223 Range

[Dellboy]

Now ive allways thought that the 223 is running out of p**f at 600yards from a repeatable accuracy level .

So on another site a guy claims 4 inch groupings at 1200 yards regularly

Any thoughts ?

[Mattnall]

I have shot mine at 1000yds, with good results, although I have not gone past 1000. Although there are better cartridges out there for that.

I had trouble keep a fig11 at 1000yds with 77SMKs and then the 80SMKs, I couldn't keep the 80s supersonic they went trans-sonic at about 900-950 but on a good day I could hit 3 out of the 4 Figg11s on the backer. It took 45mins of elevation from a 200yd zero, almost at the limit of my scope and it didn't allow for much in the way of windage to be added.

I tried some 80 JLKs. These are a VLD bullet and a bit more slippery than the SMKs. I found I now only need about 37mins of elevation and they stay super sonic all the way and I can keep the Fig11s if I have the time, the 1000yd Snaps competition doesn't leave much time for sighting towards the end of the practice.

I haven't been able to shoot much above 600 for a while now, time on the range is such a precious commodity these days and is sadly limited.

[1066]

Laurie Holland did a good job at 1,000 yds with the .223 here. - Personally never used my .223 past 600 yds.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... tr-record/

[Sim G]

I posted a couple of videos from Long Range Shooters of Utah a few weeks back. In one of them, he hit a milk jug at 1500yards after bouncing it round a two foot square plate. And that was from an 18” barrel AR!

We were at Bisley a few years ago at 600 in the morning, 900 in the afternoon. I had a 7mm-08 RPA and .223 Savage, with 69gn SMKs. Both performed as expected at 600. I put the .223 in the car for the afternoon. The 7mm-08 was all over the place. Checked a calculator and realised that it was going transonic at 900. So instead of banging on, tried the .223. That was when I developed a new found respect for the capability of the cartridge when utilising a quality bullet, down a quality barrel...

[Sim G]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sOumuAb1KEQ

[TattooedGun]

Not last year (As I didn't get to the range), but the year before I took my .223 (Rem 700) out at 600 yards (at Kingsbury) and cleared a TR target (all in 5/v - Personal Best) with 15 shots. Left me with nothing to doubt the cartridge at longer range.

[1066]

Not last year (As I didn't get to the range), but the year before I took my .223 (Rem 700) out at 600 yards (at Kingsbury) and cleared a TR target (all in 5/v - Personal Best) with 15 shots. Left me with nothing to doubt the cartridge at longer range.

I must say my bog standard CZ527 .223 shooting GGG 62gn military ammunition performs surprisingly well at 600yds. This was Bisley last year: 9/10 "V". Pity about the flyer.

[TattooedGun]

Not last year (As I didn't get to the range), but the year before I took my .223 (Rem 700) out at 600 yards (at Kingsbury) and cleared a TR target (all in 5/v - Personal Best) with 15 shots. Left me with nothing to doubt the cartridge at longer range.

I must say my bog standard CZ527 .223 shooting GGG 62gn military ammunition performs surprisingly well at 600yds. This was Bisley last year: 9/10 "V". Pity about the flyer.

Great shooting!

I wish I could get out more and do the long range stuff, the past 2 years Practical shooting has taken over, and aside from a couple of trips to 100/50m ranges I haven't managed to do any serious full bore shooting.

[mag41uk]

I used to shoot my previous Mossberg mvp at 900. 69/73/75/77 all made it.
Hit a few fig 11`s at around a 1000 at Senny a few times.

[The Gun Pimp]

Now ive allways thought that the 223 is running out of p**f at 600yards from a repeatable accuracy level .

So on another site a guy claims 4 inch groupings at 1200 yards regularly

Any thoughts ?

Any thoughts? yep - he's telling lies! Yes, you can get a 223 to turn in similar results as a 308 at 1000 yards - as Laurie Holland proved but 4-inch groups regularly at 1200 yards? Laurie's rifle had a special chamber with a very long freebore to accommodate his heavy bullets without compromising case-capacity. Not to mention a 30 inch heavy match barrel and a good set-up.

I've been shooting competitive benchrest for 20 odd years at 600 and 1000 yards and you get a pretty good feel for what a cartridge is capable of. I've seen a 308 FTR rifle shoot sub three-inches and a 308 Factory Savage shoot sub four-inches (UK record) but not every week - maybe every decade!

If you're shooting a factory 223, 600 yards is a realistic limit - if you can shoot minute of angle 5-shot groups (with any factory rifle) at 600 yds you are doing well. Yes, everybody gets lucky once in a while but none will come and shoot with us and prove it.