Progress with lightweight .223

[PeterCartwright]

I was disappointed when I shot my lightweight/youth rifle in .223 @ 100 yards several weeks ago.  Shots "sprayed" more than grouped.  After listening to some of the experiences of the wise ones on this site, I played a bit with the forearm.  The socket in the forearm was a tight, press fit onto the (female) threaded post welded on the barrel (to receive the forearm screw).  I grabbed the dreaded Dremel and relieved that "socket" so that the post slides easily into the forearm and then dropped an appropriate sized "O" ring into the bottom of that socket.  The end result is that the barrel is sorta "freefloated" (except, of course, for its contact with the "O" ring). 

Preliminary testing looks promising with two, back-to-back shots inside of an inch @ 100 yards with one of my favorite handloads.  The lightweight barrel heats up VERY fast and I didn't have time for a more thorough test (allowing time for complete cooldown between shots).  I think the little rifle may be showing promise.

One other thing I notice is that its diminutive size, while cute, makes it considerably more challenging to shoot well.  Weight isn't always an enemy, is it!

[bluebayou]

They are a very handy sized rifle.  I think that is one of the main selling points of the Handirifle in general.  Not to be dorky about it, but they are just easy to handle.  My gripe contines to be the felt recoil.  I have a hard time with larger caliber Handis. 

What are you loading in the 223?  I was thinking about some 60 Partitions or the 64 PP, have never gotten around to buying them. 

[PeterCartwright]

My loads to date aren't all that imaginative, but they seem to show promise.  I've been using the same powder and charge (25 gr. H4895) behind Nosler 60 gr. Partitions, Speer 55 gr. soft points and 53 gr. Barnes Triple X.  The rifle seems to do about the same with all three loads.  I'm planning on loading the Barnes bullet for the Youth Hunt in September.  This rifle isn't anywhere near the 80 or 100 rounds those experienced with Handi's recommend before really measuring accuracy potential.  I've got some "work" to do.

As per Tim's suggestion last year, I mounted a 4X Weaver scope actually designed for use on shotguns.  It's short length looks right on the little Youth Rifle and the optics seem to be fine for its intended purpose.  It's rather unlikely that any of our kids are gonna take a deer much over 50 yards anyway (hunting over food plots).

[quickdtoo]

Thanks for reminding me!!  I just bought another 243 SL barrel for my other grandson and forgot about a scope for it, I ordered another, they still have them marked down to $80, I did an online search, everyone that has them in stock wants $160-$200 for them!!

Good work on the 223!!

Tim

[PeterCartwright]

Just back from some more range work.  Waiting about 5 minutes between shots, my first two fall no more than an inch apart (and sometimes nearly half that much!), but the third shot inevitably opens up to almost 2" (100 yard range).  That's true of both the 60 gr. Nosler Part. and the 53 gr. Barnes Triple X.  Also, both of these bullets impact pretty much to the same point of aim (which is really convenient!).  This "third shot spread" may be shooter error (since I find it challenging to manipulate this tiny rifle) but I suspect it's probably an unresolved forearm issue. 

Since I'm not planning to use this set up on a prairie dog shoot (i.e. no extended shooting sessions), I'm not terribly concerned about what happens after the second shot.  The Superlight has developed into an accurate platform which should serve my purposes very well.  I'm happy!  (Now I really want to see what happens when one of our young people puts that 53 gr. Barnes through the boiler room of a whiitetail.)

[quickdtoo]

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