Just Sighted in My Wife's New .223 - I Now Need Advice

[lash]

So I bought one of those Dick's Sporting Goods specials last Fall. A R700 ADL Varmint in .223. I thought it would fill a niche for me and maybe make a good platform to get my wife back into shooting with me. So I farted around a bit with other things, took it out once and really disliked the stock. It wouldn't settle down and I noticed that there were two nubs (for lack of a better word) at the far end of the forearm that seemed to push on the barrel. While I know I could probably have just ground those nubs off of the stock, I succumbed to temptation and bought a used laminated stock from one of you good guys here. So here is how it looks now, with a cheap Leapers scope on it:



I had to modify the mag box from the ADL to fit the BDL bottom metal, but that works fine now and feeds great.

Now to the part where I need advice, or maybe just a smack upside the head like a good mule.

When I bought the rifle, I also bought 6 boxes of the cheap UMC ammo they had on sale. This shoots OK, sorta. But even though I know it's the jerk behind the trigger that makes a rifle shoot. it seems to me that this stuff isn't the best ammo for this rifle.

Now I know that this barrel has the 1-12 varmint twist, so the heavier match stuff isn't likely going to do well in it. Should I be looking for something lighter? Gut says yes.

Any light factory match loads available to start?

Then comes the real issue. I'm not set up for reloading yet and finding anything at all is hard to do in a factory loading. Where should I start to get the right loads for this?

Does anyone have advice for getting into reloading for this round?

Maybe an affordable reloading set up?

Yeah, I know I sound like a total newb...because I am... Any help is much appreciated.

Optimal bullet weight for the 1-12 twist? (40-50ish?)

 

[JGorski]

If you're not going to reload Id try Hornadys loading with 55VMAXs, they shoot very well in my 700VS.

 

[fdkay]

When you can find it, Winchester White Box 45 grain varmint load.
Comes in a box of 40 rounds.
Hornady also sells a 40 round box of 55 grain soft point ammo that shoots very well in my rifle.

You may have to look online. Just look for some varmint ammo in the 45 to 50 grain range. Fiocchi would be a good one to look for.

 

[JGorski]

So I bought one of those Dick's Sporting Goods specials last Fall. A R700 ADL Varmint in .223. I thought it would fill a niche for me and maybe make a good platform to get my wife back into shooting with me. So I farted around a bit with other things, took it out once and really disliked the stock. It wouldn't settle down and I noticed that there were two nubs (for lack of a better word) at the far end of the forearm that seemed to push on the barrel. While I know I could probably have just ground those nubs off of the stock, I succumbed to temptation and bought a used laminated stock from one of you good guys here. So here is how it looks now, with a cheap Leapers scope on it:

View attachment 2730View attachment 2731

I had to modify the mag box from the ADL to fit the BDL bottom metal, but that works fine now and feeds great.

Now to the part where I need advice, or maybe just a smack upside the head like a good mule.

When I bought the rifle, I also bought 6 boxes of the cheap UMC ammo they had on sale. This shoots OK, sorta. But even though I know it's the jerk behind the trigger that makes a rifle shoot. it seems to me that this stuff isn't the best ammo for this rifle.

Now I know that this barrel has the 1-12 varmint twist, so the heavier match stuff isn't likely going to do well in it. Should I be looking for something lighter? Gut says yes.

Any light factory match loads available to start?

Then comes the real issue. I'm not set up for reloading yet and finding anything at all is hard to do in a factory loading. Where should I start to get the right loads for this?

Does anyone have advice for getting into reloading for this round?

Maybe an affordable reloading set up?

Yeah, I know I sound like a total newb...because I am... Any help is much appreciated.

Optimal bullet weight for the 1-12 twist? (140-150ish?)

Wait a min, Is it a 223 or a 308?

 

[lash]

JGorski, My mistake. It's .223, but at the end my mind went to my .308 when I mentioned the 140-150s...what a dingbat.

I meant of course, 40-50 range. I'll fix that up in the OP.

Oh, and thanks for the pointers guys.

Can someone point me to a thread that has good reloading info too? Or should I re-post this in the reloading forum?
I think I need to start looking in that direction too. More money...

 

[RugerSlinger]

I have 2 of these and both of them love the same load. 40gr Vmax with 27.2gr varget behind it. Any case and primer combo I had laying around worked real well. Always under .5moa.
It didn't like any factory load very well

 

[lash]

As expected, I'll have to try and find as many of these as possible and try them out. Of course, that may be trickier at this point in time.

Then I'll also look into some used reloading equipment. To approach it from two angles.

 

[JGorski]

50VAMAXs also shoot very well in my 700VS, 25.5grs Benchmark shot well for me, you could try RE10X also, might not get the velocity but the accuracy is there, Benchmark is definitely faster, though.

 

[lash]

All good info guys. Now for the tough part, searching around until I find something around here. It seems like a few things are starting to appear on shelves, but .223 and .308 aren't them, unless you can stand in line during the weekdays. A luxury I don't have.

And, I know this has been said many times before, but this site is bad, b-b-b-bad for my wallet.

 

[korykhunter]

Blackhills hollowpoints shoot pretty well also. My favorite 223 load is Rem 7 1/2 , N120 and 40gr Vmax good varmint load out to 500yds or so.

 

[lash]

Where is a good place to buy Blackhills ammo products? I only see limited items from them available locally.