.223 for bear, deer, elk and moose.

[HandgunHTR]

You could re-barrel to a 22 Bench Rest, and use your existing bolt. The 22 BR should be able to get to 3100 fps with 77 gr. bullets.

Or .22 Creedmoor. However, I would just stick with the .308 and buy a .223.

 

[atmat]

The beauty in the 223 isn’t just that it’s low-recoil and capable of killing elk. It’s that ammo is incredibly cheap and barrel life is long, so you can train with it year round in high volume without significant rebarreling costs.

While the 22BR and 22creed are awesome cartridges, you loose those other benefits.

 

[mi650]

I've skimmed a half dozen pages and gotta say the pics of damage are impressive.

While I'm sure I could be successful with a .223 for deer if I had to, it wouldn't be my 1st choice. I have other tools for the job that I'm more confident in.

On the other hand, they would do the job but .308 or .30-30 wouldn't be my 1st choice for coyotes or groundhogs, either.

 

[LiveFire]

I've skimmed a half dozen pages and gotta say the pics of damage are impressive.

While I'm sure I could be successful with a .223 for deer if I had to, it wouldn't be my 1st choice. I have other tools for the job that I'm more confident in.

On the other hand, they would do the job but .308 or .30-30 wouldn't be my 1st choice for coyotes or groundhogs, either.

If you read the 238 pages you might make 223 and a 77gr tmk your new go to for deer.

 

[kipper09]

I haven’t read all the pages but are you guys shooting factory 77 tmk ammo? If so what exactly are you shooting?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brontosaurus]

I reload mine but I think @mtnwrunner uses black hills 5.56 with good success

 

[LiveFire]

I haven’t read all the pages but are you guys shooting factory 77 tmk ammo? If so what exactly are you shooting?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For factory ammo it looks like black hills and aac are the most popular but I think most are reloading

 

[Tartan]

I haven’t read all the pages but are you guys shooting factory 77 tmk ammo? If so what exactly are you shooting?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Black hills 77 tmk shoots great out of my tikka

 

[mi650]

If you read the 238 pages you might make 223 and a 77gr tmk your new go to for deer.

I've killed far more deer with a bow/crossbow than a gun of any kind, about 5-1 over the years.

At this point, I'm very happy with my X-Model .30-30. It's very soft shooting, very quiet suppressed, and I haven't had to track any deer I've shot with it.

Also, there's no way I could see a deer 300 yards away in my woods, let alone shoot one. If I was hunting somewhere more open, my choice would be different. Who knows, maybe I'd give the TMK a try in my RPR. Pretty sure it's up to the task.

5 round group.

 

[Sadler]

After reading this thread over the years and having my doubts about me personally being able to kill elk with the 223 and always needing a magnum, I finally bought one and practiced and practiced over the past year. This gun is stupid fun to shoot and I couldn’t tell the difference from the TMK wound and the 147 ELDM wounds on this mature cow my buddy shot today (didn’t get any pictures of the wound channels on the cow) she was shot at 500 yards, impact velocity was 1966 FPS


The day before this we found a little 4x4 trying to get lucky with a group of 8 cows and I was able to put him down right at 400 yards and impact velocity was 2119 FPS. Put the first one right behind the shoulder. He hunched a bit and then took a few steps back. He was dead on his feet. But I keep shooting elk until they’re down. I’ve had and seen hard lessons learned from not doing that and I’m sure most of us have. So I sent two more his way and he took a tumble down the hill and landed on an old logging road. The combination of a 223 and the Ultra 9 suppressor is such a good mix. The cows he was with could not care less about the shots and just walked away after he fell and he never made an attempt to run after the first shot.

I should also mention, this all happened in a hurry. I had seen the cows first and was making my way to them, bumped some mule deer which in turn got the bulls attention and he all of a sudden appeared and was heading up the mountain and for the tree line. I threw my pack down as a rest, got behind the gun and he stopped and looked back right before he went out of sight. I had maybe 15 yards left of visibility. Right when he stopped that’s when I sent one. Saw it hit in the scope too which was pretty awesome. Then sent two more and my season was over.


