Best 10.3” food ?

I run the BH 50 tsx optimized in my 10.3”. Can’t say if it’s best, but I’m confident that it will do the job if the need ever arises.
 
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50gn VMAX for inside 100

62gn TSX for inside 290

On a 10.5 1:7 twist AR

Compared MY MV to manufactirers expansion Velocity, all with a 50/200 zero with red dot

Have similar profiles built up for my 14.5 16 and 20" barrels by bullet type, but optics vary drastically on those upppers
 
Not on ignore ?

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I know of pros that use each of those. They are all fantastic for their intended purposes.

I used 64 gold dot for LE work. Accurate, barrier blind, but slow and low BC which makes it a poor distance round (rarely important for LE carbine work).

I get to choose now, and I choose 77 TMK for open air shots and 50 grain optimized TSX for barriers.
 
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Until you have to shoot someone wearing more than a Tshirt. Heavy Clothing is the issue with the light varmint loads.

Then again if you dump 3 or 4 shots into COM with any 5.56 load, its going to die. The question is, how fast to incapacitate.
 
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Switched from 77 TMKs to the 69 TMK in my 10.3" this year when I decided to start taking that rifle predator hunting a bit. Figured a little extra speed outta that short barrel might be beneficial on critters. The 69s actually shoot a little more accurately in my rifle than the 77s to boot. So far unfortunately the only yotes I have killed since have been with my 6GT so I don't have any real terminal performance feedback on the lighter TMK/SBR combo just yet.

Edited to add that I do still keep several mags of 77 TMKs on hand for defense purposes 👍
 
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Until you have to shoot someone wearing more than a Tshirt. Heavy Clothing is the issue with the light varmint loads.

Then again if you dump 3 or 4 shots into COM with any 5.56 load, its going to die. The question is, how fast to incapacitate.


I live in the southeastern United States. Heavy clothing? What is that? 😆
 
77tmk , BH 50 tsx optimized ? Or Gold dot ?

For what?

Soft targets without barriers imo based on a ton of evidence on animals from deer, elk, moose, bear, etc the 77 tmk is extremely devastating. It's what my mags are loaded with personally.

Optimized tsx gets you velocity but the expansion threshold is quite high and over penetration can be an issue. You will not get large expansion but you will get better barrier performance. You will also probably not get expansion at 100m.

Soft points like gold dot, bonded solid base, trophy bonded bear claw, etc will be in-between. Lower expansion threshold, in between barrier performance, etc.

I'd ask yourself where you live and the surroundings, the construction and materials in your dwelling, size of your property or style of neighborhood you're in, etc.

The scenario of use is already extremely unlikely but some people's potential needs could be different based on the above.
 
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I'm trying to decide on a defensive load too and I'm leaning towards gold dot. I'd bet they would shoot just fine to 300 yards IF you ever had to. I also like the idea of using "defensive" loads that are in common use with LE, just for the lawyers. Gold dot is usually low flash too.
 
77gr TMK
70gr TSX

I don't understand the love for the BH 50gr TSX, maybe someone can shine some light. It's great up close but you lose tons of expansion distance compared to the 70gr TSX out of a 10.3. Is the additional barrier penetration really that much better than the 70gr? Is it Gold Dot levels of barrier blind? The 50gr BH TSX raises the expansion threshold by a large margin and it never seemed worth it to me.
 
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What about Hornady Black 75 Grain Interlock HD SBR?
I have a bit of this ammo and have used it for both day and night pig hunting. From memory I think a few medium pigs from 25-60 yards and 1 larger boar around 150 (it was a runner and nothing but luck to plug the lungs). But he was DRT. So it will definitely put some mass down. In my mind it is a shorter range ammo. But that is a spitball opinion and not on any testing or other data. It does shoot well with less gas out of my 9.5” suppressed 5.56.
 
