223@ 600, 800, 1000yds new build

S

s1rk1118

Guest
Decided on a Savage target action, right bolt, right port for F-class only. Need help with barrel decisions. Would like to go with 26" because weight is important @ my 800 yd range. We shoot from 100 through 800 and a lot of walking is involved, but would go as long as 28" if need be. Would also like to shoot 75, 80, and 90gr Bergers or JLK's. Have had excellent results with 75 Bergers with a 1:9 twist I'm shooting now. Thinking primarily about 90's @ 1000.
 
S1rk,

You might be interested in a feature in Target Shooter magazine www.targetshooter.co.uk - we featured a 223 F/TR rifle over the last three issues Aug, Sept, Oct. using a Savage target action as the basis and 90gn Bergers.
Vince UK
 
Thanks Vince, very intresting articles, I look forward to the next two follow-ups. This has convinced me I am heading in the right direction. I still need to do some calculations on freebore and barrel length, but I can't wait to get this gun together. Looking forward to Nationals next year in Wisconsin.
 
s1rk

s1rk1118

I used a PG&T reamer with a .226 freebore - print no. 19486. We were all sceptical that a 223 could do it at 1000 yards but that was put to bed when Laurie entered a 1000 yd BR comp. and shot a 4.7 inch group!

Cheers
Vince
 
Tell me more! What length barrel, what speed, what powder, what brass (I really like Lapua brass, but it does come up a bit short on capacity)? Also with that freebore, I assume you have to jump shorter bullets(80's,75's).
Thanks, Steve
 
OK, I'm a little slow, but I'm not stupid. It finally dawned on me you are the Vince in the Target Shooter article. That answers all my above questions. One that is not answered is neck dia. in the chamber? By the way, I looked at some of your other articles. Very nicely done!
 
s1rk1118

We made the reamer a 'no-turn' neck, which is three thou. larger than a loaded round using Lapia 223 Match brass, which comes out at 0.252 in. Amazingly, this rifle is competitive at 1000 yards with a 308! It's also very nice to shoot.

Cheers
Vince
 
I run a 1-7" Krieger, was chambered with a PTG Match reamer, I had it throated for freebore with a seperate thoating reamer after the fact. I use 77, 80 & 90gr. SMK's and 80 & 90gr Bergers all run about the same measurments at 2.0000" to the lands. I haven't tried to use any other bullets as I set this up only for the heavies, I have other rifles for lighter bullets with 1-9" twists that will shoot up to 77gr. SMK's & 80gr. AMAX with no problems.
 
Hey taildrag, do you know exactly how much freebore you have? Is that 2.0000 - 1.760= .24 freebore? Or exactly what was the overall case length reamed at?
 
I would not turn necks with a standard chamber. This is from past experience with Lapua brass. It is too good. I use a bushing that will reduce the neck dia .003 from the loaded neck dia. If you did not use a seperate throat reamer, I would think your 90 VLD is seated too deep in the cartridge, taking up powder space and not letting you achieve enough velocity. What is your COAL?
Steve
 
I have a std. chamber, it is abouts .255. Will get new barrel. Are considering neck dia. and other specs on that chamber.
Uses Lapua brass,
COL w 90 Bergers 68.5mm, which is bearing surface to bottom of neck. Square marks more or less

What chamber diameter. What cartridge diameter, what freebore_

Krister
 
Match chamber with no turn neck (~.252). However, if your COAL is 2.697", it sounds like you should be able to use this barrel. The bearing surface of the bullet should be seated ~.110-.145 into the case. I just went back and read your initial thread. I think you need a tighter bushing(loaded round -.003). Don't trim your cases less than 1.755. Only bush 3/4 of the way down on the neck. This will leave a small area fatter and that will help center the cartridge in your sloppy chamber neck. Also, a 90 should be reserved for 1000 yds. It will be going slower than a 75 or 80 out of an 8 twist barrel @ 600yds. If the furthest you are going to shoot is 600 yds, I would go with an 8 or 8.5 twist and shoot the 80 grain family.
Steve
 
S1rk,
FWIW, my 223 has a 31" Archer barrel. In our competition we are limited to 80 gn bullets (NRAA). Recommended velocity for 1000 yards is 2950fps.
 
s1rk1118,

although Vince and I went for the maximum length we could get from the True-Flite blank and ended up on 31" in my F/TR rifle, you won't lose much velocity by dropping to 28". Below that length sees a much greater MV loss for every inch of barrel.

Laurie,
York, England
 
This is very interesting to me. I am building a .223 on a Barnard P action, Brux 7.5 twist barrel, got the match reamer from PT&G. Going to shoot just 80gr bullets at 600 yard matches. I shoot mostly prone, but want to shoot some F/tr with it. Still not convinced it will keep with the .308 at 1000 yards, looking at the ballistics I know what you are saying though, and its encouraging to read the above posts. I will try it at 1000yard practices.
Ken Orris
 
Still not convinced it will keep with the .308 at 1000 yards, looking at the ballistics I know what you are saying though, and its encouraging to read the above posts. I will try it at 1000yard practices.
Ken Orris
Click to expand...

96.9v at 1,000yd at Blair Atholl last Sunday in Match 4 (ex 5 over the weekend) of the second round of the GB F Class Association national league series. (That's 196.9x in US-speak and target scoring terminology) I shot head to head with Russell Simmonds (squadded together shooting alternatively) the World F/TR champion with .308W and the new 155gn Sierra MK and matched him shot for shot. Came out ahead with the .223 on the final shot where Russell leaked out into the 4 and I took a V. 2nd place man in the match was Adam Bagnall the current GB FCA F/TR champion shooting .308W/210 Berger VLD on 96.8v with Russell in 3rd.

The 96.8v equals John Cross's GB FCA 20 shot 1,000yd F/TR record score set last year. To put it into context, the 'Open' match winner Simon Rodgers took the match on 98.6v and my score would have put me in 2nd place ahead of over 20 shooters mostly using 7mm short magnums.

I led F/TR by 1 point on aggregate after this match but had a poor final match dropping me to 4th F/TR overall, but even then at the bottom of a small group that was nearly 10 points ahead of the man in 5th place and 20 points ahead of those from 6th downwards. The .223 will shoot at 1,000yd with the right components!

Results on:

http://www.freewebs.com/fclassuk/competitions.htm

with a full match report in the next issue of the free online magazine that goes live on June 1st:

http://www.targetshooter.co.uk/

Laurie,
York
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Reamer for 223 for 90gr VLD

s1rk1118
Contact JGS reamers and get the same one he made up for Robertson Composites 253 neck throated for the and 90gr Bergers. I use a 30" 1/7 twist Tru-Flite on a Barnard action.All .308 win I shoot against will have 1 to 1.25 moa more wind on that I will using the 90gr VLD at 2850fps. The last shoot May 21 at Connaught in Ottawa there was only one .308 win that had the same wind, was a friend driving 180gr JLK over 2800 fps, fellow shooting the 210grs could get enough speed, might do well in F class open in a mag cartridge.
use Lapua brass and turn the necks, sort your bullets, ogive on some Bergers can be out 24000, sort in .2000 batches use a micrometer competition seater to change seating as you change batches of bullets.Powders RL 15,VT 550 Varget out to 600m there is some others that are showing promise I am testing.
Hoover pointer sure helps also
good luck
manitou
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top