After this season and personally witnessing the absolute distraction this little bullet does, I’m a true believer. I need a 22UM now pushing the TMK. Here are a few necropsy? Pics of my bull. Two exit wounds and found one jacket in the lungs. Can’t wait for next year! Thanks @Formidilosus and @PNWGATOR for showing me the light!

 

[mtnwrunner]

Atta boy! Very nice.

Randy

 

[ThatDUDE]

After reading this thread over the years and having my doubts about me personally being able to kill elk with the 223 and always needing a magnum, I finally bought one and practiced and practiced over the past year. This gun is stupid fun to shoot and I couldn’t tell the difference from the TMK wound and the 147 ELDM wounds on this mature cow my buddy shot today (didn’t get any pictures of the wound channels on the cow) she was shot at 500 yards, impact velocity was 1966 FPS
View attachment 614303

The day before this we found a little 4x4 trying to get lucky with a group of 8 cows and I was able to put him down right at 400 yards and impact velocity was 2119 FPS. Put the first one right behind the shoulder. He hunched a bit and then took a few steps back. He was dead on his feet. But I keep shooting elk until they’re down. I’ve had and seen hard lessons learned from not doing that and I’m sure most of us have. So I sent two more his way and he took a tumble down the hill and landed on an old logging road. The combination of a 223 and the Ultra 9 suppressor is such a good mix. The cows he was with could not care less about the shots and just walked away after he fell and he never made an attempt to run after the first shot.

I should also mention, this all happened in a hurry. I had seen the cows first and was making my way to them, bumped some mule deer which in turn got the bulls attention and he all of a sudden appeared and was heading up the mountain and for the tree line. I threw my pack down as a rest, got behind the gun and he stopped and looked back right before he went out of sight. I had maybe 15 yards left of visibility. Right when he stopped that’s when I sent one. Saw it hit in the scope too which was pretty awesome. Then sent two more and my season was over.
View attachment 614305View attachment 614304View attachment 614316

After this season and personally witnessing the absolute distraction this little bullet does, I’m a true believer. I need a 22UM now pushing the TMK. Here are a few necropsy? Pics of my bull. Two exit wounds and found one jacket in the lungs. Can’t wait for next year! Thanks @Formidilosus and @PNWGATOR for showing me the light!


View attachment 614306View attachment 614307View attachment 614317View attachment 614309View attachment 614308

Dude. Congratulations. Those yardages (400 and 500) make me rethink just doing that combo.
I was wondering what the spec's of your load are and what barrel length are you running. I didn't think the .223 / 77TMK combo still had that much velocity left at 500 yards.

 

[Pharmseller]

@Sadler what state are you hunting?




P

 

[Sadler]

@Sadler what state are you hunting?




P

Idaho.

Dude. Congratulations. Those yardages (400 and 500) make me rethink just doing that combo.
I was wondering what the spec's of your load are and what barrel length are you running. I didn't think the .223 / 77TMK combo still had that much velocity left at 500 yards.

Thanks man. It’s a stainless tikka chopped to 16” and I’m getting 2800 FPS at the muzzle using the book max load of N540 in norma brass with cci 400 primers. Those impact velocities I had were at 6000 ft elevation. Listen to form on the shoot to hunt podcast if you haven’t already. Episode 39 I believe. He talks about this specific bullet being able to kill a pretty low velocities. It’s a great listen.

 

[Formidilosus]

After reading this thread over the years and having my doubts about me personally being able to kill elk with the 223 and always needing a magnum, I finally bought one and practiced and practiced over the past year. This gun is stupid fun to shoot and I couldn’t tell the difference from the TMK wound and the 147 ELDM wounds on this mature cow my buddy shot today (didn’t get any pictures of the wound channels on the cow) she was shot at 500 yards, impact velocity was 1966 FPS
View attachment 614303

The day before this we found a little 4x4 trying to get lucky with a group of 8 cows and I was able to put him down right at 400 yards and impact velocity was 2119 FPS. Put the first one right behind the shoulder. He hunched a bit and then took a few steps back. He was dead on his feet. But I keep shooting elk until they’re down. I’ve had and seen hard lessons learned from not doing that and I’m sure most of us have. So I sent two more his way and he took a tumble down the hill and landed on an old logging road. The combination of a 223 and the Ultra 9 suppressor is such a good mix. The cows he was with could not care less about the shots and just walked away after he fell and he never made an attempt to run after the first shot.

