223 on deer

well I wasnt going to say anything...but why not...the good the bad and the ugly right????
lined up fallow stag in misty conditions last week...all of 75-80 yards,fired and unseen hind spun around all wobbly like....the 50grn sierra had hit her in bum...literally
side on it went through about inch forward and inch up from her anus.....and she went all of ten yards,fortunately towards me on front legs before laying down in tussocks with head up watching me...2nd shot in head finished it off.
now that is by far and away the worst place Ive ever shot a deer...shot plenty UP the bum with bigger rifles in 90s when few deer were seen and I took whatever shot was in offering before deer dissapeared...surprised me to find projectile still in otherside rump meat,perfectly expanded.
Im guessing the pure shock travelled up spine temporarily paralyzing back wheels not to mention the pelvis being broken.....I got very lucky...lesson learnt.
fallow are STILL my nemesis animal

Tonight's job. I'm dreadful at judging the size of pigs.

Attachment 186348

Attachment 186349

Yesterday evening with my boys, stalked to 150m and shot with a Hornady 68gr bthp. Very impressive damage, making a mess of the vitals, performance similar to that of an Amax. The boys did very well bashing our way through Manuka at night, all the way back to the top of the ridge.

Attachment 186412

gimp...that size is the yum size....good work...and not too heavy to carry out either....I can almost see the spare ribs on your oven tray from that tasty porker.

Just been in and ordered my .223 this morning. I cant wait to join in this thread next year. .222 will retire to the safe for 15 years .

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

Just been in and ordered my .223 this morning. I cant wait to join in this thread next year. .222 will retire to the safe for 15 years .

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@Nathan F How long do you have to wait for the new one?

@Tahr Not long. The rifle is here Just need the mods done. I couldnt justify 6 k for another carbonlight. I brought a T3X superlight. Having the barrel cut 2". Lightweight over barrel supressor. Replace stock with a carbon one. Flute the bolt . Replace the bolt handle. Lighten the trigger. Put the swaro on top and job done. Hammer time !

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

@Tahr Not long. The rifle is here Just need the mods done. I couldnt justify 6 k for another carbonlight. I brought a T3X superlight. Having the barrel cut 2". Lightweight over barrel supressor. Replace stock with a carbon one. Flute the bolt . Replace the bolt handle. Lighten the trigger. Put the swaro on top and job done. Hammer time !

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@Nathan F Nice. A rifle like that is on the list for one day but a dream for now. What did it cost all up if you don't mind sharing?

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Originally Posted by Hahn

@Nathan F Nice. A rifle like that is on the list for one day but a dream for now. What did it cost all up if you don't mind sharing?

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Honestly dont know. Didnt ask. Less than a carbonlight anyway

I had the opportunity this past weekend to go fill the freezer with some venison and to help the farmer out with their deer 'problem'.

My usual deer huntin' rifle has no scope on it currently, so it's smaller sibling got to go out instead. I've got good loads with two bullets that are suitable for the job. Deer numbers one and two were poleaxed by a neck/base of skull shot and a head shot respectively. Realistically I could have taken these shots with the 53 V-Max I use on wobblies and smaller critters, but what I actually used was the Sierra 77g TMK as weilded very effectively by @Tahr. I thought if a shot on a fallow or red yearling presented itself I could slot one precisely through the ribs and would be fine. Circumstances meant I had perfect shooting position available and was able to take the very emphatic meat-saving head/neck shots - very happy with the outcome. I'll write up something about the weekend over the holidays.

Deer number three got smacked over by a different bullet - the Speer 75g Gold Dot. We had been told there was a good likelihood of seeing pigs in the area we went to Saturday evening, so the Gold Dot seemed like a good choice as they are reputed to expand well but not lose any weight of note.

After my trusty offsider @Pommy had ventilated one unwary fallow spiker with an Eld-M from his 284 his two mates appeared to run off. But spikers being spikers at this time of year, they reappeared out of the scrub and mostly seemed confused as to why their mate was taking a nap! Now I had to get off a good shot promptly before they ran off and Pommy had my pack, so prone off the elbows it was, threading the shot through the tall grass in front of us. At the shot there was a solid whump and the deer reared up on its back legs then tumbled over and died.

The bullet entered low in the chest smashing the near leg, travelling through the chest and popping out slightly higher at the back edge of the leg. I didn't gut it so wasn't able to examine organ damage. When we skinned and chopped it up there was considerable damage on the entry side including pooling of a clear jelly like substance. The exit hole seemed to indicate it had expanded nicely - perfect result really.

Attachment 186454

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

@Tahr Not long. The rifle is here Just need the mods done. I couldnt justify 6 k for another carbonlight. I brought a T3X superlight. Having the barrel cut 2". Lightweight over barrel supressor. Replace stock with a carbon one. Flute the bolt . Replace the bolt handle. Lighten the trigger. Put the swaro on top and job done. Hammer time !

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Yay.

