223 build possibilities

[ta6ppc]

If you were going to build a new 223 repeater for a play rifle, a do all always go to the range and shoot targets, or go varmint shootin..
would you build a 1:7, or a 1:8?

todays bullets are hard to come by and I want a rifle that will be capable of shooting anything you find on a shelf. I’m going to hand load.

I am going to build on a difiance tenacity.. prolly use a sendero profile blank 27” or so which will end up 26” after chambering..

 

[GLShooter]

I'd go with the 8. I would throat it for 69 SMKs. It will shoot down to the 50's etc.very well if my experience counts for anything.

Greg

 

[swimster]

I have a 223 Ai with an 8 twist. 75g Amax RL-15. At 3050 fps It shoots really well.

 

[jelenko]

How about a MSR - you can change the upper/barrel depending what you want to do that day.

ETA: A 'nutted' prefit on a bolt action would be almost as versatile.

 

[Dgd6mm]

If that Defiance Tenacity has a Remington tenon you should look into an Urbanrifleman Wilson barrel. Pre fit 1-8 twist 26" long. Mine has held 3/4 moa at 600 yards. I shot my buddy's today and small tight 3 shot group, almost 1 hole. Normally I shoot 5 but had to leave in a hurry was running late for an appointment.

 

[Ned Ludd]

The real question here is what bullets do you intend to shoot? Choose the twist rate appropriate for the longest/heaviest bullet you intend to load. Anything heavier/longer than a 77 SMK is unlikely to feed from a magazine unless you seat them way down in the neck. An 8-twist is sufficient for the 77 SMK, and almost anything else lighter/shorter, unless you mainly want to use some really zippy, uber lightweight bullets.

I have a .223 Rem bolt gun that sort of fits your description, 26" 7-twist barrel, Defiance Deviant action, and a zero, repeat zero freebore chamber. I had it built primarily as an F-TR practice rifle. I've fired factory ammo ranging from Winchester 40 gr to various 77 gr SMK loads, as well as handloads (single fed) with Berger 80.5 gr Fullbores. The 7-twist barrel handled all of them just fine, but a 7-twist isn't absolutely essential unless you plan to single feed something heavier than the 77 SMK.

 

[Twdmar]

Do the 1 in 8 of you think you do more lighter bullets. It will stabilize 80s and you don't need to go any bigger than that and will for certain shoot 55s. I'm not sure how small it will do. A 1/7 will do 55s very well too.
All in all though, it probably doesn't matter much.

 

[karrarararararar]

As Tom said above, 1:8 will stabilize up to 80gr bullets. As long as the bullets don't go poof, you don't really need to worry about spinning them too fast. Get a Wylde chamber and you'll be set.

 

[B23]

I've had really good luck with 9tw barrels in my 223 and 223AI so I'd do a 9tw and shoot the mid weight bullets up to the 69's. I really like how my Hart 9tw 223AI shoots the 53gr Vmax.

For me, I'll leave the 70gr and heavier bullets for the larger case capacity cartridges.

 

[Txhillbilly]

The real question here is what bullets do you intend to shoot? Choose the twist rate appropriate for the longest/heaviest bullet you intend to load. Anything heavier/longer than a 77 SMK is unlikely to feed from a magazine unless you seat them way down in the neck. An 8-twist is sufficient for the 77 SMK, and almost anything else lighter/shorter, unless you mainly want to use some really zippy, uber lightweight bullets.

I have a .223 Rem bolt gun that sort of fits your description, 26" 7-twist barrel, Defiance Deviant action, and a zero, repeat zero freebore chamber. I had it built primarily as an F-TR practice rifle. I've fired factory ammo ranging from Winchester 40 gr to various 77 gr SMK loads, as well as handloads (single fed) with Berger 80.5 gr Fullbores. The 7-twist barrel handled all of them just fine, but a 7-twist isn't absolutely essential unless you plan to single feed something heavier than the 77 SMK.

