.223 for bear, deer, elk and moose.

[260madman]

From earlier in the thread




Velocity is always a concern so I figure this screen shot could help out others that come along wondering about charge weight and seating depth. The above velocities are from bolt guns.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

From earlier in the thread

View attachment 427785


Velocity is always a concern so I figure this screen shot could help out others that come along wondering about charge weight and seating depth. The above velocities are from bolt guns.

“Pole vaulting over mouse turds”

I’ll have to dig out my notebooks and see exactly what I was running with 77 SMK’s and Berger OTM’s and compare.

 

[Castle Rock]

From what I have used your velocity seems high

 

[OldGrayJB]

I was a little under 2600 fps with 77 TMKs in my 16" AR and it was hot. I can't imagine getting 2700+ with any powder. That was a 5.56 nato chamber with CFE223 but I don't remember the load weight off the top of my head.

 

[cod0396]

I was a little under 2600 fps with 77 TMKs in my 16" AR and it was hot. I can't imagine getting 2700+ with any powder. That was a 5.56 nato chamber with CFE223 but I don't remember the load weight off the top of my head.

Weird. I don't hand load, but just under 2600fps is what I get from the black hills 5.56 load out of my suppressed 12.5. 16" pushes them at just above 2700fps.

 

[SBR Sarge]

223 isn’t legal for deer or big game where I hunt. Still, I have waded through this thread (took me several sessions!) and I have found it informative and interesting.

So thanks for everyone who has made constructive posts in it.

The TMK seems to punch above its caliber and is a formidable load.

Seeing mention of this thread on snipershide is what brought me to rokslide.

 

[Grundy53]

77 grain SMKs in stock

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain HP Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain HP Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count by SIERRA BULLETSDesigned for Service Rifle competition in the M16A2/AR-15A2, our 22 caliber bullets have set an incredible number of new national records. The 77 grain #9377 MatchKing allows seating to an OAL that permits...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Not the same as the TMK, especially terminally.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

77 grain SMKs in stock

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain HP Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 77 Grain HP Boat Tail Matchking 500 Count by SIERRA BULLETSDesigned for Service Rifle competition in the M16A2/AR-15A2, our 22 caliber bullets have set an incredible number of new national records. The 77 grain #9377 MatchKing allows seating to an OAL that permits...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

Those perform pretty poorly on game. I’ve shot a ton of groundhogs with them, some coyotes, and hogs and one small deer and they usually don’t expand or fragment at all, usually they just pencil through. I lost the deer and several yotes. Groundhogs usually required multiple shots too. I’d say maybe 20% of the groundhogs shot with them they fragmented.

I’ll still use them for groundhogs and pests in a pinch but I still prefer them to not suffer and no way would I use them on the animals that people in this thread are shooting with TMK’s.

 

[BigNate]

I buy 77gr SMK for practice, etc. Save the TMKs for bloodletting.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

223 isn’t legal for deer or big game where I hunt. Still, I have waded through this thread (took me several sessions!) and I have found it informative and interesting.

So thanks for everyone who has made constructive posts in it.

The TMK seems to punch above its caliber and is a formidable load.

Seeing mention of this thread on snipershide is what brought me to rokslide.

Send them a link to this thread, and tell them to get hot on changing their dumb laws.

 

[roosiebull]

Those perform pretty poorly on game. I’ve shot a ton of groundhogs with them, some coyotes, and hogs and one small deer and they usually don’t expand or fragment at all, usually they just pencil through. I lost the deer and several yotes. Groundhogs usually required multiple shots too. I’d say maybe 20% of the groundhogs shot with them they fragmented.

I’ll still use them for groundhogs and pests in a pinch but I still prefer them to not suffer and no way would I use them on the animals that people in this thread are shooting with TMK’s.

I shot a lion with one, and my wife shot a buck with one, and a few coyotes (smk 77gr) and certainly had mixed results… everything died, but some of them didn’t disrupt, some did.

I shot the big Tom lion 4 times before he could get out of dodge, so that’s not a fair representation on effectiveness, haha… first shot was quarter to, and I shot him base of neck through everything and he just kind of spooked broadside, then I killed him again, that shot dropped him, he started rolling around so I killed him again, then he got up and ran and that shot wasn’t great, but that was the only open spot around in a big patch of dog hair reprod, and I really didn’t want to track that thing in that stuff.. he didn’t go far, just far enough to stress me out for a second… there was not a lot of destruction when I started breaking him down, nothing like seen over and over in this thread… my wife’s buck the same… nothing stressful, 2 shots and dead deer, but again, nothing like the tmk seems to

 

[Grundy53]

I buy 77gr SMK for practice, etc. Save the TMKs for bloodletting.

This was my thinking. TMKs are hard to find. Save them for hunting. Shoot these up at the range.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[DJL2]

223 isn’t legal for deer or big game where I hunt. Still, I have waded through this thread (took me several sessions!) and I have found it informative and interesting.

So thanks for everyone who has made constructive posts in it.

The TMK seems to punch above its caliber and is a formidable load.

Seeing mention of this thread on snipershide is what brought me to rokslide.

Was it the link I dropped?

The TMK is a great bullet across the range, really. Next to the ELD-M, it’s my favorite “do it all” choice.

 

[SBR Sarge]

Was it the link I dropped?

The TMK is a great bullet across the range, really. Next to the ELD-M, it’s my favorite “do it all” choice.

DJL2,
I can’t remember which link I folowed to here, or even what thread it was in. I might be getting old and forgetful! It was fairly recently, I think in the semi-auto forum section.

I’ve shot some really tight groups quite consistently with the SMKs, but the TMKs seem to not do as well. But, for hunting or defense, a 1moa rifle/ammo cmbination is probably just as good as .75moa.

I’ve never really looked into the ELD-M for hunting. In my 6ARC the ELD-X groups just as superbly as the ELD-M, and the other rifles I hiunt with have Barnes TSX or TTSX, or some other all copper loads available. This’ll give me something more to glean info on and I just might learn something else here!

Cheers!

 

[DJL2]

DJL2,

I’ve shot some really tight groups quite consistently with the SMKs, but the TMKs seem to not do as well. But, for hunting or defense, a 1moa rifle/ammo cmbination is probably just as good as .75moa.
Cheers!

My own experience with SMK vs TMK tracks the conventional wisdom concerning tangent ogive “traditional” bullets and secant/VLD ogive designs. For me, the TMK have always exhibited sensitivity to “jump” - so much so that I’ve experienced three different powders and multiple charge weights shooting ~.65” average per 5@100 when it’s right and refusing to group under 1-1.5” when it’s not.

Addendum for clarity - that’s with 6.5mm 130 TMK. I bought a bunch as my one bullet to rule them all for my 6.5 CM family (lucky too, they were both on sale and all I could find). My 77 TMK experience is loaded ammo from American Reloading. I run that from a 16” AR with a RDS to “good enough” levels of precision.

 

[Castle Rock]

I have found the 77 TMK the easiest heavy .224 to tune bar none, in quite a few rifles

 

[redneckbmxer24]

SMK for practice vs TMK for hunting is likely going to be a different POI and definitely different drop and wind drift. Out to 300 or so the difference will likely be marginal.

The Berger 77gr OTM fragments very consistently and is very jump tolerant and easy to load. I never shot a deer with one but I shot a number of groundhogs and coyotes and 95%+ were DRT.

 

[ElPollo]

Anyone try the 77 gr Scenars?

 

[EastCoaster]

Anyone here have any experience with the 1:8 twist howa mini action?