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Author Topic: H&R .223 Improvments?  (Read 2266 times)

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Offline shooting.al

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H&R .223 Improvments?
« on: October 22, 2007, 03:00:07 PM »
  Hello, I'm new here and this looks like a nice forum. To start off I have a standard H&R .223 varmint rifle with a special edition laminated stock. I was looking for the things I could do to improve the accuracy of this rifle. Also the gun is only about 2 years old and probably has about 100 rounds through it. Maybe this weekend I'll take it to the range and see what kind of groups it shoots. This winter I planned on taking it to a gunsmith and having the trigger reduced to about 2 pounds. Does that sound good for target and groundhog shooting? Also what other thing can be done to improve the accuracy of the rifle? What kind of 100 yd groups can I expect with these changes? Write now I'm using 50 grain V-maxes with 26 grains of Win. 748 powder. I'm going to mess around with bullet seating depth and powder charge weight and see how they do at the range. Thanks for all your help. :) 
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2007, 03:03:47 PM »
Welcome to GBO! Please read the FAQs and Help sticky, it's chock full of info to help you make the best of your H&R. There's also DIY trigger job info, anyone with a few basic tools can do their own trigger job, it just takes a little patience. H&R will also do a free trigger job to about 3-3½lbs when you send the frame in for a barrel or 3. ;D

Tim
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Offline MSP Ret

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2007, 02:18:35 AM »
welcome aboard shooting.al, visit often and soon you will be working on that .223 yourself and shooting tiny groups. You have a great gun there that is capable of it....<><....:)
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Offline Mac11700

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2007, 02:53:26 AM »


Welcome..

Like Quick said...read the FAQ's at the top of the page...there are a few things you can do to tighten the groups up with it...one is to just shoot it off the hinge area...the other is to pull all the way thru with the trigger...These 2 things help more than anything else provided everything is ok with your rifle to begin with..

Good Luck...and Good Shooting to ya

Mac
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Offline PHATINJUN

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2007, 03:19:56 AM »
Even though you didn't spend an arm and a leg for your Handi it is capable of clover leaf 100yrd groups use the FAQ's work your loads you'll have a blast welcome. Kurt
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2007, 11:02:54 AM »
Thanks for all the positive replies guys. So to start off I plan on going to the hardware store and buying the o-ring for forearm. Does that help any. Also when I go to the range I'll rest it on the receiver. Rite now my scope is a Tasco 3-9, so I can't expect much out of it. But this winter I plan on putting a BSA mil dot 8-32 scope on it. Is that a good one? Also do you think a gunsmith could reduce my trigger to about 2 pounds, and how much should that be? Also If this gun shoots clover leaf groups with bullet hole touching at 100 yards I'd be very satisfied. Also what powder and bullets do these guns tend to favor? Rite now I'm using 50 grain V-maxes with 26 grains of Win. 748 powder. Thanks for all your help. :)   
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2007, 11:04:18 AM »
Oh, also my gun has a 2006 serial number so does it still have a 1 in 12 twist or is it 1-9?
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2007, 11:22:16 AM »
A smith will charge $40-$50 for the trigger job.

Twist could be either one, it's likely a 1:9", but the only way to know for sure it check it with a rod, see the FAQs under the twist rates.

Tim
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2007, 12:00:06 PM »
If it has a 1-9 twist can I still shoot 50 gr bullets? Also I read the faq and will soon put the o ring on my stock. Also does these guns respond well to using a neck sizing die?
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Offline bigjeepman

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2007, 03:02:44 PM »
My .223 Handi's both like the 50gr Nosler BT bullets better than all the others though the 50gr VMax was not too far behind.

bjm
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Offline EVOC ONE

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2007, 12:30:27 AM »
"O" rings are cheap enough that it wouldn't do harm to have them (Lowe's and Home Depot sell them by the package) but I would shoot the rifle first before doing any modifications.  Take a couple different types of ammo, shoot off the hinge and be sure of your trigger follow through as suggested.  You may find it doesn't need anything more than that. 

