Help me choose... 223 or 7mm RM

[mad_angler]

I know this will stir up a bunch of emotions but I need help...

Last year, I bought a 7mm RM Tikka for elk hunting. I love the rifle and I did not shoot an elk last year. So I still have not killed with the rifle.

This year, I bought a .223 Tikka and 7mm Airlock suppressor to train with. I absolutely love the rifle. It is accurate, cheap to shoot, and very fun.

I have been following the .223 thread and listening to Form on the Exo podcast.

So now, I need to pick a rifle to take to elk hunting this year. I am still leaning towards the 7mm for the following reasons:

• I still haven't killed an animal with it
• I'm still a little skeptical of a .223 on elk but I have come to believe that is just emotions rather than data.
• The 7mm is flatter and bucks wind better.

To try to compare apples to apples... please limit your suggestions to 1) .223 with 77 grain TMK or 2) 7mm RM with 162 grain ELD-X

 

[BigLou]

seriously?

 

[mad_angler]

seriously?

Yes. I know this horse has been beaten quite to death. I also know that both sides are pretty entrenched. But it is summer and we don't have anything else to talk about... AND I am seriously trying to choose between the two...

 

[realunlucky]

The answer is 6mm now go do a rebarrel

 

[MoeFaux]

I say take the 7RM.

1 - it's not yet drawn blood, and that's mandatory for a rifle that was bought for hunting.
2 - despite all the opinions on here, I'm far from sold on 223 on larger game. I read Rokslide and start to think I'm convinced, then I go out west and talk to guides who see shots on animals week after week all season long, and they tend to scoff at the small cartridge trend and tell endless stories about wounded animals. They can call me a fudd if they want, but I consider it my duty to game I'm chasing to bring enough gun to ensure an ethical kill.

 

[Lawnboi]

Check your regs first you might need 6mm.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Check your regs first you might need 6mm.

This, be sure 22 cal is legal before anything else.

 

[hiker270]

Only the manbun crowd advocates for a 223 for game larger than deer.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I'd take the 7mm

 

[mad_angler]

Ok... My trip is to Wyoming.. Wyoming requires a minimum of 0.24. So the .223 is not legal.

I'm sorta happy about this. Now, the decision is made for me and I don't have to wrestle any more...

 

[RockAndSage]

If you're open to advice...and you clearly know the value of the .223 for training...

...do a 1:10 ratio of 7mm to .223 in each training session. Warm up with the .223, fire 2-3 rounds out of the 7mm, go back to the .223, cycle, rinse, repeat, then end each session on 2-3 rounds of 7mm.

Just enough 7mm so that you're not developing a flinch, while advancing your skill on the .223 and rifles in general, but enough 7mm that you have complete confidence and a firm grasp of your capabilities with it, based on experience with it.

 

[mad_angler]

If you're open to advice...and you clearly know the value of the .223 for training...

...do a 1:10 ratio of 7mm to .223 in each training session. Warm up with the .223, fire 2-3 rounds out of the 7mm, go back to the .223, cycle, rinse, repeat, then end each session on 2-3 rounds of 7mm.

Just enough 7mm so that you're not developing a flinch, while advancing your skill on the .223 and rifles in general, but enough 7mm that you have complete confidence and a firm grasp of your capabilities with it, based on experience with it.

Thank you. That is great information. I was wondering how to work on both rifles,

 

[BuckSmasher]

I know this will stir up a bunch of emotions but I need help...

Last year, I bought a 7mm RM Tikka for elk hunting. I love the rifle and I did not shoot an elk last year. So I still have not killed with the rifle.

This year, I bought a .223 Tikka and 7mm Airlock suppressor to train with. I absolutely love the rifle. It is accurate, cheap to shoot, and very fun.

I have been following the .223 thread and listening to Form on the Exo podcast.

So now, I need to pick a rifle to take to elk hunting this year. I am still leaning towards the 7mm for the following reasons:

• I still haven't killed an animal with it
• I'm still a little skeptical of a .223 on elk but I have come to believe that is just emotions rather than data.
• The 7mm is flatter and bucks wind better.

To try to compare apples to apples... please limit your suggestions to 1) .223 with 77 grain TMK or 2) 7mm RM with 162 grain ELD-X

seriously?

For real.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I'm really hoping that 7mm is a blued gun, sporting a leupold. Might as well bug as many folks as you can with it

 

[mad_angler]

I'm really hoping that 7mm is a blued gun, sporting a leupold. Might as well bug as many folks as you can with it

It actually is blued.
And to really upset folks, it has a Vortex scope (but will be swapped with a SWFA in a week or so).

 

[Steve300xcw]

I own very few stainless guns.

 

[RockAndSage]

I'm really hoping that 7mm is a blued gun, sporting a leupold. Might as well bug as many folks as you can with it

Shooting core-lokt...

 

[Steve300xcw]

Those things have put a lotta meat in the freezer.

 

[RockAndSage]

Those things have put a lotta meat in the freezer.

The funny thing about it, is the more I've learned about how TMK and other tipped match bullets actually perform in tissue and kill, the more they sound like what core-lokts do on impact.

 

[Steve300xcw]

The funny thing about it, is the more I've learned about how TMK and other tipped match bullets actually perform in tissue and kill, the more they sound like what core-lokts do on impact.

If we are being honest here. For the ranges that most people should be hunting. Any of the cheap sp bullets like that will work just fine. And if you loose your animal, its your own damn fault, but bullets are easy to blame

Been a while since I looked. But IIRC they had gotten pretty pricey for what they are IMO. Used to shoot a lot of them.

The only one I ever caught was in a blacktail, with a 100gr 243 inside of 15 yards. It just kinda vaporized inside that lil buck. Lotta fragments in that one.