223 AI vs 223

[Dubbo]

Looking for opinions on a 223 re barrel, is it worth the extra effort going with the Improved.
Barrel most likely will be a 1:8 twist finished at 24-26" shooting 70-80 grainers.

 

[rjgonzo]

I have built a few 223AI guns. They have been with slower twist barrels. It is definitely worth your while if you enjoy doing the reloading and fire forming. You will spend more time testing loads with the extra fire form step and the chamber being new to you. In the end it can and most likely will pay off in energy and accuracy.

I say go for it!

I don't have any personal data for the larger bullets and fast twist. I'm sure it's out there.

Good Luck
Rick Gonzalez

 

[CatShooter]

You will get about 75 fps more velocity - and you will pay more for dies, and some cool dies will not be available to you.

I did it, I would not do it again... sold the dies, and went back to standard 223.

 

[Gabe22BR]

Do a 20 VT !!

 

[Sniper338]

22-250 and dont look back

 

[daniel brothers]

22-250 and dont look back

That's what I was thinking as well....^^^^^^^^^^

 

[John from MN]

Depends entirely on you. I've owned 7 and 8 twist 223 AI's. A 75 to 100 fps gain in velocity and very stable brass is what you get.

I don't plan on building another, but that may change. I'd do a 222 mag 8 twist in a heartbeat if good brass was readily available.

 

[Ackman]

Looking for opinions on a 223 re barrel, is it worth the extra effort going with the Improved.
Barrel most likely will be a 1:8 twist finished at 24-26" shooting 70-80 grainers.

Doing a .223, might as well make it an AI. Regardless of what you might read, there's no extra effort involved. I have 1,000 rds of brass and none of it was "fireformed".....no extra steps. After load workup - same as with any other cartridge - every case was used to shoot a 50gr. bullet doing about 3700 at some sort of varmint. That right there beats the std. 223. After each firing, out came a perfectly formed case. That rifle is used for varmints with 50's and 55's, the barrel is 14" twist. Formed cases shoot the same load only with a bit more powder. Speed with formed brass obviously depends on which bullet and which powder. The 50gr load with AA2015 is at about 3750, with VV133 it's at 3825..... a significant increase over the std. 223. To me it's definitely worthwhile. With heavy bullets and a fast twist the increase won't be as much, but it'll be there.

 

[Dubbo]

appreciate the input, hhmm...22-250 thought about going to a .473 boltface.
its good to have options

 

[varmintshooter]

I agree with ackman. I have a 9.5 and an 8 twist 223AI and to me it is between a std 223 and a 22-250.

 

[eric n]

I trimmed after 7 firings only because I felt guilty all the case lengths weren't the same, that alone is worth it to me. I see no need for a standard 223 anymore

 

[MrMajestic]

If your not shootinf FTR then I would recommend the AI. Hate is a strong word, I hate trimming! Also increased powder capacity,albeit small, and reduced bolt thrust for us Break-Open shooters. JMHO

 

[acloco]

Of course, work up your own loads.

Typical of 26" barrel using Danzac/WS2 coated bullets:

1 2948.3 24.6 h4895 75 amax
2 2948.3 24.8 h4895 75 amax
3 3015.8 25 h4895 75 amax
4 3008.4 25.2 h4895 75 amax
5 3061.7 25.4 h4895 75 amax
6 3073.7 25.6 h4895 75 amax
7 3079.6 25.8 h4895 75 amax
8 3109.1 26 h4895 75 amax
9 3167.9 26.2 h4895 75 amax
10 3155.4 26.4 h4895 75 amax

 

[NCVarhtr]

I like the AI version much better. Redding makes some good dies for it and, as mentioned earlier, trimming is greatly reduced. I don't have any experience with the heavier bullets, but with the 50 to 53 Gr. bullets, around 200 fps increase in velocity can be expected. The 60 Gr. V-Max has a BC of .265 and the 53 gr. V-Max has a BC of .290...A lot to like with that combination....Benchmark and 8208 are both great powders with those bullet weights....

 

[MLC]

It's hard not to like sub MOA fireforming and 3k + fps out of a short handy rifle.
If you're only shooting from a bench/rest/prone then a long barrel 223 will give you equal velocities. But if you plan on carrying the rifle or using a suppressor, I'd lean towards the Ackley.
The 223 Ackley and 75 AMAX is one of the best bang for the buck combinations out there.

 

[acloco]

It's hard not to like sub MOA fireforming and 3k + fps out of a short handy rifle.
If you're only shooting from a bench/rest/prone then a long barrel 223 will give you equal velocities. But if you plan on carrying the rifle or using a suppressor, I'd lean towards the Ackley.
The 223 Ackley and 75 AMAX is one of the best bang for the buck combinations out there.

AGREED!

The only thing better? 222 Magnum AI running 80 gr Amax in a 1:8 twist.

 

[MLC]

I'm want to try the 80's. The Hornady fellows at SHOT indicated they'd be scarce for the foreseeable future. "Seasonal" was the adjective they used.
Are you necking up 204 for that combination?

 

[BoilerUP]

22" 223AI, 2950fps with 80gr Amax and 2750fps with 90gr Berger VLD.

Shoots a quickly loaded, generic Mk262 clone load 3/4MOA with zero tuning, popping out formed brass.

Trim formed brass pretty much never.

Accurate with next to zero recoil.

Lee makes 223AI dies that work just fine (223 Collet die is fantastic for 223AI), though I prefer a Redding comp seater for consistency.

Absolutely nothing to like about the 223 Ackley in my opinion.

 

[Dubbo]

Any feeding issues in a Remington 700?
A lot of good reasons to move forward with the 223 AI re barrel.

 

[alf]