.223 accuracy

[Comstar]

I am wondering if using cheap ammo in a .223 can still get good accuracy, because I would probably look into buying a larger caliber if the ammo is the same price. It would be mostly used at a range because Im not big into hunting.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Comstar

I am wondering if using cheap ammo in a .223 can still get good accuracy, because I would probably look into buying a larger caliber if the ammo is the same price. It would be mostly used at a range because Im not big into hunting.

Yes, that cheap white box stuff will give amazing accuracy in some rifles.
Cat

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Yes, that cheap white box stuff will give amazing accuracy in some rifles.
Cat

Ok thanks Ill keep it in mind.

[Robmcleod82]

I've seen some disgustingly good groups with Remington umc

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by Robmcleod82

I've seen some disgustingly good groups with Remington umc

What kind of groups did you get? I would like to get 1.5 ish or better at 100 yards if I did buy a gun. Isn't a big deal if all the shots are in the same hole.

[Beta-pg]

you could say its pretty good... This was my wife. First time shooting, it was from 100 yrds. Savage Axis .223 with stock scope.

penny.jpg

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by Beta-pg

you could say its pretty good... This was my wife. First time shooting, it was from 100 yrds. Savage Axis .223 with stock scope.

Attachment 44560

That's a great group! How is the savage axis for you? If I bought a gun it would probably be a savage because there accuracy and price. Also how do you like the scope it came with?

[Beta-pg]

lol... i have 3 of them... small, medium and larger! hahaha... .223, .25-06 and a .308.

i put a bushnel trophy xlt on two of them, ended up going back to the stock sharpshooter. It was grouping better!

For the price, you can beat it!

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by Beta-pg

lol... i have 3 of them... small, medium and larger! hahaha... .223, .25-06 and a .308.

i put a bushnel trophy xlt on two of them, ended up going back to the stock sharpshooter. It was grouping better!

For the price, you can beat it!

Ok, thanks for the info!

[Beta-pg]

happy shooting!

[densa44]

If you shoot mostly at paper, me too, and you hope for a 1.5" group at 100M. You will get that very soon as you shoot better, breath control makes the biggest difference.

I'd like to know if you can resist the temptation to get the group under 1 inch then under 1/2 inch, you get where this is going. I'm no longer happy if the holes are not touching, in any caliber!

I shoot savage 223 and 243. I've up graded the worse trigger, and both scopes. I reload and am careful.

The holes touch, now I'm adjusting the scopes to move the groups around (200M zero).

It keeps me busy and is a nice hobby. I'm curious if you'll stop at 1.5 inches, it will do that easy out of the box!

[Alberta Bigbore]

My .223 seems to favor the Whitebox ammo. it also seems to sell like crazy at Cabelas

[Wanted]

1.5" with a Savage is pretty much a no brainer. Now feed that same rifle with some decent ammo and voila sub MOA...and that's where the addiction gets worse. Next thing you know you are reloading...

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by Alberta Bigbore

My .223 seems to favor the Whitebox ammo. it also seems to sell like crazy at Cabelas

The Winchester white box ammo, is it the fmj's? I hear a lot about the Winchester white box, but the only thing I've seen in the win white is fmj's.

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by densa44

If you shoot mostly at paper, me too, and you hope for a 1.5" group at 100M. You will get that very soon as you shoot better, breath control makes the biggest difference.

I'd like to know if you can resist the temptation to get the group under 1 inch then under 1/2 inch, you get where this is going. I'm no longer happy if the holes are not touching, in any caliber!

I shoot savage 223 and 243. I've up graded the worse trigger, and both scopes. I reload and am careful.

The holes touch, now I'm adjusting the scopes to move the groups around (200M zero).

It keeps me busy and is a nice hobby. I'm curious if you'll stop at 1.5 inches,
it will do that easy out of the box!

This is good news for me!
I am not looking to spend lots of money, I just am looking for gun to get used to shooting. I would be extremely happy to get groups touching each other. I mainly shoot a ruger .22, my family does have a 308. But my dad doesn't always like to take it out because the bullets are fairly costly (more than the .22's) . Also will the .223 bullet drop quite a bit from 100 to 200 yards?

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by Wanted

1.5" with a Savage is pretty much a no brainer. Now feed that same rifle with some decent ammo and voila sub MOA...and that's where the addiction gets worse. Next thing you know you are reloading...

I don't think I will get into reloading. How much would it cost to make .223 handloads because if I get serious into shooting I could always pay my uncle to make a few.

[Redfrog]

I've used the white box and American eagle. Both are cheap and both shoot well.

I don't shoot FMJ and these were not FMJ.

[GeoTrekr]

Originally Posted by Comstar

I don't think I will get into reloading. How much would it cost to make .223 handloads because if I get serious into shooting I could always pay my uncle to make a few.

I reload my .223 just because I have all the components, but if you are not set up to reload, you won't see savings for a looong time unless you're reloading for other larger rifles ("$20+/box of 20" type of rifles).

Approximate loading costs for a .223 using average-weight non-specialty bullets (45-55 gr):

Bullets: ~$0.20 ($20/100)
Powder: ~$0.14 (~$35/lb)
Primer: ~$0.04 (~$4.00/100)

So you're looking at approximately $0.38/round, but that's assuming readily available brass as a sunk cost. If you have to get brass, you can either use your once-fired factory ammo, or buy it for approximately $30/100 pieces. At that point, it'll be a wash with reasonably priced factory ammo for at least the first few reloads. The only benefit (and the most important one imo) is to be able to customize your loads and really squeeze that last remaining bit of accuracy out of your rifle.

