I am wanting to find a 223 to use in 100 to 300 yards matches. I know there are better choices, but I have a twice repaired shoulder, and I'm fully set up to load for 223.



I really like the Remington short barreled tactical with the over molded stock.

everyone around here shoots .5 MOA.



The problem is the 1/9 twist. That will limit my bullet weight. All of the heavy bullets call for 1/7 or 1/8 twist.



Does anyone make a bolt action with that fast twist rate? I want to keep it stock so I don't have to go into the open class.



I'm I stuck with going to an AR target upper? (not like that is a bad option)



Thanks



Gene

If you are onloy shooting to 300 yards a 1 in 9 twist should work OK.

It shouls shoot 69 gr Sierras good, but actually I have got better accuracy in my service rifle at 200 and 300 yards with the Hornady 68gr.

After you wear out the factory barrel just get it replaces with a 1 in 8 or 1 in 7.

my Savage with a one in 9 twist, shoots and stabilizes 75, 77 and 80 grain match bullets just fine...

The 1 in 9 that I have shoots 69 gr. Sierras well on the heavy side and 55gr. V max half inch. I have a 1 in 8 that shoots the 69's well and loves the 70 gr. speers. I have a 1 in 12 that never sees anything heavier than 55 gr.

Local gent had purchased a Tikka T3 Varminter, SS 26" barrel, twist 1/8 w/ somewhat of a target/varmint style synthetic stock and shortly after he purchased it called and told me it was not doing very well in the accuracy department?? Went with him to shoot it and accuacy was just so so, but upon looking at the rifle, noted that there is an 8 stamped on the barrel and he was shooting some sort of mil. surp. 55gr ammo. Suggested he try some 69-80gr loads and he said he did not reload. Sold me the rifle for a very reasonable price and can say that the rifle w/ the heavier bullets is one accurate rifle. For the dollars spent, the Tikka T3 in just about any configuration is an excellent value, might want to take a look at one of them. Believe retail on the above model is 900.00 but shrewed buyer can lower that price quite a bit w/ some shopping.

martin

The Ruger 223 Tactical with a 20" barrel is a better rifle than the Remington .. It doesn,t jam !!and is just as accurate !!! The 26" barrel Ruger Target rifle should get you enough velocity to stabilize possibly the 80 gr target bullets . But aside from some advantage in the wind , why shoot such a heavy bullet if only to 300 yrds ?? For DCM matches I believe the rifle needs to have a detachable mag. in which case the CZ 527 varmint would be the ticket ..............

Sonny,

What type of matches are you planning on shooting?

If you are planning on shooting in NRA "high-Power" type reduced-target matches at 200 and 300 yards, I doubt you can do better than an AR-15 in .223/5.56mm.

They are easier (and cheaper) to get 1/4 MOA accuracy with to those distances than any other rifle design I know of. Plus, they are easier to learn to shoot "rapid fire" stages with than just about anything else too...the magazine design and the mild recoil contribute greatly to that.

There are High Master rated shooters out there who I suspect might still be struggling to get their Expert cards if they had to learn with and still had to use bolt guns.

I'll be shooting a stock bolt action rifle, 100 to 600 yards. I can only bed the barrel and do a trigger job. Optics are unlimited. From all the input, the Tikka is my choice.

I'm so blind I can't shoot NRA matches. I spend a fortune on scopes. I have my own Customer Service Rep at Leupold.

Sonny you still haven't said what events you will be shooting. If you are going to shot F Class then a Savage 110FP or similar will do fine. You can also rebarrel in 6.5x284 if you want to, later. You will be shooting from a bipod or front rest.
Peter.

Savage M12 Long Range Precision Varmint with 1:7 twist!

Sonny,

Do not know much about the Tikka, but the 1 in 8 is a good decision. Some people seem to stabilize the heavy bullets in 1-9 barrels and others can not. I have never seen a 1-8 barrel the would not stabilize a 80 grain SMK.

Good luck in your matches.

Some weeks ago I made a few, short tests with my CZ varmint cal 223 1:9 twist barrel. I noticed that the Hornady factory rounds, loaded with 75 gr. Hornady match bullets, printed a much larger group at 100 meters, than my handloaded rounds, with the Sierra 69 gr, even if the difference between the 2 loads was smaller at 200 m. I can say that, IN MY RIFLE, the 75 gr Hornady bullets are too heavy/long, as probably any bullet heavier than 70 gr.

Thanks for all the feedback folks. I made up my mind. I'm going to find a Tikka T3 Varmint 1/8" twist.

I did a bit of research and the Super Varmint is my first choice, because of the adjustable cheek.

The SS Varmint is my 2nd choice.

If the blur barrel also has the bushings for LOP
that will work also.

My optics will be either a Leupold 6.5 x 20 or 8.5 x 25, and I'll probably go with side focus.

I have a few of the above scopes and I really love them.

NOW I just have to find the rifle and scope without paying MSRP

Regardless which rifle you have chosen, I also commend your choice of the 8" twist for the .223 cartridge in a gun for match use. It will still shoot bullets as light as 55 grains into very adequate groups, and for the 80 grain bullets is often necessary...though not 100% always required.

