R700 .223 load, 1/9 twist

[MORIfleman]

Hey guys, I'm getting a new R700 Gen 1 5R soon in .223, so 1/9 twist. It will mostly be a trainer rifle to my .308. My range goes to 600, so it will be shot from 100-600 yards. A lot. I've loaded .223 for a long time for my AR's, but they are all 1/7 or 1/8 twist.

What bullet do you think would be the best to start with? I've read a few people saying it would stabilize 77s, but I'm a little skeptical. I also read to keep it around that 70 grain mark. Off the top of my head, I think some options would be 69 SMK, Nosler RDF 70, Hornady 73 ELD, Hornady 68 Match, Hornady 75 Match. I probably won't test any Bergers because they are so high, but I think they have a 73 grain version.

Does anyone have any experience with this rifle specifically? Or have thoughts on the best bet? I am trying to avoid buying a box of 6-8 different bullets and doing ladders with all of them.

Another note - most of my .223 loading has been with H335, Benchmark, H322, CFE223, a little Varget, a little AR Comp. I have H4895 and IMR 4064 from loading my .308s.

 

[supercorndogs]

You can probably scratch out the 73ELD, 70RDF, and 75 hornady. My 26" 1 in9 factory barrel will do 77SMK and 77 nobler CC, but not he 75 a max. The 20 inch I had would not stabilize the 77SMK. You will have to try some in your gun to find out. I would bet you will need a shorter bullet than the 77SMK.

 

[spife7980]

I just spun off my 16" 1/9 remington factory barrel. (So not a 5r)

I started with 4064 but have gone to xbr, it seems like an excellent all around powder for anything in a 223.

I realize its a bit of a nosler fanboy list but oh well.

• 60 BT (2,000 rounds) was the best I found for both close up and at distance. Shoots well at 100 yards and still very good at 500, it just blows a hair more in the wind than the 69 does, all in all an enjoyable bullet and believe it or not was the first load I developed for it and was still the best by the end. I kept wanting to do better but they only ever tied its performance.
• 69 CC (1,000 rounds) was alright up close but the best/most consistent I tested at distance
• 70 rdf (500 rounds) didnt like it at all, too long I think. I never got around to testing any heavier 70s because I intuit that they wouldnt work, maybe in a longer barrel.
• 53 tipped varm (500 rounds) does alright at 100 but looses steam at distance, the BC lured me in and since spinning the 9 twist barrel off I now have 500 leftovers to piss away.
• 55 hp varm (300 rounds) was pretty great close up but the BC was anemic for distance

Almost all of these ended up with a load of around 23.4-23.8 gr of 8208xbr in remington brass.
I tried it in lapua brass and was able to push the speeds up a bit but just never got the results on target that the remington gave, surprising I know. Go with accuracy, not velocity. Rem bras velocities seem to like to be between 2650-2700 fps, lapua I pushed some of the 53s into the 2900s but again, accuracy always seemed to be in the 2680 area.

 

[supercorndogs]

Thee 53s hold up a little better out of my 26" with 8208. I got about 3400fps. My old favorite varmint bullet, the sierra 55hpbt has a B.C of .114 if I remember correctly. I use RL15 and target also, but a lot of 8208 has been going into my 223 brass lately.

 

[MORIfleman]

Thee 53s hold up a little better out of my 26" with 8208. I got about 3400fps. My old favorite varmint bullet, the sierra 55hpbt has a B.C of .114 if I remember correctly. I use RL15 and target also, but a lot of 8208 has been going into my 223 brass lately.

I have had great luck with Nosler CC 52s for 200 and under. I am just hoping to find something that will be consistent at 500-600. Sounds like 69 SMK/Nosler CC will be my best bet. Thanks everyone.

 

[Wingnut00]

My 20” Remington fricken loves 70 bergers .005 in the lands with H322 and Benchmark. It’s a factory 1-9 twist. It shoots the hornady 75 bthp bullets pretty fair with both powders to. But for 600 yards the 70 bergersare pretty awesome.

 

[natdscott]

What's your elevation?

 

[velvetant]

My rifle has been happy with Hornady 68 bthp match/varget combo

 

[MORIfleman]

What's your elevation?

right at 1000 feet

 

[Codiekfx400]

The 69gr lapua scenar L should work quite well. Here’s a link for some on sale https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/23802

 

[natdscott]

right at 1000 feet

I'd keep the bullet lengths down then. If you were in Colorado or something, then maybe longer bullets would be doable, but I wouldn't waste my time with anything longer than the 73 Berger BTHP.

Truthfully though, the 69 SMK and/or 68 Hornady shoot so well, you'll probably be very happy right there, unless you want to spend a lot of time at 5-600 yards. But if you do, it WILL be great practice for LR .308.

Know what I'd do?

I'd buy 2x boxes of 69 Sierras, and make 100% certain that they would NOT shoot 1/2 Minute (they will) with probly 25-26 grains Varget. I'd do that before anything else. It's one of the most balanced and best-designed accuracy .224's ever made.

 

[MORIfleman]

I'd keep the bullet lengths down then. If you were in Colorado or something, then maybe longer bullets would be doable, but I wouldn't waste my time with anything longer than the 73 Berger BTHP.

Truthfully though, the 69 SMK and/or 68 Hornady shoot so well, you'll probably be very happy right there, unless you want to spend a lot of time at 5-600 yards. But if you do, it WILL be great practice for LR .308.

