Author Topic: 223 Handi rifle (Read 1210 times)

Maine Woods · « **on:** February 09, 2004, 05:09:41 PM »

I got to shoot my "new to me" 223 NEF today it has a simmions 4X scope I was shooting the winchester varmit bulk pack 45 gr. hp. at 60 yards (lasered) hood of my truck jacket rolled up for rest. This little bugger will shoot! :eek: with a bigger better scope and a really good rest :roll: My best grouping as is was 10 shots I could allmost cover with a nickle cover with room to spare with a quater. :grin: Im glad Im not a local coyote! I will keep you all posted. Thanks for the help so far.

scruffy · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2004, 05:15:27 PM »

good shooting MW!!!

Go bust a yote for me!!!

later,
scruffy

Big Blue · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2004, 05:16:57 PM »

MW,
I've been working on loads for my .223 in 53gr. and 40 gr. I tried the 53gr. at 50 yards, like you from the hood of the pickup, and had most holes touching. The occasional flyer brought the largest group to 7/16". I'll load some 40gr. Hornady V-Max moly bullets tomorrow, and give them a try. Great little shooters.
Don

Maine Woods · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2004, 01:19:04 AM »

I am looking foward to loading for this gun but it wont be this year too much other stuff to do. I am also looking foward to trying differnt bullet weights. Im glad the gun shoots well at all ,I think it had a pretty hard life before I got it. Thanks again for all the help so far! PS hey Stomp thanks for the 45 gr. win. bulk pack tip!

Big Blue · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2004, 10:22:40 AM »

MW,
I got a chance to shoot today. I used three different loads. I started with military surplus ammo, and fired 1/4" groups, then I tried my handloaded 53 gr. Sierra HP Match with three different powder loads, and the best I got was again 1/4" groups. Then I tried Hornady 40 gr. V-MAX moly handloads, and the groups jumped to 1/2". These were all shot at 50 yards. I learned two things today, the first being that the gun is much more accurate than I am. The second was that it likes the cheap ammo, which is fine by me. I almost forgot to add that I experienced my first failure to eject. It was with handloads at the maximum charge. I don't know if this was an ejector problem, or the brass was stretched out from the load. I'll clean the ejector, and avoid the max loads which didn't group well anyway.
Don

scruffy · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2004, 10:29:56 AM »

Big Blue, were you shooting at 100 yards? :eek:

Good shooting! Is that out of the box or have you done anything to your 223?

later,
scruffy

Big Blue · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2004, 10:59:12 AM »

Quote from: Big Blue

MW,
I got a chance to shoot today. I used three different loads. I started with military surplus ammo, and fired 1/4" groups, then I tried my handloaded 53 gr. Sierra HP Match with three different powder loads, and the best I got was again 1/4" groups. Then I tried Hornady 40 gr. V-MAX moly handloads, and the groups jumped to 1/2". These were all shot at 50 yards. I learned two things today, the first being that the gun is much more accurate than I am. The second was that it likes the cheap ammo, which is fine by me. I almost forgot to add that I experienced my first failure to eject. It was with handloads at the maximum charge. I don't know if this was an ejector problem, or the brass was stretched out from the load. I'll clean the ejector, and avoid the max loads which didn't group well anyway.
Don

scruffy,
Don't I wish. See underlined above.
Don

scruffy · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2004, 11:12:41 AM »

sorry BB, had a moment of illeteracy I guess....

later,
scruffy

Big Blue · « **Reply #8 on:** February 10, 2004, 11:28:03 AM »

Quote from: scruffy

sorry BB, had a moment of illeteracy I guess....

later,
scruffy

I'd rather call it a moment of insight, or foresight on your part, as I hope to post something like this in the near future, with a 100 yard tag on it.
Don

Maine Woods · « **Reply #9 on:** February 10, 2004, 12:14:45 PM »

Hey Big Blue thats good grouping! :eek: I forgot to mention I had many fail to ejects

worked better if I waited a minute or two, I came home and gave the chamber a good cleaning hope to try a couple shots tommrow see if it helped.

