Im looking at adding a .223 bolt action gun to my collection I have a remington 700 ltr 308 and so I need another build and would like to have something that can reach 300-500 yards at most and can shoot a decent moa at 100 . Right now im looking at remington 700 sps aac-sd with the 16.5 barrel Im just worried that the length will not give enough velosity to be accurate at those ranges so what length barrel would you go with . Im looking to spend around 1500 with everything but initially want to get a gun that isn't that expensive to start with and build it . For you guys with .223 bolt guns are they alot more accurate than a ar platform? I have tried to search but could not locate anything on .223 bolt gun. This will be mostly a range gun and maybe shit hit the fan so I can grab one type of ammo to grab with my dd mk18.
.223 bolt gun questions for newbie
- Thread starter urmaker45
- Start date
The regular rem 700 sps with 20 inch barrel will roll fine for that. plenty good out to 500. You can get rifle for 600 (or cheaper), B&C stock for 300 ,the rest on glass, mount and accessories. With decent handloads you can get .5 to .75 moa shooter out of it. Dont forget the Tikkas and Savages also. Some real good models in both lines that will keep you around that price range all in. Im a recent Tikka convert so i try not to get on the stump or I'll get called out on it lol.
And yes, in general, they are more precise than Semi Autos. But dont forget one of the most imporatn parts, the bullets. Cant take 55gn ball ammo from a green box and expect it to shoot.
And yes, in general, they are more precise than Semi Autos. But dont forget one of the most imporatn parts, the bullets. Cant take 55gn ball ammo from a green box and expect it to shoot.
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One thing more accurate that another is arbitrary because no factory system will shoot like a well fabricated custom one. They can come close but if a competition winning barrel costs
as much as the entire firearm at Dick's then there is reason for it. Then add the stock, glass and often overlooked professional training and practice and then you are shooting.
Can someone shoot tiny groups with a factory setups and cheap glass? yes. Can someone guarantee repeatably under any circumstances? no.
With that said for 500 yards to hit steel you do not need anything special. Unless you want to upgrade the garbage SPS factory stock the Savage with the accustock is probably a safest bet out of box.
The 16" will be fine but why. The 20" will give flatter trajectory and more stable still in a compact package.
Lothar Walter or Krieger among others will cut you an AR15 match barrel with matched bolt that will shoot 1/2 moa guaranteed with federal gold match.
Bob Whitley and other high end builders sell uppers that will shoot 1/2moa. No internet MOA with cherry picked groups, the real one.
I use both 700 and savage for different purposes. For most folks under the $2K budget don't overlook the savage with accustock carbine. At least you can keep the stock for a while and don't have to
put it in the garbage.
The downside with either the savage or rem is the 9 twist and not able to taste some of the 77-80gr goodies.
I hope this helps.
I wanted one with a Rem Varmint contour, 20", threaded for suppressor and a 1/7 twist. Couldn't find anything factory with that spec so I just had a barrel spun up on my Surgeon receiver.
Maybe you'll have better luck. Perhaps the Rem 700 5R in 223 might give you what you're looking for.
Maybe you'll have better luck. Perhaps the Rem 700 5R in 223 might give you what you're looking for.
I do my own gunsmithing, so when I decided I wanted a really good-shooting 223, I bought a new M700 action from Brownells, got a 26" Krieger 1-7.7tw in sendero contour, a Jewell HVR, EGW 20 MOA sloped rail, B-O M5 DBM, and a B&C medalist stock, then proceeded to put it all together. Trued the action & used a Holland's recoil lug, then skim bedded it in the B&C with devcon steel bed. Bought a used Leupold VX-III LR 6.5-20x40 from a member on another forum, sent it back to Leupold for a set of M1 knobs, and set it on the EGW rail with TPS TSR rings. Can't say that I've ever had a better-shooting 223, and it was a ton of fun to play with, even out past 600yds.
Sound extravagant? Well, after buying a NIB M70 Stealth in 223 in 1997, then finding a big old ding on the edge of the bore at the muzzle, and having it re-crowned, discovered it had a grossly over-sized chamber. Sent it back to the factory; got it back with a different bbl installed. Ah ha says me - now it's bound to be fixed! Wrongo, buttwheat - fired cases out of this chamber were very obviously egg-shaped when rolled across a smooth countertop. Got rid of it, and really don't have any intentions of buying another factory rifle, unless it's purchased expressly to get the action. That's the reason I do my own gunsmithing....
Sound extravagant? Well, after buying a NIB M70 Stealth in 223 in 1997, then finding a big old ding on the edge of the bore at the muzzle, and having it re-crowned, discovered it had a grossly over-sized chamber. Sent it back to the factory; got it back with a different bbl installed. Ah ha says me - now it's bound to be fixed! Wrongo, buttwheat - fired cases out of this chamber were very obviously egg-shaped when rolled across a smooth countertop. Got rid of it, and really don't have any intentions of buying another factory rifle, unless it's purchased expressly to get the action. That's the reason I do my own gunsmithing....
Nyet with 80 A-Max, way too long.
75 A-Max on the other hand...reports seem to be hit or miss, depending on the barrel. My old barrel (12FV takeoff, 26" 1:9 varmint contour) would shoot 10 rounds of into about 0.8MOA out to 200yd with 24.5gr Varget, which is the furthest I ever tried...and the stability factor when I shot those groups were 1.01-1.02. 75gr HPBT with 24.0gr Varget, on the other hand, was consistently and repeatably a hair better than half MOA at the same ranges and very reliable on 8" steel at 650yd.
I'd be curious to see results with 80gr SMK; on paper their stability is higher than the 75 A-Max in a 1:9.
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Mine wasn't exactly cheap, but I wore almost all the red paint off of a 5 inch spinner at 565 yards using 80 grain SMKs with 25.1 grains of Varget in a Lapua case. Yes, mine is more accurate than most ARs. In case you're wondering, it's built on a Stiller action with a Bartlein barrel, bedded into a McMillan A4.
STR, that seems like a stout charge with an 80...care sharing your COAL, barrel length and velocity?
Thanks!
Thanks!
A 20" bolt gun can easily handle those distances. Even a 16" can for that matter. My T3 Tactical has a 1 in 8 20" and it shoots great with 77SMK at 500.
To answer the question about gasser v. bolt yes, normally, bolt gun is more accurate.
To answer the question about gasser v. bolt yes, normally, bolt gun is more accurate.
