700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

[diSko]

Hello,

Long time reader, but first post here.

I currently have a 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist, the maximum distance I will be shooting out to is 500 yards.

I am looking for sub MOA groups, when I do my part.

I will be shooting at paper targets.

Will a 40 grain or 50 grain bullet stabilize out to 500 yards? or am I asking for too much? Possible to go heavier than a 50 grain? Please keep in mind that the barrel twist is 1/12.

All suggestions and reccomendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[JSTARSZ]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

I have the same rifle and I shot 60 Grainers (Hornady VMAX) out of it with no issues but when I had a chance I had it rebarreled to a 1:8 so I could shoot 77's. The only way to try is to test it and see how high it can go with out going whacky on you.

 

[MALLARD]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

40 or 50 grain .223 is a battle at 500y , in a moderatly windy condition you might end up being all over the place

 

[Huckleberry75]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

You are really askign alot of the little pills to go 500 with any consistancy. You would be better to try the 60 or 63gn, but the 12tw isn't going to help you much. You are a little bit stuck, until you can put on a new tube for the heavier bullets. 8 or 9 twist would help. Then you could run the 69 & 77's.

 

[Jerry m]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

Try the 52 grain Sierra Match King.

Good luck

Jerry

 

[jagged77]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

Shooting 50gr .223 at 500 is going to teach you a whole lot about wind. The 52gr SMK and Hornady BTHP are both good choices however I've fount the Hornady 50gr V-max to be really good out to 500 out of 1:12tw barrels.

 

[roggom]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

I also have a 223 1:12 stock 26" bbl, 52 SMK and 25 of Benchmark puts me submoa at 100. For PD hunting I use any variety of 55 gn'rs (Gamekings, midway dogtown, Hornady), they are deadly out to 300. Past three hundred, it's up to the wind.

 

[diSko]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

Thank you very much to everyone for your response, and help guiding me in the right direction.

Now I have a starting point for my load development to see what the limitations of my 1/12 twist will be.

I hope to maximize my 1/12 fully before going to a 1/8 twist barrel.

Thanks again for all of your knowledge!

--- diSko ---

 

[Kinsman]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

I have a 1:12 twist H&R with a 22" barrel that does not like anything over 55 gr.
I was shooting a 700 like yours yesterday, and was doing well with 55 gr at 200 yds. I would like to see what it would do at longer range.
Definitely need faster twist for longer bullets.

 

[quickkillaught6]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

I too have that same rifle and its a great shooting gun. go to loads for pd's and coyotes are as follows

load#1
26 gr of varget
40 gr vmax
cci 400 primer
win brass
seated@ 2.276

load #2 coyotes
22 gr H322
52 gr sierra hpbt (1410)
cci 400
win brass
seated @ 2.199

gives me bug holes at 100 like previously stated anything that light out past 300 is weather's choice.

 

[QRE23]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

Try some 53grain Vmax or maybe even buy a box of Hornady Superformance loaded with 53Vmax. Mine shoots these into the .1's

 

[diSko]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

Thank you for all of your suggestions!

It seems that a bullet weight in the 50s is highly recomended for a 1/12 twist barrel.

Not to go off topic, but why would a SPS Varmint .223 be designed with a 1/12 twist, when there is a limitation of bullet weight for longer distances? Do most Varmint hunts stay in the 200 - 300 yard range?

Thank you members for all of your input!


--- diSko ---

 

[Hunt]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

25 gr Benchmark
55gr VMAX
CCI 400

We used this load in various rifles p-dog hunting and while wind was an issue, we still made hits out to 686 yards with the little .223.

 

[quickkillaught6]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

disko when you're shooting prairie dogs, the yardages can go from 5 feet to however far you can see but for a bone stock rifle I would personally think 3-400 yards is a decient gun for what you pay for it. Most all of the savage factory 223's are 1-9 and I own both for pd'ing it all depends on what your looking for ive personally witnessed a 204 push 40 grainers out to 683 yards consistantly coyotes around here maybe a 200 yard shot. i think with a lil loading you can get that sps to shoot out further than you think. like inode stated. you learn about the wind and load you can make the shots you want too imo

 

[diSko]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

Thanks again to everyone for sharing their knowledge and expeirences with me. I hope to start loading after the holidays, and will definitely have my results posted.

I hope to be able to contribute to other members on this forum, just like how everyone has kindly contributed to me.

Happy Holidays!

--- diSko ---

 

[QRE23]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

If you are looking for a bullet in the 50's with the highest BC possible the 53g Vmax has a bc of .290 and is DEVASTING on coyotes. I shot 2 yotes yesterday with these 53's and when I walked up to take a look it looked like these yotes swollowed grenades.

 

[Kiba]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

While the 69gr+ bullets would be better for paper at 500Y, given your 1-12 twist I'll put in another suggestion for the 53gr Vmax. The advertised .290 BC tracks very well based on gathered dope and is probably the best BC of any of the "light" .224 bullets out right now (correct me if you know of something better!)

My 700 VS-SF II with the factory 1-12 .223 barrel loves the 53s over N133-- 300Y 5 & 10 shot groups are consistently 1/3 MOA and often less if the winds aren't shifting. At longer ranges it will consistently ring a 10" AR500 target at 750 yards with the bulk of the spread being horizontal (wind.) They're also nasty on ground squirrels & coyotes out to 450 yards (farthest I've hit fur with them); lots more retained energy and better wind bucking at longer distance than the 40gr & 50gr Vmax because of the higher BC. I used to shoot the 50gr Vmax but the 53s are a big improvement in all areas as the range increases.

Until you switch to a faster twist barrel to stabilize the heavier pills I think you'll have good luck with the 53gr Vmax.

 

[Spanky8601]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

I have basically the same set up. I use 52 grain Noslers with 25.5 grains of Varget. Consistent 5 shots under a dime at 100 yards.

 

[Spanky8601]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

I have basically the same set up. I use 52 grain Noslers with 25.5 grains of Varget. Consistent 5 shots under a dime at 100 yards.

 

[diSko]

Re: 700 SPS Varmint .223 1/12 Twist Bullet weight?

Thanks everyone for all of the advice. I should be ordering supplys soon, and will keep you posted on my findings.

--- diSko ---