I'm curious how far out you guys are getting from mag fed 223's AR's? I am building another one and am looking at a gain twist barrel, but wanna stay mag fed. My current setup is good for about 850 yds.
Thanks!
Thanks!
-
Having trouble using the site?
Contact support
How far are you guys getting from mag fed 223 AR's?
- Thread starter Rant Durden
- Start date
If you want to stay mag fed and get any sort of consistency past where you’re currently shooting then you want a 224V, 6-224V, 6mmAR, or 6.5G. 224V gets my vote.
I've shot both NRA and interservice service rifle matches with 20" 5.56 rifles. Made it to 1K just fine, but is obviously running out of steam and wind calls are everything.
Second day of the Weekend in The Arena event (the open range day) earlier this month I got several hits in a row at 1000 with a 17.3" TriArc barrel running 73gr ELD-M handloads. In the March match the bonus stage was 10 shots at 1180yds in 2min. According to the match director there were more hits on that with the 223/5.56 guns than anything else. I'm sure there would have been more, but the winds by the end of the day were gusting up to 14-15mph and fishtailing between 1030 and 1 pretty good which made the wind calls frustrating to say the least. I only managed to connect once with the rest being near misses running a 16" Bartlein.
It's very doable mag fed, especially with handloads.
It's very doable mag fed, especially with handloads.
I’m assuming he meant semi rather than bolt and OALs that will fit in mags and don’t require single feeding.
That being said, 840yds with a MK12 and BH 77gr OTM, consistently. Didn’t have steel at a further (reasonable) distance but there was one at 1450...but it was in the tree line, shot to hell, and no way to tell if we got lucky lol. Never took brown box MK262 past 700yds though.
This thread is clearly about those pushing the limits on 223/556, so my numbers are rookie numbers but figured I’d share anyways. Dudes at the range I go to seem surprised that they hit targets at 600 with a 6.5cm so it will at least serve as a “oh wow 556 can do it?” reminder to them and others lol.
[Obviously edited because I initially typed M118LR instead of MK262 like a retard]
Last edited:
Yeah, if you are not constrained to the overall cartridge length restriction of a detachable box magazine, you can (potentially) load the bullets further out, (potentially) use longer bullets, and (potentially) stuff more powder in the case. All of these can increase the performance of the 223rem cartridge. I am told that single feeding is a common trick at NRA high power matches, but I cannot confirm that. Either way, (re)loading beyond the capability to reliably feed from a magazine negates the major benefit that most of us are looking for in a repeating rifle- be it a bolt rifle or a semi auto. This is why I asked the question with regard to the hits at 1200 and 1500 yards.
Furthest I've shot my precision AR is 1050-1100ish. My targets are always moving and I regularly hit the dirt where they were when I pulled the trigger, a few times I've found a blood trail confirming a hit but never the DRT kind.
I was shooting 75ELD's at 2.41" out of a mag, but the barrel is on the way out and the ELD's won't shoot anymore. There is a huge difference past 500 yds using something sleek like the ELD's vs. the more mag friendly SMK's and such.
I was shooting 75ELD's at 2.41" out of a mag, but the barrel is on the way out and the ELD's won't shoot anymore. There is a huge difference past 500 yds using something sleek like the ELD's vs. the more mag friendly SMK's and such.
I'm guessing that's with the front cut out of a mag? What kind, ASC? Pmag? Or did you also have to remove material from the magwell in the receiver?
Yes to all of the above.
Get them 75's going about 2900fps and suddenly 223 is in a different league.
Yeah that is true for sure, 75 ELD is a whole nother level. What did you have to do to your receiver, got a writeup with pics? I may have seen it if it's been a while, I've seen a couple, but it's always interesting to see how people do these.
I have some pics on here somewhere, can't find them right now though. I'll try to take some more this week and post them here.
I have decent luck with my compass lake 223 with a 26” bartlien running the 77s at 1000 yds......... if there isn’t much wind or it’s a constant wind. At 1000 yds it’s hard to see your splash. A good disked back drop is nice for spotting. Past 1000 you’d need better eyes than me and be up and shooting in the early morning bc the mirage would definitely hinder you on seeing impacts with these light bullets.
@KaM Indeed I do (all were averages of 10 shot strings with the exception of the Barnes)
Black Hills 77gr 5.56- 2868fps
Hornady 73gr ELD-M 223- 2636fps
Black Hills 77gr TMK 5.56- 2810fps
Barnes 85gr 5.56- 2615fps (9 shots)
Federal 77gr 223- 2435fps
Norma 77gr 223- 2571fps
Edited to add, staying within Hornady book data for a 5.56 pressure load for the 73gr ELD-M & CFE223 got me up to 2920 with the book max of 26.5gr. I went with 25.6 for the match ammo I handloaded which put me at 2830 with low SD/ES.
Black Hills 77gr 5.56- 2868fps
Hornady 73gr ELD-M 223- 2636fps
Black Hills 77gr TMK 5.56- 2810fps
Barnes 85gr 5.56- 2615fps (9 shots)
Federal 77gr 223- 2435fps
Norma 77gr 223- 2571fps
Edited to add, staying within Hornady book data for a 5.56 pressure load for the 73gr ELD-M & CFE223 got me up to 2920 with the book max of 26.5gr. I went with 25.6 for the match ammo I handloaded which put me at 2830 with low SD/ES.
Last edited:
Cool video! I'm still saving for glass, but I built up a 22 inch AR chambered in 568 TLR, cant wait to see what it can do. The friend I bought the barrel from designed the cartridge, will push a 75 grainer about 3000ish to 3100 fps.
Shot a mile with it not long ago as well. Pretty amazing.
FWIW I have a WarSport 14.5" and using good quality 75gr ammo and a 6x scope, 600 yards on smallish targets is very doable, and 800yds on e-type targets is within reach if there's not too much wind. If you had a 18"+ barrel and a higher magnification scope 1000+ yards would be easy. My personal feeling is that modern high quality .223's are performing at approximately the same level as run of the mill .308's were 15 years ago.
I was hoping to see the BH TMK's in the high 2700's. I'm sold. Thanks for the info. I'm not hoping for a submoa barrel. I'd be happy to be under 1.5 with tmk handloads.
Got some quick pics. It really is pretty self explanatory, I think the lower and upper/barrel extension relief was done mostly with files and some fine sandpaper if I remember correctly. The mag was just a thin cut off wheel in an angle grinder.
L to R: 75 ELD, 70 RDF, 77 SMK and 77 CC all loaded around 2.41" next to the standard 55gr 2.24".
Thanks for the pics. Looks like the same idea I've seen from others, except your work looks better. 
I need to get around to doing this one of these days; I've made my own barrels, side charge handles, machining on recievers, etc, but still haven't done this yet. I'm saving your pics for reference.
That last picture really shows the difference in ogive length for that 75 ELD!
Have you noticed any feed issues with shorter (standard length) 5.56 ammo?
I need to get around to doing this one of these days; I've made my own barrels, side charge handles, machining on recievers, etc, but still haven't done this yet. I'm saving your pics for reference. That last picture really shows the difference in ogive length for that 75 ELD!
Have you noticed any feed issues with shorter (standard length) 5.56 ammo?
