I have to preface this experience with the fact that I am not an accomplished "home" gunsmith - no patience and no knowledge. But, Remington offered something that met my needs as well as my budget. That being a .223 beater bolt rifle with a short threaded barrel for suppressor use. I thought about a Tikka, knowing they would shoot, but nothing was threaded. I almost went Howa, but then I read some good reviews on the 783 they just introduced that has a heavier 16.5" threaded barrel, and remember I am talking beater here.
I put a 2.5x10 Leica on it along with my Silencerco Hybrid suppressor, did an abbreviated barrel break in, and shot a couple of 3 shot groups. It shot erratically with one good group around 0.8" and the rest around 1.25". So, I brought back in, sand papered the barrel channel out, cleaned it, and didn't find much copper fowling. So, I stepped back outside to shoot 16 shots with the barrel cooling only for the length of time for me to run to the target, look and come back. I shot three shots at the 200 yd gong to fowl the barrel. I used an old Wichita front rest with a bag rear and just shot. I didn't try to account for the wind (8-10 mph 10 degrees over my shoulder). The group using the 55gr. Barnes TSX had a called flier, so I shot a forth that followed the first 2 home. I think I will try to work up a load with some 50 - 53gr bullets.
I like it so far, especially if I can reduce the trigger pull some more. But I forgot to mention that it appears that Remington sent a magazine for the .308 family, so it is a single shot until I can get a .223 magazine. See the target picture for the results.
I put a 2.5x10 Leica on it along with my Silencerco Hybrid suppressor, did an abbreviated barrel break in, and shot a couple of 3 shot groups. It shot erratically with one good group around 0.8" and the rest around 1.25". So, I brought back in, sand papered the barrel channel out, cleaned it, and didn't find much copper fowling. So, I stepped back outside to shoot 16 shots with the barrel cooling only for the length of time for me to run to the target, look and come back. I shot three shots at the 200 yd gong to fowl the barrel. I used an old Wichita front rest with a bag rear and just shot. I didn't try to account for the wind (8-10 mph 10 degrees over my shoulder). The group using the 55gr. Barnes TSX had a called flier, so I shot a forth that followed the first 2 home. I think I will try to work up a load with some 50 - 53gr bullets.
I like it so far, especially if I can reduce the trigger pull some more. But I forgot to mention that it appears that Remington sent a magazine for the .308 family, so it is a single shot until I can get a .223 magazine. See the target picture for the results.