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Offline cattleskinner

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2007, 04:58:46 AM »
When I had my SS .223, my load was:

27.3 gr. Varget
50 gr. V-max
CCI BR-4 primers
LC brass (mixed years)
COAL was 2.3" long

Trimmed to length with LEE case trimmers and loaded on a LEE loader,
they consistantly stayed under 3/4" for 5 shots, and under 1/2" for 5 was
possible if I cut back on the caffeine.  That was with a 1/12" twist barrel.
I don't know the speed since I don't have a  chronograph, but all I know
is.....the groundhogs aren't talking.  ;D 

~Amos
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2007, 10:11:21 AM »
What are the chances of my rifle having a 1-9 twist barrel? What bullet weights shoot best in a 1-9 barrel. I don't really think it has a 1-9  twist because I haven't had any bullets blow up in mid air with 50 gr bullets. Also whats the point of a 1-9 twist when a 1-12 works much better for what most people shoot?
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2007, 10:19:34 AM »
Quit wondering and check the twist rate yourself, it's not hard with a cleaning rod. ;) H&R has switched back and forth over the last 2 yrs, depending on the barrel style, if you have a 2007, it's likely a 1:9" unless it's a Superlight.  It's really a moot point what the twist rate is, you'll soon know what shoots well in it, the 1:9" traditionally doesn't shoot the heavier bullets well, the 50-55gr bullets should shoot good regardless if it's a 9" or a 12" twist.

Tim
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #14 on: October 24, 2007, 10:53:40 AM »
I checked it and its a 1-9 also the gun was made in 2006 and its a super light I'm pretty sure because it doesn't have a bull barrel.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #15 on: October 24, 2007, 10:59:48 AM »
The Superlight barrels are only 20" long, the 223 comes in 22" standard contour, blued or SS, as well as bull barrel and 24" bull and 24" fluted bull.

Tim
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #16 on: October 24, 2007, 11:24:15 AM »
My gun has a 22" barrel so its a standard contour. Also you measure the barrel from the end to end right?
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Offline MSP Ret

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #17 on: October 24, 2007, 01:53:17 PM »
yes that's correct, measure the complete length, from end to end....<><....:)
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #18 on: October 24, 2007, 02:16:21 PM »
Well then its a standard contour then. Also how does it shoot compared to a .223 bull barrel?
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Offline EVOC ONE

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #19 on: October 24, 2007, 11:58:00 PM »
I have one each, the standard tapered barrel and a bull barrel.  With ammo each likes, both produce equal performance.  I can get an extra shot with the bull barrel before the shots begin to string.  The only modifications are the addition of "O" rings.

Group size is generally in the 1" range for three shots.  Sometimes larger, occasionally smaller. 

 

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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #20 on: October 27, 2007, 11:22:46 AM »
Well today I made some sandbags and got a bench rest identical to the Hoppes one that my grandpa made at Armco. So tomorrow I see what kind of groups I can pull off. I have win. 748 and Accurate 2015 powder to try with 50gr V-maxes and 55gr Sierra varminters. Also tonight I'm going to free float my barrel with the O-ring and by sanding my stock. The stock touches on one side and has space on the other, so I'll fix that. Hopefully I'll pull off a 3/4 in. or smaller group. ;D
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Offline 351 power

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #21 on: October 27, 2007, 05:19:37 PM »
i thought the reason for 1 in 9 twist was to use heavy bullets
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Offline shooting.al

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #22 on: October 30, 2007, 01:18:13 PM »
Well I think my Tasco 3-9 cheapie scope finally quit on me. It was shooting all right and then it did a 2 foot group and the scope wouldn't adjust. So I guess this Christmas I'll get a BSA platinum 8-32 target scope and see how it shoots. But until then theres no more shooting for me. Also with that scope you had to sight it in every time you took it out. I guess you don't get much of a scope with $20. ;D
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Offline saltydog

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Re: H&R .223 Improvments?
« Reply #23 on: November 01, 2007, 02:23:30 AM »
Your 1:9 will shoot 40 gr. to 68 gr. bullets - however at the extremes you induce greater variance. I would shoot 50 or 55's - my 223 Ultra likes 50's better with it's 1:9 barrel but not that much. You will not blow up typical bullets in the air from rotational stress unless you are shooting something like a SPSX and then it is a fps induced stress force factor.
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