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16-20" 223AI

R

RyanScott

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 14, 2005
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Houston
I have a surgeon action and a Krieger 1/8 light Palma barrel. I want to shoot 75 AMAXs. I could potentially get out to a thousand but 700 and in is more likely. An OPS 16th will live on it so length matters.

How long should I go?
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

Ryan: Hard to predict. No standard chamber. Velocity will vary greatly depending on chamber dimensions, lead, and the particulars of the barrel.

I have a fast 24 Shilen, and a slow 22" Bartlein with a .223 AI Holland chamber. If your smith has the patience, I'd cut the barrel at 22-24", shoot it to establish potential velocity, and then trim and thread to desired length.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

I was literally just thinking about building a 16" 223AI this morning, I would be curious if anyone here has something similar.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

I wouldn't go shorter than 20" unless I was building a dedicated truck gun. If you thought it was always going to have the can on it, 100% of the time, I guess 18" would be ok.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

My 18.5" yeilds 3025 with a 75amax and 335. I'd like to have an 11" 223ai on a bolt gun. That would be a sweet truck gun with a can.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

Think I am going to switch over to 8208, 25gr under a 75 amax 3047avg. Same 18.5" rifle.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

Well, in a standard .223 match chamber, I'm at 24.4, lit via wolf SRM primers, in LC brass, and sending 82 bergers at 2900. Granted this is a 26 or 27" barrel, but I have room to step on it, and would do so easily in a shorter barrel. Add Winchester brass into the equation, and you can get even more velocity....
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Grand</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ryan: Hard to predict. No standard chamber. Velocity will vary greatly depending on chamber dimensions, lead, and the particulars of the barrel.

I have a fast 24 Shilen, and a slow 22" Bartlein with a .223 AI Holland chamber. If you smith has the patience, I'd cut the barrel at 22-24", shoot it to establish potential velocity, and then trim and thread to desired length. </div></div>

^^^This is wisdom.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

Smith has all the patience I'm willing to pay for, which isn't much. Thinking I'll do 20 and try for 3000 fps or so.

At some point I'm going to do a 16" 22/204 on a Kimber Montana. With a Gemtech Trek T.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

FWIW, my 22" 223ai sends 75 amaxes at 3050 with ease. 20" should get you to 3000 with no problem, especially with 8208.
 
Re: 16-20" 223AI

What about an AI with 40gr vmax. I love pushing those things as fast as I can. I mostly shoot at 300 so I dont have a need for the longer bullets
 
Any reason why most guys go with the 75gr amax over the 80gr amax out of their AI?
 
I am building a 223AI with a 24" barrel. Going to run 90gr Bergers at 2800, hopefully. :)
Most will tell you 22 or 24" is about the perfect length for performance.
 
223AI built with 1 in 8 twist Brux cut to 22". I get near 3100 FPS with 77SMK. It is a smokin hot load of AA2520 and my bolt has had AR type extractor and a firing pin bushing installed. BTW, it is accurate as hell. I don't get that velocity from my straight 223 with a 26" Kreiger.
 
Im geting 2970 from my streight .223 1:8 25" true flight with 80gr berger vlds with 25.5gr of varget.
Pushing the 75gr amax at 2840 had them out to 850yards still very accurate at that range 5 consecutive hits on a 10" gong..

With the AI i would go for 22" should push 3000 no problem and should go to 1000 yards no problem..
Id try the 80gr berger vld's over the amax tho For targets at least, they are much better with the wind i found.

Gary
 
seven mm said:
My 18.5" yeilds 3025 with a 75amax and 335. I'd like to have an 11" 223ai on a bolt gun. That would be a sweet truck gun with a can.
Click to expand...

I shot a guys .223ai this week (could be yours if you were out at the nippi shoot last Saturday.... if so, thanks again!) and it was a pretty sweet gun. I foresee one in my gun safe here in the near future...
 
3wide said:
Any reason why most guys go with the 75gr amax over the 80gr amax out of their AI?
Click to expand...

No idea...but I'm glad they do, that means more 80s for me.

2890fps from a 22" 1:7 223AI using 26.2gr Varget; 25.8gr 8208XBR looks to be 2930fps.
 
If you want to see a 75gr AMAX really scream, stick it in our new caliber! The 22 Creedmoor!
I run a mild load and am getting 3410 fps.
 
I too have always wondered why people run the 75's instead of the 80's. I'd love to rebarrel by .223 to the AI with a faster twist for the heavy bullets but that probably wont be for awhile.

KYS338 said:
If you want to see a 75gr AMAX really scream, stick it in our new caliber! The 22 Creedmoor!
I run a mild load and am getting 3410 fps.
Click to expand...

That sounds like it would be awesome. what kind of drop/drift would that have at 1k and also what about barrel life?
 
KYS338 said:
If you want to see a 75gr AMAX really scream, stick it in our new caliber! The 22 Creedmoor!
I run a mild load and am getting 3410 fps.
Click to expand...

Tell us more..... barrel life? case used? gunsmith doing the work?
 
I am still in a testing phase with it really. I have about 200 rounds on it now and thats various hunting trips and some target shooting. I was able to take it to K&M a few months ago and was engaging out to 900 yards with ease.
After my initial zero, I took a cold bore shot out to 400 yards and only needed .8 mils to hit
When I get more time with it and am able to really push the cartridge I will make a thread on it as a review.

It has already put down 4 coyotes and to say I am happy with it, is an understatement.
 
K_4c said:
Tell us more..... barrel life? case used? gunsmith doing the work?
Click to expand...

Barrel life is still in testing....
Case used was the 6mm Creedmoor from GA Precision
GA Precision did the work, in collaboration with Copper Creek Cartridge Co.

I will make my own thread when I have more data collected. Don't want to derail this one.
 
KYS338 said:
Barrel life is still in testing....
Case used was the 6mm Creedmoor from GA Precision
GA Precision did the work, in collaboration with Copper Creek Cartridge Co.

I will make my own thread when I have more data collected. Don't want to derail this one.
Click to expand...


Please do.... I'm very interested in this build. Thanks for the quick response bud.
 
KYS338 said:
If you want to see a 75gr AMAX really scream, stick it in our new caliber! The 22 Creedmoor!
I run a mild load and am getting 3410 fps.
Click to expand...

If you get the urge to wring the piss out of it, the 80 grain Berger VLD has always held up better for me in the 22-243 at 3500 or so. The a max seems to like running in the 3350-3400 range in my barrels. I normally start popping the a max at 3500-3550.

Apologies to the OP for the derail.
 
+1 on the .223 AI with 8208xbr

I have a 20" sps tac I had set back and rechambered to AI. It runs the 69 smk accurately and easily at 3100. Cheap and lots of fun.
 
my human host said:
If you get the urge to wring the piss out of it, the 80 grain Berger VLD has always held up better for me in the 22-243 at 3500 or so. The a max seems to like running in the 3350-3400 range in my barrels. I normally start popping the a max at 3500-3550.

Apologies to the OP for the derail.
Click to expand...

I was hitting 3540 easily with the 75gr amax.... no pressure signs.
But I think 3400 is the accuracy node to stick with.
 
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