That will depend on a lot of things like the magazine style / type, and how much freebore the chamber has.
The new 223 bolt action that I recently built was built just with shooting the 75 & 80 grain ELD-M bullets in mind with .100" freebore and I use the MDT composite 10rd magazines. My COAL is 2.550" with either bullet, and they feed and load into the chamber flawlessly.

 

[ta6ppc]

I have a pair of the mdt mags and a pair of the accurate mags, I took the accurate mags apart and milled a slot down the center of the front and both mags will easily accommodate a 2.6” oal

bullet wise I don’t have a lot rat holed so whatever I find is what I’ll shoot, this intent for this rifle is to be something that will digest anything I throw at it.

I am not into MSR type rifles, I do own one, but it’s a tool and nothing more..

I’m wanting a 1/4” moa bolt gun. I was planning on doing a standard sammi chamber.

start with short bullets and as the throat errodes move to log one’s

 

[Twdmar]

I have a pair of the mdt mags and a pair of the accurate mags, I took the accurate mags apart and milled a slot down the center of the front and both mags will easily accommodate a 2.6” oal

bullet wise I don’t have a lot rat holed so whatever I find is what I’ll shoot, this intent for this rifle is to be something that will digest anything I throw at it.

I am not into MSR type rifles, I do own one, but it’s a tool and nothing more..

I’m wanting a 1/4” moa bolt gun. I was planning on doing a standard sammi chamber.

start with short bullets and as the throat errodes move to log one’s

Finding 22 cal bullets online has not proven difficult the last 2 years. Online has been a good source and if you watch the classifieds or put up a wanted post, you'll get some.
About any bolt gun with a good barrel can do 1/4". If you want something that will shoot everything well, I second the wylde chamber. I will work with 50gr handloads and hot 77gr mil ammo.

 

[Walt Krafft]

A Wylde 8 twist. It will shoot anything up to the 80's. A 7 twist poofs way too many light bullets.

 

[PracticalTactical]

If you were going to build a new 223 repeater for a play rifle, a do all always go to the range and shoot targets, or go varmint shootin..
would you build a 1:7, or a 1:8?

todays bullets are hard to come by and I want a rifle that will be capable of shooting anything you find on a shelf. I’m going to hand load.

I am going to build on a difiance tenacity.. prolly use a sendero profile blank 27” or so which will end up 26” after chambering..

It depends on how serious you are about long range, but either way, I'd go with the 1:7 since you like to hunt.

Nobody ever talks about it, but the faster spinning rounds are more explosive on impact. If you run bullets that are too light too fast they will fly apart in flight. Just under the ragged edge of destruction is where the bullet is most impressive on impact.

In the old days I used to shoot ground hogs quite a lot. I used two rifles, one with a 1:12 twist and one with a 1:7. The 1:7 was like a lightening rod compared to the 1:12. Both were 223.

If you are serious about long range, then you'll want to make sure your throat is longer than a 223 Wylde. These days I run at least 0.190" free bore with my 223. It will still shoot over the counter ammo, but you'll get 2900 FPS out of 90 grainers if or when you can find them. 88 ELD work well too. Then you are into an interesting BC range.

 

[Dave Zander]

For 88 grain bullets 7 twist
I shoot 80 and 80.5 with good accuracy with a 7 twist. I’m having a barrel cut for 88’s and it will be a 7 twist. All depends how heavy your going to go.
Ned knows .223, helped me a lot.

 

[liseo]

My 1/9 tw krieger barrel shoot 80,5 grains Berger just fine at 100 m. But sure is on the edge

Will try then at 300 m soon, to see whats happens.
a1/8 tw barrel was ordered for these bullets

 

[Indiana6547]

I run a 1/7" twist with freebore of 0.090" that works very well for 75's to 80's. As for magazines, MDT AICS style poly is plenty long (2.5"+).

 

[762willdo]

1-9 Berger 70grn vlds

 

[ta6ppc]

thanks guys, I think I’m going to do the 1:7 Bartlien in a sendero profile. Not sure what reamer my gun smith has.

I appreciate the input!

 

[Majday]

Rmr has some 22 cal in stock

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