Thread: 223 on deer

[QUOTE=Tahr;1463908]@Ground Control I have 3. It just sort of happened.

Of the 3 I have now Ive had a Savage Lightweight for about 20 years. It was 1:9 twist and last year it started to lose its mo-jo so I had Jaco on here rebarrel with a 20" 1:8. fluted with a heavier profile than the pencil thin that was on it. It shoots lights out.

Then about 5 years ago along came a 1:8 Tikka T3. New - second hand. Bought it to up to heavier bullets from the 1:9 Savage barrel at the time. Haven't docked the barrel. Has a carbon stock, long bolt stop and long Waters' mag. Shoots every bullet I put through it exceptionally well.

Then a nice Rem M7 appeared on this site - 1:9 twist but I thought it would be great for the Grandsons. They never got it 'cos I like it so much. Shoots very well with 69 Targex and some other bullets but is a bit of a fuss pot.

Which one do I like the best? That Savage 'cos of nostalgia. The Tikka is actually the best of them. The M7 is very cool too.

If I had to choose on for everything (deer, wallaby and bunnies) it would be the Tikka. Handles all weight bullets, light, and very reliable.

Savage
Attachment 227432

Tikka
Attachment 227433

Rem M7 (Cut out and slimmed Boyds' laminated stock - sheds a lot of weight and still strong.
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In the 70's in one of the Aussie gun mags there was a profile on an Aussie roo hunter using a cut out fibre glass stock very much like that. Using a 243 with 70gr pills. Had worn out about 4 barrels as I recall.Always struck me because a culler in the NW Ruahines , Gary Sutton used a very cut down rig like that. Simplicity at its best.

60 grn Hammer 100 yards. Centre shoulder hit and out the other side. Angled shot and bullet went right through the paunch. Takes a good bullet to do that.

Time to get this back up to the top. Not mine, but a good mate smacked this tonight with a ‘lowly’ 6x45. 75gr V-Max through both shoulders.

whats a good allround varmint and deer bullet for a 12 twist? i got me another 22 250AI in 12 twist and its silly accurate with the 52gr targex, i get about 1" groups at 400 yards. i was thinking to give the 69 targex a whirl but i dint think they will stabilise? if not ill just stick with the 52s. i have a lod of hornady 55gr softpoints too that i shot in the previous ackley that are my "backups"

Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

whats a good allround varmint and deer bullet for a 12 twist? i got me another 22 250AI in 12 twist and its silly accurate with the 52gr targex, i get about 1" groups at 400 yards. i was thinking to give the 69 targex a whirl but i dint think they will stabilise? if not ill just stick with the 52s. i have a lod of hornady 55gr softpoints too that i shot in the previous ackley that are my "backups"

Stick with the 52s mate im no expert but i think 69 would be to much for the 12 nothing wrong with that 55 hornady either

Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

whats a good allround varmint and deer bullet for a 12 twist? i got me another 22 250AI in 12 twist and its silly accurate with the 52gr targex, i get about 1" groups at 400 yards. i was thinking to give the 69 targex a whirl but i dint think they will stabilise? if not ill just stick with the 52s. i have a lod of hornady 55gr softpoints too that i shot in the previous ackley that are my "backups"

Ive shot a few deer with the 52 Targex while wallaby hunting. No trouble. They can leave a lot of blood shot damaged meat.

Scruffy cull. 200 yds 80 Targex. Double lung shot.

Another one for the 6mm 223. Mate got this Tahr with a 70gr Ballistic Tip Nosler at 216 yards. Put it in the shoulder and game over.

80 grn Targex red yearling 200 yds. High lung shot. Entry left side of pic.

That deer aint going no where. Brutal.

That deer hit by a mortor shell,lights out.

More...
Its been so wet and with mud like I have never seen it. To get the last deer I shot (the red, above) I had to trudge through a couple of KM of mud to get to my spot. The weather was shit and I was wet and cold. As dark came on I saw 2 deer come out of the scrub but by the time I got over there it was too dark to shoot, but I had already put a torch on the scope bracket in anticipation. When I was about where I thought I could get a shot from I lay down behind the rifle and bipod and flicked the torch on. I had a new 'scope on (3-15 30mm Tract Toric with illuminated dot) the Savage .223 and had never looked through it with a torch mounted. But anyway they were lit up well and I fired at the first one at about 200 yards. Aimed centre shoulder and heard a good whop. I fumbled a bit as I reloaded and cleared a caught case so lost sight of them. Back behind the rifle and onto the second one. Another good whop. Shone the torch around and I could see the second one, but not the other. Found that one and hunted around for the other in the rain and decided I must have missed.

I gutted it and couldn't be fagged humping it back through the mud so hung it over the fence and trudged back to the road. Next morning (I was helping to scan ewes) I said to the cocky that there was a deer out the back he could have if he wanted to collect it on his quad. Finished the days work and came home. Got a text this morning saying thanks for the deer, and there was another dead one 80 yards away. Bugger, How I didn't find it I will never know. Maybe too casual. My bad. So 2 for the .223 and 80 grn Targex, not 1. Bugger.
He sent a pic.

Good stuff.
What does the illuminated reticule look like in the light? Can you still see the dot?

Originally Posted by Shearer

Good stuff.
What does the illuminated reticule look like in the light? Can you still see the dot?

I didn't like it. It didn't seem to be round any more - more triangle looking. So I turned it off. I will fiddle with it a bit. Maybe I had it too bright cos I was in a hurry to get killing stuff.

Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

whats a good allround varmint and deer bullet for a 12 twist? i got me another 22 250AI in 12 twist and its silly accurate with the 52gr targex, i get about 1" groups at 400 yards. i was thinking to give the 69 targex a whirl but i dint think they will stabilise? if not ill just stick with the 52s. i have a lod of hornady 55gr softpoints too that i shot in the previous ackley that are my "backups"

Sierra 52 gr hollow point match.
Super accurate in everything I use them in (222,223 and Swift) and reasonably stout.
But I don't use pea shooters on deer so can't give an opinion on that.