Gunsmithing Sanity check, please: .223 bolt gun build

[WhiteHorze]

Happy Holidays!

I am starting my first bolt gun build, and I would appreciate a sanity check to make sure I am not messing up. I have done plenty of searching and reading, but I don't have enough experience to filter the results for exactly my application.

Here are my objectives:

1. I have tons of 5.56 NATO match ammo (e.g. Black Hills 77gr) from my AR builds. I would like to shoot this out to 600 yards, both steel and paper, prone and bench.
2. I do not currently reload, but I could see myself doing this in the future. If the build could accommodate 80/82gr bullets, this would be great, but not required. My local range has steel out to 887 yards.

Here are my plans:

1. Remington 700 S/A, .223 bolt face, Badger recoil lug and tactical bolt knob, Timney trigger
2. Krieger SS barrel, #9 heavy target contour, 26", 1:7" twist, Wylde chamber throated for 2.400" OAL
3. JEC brake or Badger Thruster
4. McRees chassis, AI polymer .223 mags, Atlas bipod
5. Nightforce 20MOA rail, rings, 3.5-15x50 NXS

Again, I am a complete novice, so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

-Kris

With a barrel that thick it's going to be a boat anchor anyway so there's no need for a brake. As for the chamber, the Wylde chamber was a compromise between the tight Saami spec 223 chamber and the fat/deep 5.56 chamber. Just go with 223 AI.

 

[lightman]

I'm going to ride in on the end of this thread and thank everyone for their replys. I'm about to order another barrel for my 223 varmint rifle and was considering a MTU contour. I appreciate your thoughts on the weight and going with something lighter. Its a Remington 700 PSS, and the barrel is heavier than a Sendero, more like a 40X. I'm going with a 1-9 twist, as I plan to shoot mostly 50 and 55's, nothing heavier than a 69 SMK. This is my Prairie Dog rifle and I often get a permit to do bird control on fish farms. I'll be trying for a finished length of 24 inchs, maybe 25 if there is enough barrel. I'll go with a standard chamber as I already have other 22 centerfires that are faster. I'm a loyal Krieger customer, so it will be a Krieger, and I'll probably have it fluted.

Any additional comments are welcome and thanks for the above ideas. Lightman

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I would suggest a 5.56 chamber instead, it will handle .223's as well, but a .223 may have tight neck issues with 5.56 loads. Never limit your options.