Long throat 223 Remington match

[pantiti]

I have a new project but was hoping to get input from folks who have maybe tried this. Planned specs:

20" 223 Remington Match chamber
Freebore .20 thousands of a 223 with 88 eldm load to 2.5-2.55"
1:7 twist
I will be using magazines that allow for 2.6" coal

The reason I want to build this is:
1. Ridiculous barrel life
2. I have piles of 223 brass
3. I don't have piles of 22 arc brass
4. I don't have a bolt that will work with 22 arc
5. I want to shoot thousands of rounds out of this gun and use it to show my kids how to shoot long range
6. Prairie dogs
7. Coyotes
I'm hoping to get 2700-2800 fps with the 88eldms using cfe 223.

I am curious if anyone has done this. I want to make sure I'm not doing something silly. I'll probably call this the 223 Super Remington.

 

[waveslayer]

Why not just go Valkrie? Because of brass?

 

[pantiti]

Why not just go Valkrie? Because of brass?

Yes because brass and dies and bolt. The valk uses the weird half size bolt. It would just add cost to my project with as far as I could tell no appreciable benefit. At that point might as well go 22 arc.

 

[waveslayer]

Could you get that velocity?

 

[pantiti]

According to Hornady 5.56mm load data with a 20" barrel, 2700 send do able but I'd have a longer throat.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

 

[BrentM]

I have a new project but was hoping to get input from folks who have maybe tried this. Planned specs:

20" 223 Remington Match chamber
Freebore .20 thousands of a 223 with 88 eldm load to 2.5-2.55"
1:7 twist
I will be using magazines that allow for 2.6" coal

The reason I want to build this is:
1. Ridiculous barrel life
2. I have piles of 223 brass
3. I don't have piles of 22 arc brass
4. I don't have a bolt that will work with 22 arc
5. I want to shoot thousands of rounds out of this gun and use it to show my kids how to shoot long range
6. Prairie dogs
7. Coyotes
I'm hoping to get 2700-2800 fps with the 88eldms using cfe 223.

I am curious if anyone has done this. I want to make sure I'm not doing something silly. I'll probably call this the 223 Super Remington.

I don't think you'll ever get the speed. I'm running a 26" with 88's and 2600 -2700 is all I've been able to get. If running a 20" I'd probably look at 70-80 grain.

 

[ottobounds]

I haven't tried 88 grain yet but my .223 bolt action (SAAMI Chamber) is very happy running 75 ELDMs. 25 grains of Varget gets me 2750 and is stupid accurate. Definitely some velocity left on the table and I may try a heavier bullet at some point. I built this rifle for all the reasons you listed and it turned out beautifully. I enjoy shooting that rifle so much that I have gone down the rabbit hole of the precision 22 calibers: Waiting on a barrel in 22 ARC. The madness of it all.

 

[FrogFire7]

I have not built that specifically, but have had a couple fast twist 223's and shot the 75 Eld-m. Excellent trainer rifles and a TON of fun. If I was president I'd mandate that everybody has a fast twist 223

My current rifle is a savage trail hunter lite. 20", 1:7. I got this rifle based on: 1. Twist rate and 2. Magazine that I could modify to run long bullets.

I haven't worked up a real good load yet but have no doubts it'll be a good shooter. It's still short and light with my Harvester EVO on it

 

[Josh06]

I shoot the 75 eldm at an average of 2882 out of a 20" regular 223 wylde chamber so with a long throat I'd think you could achieve what you are wanting with the 88. I have a 8 twist barrel and I'm using benchmark. I tried CFE 223 and got the velocity but not accuracy in my barrel. This is a savage bolt gun.

 

[308win]

That's a pretty tall order for that kinda speed on that short a barrel. Who cares how fast it's going if you're using it for a training rifle/coyote rifle, they won't know the difference? I run a 85gr Berger with 25.5gr Varget @ 2850 from a 26" barrel. That load has taken shots to a mile

 

[308win]

Forgot to note, if your looking for pure speed out of it, try RL-17

 

[grouse]

There's a fellow that shoots prs matches here and does quite well. He uses 223 with 80 Berger's and loves it. He's always competitive. I say do it as well. Brass is affordable and plentiful

 

[pantiti]

There's a fellow that shoots prs matches here and does quite well. He uses 223 with 80 Berger's and loves it. He's always competitive. I say do it as well. Brass is affordable and plentiful

That's my main reason. I probably have 2000 LC cases. I was thinking about doing 22 creed but even the minimum loads provide more velocity than I need to get to 1000 yards. I really don't want a barrel burner because I fully intend to go out to the range and shoot 200+ in a day and probably do this on a regular basis. I'd imagine I'd burn out a 22 creed pretty fast.