.223 for bear, deer, elk and moose.

BigNate

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You're asking a very broad question. I'd tend to say that most hp match bullets are not a good choice. I'd even suggest that although the Sierra 77gr Hpbt Matchking is useable, it just is outdone by the TMK version.
There are other good bullets as well, but It would benefit you to read this thread because there's so much information here.
There are many other bullets mentioned in this thread as well. Some from Barnes, Nosler, Winchester, Speer, Hornady, and probably others.
 

Bcleck90

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Change of subject kinda but who has a hunt or hunts planned this year using 223/556? I have an Antelope and Mule Deer tag this year along with Whitetail in my home state. Looking forward to more pics and updates
 

Lawnboi

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Change of subject kinda but who has a hunt or hunts planned this year using 223/556? I have an Antelope and Mule Deer tag this year along with Whitetail in my home state. Looking forward to more pics and updates
Got a trophy doe hunt in Montana since I didn’t draw anything else and gun season here in WI. As of now I plan to use the 223 again, with 77tmk. I see no reason to carry more especially back home.
 

TheGDog

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I'm in a quandry... I want to try the .223 Rem for Mule Deer in CA's D-14, and I know it would work fine for the place I have in mind because timber limits the distances. But... there are also Bears there, and just because I've never taken one, AND never taken a deer with .223 Rem yet... my thought process is:

Well... I supposed I'd better take something with me where I know for sure from lots of historical data that it should work no problem. ... Then... after I've finally taken a Bear, any Bear, and gotten that cherry out of the way... I'd then totally be down to risk walkin' around with the lesser caliber.

I may still end up saying EFF-it and bringing the .223 Rem w Barnes TSX. I also happen to have scored a box of 70gr TTSX a year or so ago. And I see today that I can't find this same projectile listed. So meh... I dunno... might even mess-around and load-up some of those 70gr's to see what kinda havoc they can wreak!
 

Juan_ID

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Not quite sure how I feel at the moment… 🥲
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Now I know how I feel… 🤢 Snag em up!
 

woods89

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Change of subject kinda but who has a hunt or hunts planned this year using 223/556? I have an Antelope and Mule Deer tag this year along with Whitetail in my home state. Looking forward to more pics and updates
It'll be with me for firearms deer here. I have a private land spot to shoot does only and shot opportunities are fairly easy to come by so I can't imagine I won't get to try it out.

Still going to take the big horsepower elk hunting, i.e., the 6.5 Cheater Mag............
 

amassi

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I'm in a quandry... I want to try the .223 Rem for Mule Deer in CA's D-14, and I know it would work fine for the place I have in mind because timber limits the distances. But... there are also Bears there, and just because I've never taken one, AND never taken a deer with .223 Rem yet... my thought process is:

Well... I supposed I'd better take something with me where I know for sure from lots of historical data that it should work no problem. ... Then... after I've finally taken a Bear, any Bear, and gotten that cherry out of the way... I'd then totally be down to risk walkin' around with the lesser caliber.

I may still end up saying EFF-it and bringing the .223 Rem w Barnes TSX. I also happen to have scored a box of 70gr TTSX a year or so ago. And I see today that I can't find this same projectile listed. So meh... I dunno... might even mess-around and load-up some of those 70gr's to see what kinda havoc they can wreak!
Nope and not because of the possibility of a bear since 223 is clearly capable of killing a deer/bear combo.

Let's be real this thread really pertains to 2-3 bullets that create impressive wounding due to their design and... none are monos. The 70 tsx out of a 223 is probably the worst possible bullet to achieve the results you'll see in this thread. If your set on shooting your 223 in CA maybe one of the lighter ttsx to get some semblance of velocity.

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TheGDog

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Nope and not because of the possibility of a bear since 223 is clearly capable of killing a deer/bear combo.

Let's be real this thread really pertains to 2-3 bullets that create impressive wounding due to their design and... none are monos. The 70 tsx out of a 223 is probably the worst possible bullet to achieve the results you'll see in this thread. If your set on shooting your 223 in CA maybe one of the lighter ttsx to get some semblance of velocity.

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Ok then I'd likely just use those same Remington HTP's @64gr that I used on the Bobcat. Was a bit much on a Bobcat I thought, but the Taxi took care of it no problem for the mount. I feel pretty certain those 64gr should likely do in a bear pretty quick with a not-too-rushed shot. Most of our Bears out here aren't THAT darn big anyway. But even the big ones, I don't imagine them wanting to turn it into a fight if 1200-1600 ft lbs of .223 Rem womps em into their chest at all. I know they might run, but I feel confident I'd deliver the kinda shot that'd make em run away. But I do know that critters sometimes inadvertently run at ya after shot and panic'd ... had that happen with a yote that didn't know where I was up above them on a slope! On the beginning of death run after my shot dumps her and rolls her over... she gets back up and oddly runs towards the base of the hill I'm up upon, as I had shot down at her when she protruded enough in front of a Greasewood in front of a large stone below me. She was looking at my Mojo motion decoy and toward the Johnny Stewart GS2 eCaller.

Was real surprised by that shot, it apparently deflected significantly from touching a bit of the thin branch. That was a 55gr DRT Penetrating Frangible HP copper jacket & compressed copper powder inside the jacket. I wanted to make sure I had frangibles this time so if it hit there was supposed to be a greater chance of them going right down and not running, and possibly not even exit hole. I aimed at just under shoulder blade coming at her from up and back and behind her on that slope.

I take the shot... BOOM I see the yote to the ground and role over and quickly get back to eats feet and attempt to run back towards me! As I'm trying to now draw a 2nd bead after jacking a new round when BOOM! The hunting partner I was with sealed the deal with a blast from his 12ga shotgun of just like a 18" or 20" barrel length. The yote went ass over end at his shot like an anvil dropped on her head.

Upon walking up I see this massive looking more shallow looking kind of wound area... maybe 3-4" opening in hide over back of hips?? Seemed like too much deflection to be possible considering how close she was to that thin branch that partially obscured her.


So at first I thought that was from his shotgun blast. But upon skinning and inspecting the difference in wounds and finding a hole thru rib and thru cranium near maxila and cracking thru some of jawbone/mandible and that hole went thru some of brain case. and his shotgun I think... is just a home defense shotgun so it doesn't have much of a choke to it. So that's when I had to conclude that wounding on back of hip must have been from the diverted frangible possibly already being partially deformed even before penetrating hide so already way more shallow perhaps? I just wasn't to impress with that round. So will only use it on yotes until that box is gone, then wanna try these new Hornady 35gr NTX for Yotes @ 4000fps!

If you think about it it's like a 36gr Mini-Mag .22 LR bumped up 4x on like Steroids due to that higher velocity! Curious to try because of how much I'm enjoying .17 HMR, so figure these rounds would let me try doing yotes or Ground Squirrels at farther distances now if I can happen to see them first like when you wait those 10-15 mins after you stop calling just to see if one rolls in curiously afterward.
 
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