If it's just plinking/shooting at paper/gophers you're planning, it's probably better to stock up on something like the $19.99/40 round whitebox ammo at Cabela's I saw (or anything else for around $0.50/round or less), if you choose not to reload. I would suggest you save your brass to either sell at a later date to recoup some of the cost, or for when you do start to reload (because you probably eventually will).

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

I've used the white box and American eagle. Both are cheap and both shoot well.

I don't shoot FMJ and these were not FMJ.

What's your reason for not shooting fmj? Just being curios.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Comstar

This is good news for me!
I am not looking to spend lots of money, I just am looking for gun to get used to shooting. I would be extremely happy to get groups touching each other. I mainly shoot a ruger .22, my family does have a 308. But my dad doesn't always like to take it out because the bullets are fairly costly (more than the .22's) . Also will the .223 bullet drop quite a bit from 100 to 200 yards?

Zero your .223 at 200 yard and you will be fine at 100, just a bit high.
Cat

[elkhunter11]

What's your reason for not shooting fmj? Just being curios.

The cheap FMJ factory loads are generally the least accurate in most rifles, they don't kill small game as cleanly as expanding bullets, and they are much more prone to ricochet.

[Robmcleod82]

Ive seen ragged one hole groups with the umc ammo consistantly, it wasnt me shooting it but one of my hunting buddies. He shot that stuff for years before he finaly started hand loading and it took a while for him to make a hand load that would stack up against it

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Zero your .223 at 200 yard and you will be fine at 100, just a bit high.
Cat

Ok thank you do you have any experience at 300 yards with it?

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by GeoTrekr

I reload my .223 just because I have all the components, but if you are not set up to reload, you won't see savings for a looong time unless you're reloading for other larger rifles ("$20+/box of 20" type of rifles).

Approximate loading costs for a .223 using average-weight non-specialty bullets (45-55 gr):

Bullets: ~$0.20 ($20/100)
Powder: ~$0.14 (~$35/lb)
Primer: ~$0.04 (~$4.00/100)

So you're looking at approximately $0.38/round, but that's assuming readily available brass as a sunk cost. If you have to get brass, you can either use your once-fired factory ammo, or buy it for approximately $30/100 pieces. At that point, it'll be a wash with reasonably priced factory ammo for at least the first few reloads. The only benefit (and the most important one imo) is to be able to customize your loads and really squeeze that last remaining bit of accuracy out of your rifle.

If it's just plinking/shooting at paper/gophers you're planning, it's probably better to stock up on something like the $19.99/40 round whitebox ammo at Cabela's I saw (or anything else for around $0.50/round or less), if you choose not to reload. I would suggest you save your brass to either sell at a later date to recoup some of the cost, or for when you do start to reload (because you probably eventually will).

Thanks for the info! It would be mainly a range gun so it would it would be nice to have good accuracy. I probably won't reload anytime soon but would it even be worth it for me right now? About how many rounds would I need befor I started making money back? It would be for a .308 and possibly the .223 if I got one.

[elkhunter11]

Thanks for the info! It would be mainly a range gun so it would it would be nice to have good accuracy. I probably won't reload anytime soon but would it even be worth it for me right now? About how many rounds would I need befor I started making money back? It would be for a .308 and possibly the .223 if I got one.

If you have any intentions of ever reloading your fired cases, do yourself a favor and only purchase one type of factory ammunition, so all of the brass is the same. Mixing different brass is a determent to accuracy, and there can also be some safety issues as well if you decide to use maximum loads.

If you want to shoot longer ranges with a 223rem, the higher B.C. bullets do much better than the lighter,lower B.C. bullets used in most factory loads.

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

If you have any intentions of ever reloading your fired cases, do yourself a favor and only purchase one type of factory ammunition, so all of the brass is the same. Mixing different brass is a determent to accuracy, and there can also be some safety issues as well if you decide to use maximum loads.

If you want to shoot longer ranges with a 223rem, the higher B.C. bullets do much better than the lighter,lower B.C. bullets used in most factory loads.

Ok I still have alot of looking to do but I will keepIt in mind.
thanks!

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Comstar

Ok thank you do you have any experience at 300 yards with it?

I have lots of experience at 3-500 yards and have shot right out to 1,000 meters with the .223.
With a 200 yard zero you are about 6.5-7" low at 300 , depending on your muzzle velocity.
Cat

[Comstar]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I have lots of experience at 3-500 yards and have shot right out to 1,000 meters with the .223.
With a 200 yard zero you are about 6.5-7" low at 300 , depending on your muzzle velocity.
Cat

Ok thank you. I was curios to see if they went that far but it sounds like it easily will.

[densa44]

What bullets are you shooting at 500M? What twist? Is that Varget?

Thx

[elkhunter11]

Ok thank you. I was curios to see if they went that far but it sounds like it easily will.

What isn't so easy, is hitting a small target at 500 yards and farther with a 223rem, if the wind is blowing. If you are using the average factory load, even 300 yards can be a challenge in the wind.

What bullets are you shooting at 500M? What twist?

The 69gr Matchkings work okay at 500m, if there isn't much wind. If I wanted to shoot farther than that, I would go with at least 77gr or 80gr.