.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

[haywoodhunter]

Data point for the 75 Sabre.

Doe
62yd shot from 16” tikka suppressed
At the shot, she basically acted bow shot, hopped, trotted about 40ish, wobbled, fell over. Probably 8 seconds start to finish. No blood to speak of on the ground.

Bullet entered left side mid height right behind the shoulder. She was quartered towards me, bullet impacted offside ribs just in front of the diaphragm. Huge hole through near side lung, some damage to rear of offside lung, somehow stomach was hit and that made the whole inside a mess(assuming from fragments). Couple pieces of jacket pulled from the wound in the offside ribs.

View attachment 962811
Onside lung
View attachment 962812
Entrance side from inside
View attachment 962813
Damage to offside ribs just in front of diaphragm
View attachment 962814
Entrance side, hide removed. Note the major blood shot along the belly, I was surprised by that.
View attachment 962815
Offside with hide/shoulder removed.

I’m not nearly as good with these necropsies as most of yall but hopefully this is somewhat helpful since there doesn’t seem to be too much out for the Sabre yet

After the 75 sabre success Friday I wanted to shoot one with 77tmk to kind of compare.



80ish yd shot, slightly quartered towards me. (Entrance visible in the above photo) She mule kicked then dashed about 30yds and died on the run, I was able to watch the whole thing. She was dead in ~4 seconds I’d say

Exit side visible after I drug her to the path and flipped her over.


Entrance with shoulder removed


Exit with shoulder removed

View inside. You can just see entrance up on the right, exit on the left.


Lungs were pretty trashed.


This deer left a very useful blood trail, though it wasn’t needed.

Sample size of one but my observation comparing my kill with the Tmk to my kill with the Sabre-sure seems like the Sabre showed more upset and less penetration, though I’d be perfectly happy shooting another deer with the Sabre.

 

[The Guide]

Page 600!

Jay

 

[sierracharlie338]

That’s a heck of a thread!

@PNWGATOR

 

[turley]

Reading through the thread most are using heavy for caliber bullets which I’d definitely prefer.
As I live in CA where copper/monolithic is a requirement what would be the recommended manufactured ammo/bullet (I do not hand load) for the .223 Rem for deer sized game (seems Hornady and Barnes make them in the 50gr-55gr range)?

 

[RockAndSage]

Reading through the thread most are using heavy for caliber bullets which I’d definitely prefer.
As I live in CA where copper/monolithic is a requirement what would be the recommended manufactured ammo/bullet for the .223 Rem for deer sized game (seems Hornady and Barnes make them in the 50gr-55gr range)?

If you want details, go up to the search function at the top, select to search "this thread", and run a search for "barnes". You'll find about 10 pages worth of comments on people's recommendations, results, why's behind it all, etc.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

^^on that note what's the word on the DRT ammo/projectiles?

 

[gbflyer]

Reading through the thread most are using heavy for caliber bullets which I’d definitely prefer.
As I live in CA where copper/monolithic is a requirement what would be the recommended manufactured ammo/bullet (I do not hand load) for the .223 Rem for deer sized game (seems Hornady and Barnes make them in the 50gr-55gr range)?

There are factory 70gr Barnes TSX loads.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[old bugger]

Success for the 16” tikka 223, 77 tmk black hills. Slight quartering away deer 103 yards away from
me. Aimed at the neck shoulder junction due to the angle. Instant drop, no fuss.

While field dressing, I was very impressed with the internal damage. It just reinforced how for I don’t really have any performance-based desire to shoot anything else when shots are expected to be shorter than 430 yards (right when I fall below 1800 fps at my DA).

What is that in ft. lbs. 450-500?

 

[KHntr]

Reading through the thread most are using heavy for caliber bullets which I’d definitely prefer.
As I live in CA where copper/monolithic is a requirement what would be the recommended manufactured ammo/bullet (I do not hand load) for the .223 Rem for deer sized game (seems Hornady and Barnes make them in the 50gr-55gr range)?

