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Factory .556 Bolt Action For 75 to 80gr. Bullets

AZgeek

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Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 30, 2014
832
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Tucson AZ
Any factory offerings with a generous mag length, longer throat and a 1-7 twist rate for the heavies?
 
My sps 1-9 twist with 75's @ 430
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I use a RARR in a Boyd's pro varmint with their aics bottom metal and a Ruger polymag. I shoot 75gr. ELDX bullets and the gun shoots them quit well.
 
If you can find a now discontinued ruger precision rifle in 5.56 it should meet your criteria. Has a longer wylde hybrid throat and 7 twist with AICS mags.
 
You only need a 1:8 twist for any bullet up to 80 grains. The options I know of are:
-Tikka T3x Varmint 1:8 twist. This would need to be converted to AICS mags somehow to use long OAL mags
-Ruger ranch or predator with 1:8 twist. Also needs AICS conversion.
-Ruger precision in 5.56 is good to go.
-Howa I think makes their latest 1500 .223's with a 1:8. Needs conversion to take AICS.
I'm probably forgetting some.
 
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Of the choices I listed above I'd be tempted to just buy a Ruger Predator .223 and drop it in a Magpul Hunter stock. Probably would cost $750 total.
 
I've got a used Savage Take Off varmint barrel that I got used on the forums here. 26in, 1-9twist and it has a fairly long throat. It loves Sierra 77gr SMK as well as Both Sierra and Nosler 80gr bullets. I've only shot that barrel to 400yds, but it has great accuracy at those ranges. FYI, I have the barrel on a Bighorn TL3
 
Of the choices I listed above I'd be tempted to just buy a Ruger Predator .223 and drop it in a Magpul Hunter stock. Probably would cost $750 total.
The -now only potential- issue with that is that the ruger magpul stock doesnt play well with the 223 aics mags. AICS and even accurate mags with the extended feed lips release the bullet early before it starts into the chamber.

I think that is part of the reason magpul came out with the dumb new 5.56 "aics" they did which is why I said now only potential to start.

At least they show one with a ruger american, no actual reports yet on if it actually works or not.
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The -now only potential- issue with that is that the ruger magpul stock doesnt play well with the 223 aics mags. AICS and even accurate mags with the extended feed lips release the bullet early before it starts into the chamber.

I think that is part of the reason magpul came out with the dumb new 5.56 "aics" they did which is why I said now only potential to start.

At least they show one with a ruger american, no actual reports yet on if it actually works or not.
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Have you tried the Ruger .223 AICS mags. The feed lips are longer by 1/4" or more.
 
Have you tried the Ruger .223 AICS mags. The feed lips are longer by 1/4" or more.
If you mean the plastic ruger mag then I have not but others did and it didnt work for them
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If you mean the metal ruger branded mags that arent offered via ruger anymore but that you can still get from accurate mag... they worked in my 223 american oryx and other chassis for other people except they still didnt work in the magpul hunter for the others.
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Its been an ongoing saga for the magpul hunter and 223. https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/ruger-american-223-stock-replacement.6947542/page-2
 
I use the steel Accurate Mag 5round mags for my 223. I pulled them apart and did the modification that the 6.5Guys recommended in their .223 Trainer video. This allows my 80gr rounds that are seated very long to feed great through the magazine.

To elaborate on my setup:
Bighorn TL3
Savage take off varmint barrel 1:9twist, 26in, gloss finish
JAE-700 stock
Accurate Mag - Steel 5 Round mags

I did have to adjust the magazine seating depth with the JAE-700, but once I set it for one type of magazine I found that it fits the magpul .308 AICS and the AI AICS mags perfectly as well.
 
Tikka's. They're 1:8 (check though because they did/do produce some 1:12 stuff too) and have no problem stabilizing 80's. Their mags suck though for OAL (Tacticals and TAC A1's may be better, not sure) and I don't think can be modified. The simple solution though is to get something like a T3X Varmint SS and drop it in a KRG Bravo and then run Accurate 223 mags.

There's also the Christensen MPR if you want a turn key setup.

 
Holy crap. Thanks for the info guys! Thought for a second I was forced to consider a DTA SRS A2 with the SAC 555 conversion. While very cool, also very pricey.
 
EDIT: Just realized the OP was asking about factory offerings with long mag length. This ain't one, but I'll leave it for info purposes.

This is a Tikka T3X Varmint (.223) in an MDT LSS-XL Gen-2 chassis with MDT AICS-format polymer mag, vertical grip, M-lok ARCA rail, and skeleton buttstock. Not shown is the Anarchy Outdoors bolt handle. It runs slick as can be asked. New-purchase, non-sale price of rifle and chassis setup (not including optic, bipod) is right at $2k. I've really tried to resist the siren song of a custom .223, which would cost about $2600 to set up the way I want, even with a lower-tier action.

Main point for this thread is that the MDT mags allow for more bullet length than the Tikka throat will swallow.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_1f7.jpg
 
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I have a Remmy 700 5R in 223 with 1/9 twist that shoots 77SMK lights out. I have to hand feed 80SMK's but it shoots them great. Ive shot it out to 1,300 which is ridiculous mortar shot, but just saying.

75 grain amax dont fit, too long for mags.
 
I have an old R5 in 308. My favorite factory gun of all time! One of these in 223/556 is definitely a possibility. Too Bad they discontinued RPR in this caliber. Always wanted to try a Tika but still pondering over this one.
 
Holy crap. Thanks for the info guys! Thought for a second I was forced to consider a DTA SRS A2 with the SAC 555 conversion. While very cool, also very pricey.
If you can afford the DTA, that's the way to go. You'll get amazing accuracy, as much mag length as you could possibly need, no feeding issues and you can switch to any other caliber you may want down the road with ease.