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Originally Posted by Hahn

@Nathan F Nice. A rifle like that is on the list for one day but a dream for now. What did it cost all up if you don't mind sharing?

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Not hard to roughly figure.

1,600 for rifle
1,200 for stock
400 for sup and thread
100 for bolt handle

A half price carbon light and just as good.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Not hard to roughly figure.

1,600 for rifle
1,200 for stock
400 for sup and thread
100 for bolt handle

A half price carbon light and just as good.

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Thank you :thumbsup: It's on the list for when I can justify it to the other half.

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Originally Posted by Nathan F

@Tahr Not long. The rifle is here Just need the mods done. I couldnt justify 6 k for another carbonlight. I brought a T3X superlight. Having the barrel cut 2". Lightweight over barrel supressor. Replace stock with a carbon one. Flute the bolt . Replace the bolt handle. Lighten the trigger. Put the swaro on top and job done. Hammer time !

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And a mag that allows a decent OAL to load an 80 out long ideally

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Originally Posted by gimp

And a mag that allows a decent OAL to load an 80 out long ideally

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Thanks for the tip. What sort of OAL are we talking ?

66mm in the case of these. https://www.watersrifleman.com/magazines/

I can't vouch for the quality of that option personally but there are other options also. A longer OAL mag gives a lot more options for flexibility with 75+ gr bullets

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Originally Posted by gimp

66mm in the case of these. https://www.watersrifleman.com/magazines/

I can't vouch for the quality of that option personally but there are other options also. A longer OAL mag gives a lot more options for flexibility with 75+ gr bullets

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@Nathan F I have a spare Waterman Tikka mag if you need it - we can do a deal. They give you quite a bit of extra length and work just fine. But the 77 grain Sierra Tipped that I use are especially designed to operate in short magged MSSA rifles and work just fine in the standard T3 mag.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

@Nathan F I have a spare Waterman Tikka mag if you need it - we can do a deal. They give you quite a bit of extra length and work just fine. But the 77 grain Sierra Tipped that I use are especially designed to operate in short magged MSSA rifles and work just fine in the standard T3 mag.

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Beautiful. Thank you @Tahr & @gimp . Will sing out once load development starts . Probably be late Jan im pcking. Have a good xmas. Chur

Here is another one i thought worth asking on here.
How does the 69gr SMK go on deer at 223 velocities? I have a little stash of them for on of my 22-250's and they work great at that velocity but have only shot animals up close with it so far.
Do they expand at 223 velocities out to say 300m? i read places that they pencil through deer whithout opening but i am a little bit doubtful of that.

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Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

Here is another one i thought worth asking on here.
How does the 69gr SMK go on deer at 223 velocities? I have a little stash of them for on of my 22-250's and they work great at that velocity but have only shot animals up close with it so far.
Do they expand at 223 velocities out to say 300m? i read places that they pencil through deer whithout opening but i am a little bit doubtful of that.

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I had heard that they don't expand too. But I lung shot a Fallow at about 150 yards odd while wallaby hunting with fairly anaemic Fiocchi factory 69 grn SMK and it worked just fine. It ran about 20 yards and tipped over. The bullet was nicely mushroomed in the off side ribs. Its the only time Ive used them though. They killed wallaby just fine too.

Attachment 186748

Steep 140 yard shot last night. 77 grn Sierra TMK into the high shoulder.

Attachment 186825

Attachment 186826

One for the Howa Mini today - thankful for the wee cheapskate’s precision and lightness for this shot. Used a thin leather sling as a shooter sling resting the elbows on my knees, really steadies things up… Sat ready to go for about 20 minutes, waiting for this guy to browse out from behind cover. Had a fully numb bum when it was time to stand up from the crown fern.

70gr Speer semi-point, about 3150fps. No quibble.

Attachment 189873

Plenty of meat on that fat boy,well done.

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

One for the Howa Mini today - thankful for the wee cheapskate’s precision and lightness for this shot. Used a thin leather sling as a shooter sling resting the elbows on my knees, really steadies things up… Sat ready to go for about 20 minutes, waiting for this guy to browse out from behind cover. Had a fully numb bum when it was time to stand up from the crown fern.

70gr Speer semi-point, about 3150fps. No quibble.

Attachment 189873

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Great shot placement for the .223. Range?

Attachment 189929

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Great shot placement for the .223. Range?

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Er, that wasn't’ where I shot him @Tahr. That’s where I’ve cut a blood letting hole. I shot him in the back of the neck. Destroyed the Atlas vertebrae. 50ish metres.

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

Er, that wasn't’ where I shot him @Tahr. That’s where I’ve cut a blood letting hole. I shot him in the back of the neck. Destroyed the Atlas vertebrae. 50ish metres.

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Hah! I did think that it was a hell of a hole for that bullet :) Oh well, it would have been a good shot then at a longer range :) Atlas shot is good.

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Originally Posted by gimp

Tonight's job. I'm dreadful at judging the size of pigs.

