Remington 700 in 223. What barrel length is enough?

[ashiha]

I'd like to pick up a second rifle in 223 to fill the role of shooting at the range. My 308 will be sent over to Keith Johns at Phoenix Custom Rifles in a couple months to have it trued and changed over to 260 Rem. I figure that the 223 is very suitable for <= 500 yards, is cheaper to shoot, even easier to find components for, and less recoil for the longer range visits. Please let me know if this is not the case and I should be looking at something else.

However, I'd like the gun to be threaded from the factory and that limits my choices. I'd like to spend less than $750 for the rifle itself. I have a scope to mount on and I'd be buying another set of seekins base+rings along with a stock that has yet to be chosen. I can't seem to find any that are threaded with a 20" that are not the 5R model which is above my budget. Does this exist? Is it even necessary or is 16.5" sufficient?

I think 16.5" may be more than enough since when I plug in some info to Sierra I6 I get this showing me that it would stay supersonic to 892 yards under the conditions of my last range visit:

Any thoughts or info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[weshowe]

ashih313,

I'd think a standard Varmint taper 24" in length would work well. The trick will be to find one with the proper twist rate from the factory. A 1:9" may not stabilize the 77 grain SMK's. Remington uses a 1:9 twist last I checked. You'll want a 1:8" in all probability.

Wes

 

[shoot4fun]

The first rifle that came to mind was the Savage 10PC. It is 20" 1 in 9 twist and threaded 1/2x28. It comes in the accustock and has accutrigger. My son has one and it is a fairly good shooting gun for the money he paid. Here is the bad news. He must have gotten a deal because MSRP from Savage is $925. My "shortie" 223 bolt gun is a Tikka T3 Tactical. I got it used so I did save quite a bit of $$ from new prices (about $1600). It has a 20" 1 in 8 twist barrel and is threaded (metric but I found an adaptor to 5/8x24). I had CDI change it over to the AICS DBM and use the AICS 223 poly mags. I shoot 77SMK to 700 yards now and then without issue but, from my experience at my altitude, it is not a 1000 yard gun. As a matter of fact, my 26" 1 in 8 twist bolt gun pushing 77SMK at 2900 was not giving me what I needed at 1000 yards. Also, Sierra does not recommend the 77SMK for less than 1 in 8. Just my thoughts-ramblings.

 

[JB02]

My local range only goes out to 400 yds. I have a Brux 1/7, 20" barrel that's on a Surgeon 591 and it can hit a steel 3x5" diamond with pretty good frequency using 75gr or 80gr AMAXs.

For me, it was worth getting the 223 barrel because I have a switch barrel system. Maybe it wouldn't be outside your budget to get a different bolt with a 223 face, a 22 cal barrel and ask Keith to chamber you a 223 as well (make sure you get the recoil lug pinned). This way, you could use 260 and 223 on the same receiver and the barrel would be to your specs (length and twist). For 500 yds or less, I would go with no longer than 22"; 20 should work. I would get a 1/7 twist barrel if you can find one, but a 1/8 may do the trick too.

 

[oldfatguy]

500 yards or less, 20" will work very well.

OFG

 

[ashiha]

Thanks a lot guys. I'm not at all set on the 77SMK. In fact, I do not know very much about the caliber. I did notice though after posting that Sierra recommends a 1-8" twist for the 77gr, so I probably wouldn't use that.

Also, I have nothing against Savage or other brands of rifle, but I have a personal preference on Remington.

I'm leaning towards the 16.5" Remington 88549 over the 20" 84206, but I realize that due to current gunbroker prices and that the 16.5" uses a 1/2-28" thread instead of the 5/8-28" that I will be getting on my suppressor, that I would have to get an adapter. The total cost of both would end up the same (having PCR thread the 20").

 

[Funk224]

16-20" for your stated uses will be just fine, stick to the 69gr MatchKings for paper and 62-63gr bullets for live targets and you'll be very happy.