Big Blue · « **Reply #10 on:** February 10, 2004, 12:21:28 PM »

MW,
I was looking at what I have that I can spray into the ejector to clean it better. The only thing I have at home is WD-40. I was thinking of trying some contact cleaner, and then re-oiling.
Don

jeff223 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 11, 2004, 03:41:29 AM »

big blue,if i were you i would pick up some jb bore cleaner and some flitz.you can use either to clean and polish the chamber of your rifle.i use both.take a cleaning jag with a patch with flitz on it and run it in and out of your chamber.you will want a tight fit with this patch.do this everytime you clean the barrel and it should take care of the case sticking trouble you are having.

you will want to keep the chamber free of oil when this rifle is in use.oil it good for storage only.the flitz also works good on the blueing of any firearm.its great stuff

Wlscott · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2004, 03:55:50 AM »

BB, I've started using Breakfree Powder Blast. It's a citrus based solvent that evaporates completely. I will blast out the chamber and bore with this to clean out the residual oils and gunk before shooting. Seems like my sticking problem is much better, plus I don't have to shoot a fouler shot before shooting for a group.

I found it at Walmart.

Big Blue · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2004, 12:41:28 PM »

I'm not sure if this is a cleaning issue, or the result of a hot load. I had shot at least 50 rounds, while sighting in a scope, and working up some .223 loads. Well the round that failed to eject, was the last batch I had made, and the hottest of all of the loads fired. I was right at maximum load limit with this one. You really don't know how good the accuracy will be until you try a load. It didn't shoot as well as a lighter loads I used. I figured a good cleaning, would take that out of the equation, so last night I did a thorough clean and will see if it happens again using the more mild loads. The gun seems to like the 53gr. Sierras at 3200 FPS, and in being true to it's inexpensive roots, it likes the cheap military ammo to. Go figure.
Don

Big Blue · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2004, 12:44:19 PM »

One other thought on this failure to eject issue. It might be a good idea to invest in a 1/8" dowel and keeping it in your gun case when you go hunting. The dowel works real well in clearing the empty brass. I just happened to have one on hand, and it was the ideal tool.
Don

handirifle · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2004, 06:39:35 PM »

BigBlue
50yds or not that is still good groups. Look like you've got a real shooter. On the hot loads and sticky case, was it hard or harder to open the action? When my loads start to get too hot, the action sticks and I have to "tap" in on the rest while holding the release lever down. No biggie, I just load down a bit from there.

No other sticky cases either.

Wlscott · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2004, 03:33:16 AM »

Quote

One other thought on this failure to eject issue. It might be a good idea to invest in a 1/8" dowel and keeping it in your gun case when you go hunting. The dowel works real well in clearing the empty brass.

I carry a drill bit when I'm calling coyotes. Fits in your pocket, and if you get a case stuck, you can drop the drill bit down the bore and knock out the brass case. I make sure that it is wiped clean of any dirt or debris before I drop it in the bore though, just to be sure that it won't scratch the inside of the barrel.

handirifle · « **Reply #17 on:** February 12, 2004, 07:26:06 AM »

wlscott
That's a good idea. Small and heavy enough to knock out the case.

thecowboyace · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2004, 11:13:33 AM »

Quote from: Big Blue

MW,
I've been working on loads for my .223 in 53gr. and 40 gr. I tried the 53gr. at 50 yards, like you from the hood of the pickup, and had most holes touching. The occasional flyer brought the largest group to 7/16". I'll load some 40gr. Hornady V-Max moly bullets tomorrow, and give them a try. Great little shooters.
Don

I would stay with the 53gr Hornady or the Sierra 55 grain Blitz at no more than 3200 fps at the maximum. Either of these are fine bullets and can be fine tuned to that 1/2 inch group at 100 yds.

Big Blue · « **Reply #19 on:** February 12, 2004, 11:54:36 AM »

Quote from: Wlscott

I carry a drill bit when I'm calling coyotes. Fits in your pocket, and if you get a case stuck, you can drop the drill bit down the bore and knock out the brass case. I make sure that it is wiped clean of any dirt or debris before I drop it in the bore though, just to be sure that it won't scratch the inside of the barrel.

Great idea, I was wondering what to use that could be carried.
Don

Big Blue · « **Reply #20 on:** February 12, 2004, 11:58:51 AM »

Quote from: handirifle

BigBlue
50yds or not that is still good groups. Look like you've got a real shooter. On the hot loads and sticky case, was it hard or harder to open the action? When my loads start to get too hot, the action sticks and I have to "tap" in on the rest while holding the release lever down. No biggie, I just load down a bit from there.

No other sticky cases either.

Now that you mention it, I did have to bounce the gun to open the action. It struck me as funny that the milder loads didn' thave the ejection problem, that's why I thought it might be the hotter load causing it.
Don