Should I pick a barrel with 1-7 twist or a 1-8 twist for a long range target rifle in .223 rem ? I’m thinking of bullets like 69 gr. Sierra/Lapua and 77-80 gr. Sierra MatchKing and what barrel length is the most appropriate ?

Either will work, I promise.

I shot some awesome 600 yard scores with 77gr SMK's in an ar with 1-9 twist. 1-8 will stabilize 77-80's just fine.

We have a few shooters out here shoot in our 1,000 yard F class matches with the 80 grain SMKs using 20" Service class uppers in 1-7" twist.

I would assume you are using a bolt gun, and my so called long range rifle in 223 is 26" long w/ 7 twist. Have used 8 twist in the past and both seemed to work just fine for 600yds. and beyond. The 80gr. Sierras along with the 7 twist, 26" tube, just seemed the optimum arrangement for me. Best powder I have found to date with this combo is RE15, LC military brass, and of late quite a few folks have been using the Russian 223 Magnum primers. They work fine and usually are a bit less costly. As mentioned, 600yds is no problem at all with the havier bullets in the 223. In what we call "Service Rifle" class, AR15 and 20" barrel they will give excellent accuracy at 600yds.

Do I need a long throat barrel to shoot well the 80 gr. Sierra ?

quote:

Do I need a long throat barrel to shoot well the 80 gr. Sierra ?

AH ah!! Now, I suspect a 'problem' with some 223?

Do some factory guns come with long throats and those are good with heavy bullets - while some shooters intended to varmint hunt with lighter (50-55gr) bullets.

There was a complain that H&R in 223 was no-good, due to a long throat. Would a long throat be considered a 'lawyer' throat due to some mil spec or target ammo?

long throat depends on what you are building. if its magazine fed you are limited on the length of the round by the mag, so really long throat isn't plausible

You are absolutely right.......I measured the mag length and it’s 2.36 “ so no long throat barrel for me.

The 69 gn and 77 gn Sierra Matchking were designed to be loaded to magazine length, 2.26" is about right. The 80 gn is not to be loaded to magazine length; it is supposed to be 2.55" but I used to load mine to 2.475". I used the same charge with 69's as 80's. Your throat most likely isn't going to be an issue, but it may as far as 80's are concerned. My 223 bolt gun was chambered with a very old 55 gn throat; 80's will (ETA may) not work in mine.

ETA: 1:7 or 1:8 and 20 inches should do fine.

So, basically in a break open single shot the builder is wise to ream a max long throat. Then the buyer is screwed if he plans to shoot 50 gr bullets in factory ammo.

Is that Right? That means a single shot 223 is a risky proposition for the type of shooting that calls for 50 grain bullets.

I am no expert on the various 223 Rem chambers. I don't think it is an issue. I know Savage at times used very long throats. My gun was built with a very early reamer from the days when 55 gn was the big bullet and 1:12 was the fast twist with a few 1:14 twists here and there. This reamer eas from the era where you didn't want to interchange 5.56mm military ammo and 223 Rem.

The NATO chamber has been out for over 25 years. The Wylde is another popular chamber, as are a host of copycats. I will venture a guess that a factory gun sporting at least a 1-9 twist is going to safely chamber an 80 gn Sierra Matchking. The long streamlined nose of the 80 gn SMK probably does not require a special throat, they will probably work just fine in mine, but I am not single loading a pre 64 Win 70.

I have seen many Colt AR-15's with NATO chambers and 1:7 twist shoot 100 yard 10 shot groups of 52 gn Sierra Matchkings that were easily covered with a dime with lots of room to spare, approx 3/8" groups. You will not find a sloppier chamber with a generous throat than the NATO chamber. Matchkings don't mind jumping a bit.

Go with the 1-7! and shoot the 90gr berger VLDs.
And the 80s shoot great out of my 8 twist!