The only caveat with the tikka, per a friend, is that the magazine constrains how long you can load your ammo. If you want to use the 75 gr a-max, which is an outstanding bullet for 600 yd, you won't be able to properly seat it with the mag length of the tikka.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul H:
The only caveat with the tikka, per a friend, is that the magazine constrains how long you can load your ammo. If you want to use the 75 gr a-max, which is an outstanding bullet for 600 yd, you won't be able to properly seat it with the mag length of the tikka.

Tikka is a controlled feed AKA Winchester action? If so that is a problem. Feeding a round then shutting the bolt is not recomended

Tikka is a PF. I usually use my CZ (a CPF) as a single shot rifle, so I close the bolt on a live ammo every time. No excessive force needed and no problem found.

quote:

Originally posted by wildboar:
Tikka is a PF. I usually use my CZ (a CPF) as a single shot rifle, so I close the bolt on a live ammo every time. No excessive force to use and no problem found.

My Model 70 takes a lot of force to close on a chambered round. it moves the POI also. As you can tell I know little about a Tikka. My CZ is a 452 17HMR, so I'm used to magazine feeding.

quote:

Originally posted by Sonny Burnett:

... it moves the POI also...

That's puzzling; I'll make some tests feeding from the magazine.

Sonny

Regarding bullet choice. Understand that the heavier bullets were developed for the 20" barreled ARs. With a bolt action having a 26" barrel you can do just as well with the 9" twist and 68 - 77 gr match bullets. The extra 6" of barrel gives added velocity and stabilizes the 75-77 gr bullets. I use a Savage Competition (no longer made) but the Varmint models, either single shot or repeater, are something you might want to look at. The Accutrigger is very nice. They pretty much a rifle for just the types of matches you are talking about. I use the 69 gr Sierra MK right at 3200 fps out of my Savage. My rifle shoots less tha 1/2 moa with my load at 300 yards and holds the X ring at 600 yards. I also don't have as much correction for wind as the ARs with 80 gr MKs at 26-2700 fps. If using a bolt gun I would not saddle myself with a shorter barrel but go for the ballistics that can be had. Just some points to ponder.

Larry Gibson

The savage LRPV, is a great gun! and with that 7 twist you can shoot the 90grs!!!! BC over MV.....! But if only shooting 300, that 1-9 is fine with 69smk and 25gr of varget. I had the rem 1-9 sps tactical with the 20'' bbl. After shooting it out replaced with 1-8 twist 24''. replaced that junk Hoge stock and your jammin! i shoot the 80gr vlds in the 8 twist in 600 yard F-Class! Good luck.

I think that Savage and Tikka deliver excellent accuracy out of the box.
But, given Savage is built here in America, I'd go Savage.

savage has can a long way.... their building guns, for what the ppl want! That LRPV is sick out of the box, sweet trigger and it has a 7TWIST!!!!!! UGH... just pisses me off i dont have one and my buddys do! Can NOT beet it for the price.I had twice that much in that one I built from the REM sps. OH and I forgot, it has right bolt left port.... All I can say is their Bad Ass!!!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Sonny Burnett:
I am wanting to find a 223 to use in 100 to 300 yards matches. I know there are better choices, but I have a twice repaired shoulder, and I'm fully set up to load for 223.



I really like the Remington short barreled tactical with the over molded stock.

Check my post from the other day:



Posted 10 March 2010 06:36

Was at the range the other day (just like every other day) and there was a guy with a Savage 10 FCP-K in .223 Rem. This rifle is incredible! If I didn't see it for myself I would have never ever believed it! He was honestly grouping .25 @ 100/Yrds in 8 shot groups! He was developing loads and said he was still looking for the sweet one Eeker In any event, gave me a new outlook on Savage!

quote:

Originally posted by 1/2moa@200:
savage has can a long way.... their building guns, for what the ppl want! That LRPV is sick out of the box, sweet trigger and it has a 7TWIST!!!!!! UGH... just pisses me off i dont have one and my buddys do! Can NOT beet it for the price.I had twice that much in that one I built from the REM sps. OH and I forgot, it has right bolt left port.... All I can say is their Bad Ass!!!

Go buy yourself one of these-


My son-in-law has both the 223 and the 308.
One for 223 for 300 and the 308 for 1000. F class is a lot of fun!

You won't be disappointed and you won't have to wait on a custom build.

Thought I had posted, maybe I didn't. I found a used Tikka T2 SS. Best action I have ever tried, and I'll just sum it up with all of m Remingtons are goind up for sale. What an outstanding rifle. I have not found anything that it will not shot under moa and I have only tried bits & pieces of factory ammo given to me. I can't wait to get some loads worked up now that my OL gage is here and I have 20 some different bullets to try. I put a Leupold 6.5 x 20 VX III on it to start things rolling.

Thanks to all

quote:

Originally posted by rcamuglia:

quote:

Originally posted by 1/2moa@200:
savage has can a long way.... their building guns, for what the ppl want! That LRPV is sick out of the box, sweet trigger and it has a 7TWIST!!!!!! UGH... just pisses me off i dont have one and my buddys do! Can NOT beet it for the price.I had twice that much in that one I built from the REM sps. OH and I forgot, it has right bolt left port.... All I can say is their Bad Ass!!!