.223 for bear, deer, elk and moose.

[Seeknelk]

Kid hasn't found a deer that will stop a 62gr Fusion yet. Blood trails are slow to start, though. As her brother has moved up to 30/30, which provides an immediate and useful blood trail, I'm considering getting devious and letting her think the 6.5G is a .223 next year. The difference is I don't have to cut circles to find the start of the blood trail.

I'd try the 77gr TMK on CNS shots, but practice on x-ray style targets shows she misses the vertebrae 25% of the time. I highly recommend such targets, btw. They tell you what you can and can't hit. This may sound negative on the face of it, but the confidence they gain from knowing with certainty that they can make particular shots means they only want to take those shots on game.

Bear? Elk? Are you starving? Set some snares.

Thanks. I think the 77 in the lungs is whats been super impressive for those that have used them. I have not. My 22 CM will be a varmint,deer, antelope and steel fun gun.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Looking forward to bringing this thread back to the top as bear season is right around the corner.

 

[Fatcamp]

It's back!

 

[lyle_destroys]

I suspect a bit of a troll job here

That said i’ll Take a mag full of77gr tmk over a mag box full of 200gr eld-x

Why no love for the 200gr eldx? Just curious because I dont care for them either. Killed a bull elk last year with one, he only went about 5 yards punch drunk but wasn't happy with what I found when I opened him up. Killed a big body whitetail buck after that, slightly quartering to me, very slight. This was a sub 50 yard shot but the bullet opened in the vitalsthemn deflected far back through thediaphragm. I was surprised at the trajectory. I've since made the switch back to better constructed bullets.

 

[Formidilosus]

Last years TMK winners.


188 believe-



Around 60’ish-



160+/-



342-




Next two are together. Around 100 yards-





160’ish




223’s are just marginal wounders.... give or take.

 

[Formidilosus]

Missed one-

Sub 100-

 

[Castle Rock]

Same bullet in the 22/250 is really nasty

 

[Castle Rock]

 

[TxxAgg]

Tagged

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Same bullet in the 22/250 is really nastyView attachment 165271View attachment 165273

What kind of deer is that? It’s got hair like a rusa but looks too small.

 

[brownth2]

I haven't hunted extensively for much of anything with the exception of whitetail/mule deer, small game, upland birds, turkey and the like. I think with proper shot placement you can put down just about anything with any round. That being said, a lot of it comes down to range and ethics. .223 on elk: That's a big animal, and a very light bullet.

 

[PNWGATOR]

Take a look through the testimonials throughout this thread and the photos. The 77 TMK is a lethal projectile, period.

 

[Jim1187]

I draw my personal comfort line at deer and eating sized black bears (under 300lbs) with .22 centerfires. Of course I haven't been using the 77 TMK or a SWFA scope. I should probably put a padlock on my deep freeze just in case.

 

[TxxAgg]

Any thoughts on the Barnes 55 gr tsx?

 

[Tmac]

Any thoughts on the Barnes 55 gr tsx?

If my 223 shot it well, I’d use it for deer and the like to 200-225 or so. But I prefer a tip on my mono metal bullets, so a TTSX or GMX would be what I would look for first.

My 223 liked the 62 grain Federal Fusion. Worked very well on mule deer and antelope to 250. Bullet exited on all the game the kids took with it and at the ranges we used it there was enough velocity to transfer energy with surprisingly good internal damage. My grand kids will be using the 224 Valkyrie with 90 grain fusions or 70 grain GMX or maybe the 62 grain Barnes TSX, so we have a bit more pop. That should be good to 300 or so and give us a little more flexibility on shot angles.

 

[Formidilosus]

Any thoughts on the Barnes 55 gr tsx?

Deep penetration, narrow wound channel. It kills fine however bullets such as TSX’s and on the other side- varmint bullets are what have given .22’s the “marginal” label. The 77gr TMK, 75 and 88gr ELD-M, etc produce exceptionally good wound channels.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

deer Cullers dropped a lot a lot of reds with 222 sako’s and 55gr sp. 77gr tmk only gonna do better

If ur real antsy flick forward to 9:15 or so

 

[SoDaky]

Why?
'cause I can' I guess.
Silly.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Why?
'cause I can' I guess.
Silly.

Care to share why it’s “silly” and why I should ditch the 223 this fall and use something else?

 

[SoDaky]

Not really.Self explanatory for me.