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223 Trainer Barrel Length Advice

If and when I ever get around to having the money for a 223 ai “trainer”, I plan on matching my 6br to the T. Same length (27”),same contour(heavy rem varmint), same chassis (if possible as AX chassis’s are getting harder to find). If you don’t want identical, I’d go minimum 20” to retain some velocity and then the barrels not overly long either if that matters to you.
 
If you stay longer bbl you can train farther. A lot of guys here going to 800-1,000 w their 223s.
 
My 223 accuracy rifle has a 24" varmint barrel.

I could call it a trainer, or I could call it an entry level F T/R Rifle.

I have three which would qualify, two are Stag Model 6 Super Varminters. The third is a Savage 11VT with a Choate Tactical Stock.
 
If you stay longer bbl you can train farther. A lot of guys here going to 800-1,000 w their 223s.
But I do can that with a 16”...


You just need a fast enough twist to keep the heavier bullets stable. A 7 twist with 75 elds makes 1k manageable with a 223.
 
I went with 28" to better match the overall length of my 26" Dasher since the former has no brake and the latter carries a Heathen.
 
I just went from an 18” to a 1/7 24” barrel on my .223 and I’m loving it, and enjoying the free velocity..A .223 trainer needs to be your funnest gun to shoot , so if you’re gut says 16” suppressed just roll with it, me personally, I get tired of lugging long, heavy axes back and forth to the range..
 
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26".223 barrel to match my 26" 6 Creed and 6.5 Creed match barrels.
 
I'd go same barrel length as your main rifle.

Unless you intend to run a suppressor on the 223 but not your main rifle.