223 21 inch match rifle?

[ototallydude]

I’ve obtained a 223 trued, lapped, blueprinted rem 700 with a 1:8 twist 21 inch Bartlein barrel. I’ve only shot 55 grain bulk hornady through it to 550ish yards but it’s surprisingly accurate and a ton of fun.

My question is if I get some 77 grain smks what would be a good powder combo to get some velocity out of it without sacrificing accuracy.

Match would be 200-900 yards. I’m there to learn anyways.

Thanks.

 

[FishDr]

You could try any number of good powders for heavy 223 bullets - 2000 MR, CFE223, H4895, Varget. There are many. However ,
The 77 smk isn’t the best bullet choice for a bolt gun though. Those are better left for an AR limited on magazine length. Perhaps consider one of their tipped match king (tmk) line, a Berger OTM, or one of the Hornady ELD line. The 8 twist should be able to stabilize the 75 or 80 gr with no problems.

 

[FishDr]

A 223 bolt gun at 900 yards in match conditions. You will learn much ! Reading wind will be primary.

 

[demolitionman]

Imo the biggest drawback to the 223 in match conditions would be the spotters not being able to read the splash, hear the ping, or otherwise just detect hits or misses easily. I love 223 dearly but learning for me was and still is about seeing where my bullets impact rather it’s a hit or a miss and the small 223 is a tough little sucker to spot for at times.

 

[xsn10s]

There's a youtube video of Frank shooting a Valkyrie with I believe a 1-8" twist out to a mile with the 88gr ELDM. So looks like you'll have a wide range of bullets to choose from. Shoot it for awhile and then check out the ballistics for a 223 AI. If you need to set the barrel back that might be a good time to consider the Ackley.

 

[xsn10s]

BTW when I loaded for the 223 with 77gr I liked TAC and H4895. Both flow in a powder dropper pretty good but the TAC flows awesome. +/- 0.1 grs per drop out of my RCBS powder dropper.

 

[ototallydude]

Wind is what I need to face right now to learn. The last match I ran had really switchy winds all day and I did ok but that’s where my focus needs to be, not placing or something. If I can learn with a 223 I think the 6.5 I have will only be more forgiving.

 

[mcfred]

For the last couple years I've shot a 223 rem bolt gun in the local steel matches shooting 69-77gr projectiles as my magazine is pretty short. I do well when the average distance for the match is less than 500 yards compared to everyone else shooting 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges. At about 525 average yardage I can place top quarter and around 550yds I drop to about the top third as the wind really starts to blow them around. Spotting hits on heavy steel is an issue at longer ranges too, especially with a lot of mirage.

On a Rem 700 you should be able to maximize the BC using a plastic tipped bullet and if you handload the Rem 700 can handle "5.56 NATO" pressures to get the velocity up. There are better options than the stubby, 77s but if you're trying to learn the wind then .223 is sporting past about 450yd. Depending on your elevation you might try the 85gr Nosler RDFs. They stabilize in my 1:8" twist and have 20% better BC than the AR-friendly 77s.

If you try the .223 and you like it, you might have a 'smith take a throating reamer to the chamber and lengthen it .100" or so to use all the magazine/powder space you can for your favorite ~80gr class projectile. That's assuming it's a SAAMI chamber or other short-throated reamer...

I mostly use BLC-2 as my .223 Rem powder. It's cheap, available, it's dense, gives me great velocities and meters from a RCBS Uniflo measure very consistently. CFE223 is about the same stuff. Other people seem to like H4895, Varget and 8208XBR for more temperature stable powders.

 

[260284]

I have had good luck with the 75gr ELDM in my 223 1-8tw bolt gun. Mine is a 24" Tikka varmint, but I get 3025 fps with H4895. It is flatter than my 6.5 140 @2825 fps until 800 yards or more, but it drifts more.

 

[xsn10s]

Yeah wind and the 223 is a fun challenge. I don't compete but I varmint hunt. My current load for my AR's uses a 50gr VMAX. I was at the range checking my dope in pretty good winds. Hold off was like 4 mils at 585 yards lol. Good times.

 

[ototallydude]

There's a youtube video of Frank shooting a Valkyrie with I believe a 1-8" twist out to a mile with the 88gr ELDM. So looks like you'll have a wide range of bullets to choose from. Shoot it for awhile and then check out the ballistics for a 223 AI. If you need to set the barrel back that might be a good time to consider the Ackley.

I got quoted $250 to set it back to an AI but at this point there’s only about 900 rounds down the tube and rather shoot what I have. But I definitely what to try it in the future.

 

[ototallydude]

For the last couple years I've shot a 223 rem bolt gun in the local steel matches shooting 69-77gr projectiles as my magazine is pretty short. I do well when the average distance for the match is less than 500 yards compared to everyone else shooting 6mm and 6.5mm cartridges. At about 525 average yardage I can place top quarter and around 550yds I drop to about the top third as the wind really starts to blow them around. Spotting hits on heavy steel is an issue at longer ranges too, especially with a lot of mirage.

On a Rem 700 you should be able to maximize the BC using a plastic tipped bullet and if you handload the Rem 700 can handle "5.56 NATO" pressures to get the velocity up. There are better options than the stubby, 77s but if you're trying to learn the wind then .223 is sporting past about 450yd. Depending on your elevation you might try the 85gr Nosler RDFs. They stabilize in my 1:8" twist and have 20% better BC than the AR-friendly 77s.

If you try the .223 and you like it, you might have a 'smith take a throating reamer to the chamber and lengthen it .100" or so to use all the magazine/powder space you can for your favorite ~80gr class projectile. That's assuming it's a SAAMI chamber or other short-throated reamer...

I mostly use BLC-2 as my .223 Rem powder. It's cheap, available, it's dense, gives me great velocities and meters from a RCBS Uniflo measure very consistently. CFE223 is about the same stuff. Other people seem to like H4895, Varget and 8208XBR for more temperature stable powders.

I appreciate the match experience. My elevation is around 3000-4500. It’s such a fun rifle even if I got dead last it would be a blast.

 

[mcfred]

That's why I shoot the .223 Rem despite it being "inferior." Cheap fun to work on wind and positional/barricades. I shoot between 5200' and 7300' so you could probably run the 85s in your 8 twist.

 

[Rocketvapor]

The 77 SMK is an accurate bullet but when missing wind calls by 1 or 2 mph exceeds your vertical you need a better bullet.

 

[86alaskan]

I use the 77gr tipped match king in my 20" 1-8" twist 223. It s stock tikka t3 tactical. I load with 24gr varget with an oal of 2.390 and get honest 1/2" at 100 for 10 shots. It's an easy bullet to tune for, only took me 3 seating depths and no change in powder charge. I've run it out to 600 at the club and the impacts are light but still visible.