223 for 600 m shooting

J

JasonYuke

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Quick question guys and it's one to take with a grain of salt.
First off has anyone ever shot 55 fmjbt to 600 m hand loads and what were the results
Second is the 223 1:9 twist capable of shooting for hits on targets to 600 m

Reason I want to take a high volume shooting course this summer.
And contemplating between my 308 sass and my 556 sass Ar rifles.

High volume over a 5 day event plus practice and site in rounds puts me I need for 1000 rounds plus

If I have to load 69 smks with varget so be it just looking for alternatives
 
In the military I shot 556 / 62grainers up to 700 meters. It can be done yes.

55g will get picked up by the wind a lot. EX: 500meters? 62 grain. 10km/h wind full value? We are already talking about an average of 25" of deviation just for wind... On a 20" barrel.
 
If you own both why wouldn't you take the 308? If your going to a course to learn. Take the right tool with you. 223 is capable yes. But there's no question at that distance a 308 will be much better. If you get s little breeze that day your 223 is going to be dancing all over the place.
 
Oh I know the 308 is by far the better choice. I have shot it a lot at distance.
I just wonder who has used 223
The cost of 800 308 match is $1200 the cost of 223 is a lot less even if I put 69 gr smk in them about $500

I have lots of experience at distance with big cals 308/338/50 that's not what this is about. It's high volume shooting in 5 days.

Course outline is about hits on targets 100-600 m

But I think I am leaning towards the 308.

That's all guys.
 
I use my rem 700 223 with 1/12 twist shooting 50gr vmax at 3390fps from 25.9gr of benchmark in my back field. I can keep 4" groups at 550 yards with steady light to mild winds. The day i tried 600yards it was a 22kph wind from a 310degree heading(if straight ahead was my 0degreess) with 35kph gusts. That could have hampered the bullets enough, albeit my data showed bullets dropping to 1190fps by the time they were on target.
Somewhere between 550/600yards 30-40% of my bullets tumbled. I haven't changed my bullets because 600yards kinda pisses off my neighbours shooting that close to the fence! So i dig into the bush a bit and that seems to pacify them.
 
In FTR out to 600m/yds, a number of shooters have no problem with the 223 and heavier bullets competing with the 308 and similar heavies. Yes, you need to read the wind but you always need to be aware of the wind.

Just assembled my new AR15 and will be loading Hrn 75gr BTHP in them. Berger 70gr VLD and Sierra 77gr MK's are great bullets.

If you dont mind the goofy looking seating, the 75gr VLD's do work from an AR 15 mag.

Not sure how heavy a bullet you want to run in the AR10's but 175gr MK/175gr OTM Berger is pretty much the max (maybe you can squeeze a 185gr BT Berger). Recoil will be much higher and so will cost. Will it drift less? Run the numbers and see for yourself.

Might surprise you.

There are far more 223's being shot from AR platforms out to 600yds in the US then 308's

Jerry
 
I have no experience with those bullets so I best not comment, but the BC of hornady's 55gr fmj bt with cannelure is only .001 more than a 50gr vmax according to hornady's webpage. so clearly the vmax shape is helping out alot as the 53gr is a .290 (vs BC.242 vmax & .243 fmj)

All I can say is if it's a quite day, I have no issues putting 53gr vmax on target at 600yards at 1moa or greater.
 
I've shot the 223 to 1000 yards with 69 smk and 75 JLK's out of a Palma type rifle and more recently to 500m with an AR and 75/77's.

Loaded hot you aren't that far behind a 168 smk to 600m either for wind drift or elevations, especially on a known distance range.

For the $700 difference you are stating, I'd run the 223 no questions. For training purposes you will gain the same knowledge whether you held 2 or 2.5 mils into the wind
 
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JasonYuke said:
Jerry that is great advice
What are your thoughts on 68/69 gr for 600 m in a 1:9 twist.
Capable ?
Click to expand...

69/68 gr bullets are used in a whole bunch of US tactical ammo. They are wonderfully suited to shorter distances or in light wind.

Can be mechanically accurate but the lighter you go, the more they will get bounced around in the wind. We have shot 55gr SP's to 1000yds. Made the trip and were large pizza box accurate on a CALM day. Wouldn't be making any bets on a windy day.

That is why there are lot of mid range shooters using 75 and 77gr bullets. The issue is the stupid short mags. If they had left another 0.25", the world would be a very different place.

Launch them and prove for yourself.

Jerry
 
Mid range with a 223/5.56 is easy. With a 80 gr MK the wind drift is about the same as a 308 shooting a 155.

However, getting enough velocity out of an AR to stabilize a 80MK in a 1:9 would be difficult. I can do it with a bolt gun running 2900+.

The Sierra 77MK will stabilize, and wind drift would not be too bad. Try it.

I once won a 1000 yd match shooting a 223 bolt gun shooting 80gr SMK, so up close at 600 should be easy.
 
JasonYuke said:
Thanks guys this is very helpful.

I have a box of 500 69 gr smks I might try driving them hard with varget/355/ and blc2
To see how it runs out of the HBar.
Click to expand...

If you can get your hands on it you may want to play around with CFE223. Burn rate similar to Varget but MUCH smaller grains so you can fit more in. Trying it now in my 18" 8 twist with 77SMKs.
 
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