nikto

which is certainly as far as 400 gr, 1700 fps .45 lfp is going to serve. check the drop and drift charts if you don't believe me. :-) and 308 auto is a much better choice for elk, moose and bears, as well as for SD all year and matches, all year. VERY few people hunt such critters, too. I never saw reason to tie up big money in stuff I use so seldom.

I'd use 223 on big bears in a heartbeat. I'd just not fire unless it was sub 50 yds, braced on a tree, from a tree stand, at the brain, that's all. Easily arranged, with bait. For decades, hunters used bait vs the big cats, so why is it "wrong" to do so with bears, hmm?

elk and moose aint gonna attack you. they are such a HUGE store of meat that you only need one moose per year per family, or 2-3 elk, depending upon size. If you can't get within 100 yds of such critters, (unalarmed) 3x per year, you are no hunter and if you can't brain them under such conditions, you are no rifleman. So I see no reason to bother with the 308 auto, actually.

the 223 and .22lr unit are fun year round, and the concealability and silencer makes it so much more effective/versatile than any other rifle/accessory combo. So the high cost of a properly set up one is easily justified.

having to brain big critters with a silenced 10" AR is a lot less likely to kill you than trying to fight with nothing more than 12 ga, 45-70. or bolt action.

BigEd63

And though older bullets designs were not bad. We are getting more and more choices in performance bullet designs for the .223/5.56 . In both loaded ammo and bullets for reloading. Their are n solids like the Barnes TSX and also the Hornady GMX.

nikto

Hornady's had a "solid" of sorts in .224" bore for decades. it was intended for use on furbearers, very thick, tough jacket, no hp or sp