will a longer 223 barrel get rid of 10" 223 keyholing?

[triehl27]

I want a plinker barrel.  and I love 223.  with out spending $$$ I can get a 21" 223 barrel again cut with the 1-12 rate.  My 10 keyholes even 55 grn rnds.  these are what I shoot the most of sinc I get em free.  will going to the 21" over the 10 get rid of the keyholing in 55grn loads?  thanks

[Del]

Something sounds very funky w/your 10" barrel!!  Keyholing standard 55 grn loads sounds seriously wrong!!  A friend of mine has one of the 10" / .223 barrels, and it shot quite accurate w/ 50 & 55 grn loads, good enough that we hunted ground squirrels w/it and did well - he NEVER mentioned any load from it keyholing!  I've got a 12" Hunter barrel (10 7/8" rifled barrel w/a 1 1/8" muzzle tammer) and shot a 3/4" group w/it @ 100 yards the first time I took it out shooting (the very first kind of ammo I tried in it, a 50 grn handload of my friend w/the 10" barrel).

Bottom line if you like the 10" barrels, send the one you have back to T/C and explain the keyholing, maybe they will just send you a new one??  If T/C won't make the exchange, try a different new barrel, or find an old .22 hornet barrel for a moderate price and send it to someone like SSK or Mike Bel*m for a top notch rechamber job. That's what I would do!

Best of luck, and let us know how it works out....
Del

[Madmark]

I agree with Del. Something's not right. My 10" .223 put 10 shots in under 5 1/2" at 200 measured yards. I used pulled military 55 grain FMJ's seated long, just off the lands. It never keyholed.
You can experiment with longer OAL, that may help, but I can't see where OAL would cause keyholing. Call TC and see what they recommend. If they replace it, you will not be able to get a 10"" barrel. They will offer a current production 12 or 14". Keep us posted!

[BCB]

triehl27,

There is published data that indicates soom of the 223 barrels are 1:12 and some are 1:14.  I have two 223 barrels--both are T/C barrels.  One is a Super 14" and the other is a 16" (15.5"?).  Regardless, neither shoot 55 grain or heavier with much accuracy at all.  At 60 grains, keyholing is amazingly consistant even at ranges of 25 to 50 yards.  The 14" loves Hornaday 50 SSPSP bullets and the 16" loves the 40 V-max.  Both of these barrels will shoot .5" to .75" at 100 yards and generally around 1.5" at 200 yards.  I shot 4 groundhogs a few weeks ago and the closest was 194 yards--the longest shot was 232 yards.  A range finder was used so the ranges are accurate.  I was using the 16" with the 40 grain V-max at nearly 3200 fps.  I believe I would try a lighter bullet.  If that doesn't work, try SUPER CLEANING the barrel.  Contender barrels are infamous for copper fouling, as a matter of fact, most are fecal matter until they are smoothed from considerable shooting and cleaning sessions.  Remember, that 10" barrel doesn't even spin the bullet one full revolution until it becomes unsupported in flight--just a thought.  One seems to be able to get away with that concept with larger diameter bullets though.  Anyhow, good-luck...BCB

[triehl27]

Well maybe It's me.  I have a 14" and a 10" in 223.  I know it keyholes like mad with 62grn M855 surplus.  On the next outing I took some 55grn American eagle, 55grn wolf, and 40 grn WWB.  The 55's would keyhole at least 25% of the time, less in the 14" and the 40's were practically stacking up on eachother at 50yds.  The 40's were fantastic but the 55's left me questioning.  granted that after such a poor showing I have not spend a ton of time trying the 55grn'rs. 

My deal is I get M855 surplus and Wolf 55grn or 62grn FMJ free through my PT job.  More wolf then M855.  M855 is limited but wolf I can get by the armfuls.  I just want a 223 barrel that's shoot it.  I'd rather plink with wolf for free then having to buy or reload, granted as long as I can hit something. 

I'm thinking of a 21" barrel   

[Madmark]

If you're running factory ammo, I'd say a compensated (TC Hunter) pistol barrel or the carbine barrel may be more user-friendly. I'm flinching just thinking about firing full power loads through a 10" barrel!