Question for 700 Tactical 223 owners

[BoilerUP]

Has anybody who owns a 700 Tactical 223 had success with Hornady 75gr Match/TAP, 77gr FGMM, or a Mk262 clone like BHA, SSA, Southwest Ammo, etc.?

EDIT: two more questions:

Does the 223 have the same long freebore as a 308, or is it closer to the 0.025 SAAMI standard?
Was is the max BDL magazine OAL in the 223s?

Many thanks!

 

[Niles Coyote]

I have not used factory ammo but have found my R700 tactical likes sierra and nosler 77's while hornady 75 bthp's have not worked as well.

 

[Cegorach]

Mine shot several of Hornady's 75 grain loads, FGMM 77, and Nosler CC 77 into about an inch. Sometimes a little bigger, sometimes smaller.

I do not recall the exact freebore, but I do know that it is not particularly short. I used a single shot follower until I got an ACIS magazine set-up because mine liked to butcher cartridges while feeding.

 

[Niles Coyote]

EDIT: two more questions:

Does the 223 have the same long freebore as a 308, or is it closer to the 0.025 SAAMI standard?
Was is the max BDL magazine OAL in the 223s?

Many thanks!

It's more like a nato chamber, allowing for 2.45" or around there with the 75g berger vld load I was using, great for AI mags, the factory box mag, IIRC, would take a OAL around 2.35ish... and I was around there with my 77 load. Whats interesting is my R700 5r is .1" shorter in freebore... so not all remington 223's have the same chambers.

 

[Laseredge]

Mine liked 69gr SMK Handloads and SWA best (.5-.75 MOA) but shot Black Hills 77 OTM (Mk262 Mod1) and SWA 77SMK into about a MOA.

 

[ptaylortx]

I'm glad I ran across this thread. I'm about to purchase one and I've been worried about excessive free bore. My aac-sd 308 had .187" and I couldn't get it to shoot for shit inside mag length. I'm talking 1.75moa on the best day. I gave up and am having it re barreled. I'm hoping for at least sub .75 out of the 223

 

[Niles Coyote]

I checked my notes and 69, 75 and 77 BTHP's (non VLD) will all fit the internal mag and touch the lands per my mearsurements with a little room to spare.

 

[Niles Coyote]

[MENTION=47204]BoilerUP[/MENTION]

I was looking through my pics and found my load data for the 77cc (24.6g varget in LC brass, WSR primer 2661 fps average), IIRC this was with the magnetospeed attached and I was jumping .020 per my pic. The target is 500y.

 

[rrflyer]

I've owned a couple and the 75bthp was hit or miss.

 

[diggler1833]

I have not had any luck running anything heavier than the 68gr Hornady or 69gr SMK. I did notice that my rifle shot the heavier bullets better as my charge weight went up. Unfortunately I was getting pressure signs well before my groups tightened to acceptable levels.

My go to load for my SPS Tac is the 69gr SMK over 25.5gr RE-15 at 2.280 COL. I don't know my 68gr Hornady load off of the top of my head, but it is around 25gr Varget at the same 2.280 COL. I'd say that there is a bit of freebore. Both loads still fit in the internal mag. Hope that this helps.

 

[Bender]

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