77gr SMK for roe deer hunting?

[Oldmauser]

I never tried 223 on roe deer. This time I am going to try 77gr SMK and 75gr norma out of 20" AR barrel. Distance up to 150m. Usually I was running 140gr elite hunter with 43 gr VVN555 powder in 6.5CM. I plan to use N140 on the hotter side, but stil unsure whether 77gr bullet would do the job.

 

[TicTacTex]

Hunting & Fishing - .223 For Deer Hunting

Morning All; I'm not real skilled at finding stuff in here.... so if this question has been asked before .... I apologize. I decided to try my hand at .223 deer hunting. I will be using either a 16" or 20" barrel with a 1:9 twist. Since I have never hunted with a .223 ; I was looking for...

www.snipershide.com

 

[Eurodriver]

I have killed deer with the 77gr TMK, and shot one right through the eye with a 69gr SMK but I would not use the SMK for deer hunting. That 69gr SMK did not even have an exit wound.

The TMK is much more likely to stay intact and get adequate penetration.

 

[Haney]

Sierra's 77 grain Tipped Match Kings have been used on deer sized game with success . There is a forum that has a thread about 80 pages long on the subject with a lot of photos of evidence .

 

[vortexyz]

I have seen many whitetail deer shot with 75gr+ .223. All of them were under 120 yards, but if the shot was in the vitals, they dropped. My son shot his first whitetail yesterday day with a 16in rifle and a Hornady 75gr hpbt and it didn’t move from where he shot it. I also know a lot of guys that use them for pigs.

I remember the roe deer I saw when I lived in Germany were much smaller than whitetails so I think you’ll have no problem at 150m and closer with the heavier bullets.

Hope that helps.

 

[Oldmauser]

I have killed deer with the 77gr TMK, and shot one right through the eye with a 69gr SMK but I would not use the SMK for deer hunting. That 69gr SMK did not even have an exit wound.

The TMK is much more likely to stay intact and get adequate penetration.

Yes, but there are no tmks around here.

 

[Skunkworx]

I used 69smk with my 14.5 barrel without any issue. All deer were inside 150 yards, and they were all instant drops. My experience is that they work well on thin skinned game for broad side shots I’d you don’t have to bust through shoulders and other tough bone. The bullets have no issue getting into the vitals and fragmenting like a grenade inside. If you’re disciplined with your shots you’ll be good to go.

 

[Eurodriver]

I used 69smk with my 14.5 barrel without any issue. All deer were inside 150 yards, and they were all instant drops. My experience is that they work well on thin skinned game for broad side shots I’d you don’t have to bust through shoulders and other tough bone. The bullets have no issue getting into the vitals and fragmenting like a grenade inside. If you’re disciplined with your shots you’ll be good to go.

Where are you shooting them? Neck?

 

[Haney]

Where are you shooting them? Neck?

Looks like heart and lungs to me .

 

[Skunkworx]

Where are you shooting them? Neck?

Typical broadside shots in the traditional heart/lung area.

 

[redbullitt]

Smks can work, and they sometimes do work. Sometimes they dont lol. They just are not as predictable as a soft point or something in an expanding flavor when shot placement opportunity isnt ideal.

I guess what may help too is knowing what bullets you do have available. A tmk has been shown to do a good job, a partition, speer gold dot, fed fusion,some soft points etc all work well consistently with heart/lung hits.

 

[Eurodriver]

Typical broadside shots in the traditional heart/lung area.

Interesting.

I shot her last night from about 140y with a 69gr SMK. Wanted to try it out. She dropped immediately but didn’t die as it only paralyzed her. So I shot her again while she was on the ground. she was laying with her belly facing me and the bullet hit under the front shoulder and exited above her withers. Definitely got full penetration with no fragmenting which surprised me.

 

[willfullyarmed]

The SMK is not intended for, and should not be used for game animals. I have personally taken one whitetail with a 155gr Palma at 350 yards. While it was a clean kill, the projectile broke up into 3 pieces and came to rest in the far side ribs.