Between myself, kids, and former gf’s, I’ve killed coyotes/deer/black bears with 1:12, 1:9, and 1:8 twist rifles using the 45/50/53 TSX, 50 GMX, 55/62 TTSX. The only ones that had “impressive” results were the 45 TSX started at 3850 fps, and the 50 GMX from a 1:8 at 3200 fps. Once I started using 75 Amax’s, the results from the mono’s were no longer “impressive”.
Longest shot was a bit less than 250 yards and that was a GMX my daughter stuck into a buck in his throat patch at -30*C. Didn’t exit, but killed him dead RFN. Also didn’t sever his spinal column.

I’d try the Hammers, but I don’t really have a need to change from 88’s.

 

[E.Shell]

What is that in ft. lbs. 450-500?

Probably.

Good thing kinetic energy doesn't have anything to do with bullet expansion, tissue damage or lethality.

 

[rbutcher1234]

Probably.

Good thing kinetic energy doesn't have anything to do with bullet expansion, tissue damage or lethality.

Yep, I frankly do not care what the kinetic energy, knockdown factor, or whatever metric is being used to measure performance at distance here other than impact velocity of the bullet.

 

[Rockpicker]

Username fits

 

[old bugger]

Do you think the GameKings hold together better than the MatchKings? The few I have shot with a MK seem to cause more damage but more work to get all of the fragments out. But each time my wife has gone out with the GK, she either misses or doesn't see anything within range. I think she's too noisy but she says it's the gun.

I've shot many whitetails with the 65gr Sierra GK, for me it's worked great. Usually I find 2 pieces
the Jacket peeled back against the off side hide & the lead slug mushroomed with some lead missing from the front, lots of times 40-50 grains still there. It don't blow up like a lot of 224" bullets. I like em. But I like the 75 BTHP too, where it gets no love here LOL. With the 75 gr Hornady you need velocity & Closer than 400yds lol.

 

[CJ_BG]

^^on that note what's the word on the DRT ammo/projectiles?

A lot like bergers, couple inches of neck length and then disintegration inside the animal.

Very lethal just different than a lot of people are used to

 

[old bugger]

Yep, I frankly do not care what the kinetic energy, knockdown factor, or whatever metric is being used to measure performance at distance here other than impact velocity of the bullet.

Right, thats why you guys never talk about velocity, LOL. You don't talk about ft. lbs. of energy, thats fact.
I wouldn't either, esp. at 430yds. I've taken more deer with 5.56/223 than most of you Xperts.
Not a doubt in my mind. Sounds like most of you are on a mission to collect "data". Sad.

 

[RockAndSage]

^^on that note what's the word on the DRT ammo/projectiles?

No experience at all with them, but IIRC, I think I've seen @Formidilosus say that these are the way if you have to go copper.

 

[Chris in TN]

A quick search didn't turn this up - anyone using the Sierra 62 grain Gameking?

22 CAL 62 GR SBT GameKing (SGK)

The Bulletsmiths®. Reloadable bullets for rifles and pistols designed for precision target shooting, hunting, and defense. Crafting a tradition of precision since 1947.

sierrabullets.com

Specifically, will it stabilize in a 12 twist? If not, is there a bullet in the 60-65 grain class that will stabilize? This would be for a 26" 1-12 twist Tikka 595 .223 strictly for use at 0-250 yards on southern whitetails (or smaller).

(ETA: Specifically looking for conventional cup/core soft points or bonded lead/copper. Not mono.

 

[naked wombats]

I was actually wondering about potential modern projectile options for 1:12 last night. My use would be in a 14" barrel however

 

[RockAndSage]

I was actually wondering about potential modern projectile options for 1:12 last night. My use would be in a 14" barrel however

Sierra does make the TMK in 60gr. Talk to @KyleR1985 , he can hook you up at a great price.

 

[naked wombats]

Sierra does make the TMK in 60gr. Talk to @KyleR1985 , he can hook you up at a great price.

Awesome! I will look into that.