long range .223 anyone?

[trb0]

I have a friend who shoots with me a lot and has been watching the progress of my 6.5/.284 come around.He loves the .223 and is wondering if anyone has shot them out to 800 yards and if so what bullet weight, twist, powder would be a good place to start? thanks trb0

 

[308sako]

When wind allows, the .223 can be amazing out past 800. (At least on Pdogs.) I shoot a 24" 1 in 9 twist with 75 gr A-MaX's as fast as possible. Trajectory resembles the .308 Win with a 168 match. This isn't flat, but it is accurate. Using 55 grain Nosler BT's the rifle will easily handle 650 yards or so.

 

[Kenster-Boy]

Certainly people shoot long range with a .223. It is a good little round to learn all the fundamentals of long range shooting at a very reasonable price to shoot. It will teach you about wind drift (BIG TIME) as well as all the other aspects, ranging, dialing, judging wind, temperature effects on the velocity and POI.

Long range is a term that applies to the outer limits of any cartridge. Long range for a .223 could be around 600-700 and maybe a little furthur but to a .30-338/378 long range might mean 1300 to 1500+.

I would say that 800 is possibly doable but you have to watch the supersonic/subsonic barrier. Bullets loose stability VERY rapidly after they go subsonic (about 1100fps I think).

I would suggest he uses the highest BC bullet that he can stabilize with the twist that he has. Maybe try the 105gr Amax. I have heard good things about this bullet and it should have the weight/BC to go the distance if he can stabilize it.

Good luck and burn lots of powder!

 

[reed mosser]

I have shot my 223 factory savage barrel 9 twist 75 grain a-max and 24.0 varget 2750 FPS out to a 1000 yards. The 223 will shoot out to a 1000 yards very much the same as a 308. I have killed at least 15 or more groundhogs out to 650 with this combination. You can shoot the .223 long range, drops like a rock but very constinant and accurate. Good Luck

 

[redbone]

What is the bullet droup on the 223 at 500 , 600, 700 , 800, 900, 1000. yards ?

 

[reed mosser]

I have to get out my charts but it drops around 10 moa at 500 yards with my load

 

[LOBO]

I am having GAP build a 1/8 .223 for me as we speak. When I get it I will post results. I already have my 77 grain SMK and Noslers loaded up as well as some 75 grain Hornady BTHP's.

Chris

 

[stripes]

i shoot a rock river arms 24in varmit upper. this gun really likes 69gr smk over 25.3 gr of varget, this ar has a twist of 1&8 good up to about the 77gr smk. most people shooting 600yd target at least in the ar group ar using the 80gr smk. think you might need 1&7 twist for this 80gr bullet

 

[Guest]

I shoot a Savage 110FP .223 as my primary coyote gun, and have kills over 400 yds on coyotes. I am novice long ranger compared to most of the guys on here, but love shooting my .223. Here are some groups at 600 yds. that I have shot at a steel plate- [image]http://www.imagestation.com/3702007/4236348712[/image]
Groups are done laying prone- [image]http://www.imagestation.com/3702007/4236348709[/image] Using a bipod. This is the rifle used to make these shots- [image]http://www.imagestation.com/3702007/4233570154[/image] We do try and make shots at 1000 yds. and depending on the wind, and us- we have not problem hitting the 3 foot round steel plate. I had just gotten the rifle when these pictures were taken and I was using Black Hills 52 Gr. HPBT. They seemed to shoot the best out of that particular rifle.

 

[LOBO]

What loads are you using at 600 and 1000 yards?

Chris

 

[Desert Fox]

I shoot the Model 82 Kimber 223 I believed with 1 in 12 twist 24" barrel. Used 55 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, good up to 500 yards. I haven't really killed anything beyond the 500 mark but does quite alot of target practice up to 800 yards. On a calm day with no winds, this round can do it; But on a 5mph wind your probability of a hit on a small target like P-dogs or ground squirrels will greatly diminished.

 

[crittergetter]

Timbo, I shoot a Tikka Tactical 223 with 1 in 8 twist and shoot it out to 800 yards. I use a Sierra 80 gr HPBTM and killed a nice Tom at 710 yds last spring. In addition, I have killed several at 500 yds. The 80 gr. seems to expand at very low velocity...I have yet to see it not,but then again I've never shot anything bigger than a Turkey with it (nor plan to).The 223 is just plain fun to shoot and cheap too! New shooters have ample time to see bullet impact with the combination of low recoil,low muzzle blast and hang time. Save the big guns ($750 barrel and chamber job) for big game. The 223 will keep you up to speed in the off season...JMHO

 

[Wild_Bill]

Hi we shoot a 223 every week to 1000 yards get a 7 twist and run the 90gr Sierra's with 25gr Varget Lapua Match Case and only use Rem 7 1/2 primers and throat the chamber out to have the boat tail junction above the doghnut in the case. otherwise an 8 twist and 24.5gr H4895 with the same components as above but an 80gr Sierra and it is well and truly supersonic at 1000 yards we use them in Standard F Class here in Australia where the calibre and projectile are restricted. The 90gr Sierras shoot so well that if you can get a 30" 7 twist and go fir it they are just awsome.

Cheers Bill
Australia

 

[CatShooter]

[ QUOTE ]
... I would say that 800 is possibly doable but you have to watch the supersonic/subsonic barrier. Bullets loose stability VERY rapidly after they go subsonic (about 1100fps I think).

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this an old wives tale brought on by the 168 Sierra MK. When shot in 12" twist barrels and low (2500-2600fps) speed - at 1000 yds, it is marginal, and often flips... but it is NOT because of going below the speed of sound.
The same bullet shot in a 10" twist barrel never flips, even at 1200 yds (far below the speed of sound).

I have watched tracer ammo travel long after they were below the speed of sound, and never saw them go unstable.

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