I have a bit of this ammo and have used it for both day and night pig hunting. From memory I think a few medium pigs from 25-60 yards and 1 larger boar around 150 (it was a runner and nothing but luck to plug the lungs). But he was DRT. So it will definitely put some mass down. In my mind it is a shorter range ammo. But that is a spitball opinion and not on any testing or other data. It does shoot well with less gas out of my 9.5” suppressed 5.56.

Were you shooting the pig out of that 9.5" suppressed barrel?

So everybody loves heavy bullets in little 10.3" barrels?

What is the velocity of these heavy rounds out of such a short barrel?

I guess I am a little confused. I would have assumed one would want to go to lighter bullets to keep the velocity up. I have about ZERO experience with this, though. Could somebody explain it to me?
 
Yes on the pigs, but I don’t really have answers to your other questions other than going shorter on barrels when operating with a suppressor is the way. Primarily for maneuverability and weight savings. And a couple hundred yards at night is a pretty long ways with my thermals. So the bit of velocity loss out of the shorter barrel is not a major issue for me. And the night game on pigs is getting close.
 
77gr TMK
70gr TSX

I don't understand the love for the BH 50gr TSX, maybe someone can shine some light. It's great up close but you lose tons of expansion distance compared to the 70gr TSX out of a 10.3. Is the additional barrier penetration really that much better than the 70gr? Is it Gold Dot levels of barrier blind? The 50gr BH TSX raises the expansion threshold by a large margin and it never seemed worth it to me.

The 50gr optimized tsx is tougher version of the regular 50 tsx. From my understanding the petals are thicker and less likely to shed when encountering intermediate barriers like car doors, windshields, wood doors, etc.

At in and right around the home distances with sbrs it allows excellent barrier performance, excellent expansion, it's moving fast as well. In longer barrels at close range it can defeat certain armor.

So it's still an excellent round in an sbr as long as you don't need to shoot it far.

10"

3-Black-Hills-50gr-TSX-Testing-1C-1024x532.jpg
 
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How do those shoot? I recently purchased some of their 60gr ballistic tips for my 18”. Interested in the chaos ammo for home defense
They are sub moa out of my pistol, I have a DD barrel and that gun is stupid accurate for a short barrel . Most of my shooting with that gun is 50 yards and in, but before I put the eotech on it, I shot it out to 200 with a lvpo. I have shot some hogs with the CC bullets in a different gun and they make a mess. My 10.3 pistol stays loaded with them for home defense.
 
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77 TMK or 73 ELD M is all I shoot in 223 anymore

i guess i would have to make a different choice if barriers were a consideration but they are not for me

all target shooting at medium ranges with a soft skinned deer for fun every so often

has always done just as well as shooting eld m's in any other caliber I shoot deer with 30 cal, 6.5, 6mm etc
 
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77 TMK or 73 ELD M is all I shoot in 223 anymore

i guess i would have to make a different choice if barriers were a consideration but they are not for me

all target shooting at medium ranges with a soft skinned deer for fun every so often

has always done just as well as shooting eld m's in any other caliber I shoot deer with 30 cal, 6.5, 6mm etc
You try those TMKs & ELDs on deer? If so how did they perform?
 
I don’t shoot through heavy skinned and heavy bone game with them but yes I have used them on deer. I have noticed zero difference within 200 yards of the performance of any eld m in 223 Up to 30 cal when the bullet enters through the rib area behind the shoulder and hits the lungs or heart or both as far as tracking difficulty due to blood trail or distance it runs before dying
 
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I don’t shoot through heavy skinned and heavy bone game with them but yes I have used them on deer. I have noticed zero difference within 200 yards of the performance of any eld m in 223 Up to 30 cal when the bullet enters through the rib area behind the shoulder and hits the lungs or heart or both as far as tracking difficulty due to blood trail or distance it runs before dying
Was that with an SBR like @BurtG is using?
 
75g gold dots are made for 11" barrels... Recently took out a 110lb beaver with my 10.5" SBR, devastating, hits like a sledge hammer. TSX or preferably anything bonded... The original MK318 is a real nasty ass round as well, insane tissue damage with deep penetration... TBBC
 
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