I just got back from a 2 week long robbery suppression work detail on the west coast. In anticipation of the mad money "galore" I will soon have and some wheeling and dealing at a coastal Gunshow - I bought a Remington XR-100 in caliber 223 Remington!
Now the Varmint Gods KNOW, I have enough 223's in my Varminting Arsenal already - but I saw this great deal on a Remington XR-100 and I just had to spend some of my newly earned "mad money" on this good old cartridge in the brand new style Remington Rifle!
I use my 223's for all manner of Varminting from Coyotes and Fox on down to Ground Squirrels and Prairie Dogs!
There are, Varmint cartridges that shoot "flatter" and Varmint cartrdiges that shoot "farther" and Varmint cartridges that shoot "faster" but, the 223 is such a wonderfully versatile cartridge I still get excited when I see one for sale!
Anyone else have similar feelings and opinions?
I ran across this Rifle at the huge Puyallup (near Seattle), Washington Gunshow on December 10th and 11th. I had a table reserved and spent two days there renewing acquaintances with my old shooting, Hunting and gun trading partners along with some world class wheeling and dealing!
What a blast!
I sold a ton of "clutter" and "treasures" I don't need anymore! And the accumulated "mad money" in my pockets and the "promise" of two weeks worth of "real" money got the best of me!
I waited for the right moment to make a low ball offer on this Remington XR-100 and the owner made me VERY happy by accepting my offer!
He-he!
So now I have ANOTHER XR-100 in my Varmint Arsenal to choose from.
Along with the XR-100 I opted to buy a Filson heavy canvas scoped Rifle case for a song! These cases retail for over $200.00! I think the last I saw was $229.00! The table owner where this case was obviously was not aware of its value! So my XR-100 is sitting in a handsome, rugged and very protective as new Filson Rifle case!
Then I mosied on over to Russ Haydons (of Russ Haydons Shooters Supplies - Gig Harbor, Washington) table and bought 100 Lapua cases for the new 223!
No bargain on these! $36.00 (no tax!).
Search as I might I was unable to find a set of Redding 223 dies at the show (this is a big show with 1,000 tables set up!). Russ Haydon's has a full selection of Redding reloading dies at their shop but not at this Gunshow and I was so excited I could not wait for mail order!
My work assignment kept me busy all week until 1800 hours each day and I was unable to get to a quality Gun Shop to pick up any dies for the new Rifle!
Luckily I was able to get to Spokane, Washington on my way home yesterday before the Sportsmans Warehouse store there closed. The Redding dies are up to $29.00 there (no tax!).
All the way home (650 miles) I "felt" the excitement of the "new" 223, the new Rifle and wondered and worried how it will shoot!
Yeah - I can honestly say this 223 still gives me that buzz I got back in the 1960's when I bought my first 223!
What a great Gunshow that Puyallup show is! I sold a vast array of items including several books I got at an estate sale recently! All the books were priced at $2.00 at the estate sale and I sold many of them at the show for in excess of $40.00 apiece!
This easy money only added to my eagerness to acquire a new shootin iron!
If anyone is planning a trip to the Seattle area it would be well worth your while to stop by the Puyallup Gunshow! They have a show EVERY month there and is the largest, monthly held Gunshow west of the Mississippi!
As soon as I finish unpacking from my trip and Rush Limbaugh gets over I am going to "rob" a scope off of one of my other Varminters and get this nifty new 223 set up and get to shooting!
I am actually excited to have this 223 coming online!
Hmmm.... which bullet to use in this 223????
Long live the 223 Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I've come to the conclusion that my next varmint rig will be another 223. I'm going to build a CA legal 10 shot AR, H Bar type and probably a Savage bolt after that.

I'm a lefty so the XR's are not a consideration for me.

Fjold: I have heard from TWO sources recently that the new Remington Rifle - the XR-100 is now in production in left hand model!
This surprises me as it is so new in itself but two different sources have burped up this info (rumor?) - anyone else heard of this happening?
Of all the arms I have owned over the decades I have never owned an AR!
I guess its the "Scotchman" in me that pre-concludes that I will just run up an amazing reloading bill with a semi-auto!
I have shot alongside dozens of them (AR's) in the field for all manner of Varmints and I know how well they shoot and how much fun they are -its just the thought of so much speed of discharging ammo that keeps me from trying one of my own!
Good luck with your new projects!
I am now about 45 minutes away from robbing a scope for my 223 and doing some scope ring lapping and throat checking for bullet seating!
Long live the 223 Remington!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I cant say that it excites me any more but it must have at one time,as I have 4 of them.I am currently struggling with the urge to buy a .204 and wether to get an AR upper or Remington 700.If they ever put it in a LTR my mind will be made up, but that might be to short of a barrel.w/regards