Know what I'd do?

I'd buy 2x boxes of 69 Sierras, and make 100% certain that they would NOT shoot 1/2 Minute (they will) with probly 25-26 grains Varget. I'd do that before anything else. It's one of the most balanced and best-designed accuracy .224's ever made.

I appreciate it. That's probably what I'll do

 

[MORIfleman]

The 69gr lapua scenar L should work quite well. Here’s a link for some on sale https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/23802

That seems like a killer price for those

 

[308pirate]

Do not discount the Hornady 75 HPBT match. On paper it seems too long, but bullet rotational speed is what imparts stability. Barrel rifling twist rate is only one half of the equation. Muzzle velocity is the other.

If you can push the Hornady 75 to 2800+, I'm pretty sure they'll spin fast enough to get to 600 nose first. My old 26" Model 70 Stealth (1 in 9) did just fine with them.

 

[Codiekfx400]

That seems like a killer price for those

It is a good price no doubt. Hodgdon Benchmark powder that you mentioned earlier is where it’s at for 223 loads IMHO.

 

[natdscott]

Do not discount the Hornady 75 HPBT match. On paper it seems too long, but bullet rotational speed is what imparts stability. Barrel rifling twist rate is only one half of the equation. Muzzle velocity is the other.

If you can push the Hornady 75 to 2800+, I'm pretty sure they'll spin fast enough to get to 600 nose first. My old 26" Model 70 Stealth (1 in 9) did just fine with them.

I dunno, dude. It's only a 20" tube.

Granted, it's a bolt gun, but Remington's aren't noted for being very fast barrels either.

I agree, I'd totally TRY it, but I'd want to see that they still print round holes at about 0-degrees.

 

[308pirate]

I dunno, dude. It's only a 20" tube.

I assumed it was 24"

 

[natdscott]

I assumed it was 24"

It should'a been.

 

[Codiekfx400]

If it’s a gen 1 5r mil spec 223 it will be 24” to my knowledge anyway.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I use 24", 1:8"/1:9" bore specs pretty much as a generic barrel (Savage and Stag Varmint weight).

My load is Hornady 75gr HPBT Match, Starline and/or Winchester brass, CCI BR-4, and 23.7gr or Varget, seated to magazine length minus .005". This is my generic load for 600yd comp. You can also step it up to 24.4gr of Varget, I live at altitude and don't need to hod rod it, but when I shot at Phoenix, it was nearly 3000ft lower, and the 24.4 load stayed inside the 9 ring. Hodgdon lists 24.6 as max.

Greg

 

[ilmonster]

I have a Rem. 700 SPS Tac with a 20" 1:9 barrel (in a B&C stock with a Timney 510 trigger), and it shoots Hornady 75 BTHP and 68 BTHP's at 1/2 MOA. I've only shot these out to 300 yds (longest range near me), and will make nice tiny groups if I do my part. Hornady ELD 73 grainers shoot a shotgun pattern in my 1:9 barrel. I use 23.0 gr. of TAC for the 75 gr. pills. Let us know how it shoots!

 

[MORIfleman]

If it’s a gen 1 5r mil spec 223 it will be 24” to my knowledge anyway.

I should have mentioned it's a 20". Its the threaded version. I think the standard version is a 24"

 

[MORIfleman]

I've been trying to find lengths of several of these bullets. So far I have:

Nosler RDF 70 .965"
MatchKing 69 .90"
MatchKing 70 .985"
Berger Target 73 .97"

It's hard to find the lengths for Hornady stuff, but it seems like the 68s would have a good shot. 75 possibly like mentioned above. I should get my hands on the rifle sometime next week. I've got a big can of 69 gr Nosler CCs from an AR and that will be the first thing I try in it. I don't remember what powder I used off the top of my head. Probably H335 or CFE223. I've been using a lot of Varget lately for .308 and like my Benchmark for 6.8 SPC and some .223 too.

 

[natdscott]

Varget's what you want. I prefer RE-15, but Varget is equal in all ways except cleanliness. She's a dirty bitch though.

-Nate

 

[Idaho-5R]

Gentlemen, I , too have one of the Gen 1, 5R 223's,-24" . So far my best loads have been with the Hornady 53 V-Max ( my favorite Ground Squirrel bullet!). But, I too would like to try stretching her legs a bit for fun..... The price on those Lapua 69 Scenars looks great!!!!! I've been experimenting with Berger 70's, 73's, & Nosler 70 RDF's. Nothing stellar so far, but, still trying! Any more input on personal data would be greatly appreciated! ( I've been loading for many years, so, I understand about others personal data needs to be used with caution!)...... Thanks in advance! Idaho-5R

 

[RRG]

I have a Rem LTR, chambered in .223 rem w/ a 20” barrel w/ 1/9 twist.
It likes 69 SMK, 75 Hornady BTHP, 75 Berber VLD. It hates 75 Hornady Amax.
24 grains of Varget or 23.3 grains of XBR for 75 bullets. 1/2” groups are typical.
The bergers are worth the extra money when the wind is blowing up to 10mph.

 

[308pirate]

I've been trying to find lengths of several of these bullets. So far I have:

Nosler RDF 70 .965"
MatchKing 69 .90"
MatchKing 70 .985"
Berger Target 73 .97"

For what? So you can burn more time on internet stability calculators?

Don't bother, they don't work. Buy a box and try it out. If it doesn't work, that's just the price one has to pay to know.