Input on stretching distance on 223 16.25in with 9 twist barrel

[nocannons]

Got bolt action 223 with 16.25 in barrel with 9 twist I've been Varmint and steel shooting to 300yds, now I'm shooting 55grn Sierra hpbt over Ramshot exterminator and shoots very good. I'd like to start working on extending my shooting skills further (with all my rifles) but figure the 223 is a good gun to start with. I know the short barrel is probably going to limit me some, which leads to the question of what kind of distance is this gun reasonably capable of? And question 2 would be any suggestions on a better bullet n powder that may work better? Heavier bullet?

I shoot the berger 70 vld in my savage model 12FV 26 in bull barrel. started using accurate LT-32 with excellent results. also used in sav Axis 20 in barrel with almost as good results but this rifle had somewhere around 2000 rds.

 

[MTbackwoods]

You can shoot your rifle as far as YOU can shoot your rifle. Check out Mark and Sam after work. Dude shoots ELR with calibers that shouldn't do it. But they can do it because he has the skills. He just put out a video where he is shooting a 22LR at just over 1,000 yards. I started out a few years ago shooting a 223 in a very high wind environment at distances out to 800+ yards. I missed a lot of prairie dogs but holding wind with a magnum rifle these days seems almost laughable. Stretch that little cartridge out as far as you can and don't be afraid to miss. Wind changes of 1-2 mph will wreak havoc but it will teach you oh so much about paying attention to conditions

 

[BrentM]

Hell, I shoot my 204 to 800. 39 grain sierra's. You'll be fine

 

[112Savage]

I am shooting the 75gr ELD-M through a savage 112VLP 20" which supposedly has a 1-9" twist. I also have shot the 73gr ELD-M through the same rifle. I'm shooting at 2500ft elevation and usually pretty low humidity. I've noticed to 800yds I'm very consistent but after that I get wild unexplained flyers, so I know i'm on the edge of stability. If I were to start over I would look at the 69gr TMK or 69gr MK. Wind is definitely a factor and not only left to right, but up and down. Those bullets really move crazy but its do-able. The furthest I have been able to hit plates was 928yds but that was only 5/10 times the rest of the time I would hit dirt with no excuses for the change.

 

[Rilow]

I took my eotech topped AR15 with federal 55FMJ ammo to 500 last night. Ammo ran a 37 SD for 32 shots off the labradar. 200 and 300 was easy, at 400 I went 7 for 7 on 10x10 steel, and then struggled with correct hold over at 500. Once I got on at 500 on the large plate I was able to hit consistently. Its not a big deal because it's a large plate but I had not shot this ar past 100 before. My friend was running his 223 bolt rifle and hitting the small plate at 500 with ease and printed a 20 shot group well under moa. IMO a 223 is an excellent training rifle and fun to shoot. I will be putting a 223 7 twist barrel on my bighorn action soon and plan to run it suppressed. Should be crazy fun and excellent trainer.

What length barrel was your friends 223 bolt gun?

 

[redneckdan]

I use my 12FV with 69smks to good effect.

 

[BrentM]

What length barrel was your friends 223 bolt gun?

24 I think. It shot the same ammo I was using 400 fps faster. That surprised me.

 

[NDAR15MAN]

What kind of FPS do you think a guy can get out of a 52 or 53 gr Blackhill Hills blue box in a 16 1/2 inch barrel ? I have been using 3000 FPS in calculator since I don't have a speed meter. MD

 

[del2les]

That rifle and caliber will shoot very far. For a few years, I used a 20 inch AR H-Bar with a 9 twist and 69 Sierra's on the 600 yard Nat'l Match slow prone line, and then went to the Hornady 75gr OTM for better wind resistance. That rifle with 1/9 twist did not stabilize the 75 AMAX well, so I stayed with the shorter OTM. In my 24 and 26 inch 1/9 twist, I used the same 75 OTM, Amax, ELD's and Bergers on the 1,000yd line and some beyond. In my 1/8 twist and using the 80's, its a very different world.

I have used the 55 and 60gr NBT in a 1/9 twist on P-dogs out past 800.

Late Entry: Also, I have 2 M-4 models with 16 inch barrels and 1/9 twists, and I use the 68/69gr bullets on the 500 and 600 yard gongs. Those rifles wear scopes of 2-7x and 1.5-5x CQB Mil Dots, and it is fairly easy to engage the longer ranges.

 

[Janno05]

Never shot it through a chrono, but I had a savage 10 flcp-k in .223 that loved 69 SMK's over 25 of varget. That would be a fun round to play with at 500-600 yards.

 

[Hueyman]

I would always try what I've got, would also look at varget and h4895

Try h335 or benchmark, I have had great luck with Berger 55 gr

 

[Hueyman]

You can shoot your rifle as far as YOU can shoot your rifle. Check out Mark and Sam after work. Dude shoots ELR with calibers that shouldn't do it. But they can do it because he has the skills. He just put out a video where he is shooting a 22LR at just over 1,000 yards. I started out a few years ago shooting a 223 in a very high wind environment at distances out to 800+ yards. I missed a lot of prairie dogs but holding wind with a magnum rifle these days seems almost laughable. Stretch that little cartridge out as far as you can and don't be afraid to miss. Wind changes of 1-2 mph will wreak havoc but it will teach you oh so much about paying attention to conditions

I never let the wind stop me, when most of my shooting buddies stayed home I was shooting, every shot was a learning shot, it is never a waste of AMMO to shoot in the wind, the .223 is a great round the things that little round can teach you will carry over to the bigger stuff.

 

[Rilow]

Shot factory federal Varmint ammo over chrono in the mossberg mvp with 16.25 in barrel and chrono said 3060 to 3090fps with 55 grn bullet

 

[Ol' Red]

Back in 1979 I had range safety NCO duty for a week or two. There was a an E7 that had to requalify with his weapon. He was shooting a Colt CAR. I wandered in behind him and mentioned that had to be a pain at the longer ranges. He smiled and said not if you spend some time behind it. I watched him knock down all pop up targets to 600 meters, with open sights. I think you will do fine with a bolt action and a little time behind the rifle.