Progress update (so far): Well I robbed a tried and true Leupold 8.5x25x40mm scope off of my 270 Sendero and mounted it on the new XR-100.
I used two piece Leupold bases and medium rings on this rig. I went with the 2 piece bases as they allow quicker reloading of the single shot, smallish already Remington XR-100 action.
First off I precisely aligned the front ring with the bore of the new 223 and then I aligned the rear ring with the front ring. Then I "centered" the adjustments of the 8.5x25x40mm Leupold. Next step was to lay the Leupold 8.5x25x40mm scope in the rings and bore sighted the rings! This verifies and assures a minimum of scope adjustment movement once the scope is permanently clamped down. I do this simply by putting the scope in the bottom halves of the rings and bore sighting the scope. Not much adjustment needed here at all in this step!
Good.
Then I carefully lapped the rings and permanently mounted the scope for final bore sighting. All went well with these procedures.
Tonight I will adjust the trigger. By the way this externally adjustable 40X style trigger is amazingly crisp as it came from the factory -and I plan on setting it at or near 1 pound 8 ounces for my accuracy testing.
Also tonight I will use my Snap-On Inch Pounds Torque Wrench to set the two action screws to 45 inch/pounds each.
My other XR-100 shoots really well with this torque setting. So I won't mess with success.
The Lapua 223 brass looked great and I will have to decide if I am going to do load testing with the Lapua or just use some Federal brass I have on hand and then switch to the Lapua once an accurate load is found.
I have a couple of boxes of Berger 52 grain bullets and I think I will start my load testing with these!
I have used them on Varmints in the past from other Rifles and they work well on Varmints as well as being VERY accurate.
No doubt I will use the wonderful Federal 205 Match primers exclusively in my load testing. I have a "ton" of these on hand and I have complete confidence in them!
Powder is the next decision to be made.
I may use some of the Vihta Vourhi powder I have on hand?
I only have N133 and I need to hit the books and see what loads (if any at all?) the 52 gr. Bergers can be used with this powder.
Any "accuracy" load powder suggestions would be greatly appreciated for trial in my "exciting" new 223 with 52 grain bullets!
Wish me luck with my accuracy search and my new XR-100.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, the .223 still excites and I'll give you a little taste of why. Picked up a model 7 ss/syn .223 'bout 2 mos. ago from a sports shop in Enid OK, same place as a couple of 788's; ring a bell? Lurker, indeed! Came into my FFL. He lowered the trigger pull to 2 1/8 lbs. per request, lapped the rings, and put my new e-bay VXII 3X9 on it. All I've been shooting in this pickup rifle are commercial reloads from Rafter 7, with 55 gr. V-max bullets. Yesterday morning, (Sunday), was out feeding cattle and pulled into my dad's place by the barn with a round bale. I'm poking away with my little 17HMR Ruger bolt gun at some of the local flying vermin when 2 coyotes bolt out of the nearby draw. I grab the .223 from behind the seat as quickly as possible, get on the mirror out the window and try to line one up. They're going away on a full tilt run in kind'a Y. One finally turns and goes at a 90 degree and the other turns a little and goes straight away. I've fired three shots already, but the Kentucky elevation hasn't been correctly guessed yet. One shell left in the gun and he runs right into ole #four and eternity. Cart wheels right off the top of a wheat terrace. I'm pretty pumped by then. I go dump the round bale and come in from another way so's not to get cussed for driving on the wheat. I get to the coyote and pick him up. One inch behind the right ear. It probably isn't right after reading all the negative comments, but I laser rangefind dad's barn with my Bushnell 1000. 477 yrds. I wouldn't believe almost anybody that told me the same story. On a dead run at 477 yrds. I think he ran into the bullet, because I'm only aiming over him and guessing each time. I still maintain that I only kill the unlucky ones! It's gets better. 30 minutes later I leave dad's and 1/2 mile up the road this mangy coyote is running in some cut milo right next to the road. He's not in very good shape and can't get along all that fast. I stop, get out, lean across the hood and proceed to shoot over him 4 times in a row; all less than 100 yrds. Talk about blowing the easy shot of the season. Like many, I have various 22-250's and now two 204's., but I still like to carry one of my .223's. I don't feel like I give up too much and the mild report isn't too bad when I forget to grab my muffs in the heat of the moment. Just one more coyote away from my bag limit. jp

Bi mart just dropped their last ADL in 223, down to $299.00 so I took the plunge.....It will have the stock replaced with a Boyds, grey laminate thumbhole.....

It will be a close range rig, when I go ground squirrel shooting, as I often set up 3 different rifles....The other two usually sport 6.5 x 20 and 5 x 20 scopes on them... This will have a plain old Weaver 3x9....

It will have a diet of the Calhoon inspired blue dot loads.... 14.5 grains and a 40 to 46 grain bullet....

Rain hasn't let up enough to get to the range and test the accuracy as of yet... but it is sitting right beside my computer desk, just waiting for its maiden range trip....

