Looking for 600 yard deer/elk rifle. Recommendations?

[Turkeytider]

So....for the apparently ever growing contingent of those who advocate the 77 TMK .223 for everything just south of an elephant, does that mean everything else is " overkill " and unnecessary? What is " overkill " anyway, especially when discussing large game animals? Is there really such a thing ( well, I suppose a 300 WSM for squirrels would qualify )?

 

[eric1115]

So....for the apparently ever growing contingent of those who advocate the 77 TMK .223 for everything just south of an elephant, does that mean everything else is " overkill " and unnecessary? What is " overkill " anyway, especially when discussing large game animals? Is there really such a thing ( well, I suppose a 300 WSM for squirrels would qualify )?

I try to think in terms of "what will give me my preferred wound channel?" And "what is the most efficient way to achieve that?"

If I want more tissue destruction than a 3-4" diameter path 16" deep (77TMK), I can get that. A 5+" diameter path 20" deep can be had, but I really don't want that much tissue destruction on something I am shooting because I want to eat it and I see no reason to deal with the recoil that comes with the cartridges that provide that wound.

A .300WM with a tough bullet like a 200gr Accubond might produce a fine wound channel (though narrower than I'd like and deeper than I need). Same cartridge with a soft bullet like a 168 TMK that maximizes wound channel is going to produce massive tissue damage that destroys more meat than I want. Obviously all this is affected by range/impact velocity.

At the end of the day, if you don't want the maximum wound a cartridge is capable of, why deal with the recoil and expense associated with shooting it? Shoot a smaller cartridge and use a bullet that gives maximum performance out of it.

 

[Formidilosus]

So....for the apparently ever growing contingent of those who advocate the 77 TMK .223 for everything just south of an elephant, does that mean everything else is " overkill " and unnecessary?

Has anyone stated that? And if not, why make a red herring?

What is " overkill " anyway, especially when discussing large game animals? Is there really such a thing ( well, I suppose a 300 WSM for squirrels would qualify )?

Is this what you want?

 

[Turkeytider]

Has anyone stated that? And if not, why make a red herring?



Is this what you want?


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No, and no. Just asking. Boy, this sure has turned inro an emotional issue. Don`t have a dog in this fight anyway since I don`t hunt large game, so I`ll bow out and let those who seem to fight it out.

 

[eric1115]

No, and no. Just asking. Boy, this sure has turned inro an emotional issue. Don`t have a dog in this fight anyway since I don`t hunt large game, so I`ll bow out and let those who seem to fight it out.

The first time I shot my turkey gun, a 12 gauge Remington 870 Special Purpose with 21" barrel, 3" #6 Hevi-Shot, I thought every filling in my head was going to fall out and I just knew I had a concussion! My buddy laughed at me because of the expression on my face! I`m convinced it precipitated the PVD ( Posterior Vitreous Detachment ) in my left eye that occurred later that evening! Anyway, thank the Lord for slip on Limbsavers! That calmed it down considerably. Otherwise, it`s been a good turkey gun, patterned very well.
If I had more seasons in front of me than I probably do, I`d transition to a sub-gauge with TSS, and not because I want to shoot at turkeys at 70 yards, either.

You get the principle, it's very much the same process. How many guys have any business shooting a turkey at distances where a 20 gauge (or even .410) with modern turkey loads won't cut it?

A 3½" 12 gauge with steel shot might be equivalent to a .300WM with a mono or hard bonded bullet.

 

[fwafwow]

No, and no. Just asking. Boy, this sure has turned inro an emotional issue. Don`t have a dog in this fight anyway since I don`t hunt large game, so I`ll bow out and let those who seem to fight it out.

Why post the question if you don’t like the answers?

 

[Formidilosus]

No, and no. Just asking. Boy, this sure has turned inro an emotional issue. Don`t have a dog in this fight anyway since I don`t hunt large game, so I`ll bow out and let those who seem to fight it out.

It’s not emotional. It’s that people, like you are doing- use fallacies to try and find a way that proper .224 bullets won’t kill extremely well. People use fallacies and and straw man trying to get a “got you” moment, and it’s just not true.

The simple answer is- 77gr TMK, as well if Hornady 75/80/88gr ELD-M and 80gr ELD-X, along with a couple other bullets kill superbly- on all legit shot angles for NA big game, within their terminal velocity window (1,800’ish fps).
Stop trying to creat a hole, or some make believe that it doesn’t. People have no experience with it- usually have little or no experience killing elk/bear/moose with anything, and yet are arguing nonsense, somehow believing that they know something the dozens and dozens of people that have posted hundreds of dead animals and the massive wounds created don’t know.