I should also mention, this all happened in a hurry. I had seen the cows first and was making my way to them, bumped some mule deer which in turn got the bulls attention and he all of a sudden appeared and was heading up the mountain and for the tree line. I threw my pack down as a rest, got behind the gun and he stopped and looked back right before he went out of sight. I had maybe 15 yards left of visibility. Right when he stopped that’s when I sent one. Saw it hit in the scope too which was pretty awesome. Then sent two more and my season was over.
View attachment 614305View attachment 614304View attachment 614316

After this season and personally witnessing the absolute distraction this little bullet does, I’m a true believer. I need a 22UM now pushing the TMK. Here are a few necropsy? Pics of my bull. Two exit wounds and found one jacket in the lungs. Can’t wait for next year! Thanks @Formidilosus and @PNWGATOR for showing me the light!


View attachment 614306View attachment 614307View attachment 614317View attachment 614309View attachment 614308

Good job.

 

[ThatDUDE]

I have been in the process of gathering 6mm ARC components for that little extra distance before minimum expansion velocity and heavier bullet weight. Seeing this year's .223/77TMK carnage especially on 3 branch antlered bulls has me really questioning myself. Especially when I only plan on chasing cows and spikes the next few years.

 

[Formidilosus]

I have been in the process of gathering 6mm ARC components for that little extra distance before minimum expansion velocity and heavier bullet weight. Seeing this year's .223/77TMK carnage especially on 3 branch antlered bulls has me really questioning myself. Especially when I only plan on chasing cows and spikes the next few years.

There are multiple bulls sprinkled throughout this thread going back to nearly the beginning. There is zero (0) functional difference in killing between a normal cow and a bull. Bulls are not “tougher”, nor are they much thicker (wider) through the chest. If anything they die easier/travel less after being hit than cows do.

That a cartridge is ok “for cows or small bulls, but not for mature ‘herd bulls’” is just more fudd lore nonsense. It has no basis in reality. Cows, fawns, spike bulls, rag horns, and the world record all die the same from the same arrows- bullets aren’t any different

 

[JPeters218]

Idaho.

Thanks man. It’s a stainless tikka chopped to 16” and I’m getting 2800 FPS at the muzzle using the book max load of N540 in norma brass with cci 400 primers. Those impact velocities I had were at 6000 ft elevation. Listen to form on the shoot to hunt podcast if you haven’t already. Episode 39 I believe. He talks about this specific bullet being able to kill a pretty low velocities. It’s a great listen.

 

[Pharmseller]

There are multiple bulls sprinkled throughout this thread going back to nearly the beginning. There is zero (0) functional difference in killing between a normal cow and a bull. Bulls are not “tougher”, nor are they much thicker (wider) through the chest. If anything they die easier/travel less after being hit than cows do.

That a cartridge is ok “for cows or small bulls, but not for mature ‘herd bulls’” is just more fudd lore nonsense. It has no basis in reality. Cows, fawns, spike bulls, rag horns, and the world record all die the same from the same arrows- bullets aren’t any different

The verbiage I get is a mature bull has a much more robust structure. Bones are significantly bigger and musculature is significantly more dense, therefore a hunter need more power.

I don’t buy it.




P

 

[Formidilosus]

The verbiage I get is a mature bull has a much more robust structure. Bones are significantly bigger and musculature is significantly more dense, therefore a hunter need more power.

I don’t buy it.

I had a mature bull elk scapula in my truck the last few months. When someone would bring up how tough or big elk are I would hand them the “shoulder” and ask them what animal it was from. I believe every single person, including a couple that are supposedly very knowledgeable, stated it was a deer scapula. I also had a mature deer scapula and they all swore it was from a fawn.

People are ignorant.