I had a M700 .223Rem build for me using a Douglas barrel. I picked the one with a 1-8 twist. I do not have any bullets heavier than the 55g Noslers and most are in the 50g weight.

I tried to measure to the lands with a 50g Vmax using the Stoney tool. When I tried this the lands were way out and obviously the bullet will not stay in the modified case. So in this case obviously I will not be able to get close to the lands. And probably will need to load at book COAL and/or mag length will determine the max COAL length.

Question I want to ask is is it possible to get good accurate loads with a 50/55g bullet with 1/8 twist? In the meantime should I be looking for heavier bullets?

Yes, getting an accurate load with 50/55 grainers is easy in the 8 twist.

It might be harder with the long throat but you'll get it.

Apparently whoever built it took it for granted you'd be using heavier, longer bullets.

Fast twist don't work for bullets available, or on hand. Blame the gunsmith. Right ?

Real screw up is that the guy who built it. The throat specs are his fault.

My " whoever built it..."

and your " The guy who built it" would be the same guy, right?


Im not blaming the gunsmith...unless he also did the chambering...

I've got a 1:7 AR that shoots knots with 52/53gr MK's. It shoots long bullets just as well.

I've never had any issues with lighter bullets with long throats in 223... only problems ever experienced was fragile bullets in a fast twist barrel...

I'd be screaming mad if someone built me a rifle where I couldn't hit the lands and fit in the mag box.
Someone didn't ask the right questions.
Over time, I've developed a preference for a shorter throat, for a couple of reasons.
1. I usually shoot light to midweight bullets in all my chamberings. That's just me. I have tried big bullets as well, and they shoot. I've found out the room in the case for the slower powder from deep seating isn't that big a deal.
2. Throat life. I had two excellent barrels that shot great up until the day the throat wore too long and I couldn't chase it any more. One was set back and rechambered in another case, and I can reach the lands again -- but it was a conventional reamer.
The other barrel is in "reserve" and I am going to put it on an AR I have that never shot particularly great. It will be in .223 with the throat separately cut as short as practical.

I was having a target rifle rebarreled AND gave the dumb assed smith samples of the cartridge I intended to use. I wanted the bullet just off of the lands. He gave me back a POS that was so deep throated, I couldn't even get to the lands with the bullet I was gonna use. His drooly response was "well, I used a standard reamer". He half-assed re-did it but it was the first and last job he'll ever do for me.

What is the best solution for a barrel with a too long throat?

Turn it in a couple turns ( if possible) and rechamber.

Did you ask for a fast twist and long throat? If ya didn't, I'd demand my money back and visit a different gunsmith. If you did want it with a fast twist, then I'd think that the gunsmith assumed you were going to shoot heavy bullet's in it. If that's it, you should have made it clear what you wanted. I had a 7mm Rem Mag threatened out and gave the smith a round loaded the way I wanted to load them. He hit it right on. That was a great shooting rifle with longer bullet's.

OOOPs, guess I ruffled some tail feathers.
Oh Well, but fact is if I don't tell the smith what the hell I want, then I got nothing to complain about period. If I want a tight match chamber with a short throat, then that's what I tell them. If I want a fast twist short throat, I tell them. Fast twist long throat, I tell them. If you don't spell it out just how the [bleep] are they gonna know, and will more than likely figure you just want them to build it the way they usually do. Kinda like saying here ya go fast twist 223 if you please. That's the guy orderings fault not the smith.

Exactamundo!

My first custom barrel job was a .223 I wanted tighter than normal so we opted for a 10 twist. Gunsmith asked if I wanted a tight chamber- nope I want to stick any store bought ammo I can get in it. He asked how long I wanted the barrel..." Short enough that I can turn it around in the cab of a pickup!"


Its exactly what I got.

Some gunsmiths can throat and some can not.

For some reason, if you order a fast twist barrel, you get a very long throat to go with.

Your short bullets will shoot accurately for a while, they will only jump so far till they get started crooked in the barrel, accuracy is lost at some point.

Of course, accuracy is a relative to the shooter's expectations.

I will have to back and read what I wrote to him what I wanted. I know I told him I wanted this rifle as a varmint/coyote type of rifle. I forgot if I mention the 50g weight bullets or there abouts. However he told me he put a 1/8 twist and that this twist will also shoot lighter bullets as well as heavy weight bullets. I do not recall if I specified a twist but I highly doubt that folks who are going to shoot the standard 40/50/55g weight bullet would want a 1/8 twist unless they were going for heavier than that. I am not planning to get a mil-dot and throw heavy bullets in an arch 1,000 yards away. I am going to shoot this rifle and see how it shoots but one of the previous poster stated but I think bullets "wandering" to get to the pipehole will be off center.