Cut or no? Suppressed .223 Bolt gun

[Adam0321/0306]

So I was able to pick up a Rem 200 ADL in .223 for a great price. It has a 26" 1:7 twist barrel. My intent is to drop it in a KRG and chop the barrel to 18" as it will live its life suppressed as a plinker and managing coyotes on the farm.

My question is is 18" too short? I figure at 1:7 I will be a bit limited to bullets on the heavy side and will be losing some velocity by taking 8" off the barrel. Some of that I will get back with the can. However, shots will more than likely be within 350 yards.

Any thought or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Adam in WI]

Cut it. The majority of ARs sold come with 16" barrels and guys knock coyotes off all the time with em. If it was a .204 or something on the over-bore side I might be concerned. 18" with a .223 wouldn't concern me in the least. Try light bullets as well before you count them out; you might be surprised.

 

[Adam0321/0306]

Thanks. I was thinking of 18" and trying to run some 55 FMJs or HBTs behind 22.5-24 gns of H335. We shall see.

 

[boltfluter]

Cut it and don't look back. Pass on the fmj and run a tipped 50 gr bullet. Many will run off with fmj bullets, and generally speaking they are not very accurate. Have fun.

 

[Adam0321/0306]

Cut it and don't look back. Pass on the fmj and run a tipped 50 gr bullet. Many will run off with fmj bullets, and generally speaking they are not very accurate. Have fun.

Thank you. I head out of town this week. I think I will drop it off at the smith before I leave.

 

[Adam0321/0306]

Now I just need to figure out the chassis.

 

[William Vogel]

Because it’s a bolt gun and it has a magazine box that can be as long as 2.800, I’d get the smith to throat the bore and remove the place holder from the mag box to allow seating the bullet out long. Seating the bullet out long will restore a good bit of the lost velocity from shortening the barrel. I’ve got a 26 inch Remington 700 223 that shoots 2900 fps with 75 grain bullets. I extended the free bore about 0.120 and changed the leade angle from the 3 something degrees to 1 degree 30 minutes. This puts all the bearing surface of the bullet in the neck. I run 25.0 grains of TAC powder. You’re going to loose about 200 fps with the shorter barrel but with the longer COL you can replace the space in the case with more powder to get back velocity and you might not be as far off. A can doesn’t increase velocity. There’s no reason to use 2.25 COL cartridges in this gun after some easy modifications. Take advantage of the 7 twist. I’d use 69 grain bullets or heavier. Mine loves the Barnes 69 match burner’s, Hornady 73ELDM and Sierra Matchking.

 

[dantiff2]

So I was able to pick up a Rem 200 ADL in .223 for a great price. It has a 26" 1:7 twist barrel. My intent is to drop it in a KRG and chop the barrel to 18" as it will live its life suppressed as a plinker and managing coyotes on the farm.

My question is is 18" too short? I figure at 1:7 I will be a bit limited to bullets on the heavy side and will be losing some velocity by taking 8" off the barrel. Some of that I will get back with the can. However, shots will more than likely be within 350 yards.

Any thought or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I vote for 18". Only downside to your rig is the 7 twist rate.. My 20" 7 twist shoots 50's at 345,000+ rpms. I'm too afraid to put a suppressor on it. I'm worried about one of those little varmint bullets exploding after leaving the bore.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

How long is the suppressor? I have no issues with barrels up to 22" for hunting with a suppressor, but a long 30 cal can on a 223 needs a shorter barrel. I like 18" on my 223 AR's. I shoot 50 gr SX from my 8 twist.

 

[Adam0321/0306]

How long is the suppressor? I have no issues with barrels up to 22" for hunting with a suppressor, but a long 30 cal can on a 223 needs a shorter barrel. I like 18" on my 223 AR's. I shoot 50 gr SX from my 8 twist.

This is a 30 cal can that is about 9”.

 

[karrarararararar]

Try the 53gr V-max. I'm at 3179 fps in my 1:8 18" AR. Awesome combo. I'm using a Hybrid 46 on it.

https://imgur.com/a/fNFfKbJ

 

[Zero333]

20" is plenty for a 223rem/5.56.
18" is also a good length.

Shorter barrel will make less bullet RPM so going with lighter should be even better.

 

[andym686]

I agree with the others - Cut it.
Here's my 223 built by Zack at ODCR. I went with the 20" barrel specifically for shooting it suppressed.
As a matter of fact, I have never fired it without the suppressor.
I have not been disappointed. Good luck with yours.

 

[long40shot]

I had my 223 cut to 18" and threaded for a can. It's the best thing ever. To bad I lost it all in a boating accident.

 

[SVT_Tactical]

I had a 14.5" ish 223 rem 700 that had a pinned and welded aac 51T mount to be 16" total that I used a mini 4 can on. It was built to ride farm land and shoot vermin out the window of a truck. Loved that little compact gun. Somebody offered me more than I could resist and I sold. Short and compact makes a great "pest " gun. I think mine was 1-9 twist and I shot 50gr soft points 99% of the time.

 

[Rsadams]

Don't know if this helps at all.... But I have a rifle I have been working with as a little project as an AR with a 16 inch barrel setup as a precision rifle... Nice scope , nice timney trigger etc not even free floated yet just had a non chrome lined barrel and I thought ok let's do it and see what happens.... If it doesn't shoot I will throw on a nice free floated barrel later...

Now it's no high dollar precision bolt gun but it's doing really well so far in its early stage while testing.... So I think 18-20 would be great with a can and it should still reach out there nicely... I wanted I rifle for my needs that would be short and could easily fit behind a seat or in a double case with a red dotted m4... Not sure if starting with an m4 style is going to work but I know that by swapping barrels and free floating it it will... I already had it so I figured let's test and see , just worked up the loads I want in it and it gives me something new to mess with... It's only time and a few bucks..

 

[Knotwild]

JSE Surplus carries AR barrels by Wilson Arms.

 

[JSH]

I had my 223 cut to 18" and threaded for a can. It's the best thing ever. To bad I lost it all in a boating accident.

A boating accident?
18” barrel seems kinda short for a handle for a paddle. I would have loaned you a paddle so you didn’t have to use your rifle.
Knowing you I gotta ask, was the boat even in the water when this mishap took place? You guys weren’t skiing down a gravel road again were you?

Any of you checked speed before and after cutting back?
I am also curious if anyone has chronoed with and without their can.
I am a speed freak and do t want to give up much if any.

 

[andym686]

A boating accident?
18” barrel seems kinda short for a handle for a paddle. I would have loaned you a paddle so you didn’t have to use your rifle.
Knowing you I gotta ask, was the boat even in the water when this mishap took place? You guys weren’t skiing down a gravel road again were you?

Any of you checked speed before and after cutting back?
I am also curious if anyone has chronoed with and without their can.
I am a speed freak and do t want to give up much if any.

I have not chrono graphed mine. Just loaded for accuracy and for varmints.