The 223 with lightweights and small scopes

pathfinder76

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Was out today playing with a fast twist 223 shooting 40gr BT’s at 3650. Speed sure helps with mid range trajectory and small targets. Using a fixed 6X scope with a ballistic reticle shooting 6” targets at 500 yards was easy.

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Looks like a sweet spot, what’s the rifle you’re shooting. I’m on the lookout for a LH .223 but it’s slim pickings unfortunately.

It’s a rifle I had built on a LH Remington 700 in 2009 by Bill Leeper. Somewhere along the way I sold it and recently traded back into it.
 
Speed sure does help! Sounds like great shooting.

Love that stock colour/pattern. Is it a 700 Classic?
 
I have a couple of fast twist .223's .
This summer we had company and I took him to the range . My guest had never fired a rifle before so I took my 3-9x Leupold AR scope off my varmint gun and stuck it on my RPA match rifle.
He had no problem going out to 500 Meters with it using some 69 and 80 grain match bullets.
It was a fun afternoon for sure.;)
Cat
 
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I have a couple of fast twist .223's .
Thus summer we had company and I took t to the range . My guest had never fired a rifle before so I took my 3-9x Leupold AR scope off my varmint gun and stuck it on my RPA match rifle.
He had no problem going out to 500 Meters with it using some 69 and 80 grain match bullets.
It was a fun afternoon for sure.;)
Cat

Oh they must have had a blast!


Not that small of a target, but my old lady has no problem smacking a 10" gong around at 450 meters with a Savage Axis sporter barrel and 53 or 60 gr Varmageddon/Vmax. If I do the dialling.
 
It's possible to push a light bullet to the point it will self destruct in the air, but needs to be pushed real fast in a real fast twist. Nothing I've ever seen or worried about in a 223.
They seem fine with fast twists and light bullets.
There are more then a few cartridges that will throw a 40gr 223 bullet at 4000fps+, and they were designed around that.
I remember reading on here actually about a member that was wildcat crazy with the 284Win cartridge, built everything from 22 to almost whatever cal a 284Win is straight walled, I think the 22-284 was called the baboon slayer as he took that one to Africa on a cull. There were a few lighter bullets that didn't hold up to the speed and vaporized 50m out.
 
Oh they must have had a blast!


Not that small of a target, but my old lady has no problem smacking a 10" gong around at 450 meters with a Savage Axis sporter barrel and 53 or 60 gr Varmageddon/Vmax. If I do the dialling.

To be honest, some of the steel is pretty big at our range , but he did hit a 4 1/2" plate at 500 a couple of times - he was over the moon!
Cat
 
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It's possible to push a light bullet to the point it will self destruct in the air, but needs to be pushed real fast in a real fast twist. Nothing I've ever seen or worried about in a 223.
They seem fine with fast twists and light bullets.
There are more then a few cartridges that will throw a 40gr 223 bullet at 4000fps+, and they were designed around that.
I remember reading on here actually about a member that was wildcat crazy with the 284Win cartridge, built everything from 22 to almost whatever cal a 284Win is straight walled, I think the 22-284 was called the baboon slayer as he took that one to Africa on a cull. There were a few lighter bullets that didn't hold up to the speed and vaporized 50m out.

My fast twisters don't push my big 85 grain match bullets much past 3,000FPS, but they stay supersonic ( and relatively accurate) at 1K!:dancingbanana:
Cat
 
Gorgeous shooting spot. I love the fast twists .223s. I'm using a 8T Tikka to shoot the 75gr ELDs at about 2800fps. Makes for a great practice round, and I love a fixed 6x for use on anything out to about 600 yards. I use the SWFA 6MQ, but I'm always holding out for a more modern fixed 6 with strong zero retention ability and accurate tracking.
 
Why haven’t you gone 6.5 or 6 Grendel(Arc) so you can big game them also? I don’t get the .223 for Alberta, and you reload and have no issues with custom work?
 
My fastest twist 223 is 1 in 9. Extremely accurate with light bullets but I settled on 55gr sierra game king HP. Not sure what speed I'm getting though. I haven't shot over my Chrono yet but it's only a 16.5" barrel. I've come to enjoy shooting the 223
 
A well setup 223 is very, very easy to like.

Looks like a fun day with the kiddos. :)

Interesting thing about the rifle. When I got it back I didn’t like how I originally bedded it. It sat to high in the stock. So I apprehensively took the bedding out (you know how well it shot) and rebedded it. Accuracy was not affected. :)
 
I don’t get the 6.5 Grendel for Alberta period.

What about 6 Grendel? I mean Arc...

I don’t get .223 for Alberta. Coyotes and targets only, not even mountain lion legal which are on menu when calling coyotes and frequently come in, also a little light for wolves which will also come to the call here. Can’t shoot deer etc either. There are way more versatile single digit ft/lbs recoil options that can do it all. We just used a 6.5 Grendel with factory ammo for 6 seasons and 20 animals, 7 species, 10-420 yards, average shot distance 160-165 and average recovery distance about 10 yards. Legal for everything and you can watch it happen in scope in average weight rifles. The top 25-30 gr of powder burning choice for our province. The 6 Grendel (arc) will be right next to it. The x39 case is also milsurp case. So yeah I don’t see the .223 for this province reloader or factory guys, guess I don’t like 1 trick ponies and just prefer max versatility things overall.
 
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