Thread: 223 on deer

Neither

Originally Posted by Oldbloke

Just out of curiosity how do the Sierra 55gr superoos perform?

The labelling says they are just Gamekings. They go well on deer.

https://shootersdelight.com.au/produ...a-1000-pieces/

The 65gr game king is the best deer bullet combination of accuracy and performance on game I have found while being constrained by twist rate....1 in 9 twist

75 gr eldm @10m top of neck shot.
Grumpy bugger charged in to 5m after hearing a fence wire ping. Couldn't get a shot through the sticks that close so stopped him quick after he went to leave.


Only one decent antler, the off side is 3 spikes. He was missing an ear on the good side. That was the only noticeable injury.

Originally Posted by Hunter_Nick

Yeah that was the plan behind extending the throat on mine, being able to run 2208. Still got a 1/2kg of 2206h to burn through first!

I still get better velocity with 2206 than 2208 but that powder space with the long throat is key to the tikkas shooting the 80s in my opinion mines a laser beam with the 80

Tried out some new loads through the .223 yesterday. Tikka t3x with 20" barrel and DPT suppressor. 25gn of 2208 with the 73gn ELDM gives me an average or 2760 fps. 25grains is a full case, OALL is 59.2 mm which is 0.3mm off the lands. Using a 61mm waters mag.
tried 2206h for the first time. same OALL with the 73gn ELDM.
24gn- 2860 fps
24.5gn- 2910fps
25gn- 2950fps

There was a gradual increase in primer cratering but even at 25gn it looked acceptable.
I may drop back to the 24.5gn load just to be on the safe side.

All these loads shot to the same POI and were grouped well under the inch at 100 m
with all 9 shots 3x3 test loads.
So at this point even with a change in the chamber to give a longer throat for longer OALL I would be surprised if I could beat the 2206H

Out of interest I also tried some CFE223.
24.5gn- 2712fps
25gn- 2800fps
25.5- 2850fps

No pressure signs and no primer cratering even at the 25.5gn load. So I think this powder shows some promise. Even though the 25.5gn is up around book max I will be trying 26gn and 26.5gn next range day. CFE is a very fine grain powder so no issues with case capacity which I like.

Originally Posted by TeRei

You mean it got reamed out further? Not just runnig an extended Waters mag?

Yes reamed out 2mm

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

The 65gr game king is the best deer bullet combination of accuracy and performance on game I have found while being constrained by twist rate....1 in 9 twist

Tikka 8T does the bizo and BM2.

Originally Posted by zeropak

Tried out some new loads through the .223 yesterday. Tikka t3x with 20" barrel and DPT suppressor. 25gn of 2208 with the 73gn ELDM gives me an average or 2760 fps. 25grains is a full case, OALL is 59.2 mm which is 0.3mm off the lands. Using a 61mm waters mag.
tried 2206h for the first time. same OALL with the 73gn ELDM.
24gn- 2860 fps
24.5gn- 2910fps
25gn- 2950fps

There was a gradual increase in primer cratering but even at 25gn it looked acceptable.
I may drop back to the 24.5gn load just to be on the safe side.

All these loads shot to the same POI and were grouped well under the inch at 100 m
with all 9 shots 3x3 test loads.
So at this point even with a change in the chamber to give a longer throat for longer OALL I would be surprised if I could beat the 2206H

Out of interest I also tried some CFE223.
24.5gn- 2712fps
25gn- 2800fps
25.5- 2850fps

No pressure signs and no primer cratering even at the 25.5gn load. So I think this powder shows some promise. Even though the 25.5gn is up around book max I will be trying 26gn and 26.5gn next range day. CFE is a very fine grain powder so no issues with case capacity which I like.

24.6 of 2206 is where I'm at with 77 TMK and 80grn targex.

Sent from my CPH2531 using Tapatalk

I'm using 24.8 2206H with the 73gn ELD-M. Not a hot load.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

The 65gr game king is the best deer bullet combination of accuracy and performance on game I have found while being constrained by twist rate....1 in 9 twist

Gotta admit Tikka's outfit takes it to a different level. Beyond me but enjoy reading about everyones rigs. The humble 223 must destroy a few myths.

Originally Posted by TeRei

Gotta admit Tikka's outfit takes it to a different level. Beyond me but enjoy reading about everyones rigs. The humble 223 must destroy a few myths.

I have a 1 in 8 barrel to put on it to shoot heavier projectiles but it shoots so well I am reluctant to take the 1 in 9 twist off it.

Originally Posted by TeRei

Gotta admit Tikka's outfit takes it to a different level. Beyond me but enjoy reading about everyones rigs. The humble 223 must destroy a few myths.

I've read maybe a page or three on this topic myself and cant believe the turn around from the old to now.
The range of different projectiles today is bloody overwhelming to me fi starters let alone the pics of big holes and little holes where these new bullets have blasted their way into flesh etc, guess it's the new norm eh. The wee .22 pills as we know were thrashed to death decades ago and put down by those that thought they knew everything. Those of you who worked day in day out on the safer end of a rifle lol know too well that one projectile weight was basically used for every thing that stuck it's head up.
Would it be safe for me to say that today the GET IN CLOSE thingy is/has kinda left the room.. would you say?
There are some of us ol pricks that are still living in the good ol days..although our numbers are but a few.
Who knows what's around the corner.....I certanly would not be giving a toss about what type of new pill that Joe blogs happened to shoot his deer with. Perhaps I could put up a story myself of old and new where just one bullet weight does it all eh.

the heavy for calibre .224s have put the 223 into what was .243 territory that much is for certain...

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

I have a 1 in 8 barrel to put on it to shoot heavier projectiles but it shoots so well I am reluctant to take the 1 in 9 twist off it.

Give the heavier projectiles a go anyway. I shot 75gr A Max out of a 1:9 Marlin XS7. Tiny groups. Have been experimenting with 88gr ELD's out of a 1:8 Howa and have had them group well, no indication of instability. They are advertised as requiring a 1:7.