Remington in 223

[Cynical]

I'm looking at a new Remington Special Varmint and the verbage says it's got a
1-14 twist. can that be right ? What would be the heviest bullit for that barrell ?
I've shot 60 gr. Sierras @ 3000+ fps from a 7.8 twist and a 9 twist with good results. I'm a little afraid that the 14 twist won't stablize anything over 50 gr.

Any experience this way ?

[versifier]

50-55grains at the most, going by the book, and as you suspect, 55 might be pushing it. (My .22-250 has a 1 in 10 and won't do anything heavier with what I would consider acceptable accuracy - I bought one box of 60gr Sierras and couldn't find a load before using them up.) That doesn't mean that it won't shoot anything heavier, just that it isn't likely. Other that having a custom barrel fitted, I am not aware you can get a factory barrel below a 10 trist in anything but an AR. That also doesn't mean not to experiment. The heavier bullets are designed to stop human size targets within 300 yards, or some like the Nosler PAR's a deer within 150yds, with an acceptable effective accuracy of 3-4MOA. For smaller varmints, you need as much less than 2MOA as you can squeeze, and lighter bullets will do that. Besides, you can take a BIG coyote or feral dog at 400yds cleanly with a 55gr Sierra GK SBT, even with a .223, so why not go with what works?

[Cynical]

Thanks Versifier,
Guess I'll look for a 1 in 10 twist rifle.

Al

[Bullshop Junior]

I have a Remington 788 with a 1/14" twist and I shoot 60 cast out of it. I have not shot that many jacketed through the gun, But I get very good accuracy with cast. Remember though that a 60gn cast is almost always shorter than a 60gn jacket so will stabalise when the longer jacket wont.
DANIEL/BS JR.

[versifier]

Daniel,
Are you sure it's a 1 in 14? I thought I read that the 788's (in .222, .223, & .22-250) were all 1 in 12. In all honesty, I have never actually checked mine though, so I guess I ought to. That and my rememberer is antique and obsolete and I can't get parts for it anymore so I could easily be wrong, or I remember correctly and the source was wrong. Anyway, it sounds like I should try some cast in it. Got any starting loads for .22-250 with RE-7 or 3031?

[Bullshop Junior]

Versifier,
I checked my dads #10 speer and in the back it says that for the model 700 722 and 40 Remington in 222 (which from mine was rechambered) that they all have a 1/14 twist.
DANIEL/BS JR.

[d-o-k]

55gn jacketed 3031 (22-250) 30.1 gns

[lovedogs]

There are several twist rates in .223's but all Remingtons are 1:14. That twist should work well with most bullets from 40 to 55 gr. Some rifles will manage with the heavy 60 gr. but why would anyone want to use bullets that heavy in a .223? If you want a long-range .223 you need to go with a custom barrel with a faster twist to stabilize the long bullets. I've always used 50 and 52 gr. bullets in my .223's and have done real well with them. If you need more bullet on critters you need a larger caliber rifle.

[Cynical]

but why would anyone want to use bullets that heavy in a .223?

Well it's just the best grouping .223 load that I have found so far.
Also, I would like to find a good 600 yard load for targets.

[lovedogs]

If you want a varmint rifle you need a standard twist and 50-55 gr. bullets. If you want a 600 yd. target rifle you need a fast twist barrel and long, heavy for caliber bullets. They are two different animals!