223AI build Questions

J

JayCarver

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Hello, I have been gathering components for my first custom rifle.
So far I have:
-Surgeon 591 223 boltface (ordered)
-Surgeon DBM
-Kreiger #17 Heavy Varmit 1 in 7" 32" blank 0.224cal
-McMillan A5 (ordered)
-S&B PMII 12-50x56
-Atlas bipod

I have decided it will be a 223AI, my gunsmith dosent have a reamer, I am going to buy one from PT&G, thats were the questions start.

(1) What size neck? .251" and .252" seem to be common.
(2)How long to throat it?
(3)Where to chop the barrel?

Some info: This rifle wont get packed around so weight is not an issue. The place I shoot offten is 1000yds, so I will be loading most likely 80 and 90gr vlds, maybe 80gr Amax's. What throat length would be a good compromise between these?

I already neck turn for other calibers, I like to at least take off enough to uniform the neck, would .251" neck work well for me? I want to work the brass as little as possible.

Since this won't be a tactical rifle I see no need to chop the barrel short, might as well get all the fps that I can with out going overboard on length. I'm thinking no shorter that 26", maybe 28" or 30" but that seems so long, how much more fps would a 30" get over 26"?

Thanks for reading, I look forward to your responses.
Jay
 
(1) For a match chamber you would like a neck clearance of 4thou, if you turn your necks to 12thou, then using a .224 diameter bullet that will work out to a .252 neck.
(2) Decide which is the longest bullet you will use, then make up a dummy cartridge with the bullet seated so that the base of the bullet is at the level of the case shoulder. I would make a couple and send them to Pacific tools, or, you could measure the distance from the base of your dummy cartridge (ie the boltface) to the ogive of the loaded round and tell them what this distance is.
(3) If you are not carrying it why cut it?? You can allways make it shorter later if you rechamber to something else.
 
My FTR in 223 has a 7 twist barrel, 28" long finished, and works just fine out to 1000yds pending my ability to read the winds :) Shot this to 1550yds without any issue.

What mags are you using? Ensure this wildcat will stack and feed.

Personally, the good old 223 does all that you will ever want and there is very little real world difference with the improved version. I have a tactical 223 with a 22" barrel. No issues plinking out to 1500yds.

If you are mag feeding, figure out your bullet and what will fit and feed. THEN figure out where to put the throat. I use the generic 223 Rem chamber and throat as needed for each application.

Jerry
 
Jerry you are correct, there is very little if any advantage of the 223 Ackley over a long throated 223rem. Neverless I still want to go this route.

I have spent alot of time researching and the 223AI will feed reliably from a modified AI 308 mag or the AI 223 mag, there also plenty of room for OAL with these mags.

One of my concerns is that if I throat long for the 90s will I at be at a big disadvantage with the lighter bullets not making the jump to the lands well? Is it possible to sacrifice a little case capacity with the 90s and still be able to touch the lands with the 80gr VLDs or Amax's?

Thanks for the responses guys, as you can tell I don't know much about this stuff, hence the questions.
 
I shoot both the 80gr and 90gr VLDs. My OAL for the 90's is 2.635, I don't recall my OAL for the 80's. (I'm at work, info's at home). The 90's will NOT fit into an AI mag at this length, not even close, but I have a .308 mag that I can use to feed them if I so choose.
If I were to do it again, I'd throat for 80gr VLDs and never touch another 90gr again. My next build will be exactly that. I considered going improved but I'm not sold yet.
It sounds like you have the makings of pretty sick rifle, I'm looking forward to seeing the build.

* the reason I won't go with 90's again is load development is never ending. I'm down to 3 loads depending on ambient temp.
 
9x19p said:
I shoot both the 80gr and 90gr VLDs. My OAL for the 90's is 2.635, I don't recall my OAL for the 80's. (I'm at work, info's at home). The 90's will NOT fit into an AI mag at this length, not even close, but I have a .308 mag that I can use to feed them if I so choose.
If I were to do it again, I'd throat for 80gr VLDs and never touch another 90gr again. My next build will be exactly that. I considered going improved but I'm not sold yet.
It sounds like you have the makings of pretty sick rifle, I'm looking forward to seeing the build.

* the reason I won't go with 90's again is load development is never ending. I'm down to 3 loads depending on ambient temp.
Click to expand...

Thanks, after reading the long thread about the 90gr VLDs it has me thinking about staying away from the 90's and goin with the 80's.

As far as the mags go, the 308 modified mags can take a round up to 2.89" so I don't think I will have to seat the 90's short if I went that route, this makes the decision even harder.
 
you sound determined to go 223AI but.....Why not go 222 rem mag and get the best of all worlds? small bolt face, 47mm brass and accurate as hell. you can use 204 ruger brass and simply neck up.
 
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