The 204 still does nothing for me... but there sure is a lot of utility in the 223s.....

cheers
seafire

there is another attribute - concussion - shooting PD's you go through alot of ammo. As much as I like swifts, 22/250's etc. once you leave the 223 type cartridges ,you get concussion from firing hundreds of rounds, and end up with a good headache.

VG, I have to agree with you on the 223. I'm not even sure how many are in the safe but it has to be at least 1/2 dozen. A couple of the new ones will see daylight soon to get broken in for the upcoming sage rat season.My favorite so far has been a HBVR by Darrel Holland built on a 700 but things could change as soon as the custom shop Remmy Composite comes out. 223 is my all time favorite, I have a couple of 22-250's that are tack drivers but they just don't get the first pick unless it is very long range yote hunting.
I have found that I really no longer have the time to reload with the work schedule so I have resorted to buying factory ammo and as such have been more than happy with the HSM soft points. It is fairly cheap and I don't have to worry about saving brass.
As to the AR thingy, you are really missing the boat. You don't have to rapid fire but an AR with a 100 round drum for the rats, will make your heart go, pity-patter

I also like the .223. Most of the guys at the range mock me with this "mild" cartrige for varmit hunting, but it is a lot of fun! I would like a 22-250, and almost bought one this fall, but a good .223 is hard to beat.

I guess it is like my love for the .308 Win. There are bigger and faster cases out there, but for some reason I have developed an attachment to those two boring old standbys (three if you count the .45 ACP).

I must be getting old I too have
grown fond of the .223 Rem., the .308 Win,
and the .45 ACP. Last Spring, I stopped by the
local hardware store, for a hose clamp, and
a bag of bird seed, and dang if a Tikka T-3,
marked with the pre-Beretta price increase
price, in .223, didn't come home with me.
It has the 1 in 12 twist, instead of the new
faster twist T-3s, but I already have two
AR-15's with 1 in 8 twists, so I got the
T-3, for garden munchers, and ferel cats.
I have some .223 Blue Dot loads, that are pretty
stealthy, and am planning on working some
VV133, into some 40 gr. V-Max loads, for
turning small vermin inside out.

I still plan on getting a rifle in .204 Ruger, or
in Tac 20, and I have a number of faster,
bigger, and harder hitting rifles, but I know
that I will always have a soft spot for the
.223 Rem. It just plain works.

Squeeze

Jfromswk: Great hunt and story there! Nice shot there by the way! I am impressed. 477 yards WOW good for you! I have killt many Colony Varmints out to about 450 yards with some of my 223's and I know it takes a load of concentration to get that done.
I had a double on Coyotes with my Remington 700 PSS in 223 a couple years ago. We were Hunting Ducks and Geese a couple times a week on "Two Guns" ranch on the Red Rock River south of Dillon, Montana. Two Guns got that nickname after being caught in bed with another ranchers wife and after being thrashed and threatened with death he "religiously" carried two pistols with him for the next several years! Thus "Two Guns" became his nom de plume.
Anyway "Two Guns" was up to his ears in Coyotes and wanted them thinned out at all costs! I brought along my 223 on a Duck Hunt and after the Hunt was over and I was heading home I spied two Coyotes out in his field a mile from our blinds. The Coyotes were feeding (Hunting) towards me and I pulled the VarmintMobile in behind a ridge and ran to the top of the ridge. The 2 Coyotes soon came to be about 350 yards from my ridgeline hide and were probably not going to get any closer. I shot the further Coyote and flattened it instantly. I was hoping the nearer Coyote would flee towards me. Not to be though - it ran in a circle about 50 yards in diameter and in a short time it stopped and looked at its fallen Hunting mate. Thats all I needed was an instant and that Coyote was brought to bag also!
Yes the 223 with todays offerings of fine, accurate and lethal bullets from 35 grains on up to 55 (and heavier!) will get just about anything done in the Varmint world that needs doing!
Long live the 223!

Seafire/B17G: Man that is a super buy on the ADL! I bought an ADL in 223 for my friend Mark a few years back. That little Rifle is a TACK DRIVER! I have even shot some Varmints with it! Good luck with your new purchase!
I hope the ice and the rain and the wind stabilizes and calms down somewhat out there in your neck o'the woods!
My younger brother had to leave Seattle in his 4x4 to aid his sons in the ice and such down your way just a day or two ago. I am not sure if he has made it back to his house as yet!
Seafire/B17G: You are missing out on one of the finest Varmint cartridges ever devised in your "turn your back on" attitude regarding the 204 Ruger! Trust me on this one!
I have a myriad of friends who have gone "gonzo" over the Varminting attributes of this cartridge after using it for a year!
Just one example - my friend Jack has sold both a custom 221 Fireball Varmint Rifle and a 223 Varminter since acquiring his 1/4 M.O.A. (no B.S. this - I have seen it shoot!) Ruger #1-VSS in 204 Ruger! I have seen this Rifle kill Ground Squirrels, Prairie Dogs, Rock Chucks, Magpies, Crows and other Varmints at significant ranges! Jack has a big 8x32 power variable on it and if a Varmint gets in his crosshairs its as good as dead! I have been Varmint Hunting with Jack for more than 40 years now and I have never seen him this "high" on a cartridge before!
I think if you borrowed someones 204 for just a few shots (25 or so!) and gave it an unbiased critique of its performance, accuracy, recoil and lethality you would be "transformed"!

