High velocity 223 AI

[J E Custom]

If jacketed bullets fail you could always try the 44 grain hammer or 40 grain cutting edge bullets.

I would like to see the speed you can get.

Just a follow up on the progress so far.
I have been fire forming the brass and so far i have reached 3900 ft/sec with the 40 grain Ballistic tip in the 223 Lapua cases. accuracy is still ok for fire forming (.428 to .587 5 shot groups) so next i will try some 30 grain bullets at higher velocities to see if they will hold up in the 1 and 8 twist. the AI should bump velocities 100 to 200 ft/sec higher than the 223 cases so this is a good way to find the velocity limits if the bullets and continue fire forming my brass.

The rifle still likes the 50 to 55 grain bullets while fire forming (Best Group so far has been a.193 five shot at 3520 ft/sec) so if it doesn't like the lighter bullets it's not all bad. the AI should be able to reach 3700 with this bullet.

When I reach the limits of the bullet velocity in the 8 twist then I will have to decide what to shoot in the AI version.

More to come

J E CUSTOM

 

[woodnut]

I have 2 rifles in 223A.I., both with a 14" twist. I shoot 55gr. Sierra Blitzkings at a crono'ed 3600+fps and very, very accurate. Shot a prairie dog , once, after many rounds fired at him to walk them in, at 862 yards. Those BKs are accurate bombs! And yes, I know that's a very long shot. It was witnessed and ranged and still sonic to about 900 yds. Doubt I can do it again, but I did it once! Heckofa cartridge. BTW, P.O. Ackley did not like the 223 and never made it as an A.I. But someone thankfully did!

 

[Frange]

I'm pushing 50gr. Z-max at 3670

 

[slipknot]

The old Varmint Hunting Magazine July 1995 did article on 223AI. Test rifle was Rem action,27.5" #7 Pac-Nor Super Match barrel,1/14 twist. Reason I kept article, I had 223AI build with Krieger barrel,1/14 twist barrel @26" on Rem 40x action. I send Rem heavy barrel to Krieger so they could match it.

They only gave one load with 40gr BT everything else was 50gr,52gr,and 55gr bullets. This is load they rec best accuracy with 40gr BT, 31gr/H-335 @ 3925fps. I never did shoot that load.

I've got 223 on Rem action,McMillan stock,Kreiger sporter barrel @24" with 1/14 twist barrel. I think if I put longer heavy barrel I'd come close to those AI loads. I also shoot 222AI with 1/14 twist barrel.

I see where Nolser max load for 40gr is Benchmarch. What about AI the 222mag case.

 

[slipknot]

Did I read 222AI? Could you have possibly forgot the "M" , as in 222RMAI? Might you have any data or any leads to get data, for the RMAI? Thanks.

 

[J E Custom]

I have been busy with other rifles, But my friend has been working with the 223 Wilde with a 1 in 8 twist to see if it would shoot 30 or 36 grain bullets without destroying them. The normal twist for 55 grain bullets or less is 1 in 12 or 14 so we weren't sure that the 1 in 8 would work at all.

Today we tested both weights (30 and 36 grains) and reached 3800 ft/sec with the 36 and 4080 ft/sec with the 30 grain without pressure signs so it looks good for the 223 AI.

Accuracy was very good, and with some tweaking should be better.
there were no signs of jacket separation with any of the loads so I guess my gut feeling and the consensus that 1 in 8 twist it to fast must be wrong.

More to come

J E CUSTOM

 

[NEMTHunter]

That to me is good news. The fact that the 8 twist did not tear them up at that speed is great! They should be spinning SUPER fast and should mess with a ground hog pretty good! Well about any varmint it hits!

 

[J E Custom]

That to me is good news. The fact that the 8 twist did not tear them up at that speed is great! They should be spinning SUPER fast and should mess with a ground hog pretty good! Well about any varmint it hits!

Me to !!!!
The RPM calculates to over 360,000 at 3800 ft/sec and close to 380,000 RPM at 4200 ft/sec.

I don't know if the 30 grain will stand much more but the 36 grain looks possible at this point.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Gord0]

Me to !!!!
The RPM calculates to over 360,000 at 3800 ft/sec and close to 380,000 RPM at 4200 ft/sec.

I don't know if the 30 grain will stand much more but the 36 grain looks possible at this point.

J E CUSTOM

I think you're pretty stabilized, and they should fly fairly straight! Unless you hit a fly or blade of grass or something on the way to the target. They're going to be devastating on anything with fur or feathers!

 

[NEMTHunter]

Me to !!!!
The RPM calculates to over 360,000 at 3800 ft/sec and close to 380,000 RPM at 4200 ft/sec.

I don't know if the 30 grain will stand much more but the 36 grain looks possible at this point.

J E CUSTOM

I will say this. if anything pushes the bullets ability to stay together this combo is! Keep it up.

Now to see some varmints shot!

 

[couesaddict]

So I know this is an old thread but I'm gathering the stuff for a 223ai myself currently and am interested in shooting 40 grain bullets. Thinking of trying blitzkings first but maybe v-max or noslers also. It's going to be an 18" 12 twist brux. I currently have a pound or two of each: varget, 8208xbr, vvn-530 and h-322. Haven't been able to dig up a whole lot of info on the lighter bullets in it and nothing with these powders. Should I be hunting down other powder options? I'm obviously not chasing max speed since I'm going 18" but would like to optimize the platform the best I can. Thanks.