As for .224 projos and deer, 64gr Win PowerPoints and any of the Speer Gold Dots have yielded appreciable results in both neck and vital shots.

 

[Haney]

The SMK is not intended for, and should not be used for game animals. I have personally taken one whitetail with a 155gr Palma at 350 yards. While it was a clean kill, the projectile broke up into 3 pieces and came to rest in the far side ribs.

As for .224 projos and deer, 64gr Win PowerPoints and any of the Speer Gold Dots have yielded appreciable results in both neck and vital shots.

Maybe not Intended for , but they sure have killed a lot of animals with plenty of evidence to prove it . You yourself just admitted you made a clean kill with a bullet not Intended for hunting . So your preaching is null and void .

 

[Mike Islander]

I never tried 223 on roe deer. This time I am going to try 77gr SMK and 75gr norma out of 20" AR barrel. Distance up to 150m. Usually I was running 140gr elite hunter with 43 gr VVN555 powder in 6.5CM. I plan to use N140 on the hotter side, but stil unsure whether 77gr bullet would do the job.

I'd shoot 75gr ELD-Ms over SMK. Will kill very reliably.

 

[willfullyarmed]

Maybe not Intended for , but they sure have killed a lot of animals with plenty of evidence to prove it . You yourself just admitted you made a clean kill with a bullet not Intended for hunting . So your preaching is null and void .

As have FMJ and 22lr.

Kinda like you could use water pump pliers to change the sparkplug in your lawnmower, but, why not use a deep well socket that's intended for it?

Sharing a dissenting opinion based on fact is certainly not preaching. The saddest part of forums are replies such as yours. It has become impossible to debate without ones emotions getting involved.

Yes, I did admit to doing it once.
Is it now not allowed to learn from a misstep, and then retain as knowledge? The basis at which all learning is formed?

Merely an observation.

 

[RTH1800]

Roe deer are closer to coyote than deer sized. SMK will be fine. My favorite deer bullet. I would prefer a varmint bullet for the little guys. They only weigh 60-75#. Either way you will be fine.
I shot Roe Buck in Scotland with a 46 grain OP 22 Hornet bullet. Worked great.

 

[MK20]

I could not pick this guy up to put him on the cart and I am a big and strong guy.

For reference, that dozer bucket is 7/8 yard heaped.

Hornady 75 BTHP.

Match bullets work great for killing stuff.

 

[RTH1800]

Odd thing about match bullets. Some cuss them because they don't expand. Others cuss them because they blow up on the surface.
I have found they work perfectly every time. No surprises.

 

[semperfireloading]

I guess since it says "Match" on the box, it fooled people into forgetting that a flying copper and lead projectile moving about ~2600 FPS doesn't kill, easily, living things. Also, if you shoot, say a 40MM cannon gun fired by say, a gunship, it will kill a deer too. But nowhere in the manual, does it say its intended for deer. I think we should gel test that 40MM round, see if it passes the FBI protocol for killing deer. I just made that up, that protocol doesnt exist for cannons, or rifles, or anything else except handguns, actually.

But seriously, its all just for laughs. Lets just leave it at that "let people take deer with whatever they want".

 

[MK20]

I have a very complicated scientific testing protocol for determining if a bullet will kill deer well.

I shoot some deer with it.

If they die rapidly, it is good for killing deer.

If they run away and I never find them, it is bad for killing deer or I suck at shooting.

 

[MOshooter]

73 ELDM works great!!

 

[kuraki]

I've killed a number of whitetail deer with 77 grain OTMs. Every one was DRT. All were the same pattern. Penetrate 8-12" and fragment violently. All were under 100 yards and I wouldn't try a "challenging" shot like quartering away with one.

 

[semperfireloading]

anyone use 60 grain or 55 grain VMAX on deer?

 

[RTH1800]

I have they all work.

 

[jLorenzo]

I would go with a cannelure, supposedly part of the MK262 success because the jacket comes apart at the cannelure and fragments more. I have recovered 75gr hornadys with cannelure that seem to support this.