Butchbloc: I to am very susceptible to recoil and muzzle blast induced headaches! I notice it when I use my 220 Swifts and 6mm's. My use of 17 caliber Varminters in Prairie Dog situations was prompted partially by this "weakness" of mine! My friend and Hunting partner Ben has a 338/378 Weatherby custom Elk Rifle! I was spotting for him a couple years back as he harvested a dandy 7x7 Bull Elk here in Montana! One shot from that "cannon" (with muzzle brake) gave me a headache that lasted until I was finally able to go to sleep that night!
Good selling point for the 223 you remind us of.

Jimmy223: My good friend and Varminting partner Irv Benzion (long time N.R.A. Director) used to give me the same sales pitch! He had several AR type Varminters and his greatest joy in life was to Hunt with me in Prairie Dog or Rock Chuck lands and he would INSIST on setting up to my LEFT! He rejoiced in hot 223 brass raining down on me and burning my neck and arms thus distracting me and my concentration! He knew that in the heat of our alternating fire that his 20 round clips would eventually find me having to stop to reload my "bolt guns" and he would continue fire disregarding ANY semblance of sportsmanship and fair play. He could change an AR clip in less than 3 seconds!
Yeah I know I should expand my horizons a bit more and get with modern technology!
By the way I have seen Irv shoot MANY .500" and better 5 shot groups at 100 yards with his various AR's! He preferred the fine Leupold 6.5x20 variables on his AR's.
Long live the AR's!

NEJack and Squeeze: You are right the 223's just simply get the job done reliably and quietly! No one is actively singing the praises for the 223 anymore and haven't had to do so for many many years. This fine moderate cartridge is accurate, user friendly, economical and reliable.
Long live the 223!
Now, I am on a mission to wring every last bit of accuracy I can get out of this factory stock rig!
I just found out from another thread on this forum (small caliber section) that the Lapua Match Brass I bought from Russ Haydon is significantly different from other brands and makes of brass! In that it is of a significantly different weight than other brands of brass! I may just do the load development with the Lapua brass from the get go!
Puzzle - this weight difference. I will check it out today.
More later
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, well well, very interesting about Irv. I sold him a Colt AR several years ago and see him when work allows me to do the WAC show. Great fellow, by the way.
I too am like Irv, in that all the AR's and varmit rigs are all topped with the big leo's, from the 4.5-14's to the 8.5-25's. It seems to work just fine for the little rats.
I will PM ya my number and the next time you get over west maybe we can meet up.

Jimmyd223: I had a great visit with Irv at the Puyallup on December 11th.
I have a wonderful picture I took of Irv holding up a 12 pound Rock Chuck (nearly as big as he is!) wearing twin crossed "bandeleros" filled with AR-15 clips! He is in full camo and is holding an AR in his other hand!
You are right he is just one heck of a nice guy and was a tireless worker for our Second Amendment Rights during the dark (tough!) years we endured a while back!
Long live Irv Benzion!
I am short a scope so keep hold of all youre'n or else I might just borrow one of those big Leupolds somehow!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, The imgage is still burnin of Irv in that getup
A quick question, have you ever used a "mirage tube"?
I just bought one to see if it might work on the Remmy composite as it displaces alot of heat.
Hope this image will work

VG, AS I have told you earlier this week, that darn Tikka Varminter with the 1-8 twist beckons a GHD tryout!!! .....does a standard .223 call me??......NO!!! My 40X 222Mag has the .223's covered!! Not to mention the .204 SAVAGE VLP shooting the 32 or 39(preferred) SIERRAS!!! And then there is the 22-250 VLS sitting there just waiting to open up a can of whup ass on vermin a long ways off with the BlitzKings or Vmaxs!!! So the 223 doesn't really trip my trigger EXCEPT for the fast twist version that continously beckons!!! It's Christmas time isn't it??? Bet I know where that little piece spends NEW YEARS!! And if this small caliber, varmint dusting thing wasn't so addictive, the only damn rifle I need in my arsenal is that 222MAG!!! Everytime I take it to the range while testing other stuff and letting barrels cool it turns out ridicoulous results! These results end up with me making the standard GHD statement......"Why the hell else do I dink with these other inferior rifles!!????" GHD

