Author Topic: inaccurate 223 ? (Read 761 times)

camsdaddy · « **on:** March 31, 2006, 08:04:54 AM »

I am thinking of sending my ultra in to have a 223 barrell put on. I am wondering if anyone has ever gotten an inaccrate 223 everything i find here is extremely positive. I have a 243 now but wanting the 223 for more economical shooting and practice and yotes out to 250yds. Is the 24" better than the 22" or stainless better I dont guess just wanting to get some ideas on what to get.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2006, 08:28:45 AM »

About 99% of the folks who have gotten the 223 barrels are extreamly happy with them..I don't think you could go wrong having one fitted..I haven't gotten one yet..but I think when I do I'll go for the 24" bull barrel one..

Mac

bluebayou · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2006, 02:54:59 PM »

Mine shot the White Box GREAT. BUT it only shot the White Box great. It shot the Black Hills 55gr SP to the same point of aim (bonus) but into a 1.-2" group instead of the 45grain size of .75. All of the other ammo 45 and 55 UMC (don't buy it, it is crap), Winchester Q load, S&B, Wolf, Hornady 55 and 45 VMAX, were all over 2.5".

Dillohide · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2006, 05:59:48 PM »

I bought a new H&R Limited Edition .223 22" bull barrel with 1-12" twist on sale at my rifle range a little over a month ago and have had a blast with it. At first it shot groups about like my Marlin 30-30. However, the more I shoot the better it gets. Except for 1/2 box of those 45 gr white box Winchester jhp's (which I wasn't all that impressed with) everything I've fed it has been 55 gr. Hornady V-Max and Hornady Spire Points. The V-Max is a little more accurate. Started working loads with BL-C2 with best group at 1 inch then switched to Varget and getting .7 to .3 inch groups at 100 yards. I haven't quite gotten 100 rounds through it yet so still breaking it in and I'm still getting used to the trigger. I'd say they are plenty accurate, especially in a rifle designed for hunting.

sbhooper · « **Reply #4 on:** April 01, 2006, 06:54:25 AM »

I would definitely go with the longer barrel. It will give you more velocity. My .223 has been a bit of a frustration, but it really seems to like the Hornady 50 grain spire points and both the 50 and 55 grain Sierras real well. I got really low velocities with the BLC2 for some reason, but the groups were great. In the 24 inch barrel the BLC2 may be just the ticket and it meters great. With 22 grains of IMR4198, I shot a .3 inch group with the 50 Hornadys. Varget shoots very well, too and I am considering trying the H322 which seems to be a good .223 powder.

Dillohide · « **Reply #5 on:** April 01, 2006, 12:43:44 PM »

Ditto on the Blc2. I couldn't keep any consistancy in the upper range. Got a 1" group with 27.2 gr & 55 gr V-Max then next group would go out to 2". Think If I dropped back in the 25 gr range would get the consistancy but would be about 2800 fps. With Varget my best load has been 25 to 25.2 grs ... still working on it. That's probably about 2900 to 3000 fps out of a 22" barrel but getting .7 to .3" groups. I've got some H322 I'm fooling around with in my lever actions so may give it a try too. I'm less concerned about velocity than I am accuracy with a 55 grain bullet. I want to hit a turkey at 200 yards without blowing him in half so lower velocity doesn't matter as long as it gets there.

sbhooper · « **Reply #6 on:** April 01, 2006, 02:53:36 PM »

BLC2 was the most consistant powder that I have tried, but I got in the low 2800's with a max load of it behind a 55 grain Sierra. The 50 grainers were just over 2900. The groups were great, but I wanted more velocity. I shot good groups this afternoon with 27.5 grains of Varget behind a Hornady 50 grain spire point and it was clocking 3203 fps average. I am still playing to see what is the best. Can't ever burn too much powder!

Dillohide · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2006, 07:07:54 PM »

Hornady 50 grain spire points was my next purchase. About out of the 55 V-Max with a box of Hornady 55 grain spire points left ... the 50 grain would serve my purpose just as well. I like Varget because it shoots so well in my M70 30-06 with Hornady btsp 165 gr. Be nice to have two guns shooting good with the same powder!

sbhooper · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2006, 04:15:26 AM »

Dillohide, I like Varget for the same reason. Using it with 165 grain Hornadys in my .308 it shoots great. The rifle is a Rem Mod 600, so it has an 18.5 inch barrel. I get 2650 fps using Varget powder and the groups are fantastic. I use it under 65 grain V-Max in my .243 and the last group that I shot with it was one big hole. It is really nice to have one powder that will cover lots of different loads. If you shake the case a little or drop the powder into the funnel slowly, 27.5 grains fills the .223 case to just under the rim. You may try using a little bit less also, depending on what your gun does. My gun loved 27 grains behind a Sierra 55 too, and it produced just under 3100 fps with a very small velocity deviation.

Dillohide · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2006, 01:11:37 PM »

Tried 23 grains of H322 behind the Hornady 55 gr just for the heck of it today ... and because I had the powder. Dang if it didn't shoot two .3" 3 shot groups at 100 yrds. I only loaded 6 to see what it would do. Not sure what velocity that would be out of a 22" but Hodgdon out of a 24" barrel has it at 3106 fps. Evidently this barrel likes H322 with the 55 grain bullet.