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.223 Rem (SAAMI), .223 Wylde, 5.56 NATO

59FLH

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2019
Messages
882
Location
Mid Atlantic
I was asked my opinion on which of these three (3) chambers I would pick for a bolt action 24" 7:1 twist sporter. Intended use is to shoot .223 bulk ammo, 5.56 bulk ammo, and reloads from both cases. Targets are Animals, Minerals and Vegetables.

I did not have an answer to give so I ask here.

Ackley is NOT a choice.
 
Bulk ammo suggests just some FMJ maybe 55 gr. Sporter weight barrel seems like more of a walking stick so I'd pick just a 5.56 chamber. For bulk ammo maybe 55 gr I wouldn't be overly concerned with chamber or twist. Standard 1-12" twist would work for 55 gr ammo.
 
I have Wilde but it's not a bolt. Never looked into it so I don't really have advice. Wylde being the tweener is probably the most logical choice.
 
If you want to shoot 5.56, a 223 Remington chamber is probably a bad idea. The differences in the chamber dimensions causes higher chamber pressure in the 223 chamber, and 5.56 is a higher pressure cartridge than 223. Depending on the action and barrel diameter at the chamber it might be a non- issue, but I wouldn't count on it.

5.56 chambers are generally less accurate. They're a typically a little looser all around, and have a different throat. The ammo, the rest of the rifle, and the intended use of the rifle make that irrelevant in a lot of cases, but for a precision bolt gun the difference may be noticable.

223 Wylde is a compromise between the two. It takes some dimensions from one chamber or the other, and splits the difference on others. It's safe to shoot 5.56 ammo in a 223 Wylde chamber, but a 223 Wylde chamber is a little tighter than a 5.56 chamber and has a throat similar to a 223 Remington chamber.

Given the situation you described a Wylde barrel would be the best fit. Personally, I'd go with a 223 Remington chamber for a precision bolt gun and accept that I won't be able to use 5.56 ammo. I've had good luck with Wylde barrels on my precision ARs, but I'd still opt for a tighter chamber if I was chasing precision.
 
I'd probably do the Wylde. Something to consider in a solid bolt gun is it will handle pressure much better than the gas gun. 5.56 in a 223 might be fine in the bolt even with pressure going up.
 
I went with a 1-7 twist wylde chamber on the last bolt gun build. This allowed me to set the heavier bullets out further so i'm not losing case capacity. I'm not sure why you would spend the coin on a custom bolt gun only to shoot surplus ammo but to each their own I guess.
 
Wylde is on my AR platform, and built for woodies, can't believe that it shoots 1/2" moa at 100 yds, and I shoot only in mils. but it does. Really accurate out to 250 , really like the Wylde and how it out preforms the 5.56 . The barrel is a 20" heavy from E. Arthur Brown Company and very pleased.
 
Go with a Wylde. I have a Wylde chamber in my 27" 7 twist match rifle and load 75 elds and they shoot great. Load them to .020" off the lands and it in MDT mags with room to spare. That's 5 at 100 and I have shot it to 1150 yards in matches.

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