Jimmyd223: Back some decades ago when I was only able to afford a couple of Varmint Rifles at any one time, yes, I did try some different "tube" set ups to displace the heat waves or "mirage" that came off of my extra warm barrels! I don't want to say hot!
Back then I tried various tubes and "V" shaped pieces of light plastic rubber banded to my scopes. They helped a little but nothing like what I am sure your threaded tube is capable of!
Nowadays I simply shoot one Varminter until it starts to warm up and then switch Rifles!
By the way I have found the quickest way to "naturally" cool a barrel is to open the action stand the Rifle in the shade with the action facing the wind and the
"chimney effect" action of the air rising through the barrel will cool it the quickest!
I have also tried icey cloths layed on a small platform in the back of my truck (again in the shade) then wedging the Rifle in sand bags so the scope allows the barrel to fully contact the icey towel for a few minutes. This was effective for me - but was somewhat worrisome and a pain.
I like to simply switch guns anymore and keep on shooting!
What are the particulars on that mirage tube - who sells it, whats it fit and how much etc?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Seafire/B17G: You are missing out on one of the finest Varmint cartridges ever devised in your "turn your back on" attitude regarding the 204 Ruger! Trust me on this one!
I have a myriad of friends who have gone "gonzo" over the Varminting attributes of this cartridge after using it for a year!
Just one example - my friend Jack has sold both a custom 221 Fireball Varmint Rifle and a 223 Varminter since acquiring his 1/4 M.O.A. (no B.S. this - I have seen it shoot!) Ruger #1-VSS in 204 Ruger! I have seen this Rifle kill Ground Squirrels, Prairie Dogs, Rock Chucks, Magpies, Crows and other Varmints at significant ranges! Jack has a big 8x32 power variable on it and if a Varmint gets in his crosshairs its as good as dead! I have been Varmint Hunting with Jack for more than 40 years now and I have never seen him this "high" on a cartridge before!
I think if you borrowed someones 204 for just a few shots (25 or so!) and gave it an unbiased critique of its performance, accuracy, recoil and lethality you would be "transformed

VG;

Dale, that is a good report to hear....

I purchased the Savage 12 BVSS in 223, because it is easily set up to accomodate switch barrels....
Based on your input.. I may end up picking up one for the Savage... If I don't like it, since the cartridge is so hot right now.. I am sure I won't have a problem selling it...

But cheap brass for the 223 is still a very spoiling factor for me... NOT long ago I purchased 1,000 rounds of Winchester 223 range brass... shot once for $44.00... Almost as cheap as I buy Lake City Brass via Cabelas for.... The Winchester brass had to be tumbled and resized.. where as the Cabelas Lake City stuff has already been tumbled....

But I am getting with you... I'd rather Varmint shoot any day of the week over Deer hunting anymore....unless one sees one of those tropy racked deer that only seem to exist hanging on the wall of some bar shot 20 plus years ago around here....

For that "REALLY WAY OUT THERE" targets tho, I have to admit.. I am on the 6mm Remington kick instead.....with a one in 8 twist... but I shoot a lot of 75 grain Hornady HPs.. with H414 powder, I am not getting groups at a 100 yds.. I am getting one 6mm hole at 100 yds! This is by far the most accurate cartridge combo I have ever handloaded or shot!

NOT very trendy... But I have had a 1930 Commercial Mauser action rebarreled to 6mm Remington with a one in 8 twist Pac Nor barrel...in stainless steel....

I have to get a stock ordered for it.. probably via Richards Microfit, as I went all out on the barrel... 1.25 inches at the muzzle... and 32 inches long.....The action already had a Timney trigger installed on it...

That may also get a Burris 8 x 32 x 50 mm Black Diamond Scope on it

My Remington Long action ADL in the same caliber has a 24 inch heavy magnum stainless barrel from Pac Nor on it... with a Boyd's Laminate Stock....and the one in 8 twist....

47.5 grains of H 414 and a 75 grain HP, give me an MV of 3650 to 3725 out of that 24 inch barrel... when the bullets are seated magazine lengthed....

46 grains of RL 19, shoots Berger 105s and 115 Match bullets out at 3250 fps... and the same with 107 grain Sierra Match bullets....

It will be interesting to see what the extra 8 inches of the Barrel on the Mauser will do for me once I get it together....

This thing should be close to a 20 lb varmint rifle when it is done... so it will be a 'shot off the hood' type of rifle....

If I head out to Billings to shoot P'Dogs with my buddy there again this summer.. If I get a chance... I'll look you up in Dillon and maybe let you 'trigger fondle' a few rounds thru it....

I am sure you can forgive me if it is not a Remington.....

cheers
and Merry Christmas...
seafire

VG, I bought this thing off eBay for 20. The fellow said he thought he got it from Sonclair about 5 years ago. It fits a Vari-X 50mm.
It is made out of some type of synthetic opaque plastic and the threads are aluminum. I guess at that price if it works,fine if not it will go to the gunshow table.
I usually have enough guns with me that there is never really a heat problem as I just grab another, unless its one of the AR's

Nope , VG , I can't say the 223 excites me anymore . While I wouldn't want to be without one or two good ones , the 204 just shines a hell of alot brighter , and just plain takes you to a higher level of performance . This with no higher cost of guns and very little difference in reloading components . So any addtions to my varmint battery will likely be a couple more 204 s .

