.223 to a Mile?

6.5 Creedmoor, with 130 grain prime factory ammo will reach way out there. A number of friends have used it successfully in tactical shoots. Good quality brass for reloading too. I recently acquired a 8 twist .223, and plan to stretch it out in the near future. There will likely be a problem spotting hits or misses with the .223 at distance due to the weight of the bullets. Something to consider.

We shoot our 24" varmint ARs pushing a 69 SMK @ 3033fps to 850 (@ 80-90% hits on an 8" round steel) and 1000 (70-80% on 12" round steel) all the time. I tried some 1371 yard shots, but it was tough, about 20-30% hits on a 12" steel. Wind is more your enemy at those distances. Any little variation and it really pushes the lighter bullets around. I think hits at 1760 with a 69SMK would be mostly luck even if it is dead calm. Just my opinion.

I am at about 1800' AMSL for reference.

dibbs said:

6.5 Creedmoor, with 130 grain prime factory ammo will reach way out there. A number of friends have used it successfully in tactical shoots. Good quality brass for reloading too. I recently acquired a 8 twist .223, and plan to stretch it out in the near future. There will likely be a problem spotting hits or misses with the .223 at distance due to the weight of the bullets. Something to consider.

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How far have you stretched your 223? I've hit 1000 yards with an 80 grain 223 with reasonable success and have recently been thinking about pushing it further... just haven't decided when to try it again.

Have 700 Remi 26" barrel with can't remember whether its a 9 or 10 twist?, anyway shoots anything from 55's to 77 Grn ( apart for A Max) very well, do love shooting a long way with it think is much to do with lack of recoil , seems more accurate?. Been out to 900m using the Sierra TMK , not too bad , someone previously suggested using the Nosler RFD's , not been able to get any so far in the UK . Regarding 6.5mm Creedmoors . . . . . well thats just cheating, got to be a 'Sissy! to get one of them.

140 Grn RFD will get you out to 1400 Yards at only 2750 !!.. .... Just waiting for mine to turn up!

SniperGirl223 said:

How far have you stretched your 223? I've hit 1000 yards with an 80 grain 223 with reasonable success and have recently been thinking about pushing it further... just haven't decided when to try it again.

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That's pretty close to as far as things are going to go supersonic. Not overstabilizing the bullet with excessive twist will help tractability on the long end and probably help the effort to go further but it's all just lobbing metal at that point. For me after 1100 it's all just 'use more gun' territory.

BallisticsGuy said:

That's pretty close to as far as things are going to go supersonic. Not overstabilizing the bullet with excessive twist will help tractability on the long end and probably help the effort to go further but it's all just lobbing metal at that point. For me after 1100 it's all just 'use more gun' territory.

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Heres the thing , best results I've had was using the Sierra 77 Grn tmk's, recon speed wise they were around 2850 but these things grouped sub MOA at 100 Yards . The A max's were crap at 100, in fact the only time I managed an inch at 100 when I moved back to 200 they spread out to four! , however they still grouped as well at the Sierras at 900

Whats That all about!

BallisticsGuy said:

For me after 1100 it's all just 'use more gun' territory.

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Me too but I work with a very capable female shooter who takes small calibers to long distances.

Just managed to get my hands on a box of 70 grn Nosler RDF's . These definately do the business at 100 Yrds sub Moa , was getting around 2850 vel first attempt, . . . think I need a little more!.

Anybody shot these out to 1000 ( sea level ish!)?

SniperGirl223 said:

How far have you stretched your 223? I've hit 1000 yards with an 80 grain 223 with reasonable success and have recently been thinking about pushing it further... just haven't decided when to try it again.

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I've shot to 900 thus far with the 75 Amax,but having difficulty spotting misses and adjusting with snow on the ground and minimal "splash" with the projectile.

BallisticsGuy said:

That's pretty close to as far as things are going to go supersonic. Not overstabilizing the bullet with excessive twist will help tractability on the long end and probably help the effort to go further but it's all just lobbing metal at that point. For me after 1100 it's all just 'use more gun' territory.

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Thanks for the insight. My 223 is a 7 twist and the heaviest bullets I've ever experimented with are the Sierra 90 grains but I don't think my twist is fast enough to stabilize those and use them to their fullest potential. Maybe a 6 or 6.5 twist in a future barrel... I want to try the new Sierra 95 grain bullets someday too. I imagine it will require at least a 6.5 twist as well.

dibbs said:

I've shot to 900 thus far with the 75 Amax,but having difficulty spotting misses and adjusting with snow on the ground and minimal "splash" with the projectile.

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Yes... I definitely know how that goes. I have recently tried a smaller target at 900 yards and have only seen 2 misses out of probably 15 rounds. No snow for me, but lots of heavy grass around the target... :-(

Chazwood 223 said:

Heres the thing , best results I've had was using the Sierra 77 Grn tmk's, recon speed wise they were around 2850 but these things grouped sub MOA at 100 Yards . The A max's were crap at 100, in fact the only time I managed an inch at 100 when I moved back to 200 they spread out to four! , however they still grouped as well at the Sierras at 900

Whats That all about!

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Wow, how things have changed. I'll be 80 this year. I have heavy barrel AR 15 and carbine 223 Bush master. but back when I was active 800 yards was the max so I am missing some thing. Myst be the ammo has changed. At that range can you actually put down Game humanly?

jfseaman said:

Me too but I work with a very capable female shooter who takes small calibers to long distances.

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How does she do that?

Any one shooting 6.5 284 any more? I bought the long range gun from Creedmoor ...God ...25 yrs ago and never really got a chance to shoot it. Very long barrel? So I am not sure what the 284 means vs the other numbers. I am not sure if the Creedmoor's 6.5 ammo fits in my 6.5-284? I'm trying to think of the champion shooter that built the guns for Creedmoor back then?.