I have a .22-250 built by a gunsmith buddy but the thing is a tank. He offered to take it back and build me a new gun a bit light for chasing dogs squirrels etc. I have easy access to .223 casings so thinking bout going back to the .223 and he mentioned maybe getting the .223AI. I have no experience with the round and cant find anythiing in the reloading bucks any suggestions? Anything special i need for case prep?
.223 ai
- Thread starter Blacktail
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strombeckj
Well-Known Member
This is a great round IMHO. Once the round is fire formed you will not need to trim the brass ever again. My pet load out of mine is 50gr's behind 28.3 grs of XBR or 28.5 grs of X-Terminator pushing over 3700+ FPS using a tight chambered Krieger 1:14 @ 24" NO Pressure!
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
It is a fun little round and very accurate.
You will have to change the bolt face from .473 to .378 and the easy way is to buy a new bolt
from PT&G (I would get it with the M16 style extractor).
Another thing that is nice about is that It will shoot 223 ammo with amazing accuracy so you
can hunt with your favorite ammo in 223 and fire form at the same time. once you fire form
enough brass you can start reloading the AI for an additional 100 to 150 ft/sec.
The AI has about 8% more case capacity and brass last almost indefinitely, especially if you
buy some of the Lapua brass.
I built mine on 23" #7 contour 1 in 8 twist Lilja to shoot up to 70 grain bullets.
It shoot 1/4 MOA with 223 fir forming loads and under 1/10 MOA with the AI loads.
There is lots of loading data on Graymist .223 AI loading page in 6mm BR.
J E CUSTOM
Nomosendero
Well-Known Member
I shoot the 223 round a good deal, I am looking at getting a 223AI in a bolt gun or a barrel for my Encore if I get more confident it can be a shooter.
J E, my RRA 223 has a 1-8 & groups the 77SMK better than any other, also great with 75 Hor. OTM & sub 1/2" with the 60 V-Max.
I was looking at a 204, esp. after someone pointed out on this forum how it does well with the
55 Berger, I ran the numbers with a guestimated 3100 vel & it looked good. But, I looked at numbers with the 223AI with the 75 A-Max & it was almost as flat with alot better wind drift & no doubt better Coyote killing punch. I ran the 223AI numbers at 2950, but someone on another forum said the 223AI would do a little better than that. Not sure about the vel. of either round,
But whether you run a 50 @ 3700+ as a previous post stated or a heavy bullet for longer range, the 223AI is sure looking good. I hope we get additional comments on this one.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
The 204 is a good little round and performs. But there is so much ammo available at very low cost
the 223 is hard to beat if you want to do a lot of shooting.
And with ammo so cheep reloading is optional and the 223 AI offers both .(Shoot all the 223
you want and then load the 223 AI with the fire formed brass for more velocity and power.
It don't get better than that. I use 40 to 55 grain bullets in .223 rem in my 223 AI for fire
forming and 60 to 70 grain bullets In the AI cases at almost the same velocities.
On an AR platform all that is needed is to purchase an adjustable gas block and re chamber
to convert from 223.
J E CUSTOM
I want to build this for dogs and squirrles etc..so i want to make sure its not too heavy maybe scope around 8.5 or 9. Thinking about maybe a 4 contour 24" maybe a shilen or fluted barrel. Any thoughts to barrel configuratins stocks etc..I have had good luck with an MPI and some McMillans. thanks for all the help.
strombeckj
Well-Known Member
You should be able to get down around the weight you want with a #5 fluted or a #4 unfluted @ 3.5 lbs, a Manner MCS TA 90% carbon Fiber wrapped stock is around 2.1 lbs.A #4 or #5 looks good in this stock, the fore end is still wide enough to ride a bag our use a bipod but not over power the barrel. I would find a good hunting style scope like a Minox, Ziess, Leupold, Sightron Big Sky that is somewhere in the 16-20 power range, Tally Rings (all those scopes should be around 1 lb) Plus your action/other 2 lbs. for a total of 8.6 lbs Don't forget to add a break to this bad boy. I have one on mine and LOVE it! Best option my smith sold me, I can see all my hits and even the vapor trail sometimes….. My Gamo air rifle kicks harder!
I would also but a great deal of thought into shooting the new 53gr V-Max's. They have a really high BC to weight ratio @ .290 and will do VERY well on the small critters. A 75 gr A-max is an awesome bullet it just does not have the terminal WOW factor that a ballistic tip does, GREAT for yotes and paper. I would think you would need a 1:12, 1:11 or 1:10 for the 53gr's. Mine is a 1:14 and I have some of them loaded up but have not made it to the range due to weather…. Not so sure they will shoot but I will let you know when I get the chance.
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