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

[NWBLKTAIL]

Hope it works well! So far what was your best performer?

If I get around to finding some 73s I am going to try them with Staball Match first. Meters well and supposed to be temp stable so...would be nice. Cheap too. Relatively.

23gr XBR, 24gr varget shoots very consistent

 

[Igloo]

23gr XBR, 24gr varget shoots very consistent

Thanks. I have both but almost out of TAC so that works.

 

[wind gypsy]

So apparently I did a thing last night.

I 'won' a used, unknown history, 8-twist tikka .223 barrel.

It's shorter and threaded. My plan is to remove the long heavy 12 twist barrel from my Tikka 595 and be able to use 75-80 grain stuff in it. The 595 223 magazine will handle 2.42" so my plan would likely be to load something to 2.4". I have a pretty good idea on powders already on hand. I know the 77TMK would work and that's the easy button but since these will be loaded to 2.4" there's a part of me that would like to save the TMKs for use in an AR and load something with a different colored tip for easy ID as being bolt gun loads.

That means 75eldm, 80 eldm, or 80 eldx.

8 twist, most shooting will be at or near 660' elevation and temps could be anywhere from 10 degrees on up. Which would y'all choose as second place to the 77TMK?

73 or 75 ELDm. 73s seem to be less finicky.

 

[Chris in TN]

Thanks guys - reading between the lines, it sounds like just staying with the 77TMKs is the simple solution here.

 

[mt terry d]

Page 666.

Seems ominous

 

[Shev7chenko]

O…Kay…

 

[Mikido]

Thanks guys - reading between the lines, it sounds like just staying with the 77TMKs is the simple solution here.

You should try a few different bullets.

After buying 600 ct of tmk’s, my tikka does
Not like them….

 

[Chris in TN]

You should try a few different bullets.

After buying 600 ct of tmk’s, my tikka does
Not like them….

I’ll try them first but won’t be wedded to them. I already have multiple ARs that eat them. If they just won’t shoot I’ll try the 73/75 eldm. If that doesn’t work I’ll go a different direction. Not interested in paying Berger prices for Berger terminal performance.

 

[Firth]

73 or 75 ELDm. 73s seem to be less finicky.

I've shot a lot more 73's than 75's due to magazine constraints in 223, so I can't speak as much on 75's, but I will say 73 ELDm's have shot well in everything I've tried them. I've never needed to mess with them to get them to shoot well either. Pretty much just add powder to get the velocity I wanted and seat to mag length.

 

[AndrewD]

I was recently given a Ruger Model 77 Mark II (circa mid-90s model) in .223 by family. It's stainless, 26" bull barrel, laminate stock with a wide, flared forend. This thing is HEAVY; too heavy to hike with. Been wanting to get something lighter than my .270 for whitetail hunting small and medium timber cuts, but I'm not sure how much a lighter composite stock or chassis would improve the weight. When I get around to it, I'll take the action out and weigh the stock. Not sure if I'd go as far as getting a lighter/shorter barrel. Anyone have anything good to say about lightening one of these up for non-treestand hunts?

 

[Deere_Man]

I was recently given a Ruger Model 77 Mark II (circa mid-90s model) in .223 by family. It's stainless, 26" bull barrel, laminate stock with a wide, flared forend. This thing is HEAVY; too heavy to hike with. Been wanting to get something lighter than my .270 for whitetail hunting small and medium timber cuts, but I'm not sure how much a lighter composite stock or chassis would improve the weight. When I get around to it, I'll take the action out and weigh the stock. Not sure if I'd go as far as getting a lighter/shorter barrel. Anyone have anything good to say about lightening one of these up for non-treestand hunts?

Leave the Ruger M77 in its current configuration and just buy something else with a 1:8” or 1:7” barrel twist.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I was recently given a Ruger Model 77 Mark II (circa mid-90s model) in .223 by family. It's stainless, 26" bull barrel, laminate stock with a wide, flared forend. This thing is HEAVY; too heavy to hike with. Been wanting to get something lighter than my .270 for whitetail hunting small and medium timber cuts, but I'm not sure how much a lighter composite stock or chassis would improve the weight. When I get around to it, I'll take the action out and weigh the stock. Not sure if I'd go as far as getting a lighter/shorter barrel. Anyone have anything good to say about lightening one of these up for non-treestand hunts?

Those can be sweet rifles as they are. I wouldnt toss a bunch of money at it though. I'd leave it be and start with a lighter model. The m77 hawkeyes were a 1:9" fwiw

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I was recently given a Ruger Model 77 Mark II (circa mid-90s model) in .223 by family. It's stainless, 26" bull barrel, laminate stock with a wide, flared forend. This thing is HEAVY; too heavy to hike with. Been wanting to get something lighter than my .270 for whitetail hunting small and medium timber cuts, but I'm not sure how much a lighter composite stock or chassis would improve the weight. When I get around to it, I'll take the action out and weigh the stock. Not sure if I'd go as far as getting a lighter/shorter barrel. Anyone have anything good to say about lightening one of these up for non-treestand hunts?

Just get a good rifle that is the right weight and twist rate.