Wanting a new rifle but worried about recoil

[zcrackshot]

I've had good luck with the 70 and 75 gr Berger VLD's, 69 gr SMK's ,and the best luck with 75 gr A-max's in my 8 twist 223. I use Lapua brass and 25 grains of Varget for the A-max's with a Win SR primer. Started this combo with Fed primers and got way tighter groups with the Winchesters. Good luck in your adventures and hope you find what you're after.

Zac M.

 

[dennisinaz]

A 700 short action gives you tons of room to seat out with the .223, the limiting factor will be your throat.

Berger's heaviest varmint bullet is the 62 I think which really doesn't have that great of a BC. They have several nice target bullets that will probably stabilize fine in that 8 twist. I would start with the 73 grain match which is NOT a VLD and then try the 75 VLD next. Both will give you a huge boost in wind bucking ability over the 40 grainers! None of them will touch that 115 VLD in 6mm though!

I would try Varget or R15 with those heavier bullets myself.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Shots to over 500+ yards should be no problem with a 22-250.

 

[johnu]

A 700 short action gives you tons of room to seat out with the .223, the limiting factor will be your throat.

You could always take your current rifle to a 'smith and have them ream a longer throat. If I decide to re-barrel one of my Stevens in .223, I will probably go with the the .223 Wylde.

 

[Bronsin]

This is the kind of shooting that I use my .243 with 70gr Nosler BT's for. The .223 can't even come close to matching the velocity with a 69 or 75 gr bullet that the .243 can. My only other recommendation would be the .22-250 with 55gr bullets, but the .243 with 70's will leave the .22-250 in it's wake when the wind kicks up.

 

[LRPV]

Savage LRPV in a 6br 8 twist or 9 twist 22-250. The 9 twist may or may not stabilize the 75 Amax but, if it does it is a tough combination to beat without going to a lot bigger round. My buddy built a 700 with a 26" 9 twist Shilen in 22-250 and it shoots the 75 Amax very well. I can't find my notes on that load but it sticks in my mind they were running 3300-3400 fps and that works very well.
Jason

 

[CatShooter]

I currently have (3) 223 rifles and I am having problems with consistent hits out to 400ish yards. I live in NE and we get a lot of windy days and I am not talented at wind doping. I do reload and get sub 1/2" groups at 100 yards using 40 and 50 gr bullets. We mainly shoot prairie dogs, and out to 250 yards I have a very high hit percentage but beyond that my percentage drops.

I am thinking about buying a factory heavy barreled rifle which really narrows my caliber choices but is less expensive. I have been considering 308 but I'm worried about the added recoil. I have also considered working on a 68 or 75gr load for the 1 in 8 twist Rem 700 Compact XCR I don't shoot much. But I'm not sure that will be enough to see a noticeable difference.

If I get a 308 I was thinking about shooting the 155's for reduced recoil from the 168 or 175's. I had picked that caliber because in a factory varmint rifle 223,22-250 and 308 are about all the options.

What are your thoughts on this? I know there are guys shooting 223's at 600 yards and supposedly hitting varmints over and over but it just seems like a 10 to 15mph wind really makes it difficult or impossible without shooting 10 rounds for one hit.

Any help or suggestions would be most appreciated! Thanks!!

Don't fight the wind - you cannot win against it. No matter how big and how fast your bullet flies, you cannot accurately estimate the wind drift of a bullet over a dog town at 600yds!!

What you need to do is get a 5 or 6 foot stick, and tie a 3 foot piece of yarn or light ribbon to the top.

Then, when you are on a dog town, set up your gear so the wind is at your back or in your face (6 o'clock or 12 o'clock).

Then use the yarn/ribbon to point at the mounds you will shoot at... you will NEVER have wind drift with this tactic...

... I have the tee shirt. With this tactic, we took PDs well past 600 yds with 222/223/222 Magnum class benchrest rifles, while we were in the Conata Basin!

Meow.

 

[CatShooter]

Well I'll be damned. The man is back. And spreading the gospel about "the string of death".

Missed you around here Paul. Welcome back.

HA!!!

I not hear "String of Death" in a long time

They threw me out, and they will do it again when they find me

Meow.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Low recoil and 400 ish. The .204 or TAC 20 is the gun you are looking for.

 

[357Mag]

BLS -

Howdy !

I urge you to chose a combo that provides high( hyper ) velocity.

Since you are likely shooting from a fixed location, you need a " place gun ".
Notionally, such accuracy rifles feature long/heavy barrels. These are a known contributor to enhanced accuracy ( along with other barrel-specific considerations ).

"All-up" rifle weight is a good traditonal fix for the recoil challenge.
Instead of a 10-12lb factory varminter, go ( mild ) custom; and have a gun made that
comes in in the 14.5 - 16.5lb region.

If you are not specifically trying to stay legal for some weight class at local/regional shoots, you have no imposed upper limit on gun weight. After the build, " it is what it is ".
JMHO.

With regards,
357Mag

 

[dan06]

A pretty cheap way to gain both velocity and range with out drift is to take your 1-8 twist rifle and have it rechambered for .223ack or .222mag. then use longer range bullets 69gr and above. This would only cost you about 150 bucks or so for a new chamber and dies.

 

[Ackman]

put some speed on a223 69 smk, like 2900 and it will suprise you out to at least 500...

Actually, no. That 69@2900......at 500yds has 13" more drop and virtually identical wind drift compared to a 50 doing 3500.....that's with a 200yd zero. At 600, the 69 has 21" more drop with only 1-1/2" less wind drift.

 

[basshusker]

6x47Lapua is lights out. I have a 6.5SLR but no 6SLR but might plan on getting that reamer. 6BR wouldn't be a bad choice either. My 6x47s don't kick at all. Bit less than .243.
My twelve year old daughter shoots one in comp and tracks her bullet to target in the glass. Makes a dad proud. Hell somedays she gets the better of me.
Justin

 

[ChipEckardt]

7mm08

Not much recoil. Have shot it out to 500 meters.

Chip

 

[Gman]

BobLeeSwagger223,

I am with Ron and the others 6BR 8 tw.

Mark Schronce

Ain't nuthin' better than a 6BR with a 1 in 8" twist shootin' 105's in my opinion. There is absolutely unfeelable recoil in my 16.5 lb 6 BR. And it will shoot very accurately out to 800 yards.