The 223 is sort of the 30 06 of the varmint world . You know it works , but there are more exciting performers out there......

My 223 was my first full bore rifle and considering the price is still the most accurate and easy to use of all of my guns.
Mine is a Wincheter Coyote that has been re-stocked and a T8 moderator fitted. You can follow the bullet in the lamp until it hits the target. It's so quiet compared to either my 22-250 or 243.
55 V-Max Lapua brass 6 1/2 primers and 25.7 grains of Benchmark. Keeps under an inch at 200 yards.

VarmintGuy:

Did you get the trigger to adjust satisfactorily I had no good luck with mine so I put on my Jewell. I had to order a new bolt stop and to a little inletting to make it work properly. It is now a crisp 1 lb. I have not had a chance to get out to the range deer season came upon me but I plan on taking it out soon.

I love my .223's,,did an even trade on my "super 14" last year though,,due to encroaching housing for a .22 lr barrel,,The ceegar chomping chineese man at the range,,,damn near swallowed the stinking thing when he found out what I had done,,but the reality is I could'nt use it like I had and it was useless to me,,And I still have my H-Bars for the places I can shoot 300+ yds. The .223 suits me well in spots here in the mid-atlantic,,But as housing creeps in,,un-fortuneately,,within the next decade the .223 may be more than I can use safely,,And it's a round I've come quite fond of,easy to shoot,cheap to load,,accurate,just enough gas for the job,,has given me my only 600 yd win at the matches,,Clay

I have a savage model 11 in 223,I shoot winchesters cpx 1 varmit rounds in a 45 grain jhp. works very well on coyotes,stops them in their tracks. right now i am sighted in at dead on at 100 yds. has anybody have a better sighting zero, or am i on track.

Swede44Mag: To tell the truth I "re-tested" the trigger on the XR-100 with a "clear" head and decided I miss converted the ounces to pounds/ounces on my original setting!
The XR-100 is set as low as the poundage screw will let it go and it is right at 34 ounces or 2 pounds 2 ounces! Not the 1 1/2 pounds I had been hoping for.
I will go with the instruction booklet and not mess with the other two trigger ajustments on the XR-100. They are described as factory adjustments "ONLY"!
Anyway the 2 pounds 2 ounces is 10 ounces MORE than what Remington describes as what the ABSOLUTE minimum setting should be - I can't get there from here on this particular Rifle! The poundage adjustment screw is maxed out at the 2 pound 2 ounce setting.
The trigger as now set though is so wonderfully crisp and so free of any creep that it feels much lighter!
I am sure with care and some strategic dry firing just prior to my load testing that will help me get off my shots with consistency!
I am waiting out the wind right now. I simply don't do serious range work (load testing) anymore unless the wind is dead calm or very nearly so!
I find I achieve accuracy much quicker when I do my load testing in calm air!
Swede44Mag, do you have an XR-100? I have lost track if you do? What trigger pull weight were you able to achieve before you went with the Jewell?
More later
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy:
I have an XR-100 .223 with a Leupold 8.5 x 25 x 40mm scope. I couldn’t get the trigger light enough for my use, and it had to much travel (pull the trigger to much distance to go off). It was close to 3 lbs don’t remember exactly but since I had a Jewell set at 1 lb that I had pulled off the POS SS Remington 22-250 I put it on the XR-100. Haven’t had a chance to shoot it with the Jewell trigger but I had no groups that were over .75" at 100 yards with the factory trigger. I did make a couple of 3 shot groups with factory Winchester bullets that were one ragged hole. I am still working up a load. I like the 50gr Hornady V-Max they shoot well enough but I am trying to find out just how good a group I can get consistently. I bought a Stainless Steel Wilson Bench-rest die set with the Bushing Die and Micrometer bullet seater.
I plan on using the Sierra 52 & 53 grain match bullets to go for accuracy but not for P-Dogs or varmints.

Happy Holidays

Swede44Mag: Oh boy! I am sitting on a small pile of 223 accuracy test loads right now! I hope we can continue to share load info on our twin Rifles!
I am waiting for the wind to quit here in SW Montana and I will be at my range in no time flat!
Yikes - on that sloppy Remington XR-100 trigger! The two XR-100's I have are both crisp as can be (trigger wise) and very pleasing for me?
I have several Jewell triggers on some of my Varminters and they are superlative pieces of equipment!
I have several boxes of Berger 52 grain bullets and I will gladly send you 10 or 20 for your testing! These BR quality bullets are very frangible in the field as well as lethal on Varmints in my experience.
They are a little pricey and a little hard to find at times but I have a couple of Rifles that realy shoot well with them!
Let me know if you want to try some - gratis.
Good luck with the XR-100 from now on!
That Wilson die should make you some very consistently straight ammo for your testing!
Wishing you calm winds also!
I am trying H335 and VihtaVourhi N133 with the Berger 52's first off in my XR-100!
Sounds like your Rifle WANTS to shoot real well already!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

How can a 223 not be exciting? Got this one this afternoon with a .223....

