223 rem accuracy expectations

[COLT45SA]

4yrs ago, myself, and 2 of my shooting buddies decided to get into 223 bolt actions. One bought a Ruger American, the other bought a Savage precision, and I bought a Tikka T3x Varmint. The Ruger, surprisingly shoots very well. The Savage precision is a 1/2 moa rifle. The Tikka is flat out awesome. Have shot a few .1’s and consistent .2’s and .3’s. That’s with several different loads, ranging from 52 to 80 grainers. We’ve had more fun playing with these 223’s than I thought we could. Easy to load for, components don’t bankrupt you, and we’ve had a blast taken them out to distance.

I like this comment on several levels, the formost is availability of components~! I say this is vitally important when compared to something like the 6PPC for which brass availability itself is a nightmare. Before Alpha entered the picture I just parked my 6PPC.
I think Alpha has a winner and could very well revive the 6-PPC~!!.

 

[Will Henry]

I would have never thought of that in a million years~!! Definitely worth a try.
I'd have to say that Sam Wilson knew what he knew and had done what he said he had done. He had absolutely nothing to gain by saying something that wasn't true. Challengers weren't there. Challengers hadn't seen. Negative remarks always come from people who can't accomplish the same feat themselves.

If I remember right, Sam said that barrel had come from Clyde Hart in the late fifties. It had been chambered for five different cartridges, with the 223 being the latest. One interesting aspect of the rifle was that it appeared to be fitted with a tuner. This was in 1980, at the range in Issaquah, and Sam was in his eighties. I was a young guy and thrilled to be shooting next to him. He was tolerant of the young hillbilly asking him all the questions.
At this match the PPC was not yet the dominant cartridge and there were a few of us shooting 6x47's. In the unlimited class, some guys were still shooting 308's. Sam's 223 was an unlimited gun. I shot my 6x47 sporter in UL and my new PPC in LV. I can't say if anyone else was shooting a 223. WH

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I was doing some testing with my rig the other day (Rem 700 untouched, prefit Criterion barrel, MDT XRS chassis. 5 shot group was .380" and 10 shot groups were .613" and .630" all at 100 yards with bipod and squeeze bag in modified prone (standing, shooting from the bench). I found I was well out of the node, but the rifle shot fine. The bullet is the 77 TMK for this load.

I firmly believe that a good barrel with the right load can shoot .3" for 5 shot groups at 100 yards on average with a good shooter pressing the trigger. Better is possible, but well beyond my will to chase.

Absolutely correct. I shoot mine in the 300m match - so a 60 shot group I expect at least a 50% x ring - so under 1/2 MoA - and with a hot barrel. The match is 15 minutes sighters and 60 record shots in 50 minutes. I usually complete in around 35 mins and the barrel will be too hot to touch.

 

[boltfluter]

Here is 20 under an inch in a tikka varmint no load development. Fired from a portable stable table with bipod and bag. Imagine what a BR rig, lapua brass, sierra\berger, load development, and someone better than my dumbass could do.

View attachment 1623882

I must be missing the logic of a 20 shot group? 4 (5) shot groups would at least give us an agg to work with.
Paul

 

[jelenko]

I must be missing the logic of a 20 shot group? 4 (5) shot groups would at least give us an agg to work with.
Paul

20 shots simply provides more confidence in the expected group size.
Shooting 4 separate 5 shot groups probably would produce a smaller agg.

This is all based on the assumption that the POI of each shot is randomly distributed. This means that the POI of each shot is independent of all the other shots. This means that one could 'construct' each of the 5 shot groups by choosing shots from the 20 shot group.

 

[David Milisock]

I know there are so many factors at play here with this question.

Assuming you've got a 223rem or the like, a competent gunsmith, nice custom action, barrel, chassis, trigger scope, etc what would be your accuracy expectations for any given caliber if you are shooting at say yardages of 1-300?

Im just curious, because I see the wallet pictures of these incredible groups, but never anybody giving a number of what it will do consistently.

I've also seen folks on here asking about certain bullets and wanting .25moa or smaller accuracy and to me that seems like very high expectations for a gun that isn't dedicated to a bench.

Any input? What type of accuracy are you happy with?


Edit: with good hand loads.

I have no experience with a custom 223 bolt rifle, I do have lots of experience with a varmint grade 223 Howa 1500 kit gun.
I use H322 at a MAX+ charge and a Hornady 40 grain VMAX, the load is not the most accurate 100 yard load, it was developed for reduced time of flight for 300 yard varmints in wind.
If I do my job it will regularly shoot average groups of 1 1/8" at 300 yards. My best 100 yard load blows around in low speed wind.