Thread: 223 on deer

This is what I’ve killed with


50gr NBT 53TSX 60NBT 62TSX 77TMK and the loaded round is factory 63gr SP that was part of a DHS contract in 2007 when I bought a case of it.

Just for comparison

75gr AAC SabreBlade black tip 77TMK 75Amax

The black tip is either made in-house at AAC or by Hornady. Either way, they are accurate in AAC factory loads and their jacket is .005” thicker than a TMK. I laid into a fair amount for reloading at 20 cents each.

I don’t take the gospel of that other 223 thread online. Not everyone needs to kill animals at 1000 yards. There’s a ton of bullets to choose that work at 400 yards and in. I’ve never been a cool kid. I do have over 500 TMK so I’ll never run out if all I do is use them for hunting but I’m going to give the 75 SBBT a run this year and see how they go. I have 5600 bullets to reload in .224 caliber so I’m set unless something groundbreaking comes out. Or I rebarrel to a 7 twist and use 80gr eldm exclusively and sell all the other bullets.

The 75amax/eldm and 77 TMK shoot well out of 9 twist Savages because their twist is more of 8.25-8.5 twist according to a cleaning rod.