60gr Sierra HP 27.0 Varget---250 yards. Going back out in the morning to try the Extreme Dimension Predator call....

Merry CHRISTMAS!

quote:

Originally posted by big coulee:
I have a savage model 11 in 223,I shoot winchesters cpx 1 varmit rounds in a 45 grain jhp. works very well on coyotes,stops them in their tracks. right now i am sighted in at dead on at 100 yds. has anybody have a better sighting zero, or am i on track.

As long as you know how much it'll drop, you're okay. I like to zero out a little further; I'm sighted about 1.75" high at 100, that puts me .75" high at 200 and MPBR Zero is about 225. That's as far as I've measured, but the drop chart I'm using gives -5" at 300, which seems about right. I don't have a scope I can reset the elevation easily; I've got a Mil-Dot on it, which I like. I'm using 50gr Nosler BT's, 26.0 Varget and CCI primers. Rifle is H&R Ultra with a 1:12 twist.

Idaho Vandal: Congratulations on the nice Coyote!
And thanks for posting that wonderful panoramic picture of you and your trophy!
Many happy returns to you!
Save an Antelope fawn (also) kill some Coyotes!
Long live the 223!
On a philosophical note - would it be sacriligious or blasphemous to take an hour on Christmas (now that the wind has stopped!) an go try some shots from my new XR-100?
Naw... I better not! The VarmintWife would have a hissy-fit!
Maybe the winds will be calm tomorrow?
Thanks again for the great photo.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Big coulee: I Hunt big, open country anymore almost exclusively for Coyotes. By big country I mean 300 yard shots are not rare! So yes I sight in for zero at further distances with my 223's and my other Coyote guns.
Having said that, last year I was on a Coyote Hunt with 3 other friends. We set up along a long ridge with literally miles of flat sage land ahead of us and unlimited visibility in our calling direction. I had chosen one of my 220 Swifts with 55 grain bullets for this particular ridgeline Hunt. This area had been very productive in the past. Anyway we string out before cresting the ridge at intervals of several hundred yards. Two callers were to work - one on each end of our picket line! I was on the left flank. I began calling after turning my 6.5x20 Leupold up to full power and setting the adjustable objective for 300 yards! In 30 seconds after my first squall session a Coyote pops up at 50 yards and is in full run straight up hill and right at me. I was startled to the max and aimed down the side of the barrel and hit the Coyote in the neck at 30 feet! That Coyote must have been Hunting along the hog-back ridge just out of sight from me and my partners - or asleep in the sage just below me?
Our next set-up had us in broken country with many ravines, coulees and some 10' high pines - visibilty was rather limited. I had Hunted Mule Deer in this valley on several occassions and had rousted Coyotes often as close as 50 yards as I still Hunted Mulies in this draw.
So... I chose my 17 MachIV to Hunt with here. I had the scope set on its lowest power and the A.O. turned down to 100 yards!
You guessed it, a Coyote came to my calling and sat down on a ridgeline about 350 yards out! It sat there and yipped warnings until I decided it would not come any closer! I proceeded to Laser range the Varmint, max out the scope power, set the Rifle on its Harris bi-pod and proceeded to ventilate that contrary Coyote with a 25 gr. Berger!
One never knows at what range the Coyotes will offer a shot at.
My good friend in Miles City, Montana shoots LOTS of Coyotes every year - I am guessing 200 or so! For instance he and his partner killed 93 Coyotes in the month of February alone a few years back. He got tired of having to guess ranges and holdovers and such and had a custom Coyote Rifle made in caliber 30/378 Weatherby Magnum! I forget exactly the range parameters that he can simply "hold on hair" at but I believe it was from 150 to 500 yards! He used a VLD bullet and had his zero set rather far out there! Like 350 yards!
Hold on hair is a motto many of my Hunting friends strive for in their Varminters and in their Big Game Rifles!
Big Coulee if I had a better idea of what kind of country you Hunt Coyotes in and at what ranges you normally expect to be shooting at - I could maybe make a good suggestion for you to sight in your 223. If you are not missing many Coyotes due to holdover errors and such then maybe your zero will work for you there at 100 yards!
More later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I am planning on buying a Stevens in a 223...do a little trigger tuning and add a scope and...............have cheap Varmint Shooter!

IdahoVandal,
Well done. That is a great photo with a georgeous backdrop! I can't think of a better illustration of why coyotes can be so hard to spot... or why I ought to visit Idaho.

They are much tougher to spot when the snow goes away, the day before I took that one the same area was covered in snow, it went from 17 to 50 in less than 24 hours!

Snow Ghost?....Prairie Ghost?.....the eternal early morning question.....

