.223 Projectile for larger game.

Game hunting and large prey. Deer stalking, hunting with hounds. Boar, pigs etc., large prey, culling, hunting large feral animals.

Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by SCJ429 » 08 Mar 2019, 5:59 pm

I find that the SMK often pencils through soft things like foxes. How have you found them?
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by booomr » 08 Mar 2019, 6:02 pm

If I'm after foxes, I go for a smaller projectile - usually anywhere from 55-60gr. Goats and pigs, though, the 69gr works a treat!

I did accidentally shoot a bunny with an SMK though...
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by GQshayne » 10 Mar 2019, 8:59 pm

Well after having a look at a T3 and the T3 Varmint, there is no doubt the Varmint is a heavy lump of a rifle. For a rifle to be carried in the field, it is a bit much I reckon, as some of you have mentioned. However, for the intended purpose for our grazier friend, we think it is a very good option. Theses rifles are nowhere to be found new at the moment in our area, with the distributor not holding any stock, so we looked at a second hand unit to assist with our decision. In the end the second hand unit was in good condition, with the optional set trigger, and a lot cheaper than a new one, so we purchased it on his behalf. The scope we had decided to get for him is a Meopta Meostar 2-12x50 Illuminated, so one of those has been ordered as well.

Ammo has been decided, and Winchester 64gn Silvertips will be tried first up. So we will see how they group in this rifle, and how they work in the field. We can reload something with heavier construction if needed. This load is one recommended by Don Caswell (shooting writer) as one suitable for dogs, as he targets them a lot with a .223. We will see. Personally, I have a .243 for this, but the .223 serves a few uses for our friend.

Geez, I hope he likes it. :roll:
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 10 Mar 2019, 10:25 pm

Love my tikka t3x Super Varmint great rifle cant miss with the thing it works perfectly on the top of a ute doing the rounds on a property. I have shot under a inch at 200 with both the Sierra tmks and the hpbt in the 69g proj. I have found there not to great of a projectile if looking for expansion. However the ability to head shoot things between 2-300 meters makes up for this. I just wish someone would produce a 69g vmax or gameking as ive found the shoot the best. I have recently looked at the 62g hornady TAP and have found they seem to be working well also at simler distances not quite as good but capable.
Sako Varmint 243,Marlin 917, Lithgow La101 .22 , 1917 BSA 303 (ted), Finnish Vkt 1944 M39,T3X Super Varmint 223, Marlin 1895 SBL 45-70 Howa 1500 308, BSA CF2 222, 1911 9mm, Adler 12G, Sako 7mm rem Mag,Ruger m77 mk1 22-250AI, Rem 700 17 Rem, BSA No 5 303
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by xDom » 15 Mar 2019, 7:33 pm

AZZA'S HJ47 wrote:Love my tikka t3x Super Varmint great rifle cant miss with the thing it works perfectly on the top of a ute doing the rounds on a property. I have shot under a inch at 200 with both the Sierra tmks and the hpbt in the 69g proj. I have found there not to great of a projectile if looking for expansion. However the ability to head shoot things between 2-300 meters makes up for this. I just wish someone would produce a 69g vmax or gameking as ive found the shoot the best. I have recently looked at the 62g hornady TAP and have found they seem to be working well also at simler distances not quite as good but capable.

Have you got the 1:8 twist barrel? That's what you need for the 69g rounds? I bought the 1:12 T3x Varmint, I should've done more homework before my purchase.
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 15 Mar 2019, 10:39 pm

xDom wrote:
AZZA'S HJ47 wrote:Love my tikka t3x Super Varmint great rifle cant miss with the thing it works perfectly on the top of a ute doing the rounds on a property. I have shot under a inch at 200 with both the Sierra tmks and the hpbt in the 69g proj. I have found there not to great of a projectile if looking for expansion. However the ability to head shoot things between 2-300 meters makes up for this. I just wish someone would produce a 69g vmax or gameking as ive found the shoot the best. I have recently looked at the 62g hornady TAP and have found they seem to be working well also at simler distances not quite as good but capable.

Have you got the 1:8 twist barrel? That's what you need for the 69g rounds? I bought the 1:12 T3x Varmint, I should've done more homework before my purchase.


Yes mate 1-8 twist it loves the heavier stuff shoots 55gr super roos really well also 69gr however is the go to for the rifle. I have also shot the 80gr amax and found that if i want to punch them out past 300 they are the go to. Love the rifle
Sako Varmint 243,Marlin 917, Lithgow La101 .22 , 1917 BSA 303 (ted), Finnish Vkt 1944 M39,T3X Super Varmint 223, Marlin 1895 SBL 45-70 Howa 1500 308, BSA CF2 222, 1911 9mm, Adler 12G, Sako 7mm rem Mag,Ruger m77 mk1 22-250AI, Rem 700 17 Rem, BSA No 5 303
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by SCJ429 » 16 Mar 2019, 8:06 am

xDom wrote:
AZZA'S HJ47 wrote:Love my tikka t3x Super Varmint great rifle cant miss .

Have you got the 1:8 twist barrel? That's what you need for the 69g rounds? I bought the 1:12 T3x Varmint, I should've done more homework before my purchase.


What do you want to do with your 1:12 Tikka? Your rifle should shoot 50 or 55 grain projectiles extremely well out to 300 metres. Unless you want to shoot 70 to 80 grain bullets, where you need the 1:8, I think the 1:12 is a better choice.
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by xDom » 16 Mar 2019, 7:00 pm

SCJ429 wrote:
xDom wrote:
AZZA'S HJ47 wrote:Love my tikka t3x Super Varmint great rifle cant miss .

Have you got the 1:8 twist barrel? That's what you need for the 69g rounds? I bought the 1:12 T3x Varmint, I should've done more homework before my purchase.


What do you want to do with your 1:12 Tikka? Your rifle should shoot 50 or 55 grain projectiles extremely well out to 300 metres. Unless you want to shoot 70 to 80 grain bullets, where you need the 1:8, I think the 1:12 is a better choice.


I only started shooting about 9 months ago, first off with a 22LR then I decided to get the 223. I headed down to the long distance range but was told that they mostly shoot out to 1000 yards and the 1:12 isn't suitable. I've taken it out fox shooting on foot and found it to be quite heavy to carry around ( being a heavy barrel ) so I went back to taking the .22.
I feel as though possibly I've bought something that's neither here nor there.
I've got a 4 day trip coming up in May ( foxes and bunnies ) and I'll take it with me then and make a decision after that.
More than likely I'll end up keeping it and buying other rifles that are suited to whatever aspect of shooting I find myself gravitating towards. I am annoyed at myself that I didn't do more research before so I could make an informed decision.
Regardless, it is a high quality rifle that I'm sure will suit a need at some point.
On the small game hunting forum I started a thread on calibres between 22LR and .223, I'm getting a few suggestions from the crowd.
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Re: .223 Projectile for larger game.

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 16 Mar 2019, 7:11 pm

55g pill mate, i have shot some large feralsw
With this bullet if you can shoot around a inch at 100 mate you will do will in the field. And yes a tad heavy for walking around with.
Sako Varmint 243,Marlin 917, Lithgow La101 .22 , 1917 BSA 303 (ted), Finnish Vkt 1944 M39,T3X Super Varmint 223, Marlin 1895 SBL 45-70 Howa 1500 308, BSA CF2 222, 1911 9mm, Adler 12G, Sako 7mm rem Mag,Ruger m77 mk1 22-250AI, Rem 700 17 Rem, BSA No 5 303
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