Thread: 223 on deer

Originally Posted by 25/08 IMP

Get yourself some 80grn Targex they go well in my Tikka.

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How do they go with the very short throat in the Tikka's. I would have thought these projectiles would intrude way too far into the powder capacity. I find that the 69gn Target has a very long tapered bullet ogive so if the 80gn was a similar profile it might even have the ogive down inside the case neck which would not work too well at all.

Originally Posted by zeropak

How do they go with the very short throat in the Tikka's. I would have thought these projectiles would intrude way too far into the powder capacity. I find that the 69gn Target has a very long tapered bullet ogive so if the 80gn was a similar profile it might even have the ogive down inside the case neck which would not work too well at all.

Yeah. You need a long bolt stop and long Waters' mag for the 80 grn Targex really.
The 73 grain ELDM work well in the standard 2.3" mag and are pretty effective. As are the 69 Targex.

Originally Posted by zeropak

How do they go with the very short throat in the Tikka's. I would have thought these projectiles would intrude way too far into the powder capacity. I find that the 69gn Target has a very long tapered bullet ogive so if the 80gn was a similar profile it might even have the ogive down inside the case neck which would not work too well at all.

I don't consider Tikka to have a short throat.
I use a waterman mag and a medium bolt stop to seat them out to 20 thou off the lands

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Originally Posted by zeropak

How do they go with the very short throat in the Tikka's. I would have thought these projectiles would intrude way too far into the powder capacity. I find that the 69gn Target has a very long tapered bullet ogive so if the 80gn was a similar profile it might even have the ogive down inside the case neck which would not work too well at all.

Only target I had on my phone

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I’m running a long waters mag and haven’t had to change my bolt stop. Using 80 eldm and targex seated out to just touching, same poi for both

Originally Posted by Hayden

I’m running a long waters mag and haven’t had to change my bolt stop. Using 80 eldm and targex seated out to just touching, same poi for both

Thats good. I just changed my bolt stop before thinking or trying it as it was with the waters mag.

Hello from the states! I was google searching 223rem for deer hunting when I stumbled upon this excellent post! What scopes are you using? Sound like a lot of you are dialing/turning turrets? What power range are you typically using? I believe someone mentioned using a Tract scope? What bipods are you using?

I bought left-handed Tikka t3x CTR in 223rem 24" barrel with 1:8 twist. Mainly because the 10-round ctr magazines allow longer COAL to use those long 75/80 gr eld-match bullets. I believe those 88gr eld-m require a 1:7 twist? Not sure if the CTR model is available in New Zealand?

I use a swarovski Z5 scope on my 223, works mint

Originally Posted by leomort

Hello from the states! I was google searching 223rem for deer hunting when I stumbled upon this excellent post! What scopes are you using? Sound like a lot of you are dialing/turning turrets? What power range are you typically using? I believe someone mentioned using a Tract scope? What bipods are you using?

I bought left-handed Tikka t3x CTR in 223rem 24" barrel with 1:8 twist. Mainly because the 10-round ctr magazines allow longer COAL to use those long 75/80 gr eld-match bullets. I believe those 88gr eld-m require a 1:7 twist? Not sure if the CTR model is available in New Zealand?

Welcome to the forum.
Yes. Lots of people over here using the 223rem on deer, ranging in size from fallow to red. The 70+ grain bullets seem to be the way to go and your rifle should shoot them well. Scopes etc are a matter of personal choice. I personally use a 3-15x VX5 as a lot of my shooting is 200 yards+ and sometimes at small targets (wallaby - introduced from Australia). Go to the introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself.

Gave my mate some 55gr Sierra Spitzer for goat ammo. Says its brutally accurate in his XBolt which normally runs 55gr Barnes. No adjustment required. Head shot 3 deer last 4 days.Wonders never cease.

Shearer,

Thank you for the welcome! I posted an introduction as well as "how did I find NZ hunting forums post as well.

Anyone used the 75gn hornady HPBT on deer. They shoot really well in both my Tikkas and the price per 100 is around $60 100, so well priced.

Long story about my Savage Model 10 storm.

What did I want in a 223 - light weight, accurate, weather proof, five shot flush magazine, decent barrel twist to shoot up to 70g projectiles.

What did I get, a rifle that would not feed from the magazine which negated it’s the entire usefulness.
The only reason I put so much time into this rifle is, Savages have a tendency to shoot well, I like the action set up, removable bolt head. The throat seems to be weigh out there, yet it shoots cheap 55g hornady spbt well with a 1/9 barrel twist.

But delighted to say she's all good now, after many modifications’ which should never be needed on a fit for purpose firearm. I couldn’t on sell it to anyone not feeding rounds, as a single shot.
Wrecked a magazine, trying to get it to feed, bedded the action 3 times as magazine height dependant on bedding.

Main problem the feed ramp being too shallow it just would not feed from the magazine. Solution build up the feed ramp with JBs weld.

Tupperware stock, I love the feel & adjustable length of stock yet still flimsy at the fore end, corrected with terminal ballistics stock stiffening compound.
Magazine ended up heavily modified to make it more secure, not flop around, but that’s my fault. Adjusted for length so as to use the 69g Targex projectile, also modified the bolt throw to accommodate extra length, which somehow made the action smoother. Only thing to improve would be take 2mm off the breech redo the shoulder bring the lands closer, be better for the 69 grainers, but for now happy. light hunting rifle, shoot easy half moa & better.
Got a soft spot for 223 and 6 pound all weather rifle that shoots. Hooray

Originally Posted by Tahr

Yeah. You need a long bolt stop and long Waters' mag for the 80 grn Targex really.
The 73 grain ELDM work well in the standard 2.3" mag and are pretty effective. As are the 69 Targex.

My waters Mags have arrived. Thanks for the info @Tahr. I went for the standard length version which gives around 2mm extra loaded length compared to the standard Tikka mags. After measuring max the length to the land for the projectiles I use. 73gn ELDM, 69gn Targex and 75gn Hornady HPBT I found that the extra 2mm was enough to get the OALL length out to on or very close to the lands. Interestingly the 69gn targex which is the lightest of there projectiles needed the longest OALL to due to the long tapered Ogive but even with this one I can get to withing 1.2mm of the lands.

And the 80grn Targex measures the same as the 69 from memory

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