IV

Idaho Vandal: It was 12 degrees above normal here in Dillon, Montana yesterday!
The high was 45 degrees with a normal or average high for the day being 33 degrees!
Sheesh no wonder the Chinook winds are blowing!
Come on Montana calm down - I need to get some load testing done and with these winds blowing like they are there is no use even going to the range.
Strange weather these days!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Yes, it is definetly warm. I am still going to head out tomorrow. The area I hunt has 10-12 dogs in/around (just a guess.) We have had no luck with any calling--all spot and stalk trying to get under 300 yards. Pretty easy with the hills of the Palouse working in our favor. In that picture Pullman is just out of the frame to the left of the photo....

When I was in Seattle (early 80's) my dad and I used to duck hunt the Skagit flats on Christmas day every year. One of the advantages of being raised alone by my father...

IV

Idaho Vandal: I have spent many a morning out on the Skagit Flats! Back when all I could afford for Snow Goose decoys was a hundred pack of paper plates!
They worked sometimes!
I was out in the Burlington area this summer at an estate sale and I came across the most wonderful photograph! Its beautifully framed and about 14" x 22" - at first glance its all washed out and grayish. But upon closer inspection it shows the most beautiful scene of a flight of Snow Geese over the flats looking east. In the background is the semi-dormant volcano Mt. Baker, completely covered in snow! The sky is mostly gray but the colors reminded me so much of the flats! The photograph is very clear and well defined once its inspected carefully! I could not get the $5.00 they were asking for it out of my pocket fast enough!
I wonder if anyone Hunts there on the flats anymore?
I see huge flocks of Swans near there when I get by in late winter and early spring.
I just picked up my youngest VarmintSon in Pullman at the college a week ago and the ground had about 5 inches of snow on it then! From Vantage to Colfax I saw several Coyotes (3 live and 2 dead ones that were hit by cars) and lots of Pheasants. Also a few Geese back toward Crab Creek and there abouts.
I had been to Colfax 10 dozen times but never once to Pullman. I did see several Whitetails just out of the Pullman city limits and once we headed north I saw a flock of about 30 Turkeys south of Spokane.
Keep shooting the Coyotes as the young Deer and Turkeys need all the help they can get.
Son got all B's and one A on his grades that were just posted on the puter.
Let us know if you get some more Coyotes!
Long live the Palouse country!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Originally posted by AZ223:

quote:

Originally posted by big coulee:
I have a savage model 11 in 223,I shoot winchesters cpx 1 varmit rounds in a 45 grain jhp. works very well on coyotes,stops them in their tracks. right now i am sighted in at dead on at 100 yds. has anybody have a better sighting zero, or am i on track.

As long as you know how much it'll drop, you're okay. I like to zero out a little further; I'm sighted about 1.75" high at 100, that puts me .75" high at 200 and MPBR Zero is about 225. That's as far as I've measured, but the drop chart I'm using gives -5" at 300, which seems about right. I don't have a scope I can reset the elevation easily; I've got a Mil-Dot on it, which I like. I'm using 50gr Nosler BT's, 26.0 Varget and CCI primers. Rifle is H&R Ultra with a 1:12 twist.

thanks,for the reply back AZ223. I also have a scope with the mil-dot system. so far i have been able to call the yodies into 100yds or less. I live in some rough country so you really have to watch close when calling,because they can appear out of nowhere instantly,right in front of you.Thanks big coulee.

Hi VarmintGuy thanks for the reply.I hunt in what we call river breaks. Theres lots of rolling hills,deep coulees some poplar trees,lots of bush. some of our land is also wide open praire.So far my longest shoot has been,200yds.I;m not sure my 45grain will reach out there beyond the 300yd mark.I have ranged some with my range finder out there,but let them go.Usally i can call them into about a 100yds or less. Big Coulee.

Big Coulee: I am old (58) and set in my ways to a fault! I have long used the wonderful (in some ways!) Du-plex reticles in my Varminting scopes to aid in hold-over and hold-into (the wind)!
I have debated for years if I should go to the target knob - click in the M.O.A. (for range and windage) or with the Mil-dot system???
If I were starting over again I would go with one or the other and forsake the Du-plex ranging aid system that I flub around with now!
Either system I am sure would do a somewhat better job of range/hold over and windage guesstimating for me.
I will say this on those occassions when I have the time and use my Leica Laser Rangefinder I am pretty good on those long shots (long shots is a maximum of around 500 yards for me)!
Still I think with the Mil-dot system or the click adjusting in the field for dead on holding I would do better than with what I am using now.
In your case I think the 100 yard dead on sight in and the Mil-dot is working well for you and I would stick with it.
I kill Coyotes at 300 yards pretty consistently with my 223's and 50 grain Sierra Blitz (not BlitzKing) bullets!
I would not hesitate to take a standing still 300 yard shot at a Coyote with your Rifle and the 45 grain bullets and your Mil-dot system.
Good luck if you do decide to try one at 300 yards!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy