 barrel, so stainless, maybe a CHF barrel could do more? I could absolutely see the advantage of only using the 100k stuff for drop verification and actual hunting, and then normal 556 for practice. 3500 FPS is a ******* laserbeam, that's like 1 mil at 400 yards.

 

[9487329]

100k psi is definitely something I'd be wearing saftey squints for. That said, according to him, he put 5300 rounds through it with nothing but accelerated wear. Douglas MK12 barrel, so stainless, maybe a CHF barrel could do more? I could absolutely see the advantage of only using the 100k stuff for drop verification and actual hunting, and then normal 556 for practice. 3500 FPS is a ******* laserbeam, that's like 1 mil at 400 yards.

I was thinking you could load it "down" to 3300 to decrease wear I would think

 

[blazingangel09]

@blazingangel09 You know off hand what your rig is putting out?

I haven't run it through the chrono yet. Grok estimates it at about 2500 fps at the muzzle.

 

[spicyaluminum]

I was thinking you could load it "down" to 3300 to decrease wear I would think

Yeah honestly.

 

[WestTN2288]

100k psi is definitely something I'd be wearing saftey squints for. That said, according to him, he put 5300 rounds through it with nothing but accelerated wear. Douglas MK12 barrel, so stainless, maybe a CHF barrel could do more? I could absolutely see the advantage of only using the 100k stuff for drop verification and actual hunting, and then normal 556 for practice. 3500 FPS is a ******* laserbeam, that's like 1 mil at 400 yards.

This is where my head was. I still need more than 1 talking head on YouTube to convince me though

 

[spicyaluminum]

This is where my head was. I still need more than 1 talking head on YouTube to convince me though

Yeah I'd try that with a PSA or something I didn't care about first, probably pull it with a string too.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

I’m waiting on my 223 T3x to show up and wondering why even use another gun if you mainly hunt black bear,dear and similar game out to 400-500.
Are a lot of you doing that?
How many are killing game 6-1000 yards with all these fast new calibers.

 

[Ajsomp]

I’m waiting on my 223 T3x to show up and wondering why even use another gun if you mainly hunt black bear,dear and similar game out to 400-500.
Are a lot of you doing that?
How many are killing game 6-1000 yards with all these fast new calibers.

If you have a caliber restriction state - co, WY etc. 223 isn’t legal.

 

[Matt5266]

I’m waiting on my 223 T3x to show up and wondering why even use another gun if you mainly hunt black bear,dear and similar game out to 400-500.
Are a lot of you doing that?
How many are killing game 6-1000 yards with all these fast new calibers.

After killing my cow elk this year at 410 and seeing the damage first hand of the 77 tmk I dont think there is anything in my state of Idaho I wouldn't shoot with it to 450 yards

 

[Brap01]

I’m waiting on my 223 T3x to show up and wondering why even use another gun if you mainly hunt black bear,dear and similar game out to 400-500.
Are a lot of you doing that?
How many are killing game 6-1000 yards with all these fast new calibers.

Me and my young sons have been killing deer/elk with 6 CM and 6 ARC.

I put together a Tikka 223 as a trainer and ordered bulk .223 to practice with. So maybe my wind calls will improve and I'll 223 a bunch of stuff to death. Most of my shots the last few years have been +/-400 yards across canyons and its windy here in Idaho. The 6 CM will cut that wind better than the 223, and I figure I need all the help I can get calling cross canyon winds. Recoil with the RokStok and the 6 CM is tolerable, I just don't want to change a barrel every year, so I went with a trainer.