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@gimp are you happy to share the specs on your .223 there. It looks like a deadly little weapon!

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Originally Posted by Makros

@gimp are you happy to share the specs on your .223 there. It looks like a deadly little weapon!

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Quote Originally Posted by Maxx View Post
Hi Gimp,

'Scuse the ignorance, but what is it? And does it have any modifications?

Cheers
It's a model 7 .223, Manners stock, 18" custom 1:8 barrel, with CDI bottom metal to use AICS .223 mags that allow long OAL.

Hello all. My model 7 223 with 1:12 twist is going very nicely with Hornady factory 55 grainers, intended for wallabies and goats.

But it seems I've got lucky and this rifle shoots everything I've tried in it to a very similar point of aim at 100M- within 10-12mm which isn't what ya usually get!

Anyhoo if a bloke wanted the most effective 60/70 gn bullet for the odd deer that pops up when a bloke is out and about (like the one @Tahr is posing with in his nice green jacket) would one bother to change rounds (time permitting) and if so what is the optimum choice. I'm more likely to trip over a Red where I mostly hunt . . .

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Quote Originally Posted by Maxx View Post
Hi Gimp,

'Scuse the ignorance, but what is it? And does it have any modifications?

Cheers
It's a model 7 .223, Manners stock, 18" custom 1:8 barrel, with CDI bottom metal to use AICS .223 mags that allow long OAL.

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Thanks!
Have a Manners Carbon fibre stock on my .270 T3 and rate it too! I can feel a new toy build in the wings... been wanting a .223 again.

Actually found Gimps rifle's birthday post so to speak:
https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....n-223-a-58517/

Kiwi Greg put together a ripper by the looks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tentman

Hello all. My model 7 223 with 1:12 twist is going very nicely with Hornady factory 55 grainers, intended for wallabies and goats.

But it seems I've got lucky and this rifle shoots everything I've tried in it to a very similar point of aim at 100M- within 10-12mm which isn't what ya usually get!

Anyhoo if a bloke wanted the most effective 60/70 gn bullet for the odd deer that pops up when a bloke is out and about (like the one @Tahr is posing with in his nice green jacket) would one bother to change rounds (time permitting) and if so what is the optimum choice. I'm more likely to trip over a Red where I mostly hunt . . .

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Those 55grn Hornady SP pills are awesome on deer I wouldn't bother changing if a deer popped up in front of me.
The heavies are better at longer range with a strong wind.

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tentman

Hello all. My model 7 223 with 1:12 twist is going very nicely with Hornady factory 55 grainers, intended for wallabies and goats.

But it seems I've got lucky and this rifle shoots everything I've tried in it to a very similar point of aim at 100M- within 10-12mm which isn't what ya usually get!

Anyhoo if a bloke wanted the most effective 60/70 gn bullet for the odd deer that pops up when a bloke is out and about (like the one @Tahr is posing with in his nice green jacket) would one bother to change rounds (time permitting) and if so what is the optimum choice. I'm more likely to trip over a Red where I mostly hunt . . .

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If they shoot in your rifle I would use the 69 Targex for every thing. Great on roos and good deer medicine. Not too costly to use on bunnies and paper.
Thats all I use in my Model 7 and it means I don't have to frig around with various loads for different purposes.

I must admit I'm a convert, the performance when loaded appropriately is not bad at all. Below is a sika stag shot at 140m with a 75gr eldm @2780fps, dropped on the spot and didn't move. Repeated that performance on a mature red hind @180, same thing happened, very happy.

Attachment 189969

Just now, 40m standing in the scrub. All instant collapses.

I find these classic 70gr Speer are very capable.

Attachment 190017

man those goats are FAT..... 70grn speers you say...must have a look on my shelf LOL.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flyblown

70gr Speer semi-point, about 3150fps. No quibble.

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@Flyblown what's the load? That's quite fast for a 70gr isn't it? Just curious as my 75gr ELD Load only does 2750 out my howa.

Had to look in my book also @Hunty1

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tentman

Hello all. My model 7 223 with 1:12 twist is going very nicely with Hornady factory 55 grainers, intended for wallabies and goats.

But it seems I've got lucky and this rifle shoots everything I've tried in it to a very similar point of aim at 100M- within 10-12mm which isn't what ya usually get!

Anyhoo if a bloke wanted the most effective 60/70 gn bullet for the odd deer that pops up when a bloke is out and about (like the one @Tahr is posing with in his nice green jacket) would one bother to change rounds (time permitting) and if so what is the optimum choice. I'm more likely to trip over a Red where I mostly hunt . . .

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I just carry a few 50grn TTSX or 55grn TTSX loads in my tit pocket....same load as all other loads just different projectile.... they tip deer n pigs over nicely.
did cock up the other day loading mag in the dark and I shot 3 wallabies with 55grn TTSX..... not ideal at all...far too pricey and too hard for them,did wonder what was going on when first one hopped off looking crook instead of expiring on the spot.