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Rem 700 bolt gun in .223

GRIM

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 21, 2009
454
1
59
Wisconsin
Just picked up a used Rem 700 bolt gun in .223. It's got a 12 twist barrel (yes, I measured it) so I headed to the range to test out what it might like.

50 gr Fed Value pack - nope (had this stuff shoot great before in one of my JP AR's)
55 gr Nosler BT - nope again (25.0 grains of IMR 4895)
68 gr BHills - nada big time (blue box)

I figure it will like lightweight bullets with that twist so I switch it up and try out some 40 grain Hornady factory V-Max stuff. Shoots it ok but not great. What to do, what to do. I'm resting my head on the stock and mulling over the fact that I might have to handload lighter bullets for it (but I really want to shoot the heavier stuff).

Soooo as a last resort I pull out the factory Federal GMM 69 grain ammo to humor myself. BAM !!! 5 rounds all touching at 100 yds with about a .397" group. WTH ?! Wouldn't have figured it would have liked 69 grainers AT ALL but there's the proof. And I was holding on the black vertical line and estimating the middle of the line. Next time I'll setup a better precision target to shoot at. I'll post a pic tomorrow when I get some time but now I've got to settle on replicating the GMM 69 grain load. Any ideas of what powder to use?? Varget? 4895?? or ???

223Bolt.jpg
 
Re: Rem 700 bolt gun in .223

I have one with a 1:12 and it hates 69s,25-26grs of h4895 with 55gr vmax or nos 55gr ballistic tip and its GTG
 
Re: Rem 700 bolt gun in .223

mine also hates anything heavier than 60's.
try the hornady 55g vmax ammo. i have replicated that load and it shoots good and is interchangable with 60g vmaxs

55 or 60g vmax
24.5g benchmark
rem or hornady cases
cci primers
3100 fps average 85 degrees 600' asl, 75% humidity

109.jpg
 
Re: Rem 700 bolt gun in .223

just what powder did you use and how much?my 223 with a 1:12 likes the 55gn NBT and 52gn SMK's.but for the 55gn NBT I use 27.5gn of varget and 25.5gn of 4064 for the 52gn SMK.so it might be a speed thing for the rifel.even load them in the lands(just in the lands)and with the 69gn SKM I got it to shoot one time with 4895 I think.but cannot remember the weight.will have to look at my notes for that.and yeah I load with CCI 450 primers.
 
Re: Rem 700 bolt gun in .223

I used IMR4198 with the Speer 50 grain TMT. Also shot Speer 52 grain OTM with TAC both loads shot bugholes.

Good luck

Jerry
 
Re: Rem 700 bolt gun in .223

OK - here's the pic and I updated more info in the initial post.

223Bolt.jpg