Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 223 Remington reloading

Be careful a little common sense could hurt feelings. Hasbeen

One would think that everybody has access to long range shooting opportunities, or even wants to. Rifle ranges with target butts beyond 200 yards are a rarity around here. Opportunities for shooting woodchucks, etc., at long distances are slim. On a personal level I just don't need/want long heavy expensive VLD's for punching paper at 100 yards. For the little bit I've used a .223 for deer (where shots over 100 yards are almost unheard of) I found 55 cup and cores to be ok (with a brief fling with 50 TSX's, which were ok too).

And that's the difference - a lot of us have access to much longer distances, and enjoy shooting them, so heavier high-b.c. bullets make more sense. Personally I still use Midsouth's 50gr "varmint nightmare" bulk bullets for varmint shooting sometimes, but that's not my primary load because my 223/5.56 rifles are useful for a much wider range than just varmint shooting and 100 yard paper punching. Nothing wrong with an old-school 50gr SP if that's what works for your shooting, but it's a bit disingenuous to act put-out about the world moving on to new advancements.

I think you misunderstood, I can't speak for gnoahh, but I don't think he is put out. Besides that, heavy 22 caliber bullets are wasted in a 223 to really gain anything for long range. You need a 22-250 sized case and up with that fast twist to really make those longer heavier bullets shine...

1 - I didn't misunderstand anything; I read what he posted.

2 - It doesn't sound like you know what you're talking about here. Have you actually done much longer distance shooting with 75gr+ 223/5.56? Thanks for the chuckle I guess, but if you think a 50gr 223 can reach out as far as a 75gr or 77gr you should try out that theory and see how far wrong it is.

Oh brother...

So, I got a bunch of 75gr Hornady HPBT's at a really good price. If it doesn't like them, I'll sell them/trade them, or run them for plinkers in my 1:7 AR.

We'll see how it goes. I got the rifle from the FFL today and am really happy with it. Can't wait to put it across the bench!

Who said I was put out?? Please don't put words in my mouth! I'm merely pointing out that not everybody has the means, need, or desire for "reaching out", and making use of the (marvelous) burgeoning technology for long range shooting. Nothing more than offering a sober counterpoint.

Use those 50 and 55 gr. bullets! There are a lot of us who do. Just ignore the silly comments.

You have to use what your situation dictates. Where you hunt. What you hunt. And the costs involved. For exanple, the Hornady 55 gr. SPs work well on several critters around here, and are accurate. At $14/100 Cdn, they are a bargain.

I buy those and 55 gr. fmjs for plinking. They are attractively priced at $50/500 and are fun to shoot. My grandkids love 'em! And so do I.

Sometimes sobering and reality counterpoints offend some people. I totally understand your point.
I live in Nebraska which has some very interesting laws on hunting due to the fact that 90% of the land is private, it is illegal for me to shoot across a fence line onto property I don’t have permission. It is also illegal for me to take any legal animal that is on the other side of that fence line that I don’t have permission on. So if the farthest fence that you have permission on is 300 yards that’s your limit.
No hunting or shooting allowed within 200 yards of an occupied dwelling unless it’s private is another.
Now take into account that in this state there are only 3 ranges that allow practice out to 500 or 600. 2 are private and run 300-500 per year. 1 is public Grand Island and cost per day isn’t bad when that 600 is open, which isn’t guaranteed. I am lucky as you say to have unfettered access to a 200 yard range which is a rarity, as most except the 3 above limit you to 100 without a RO or match going on.
For me the 50-55 are all I will ever need. But if I lived in an area that had vast amounts of public land with the ability to reach out that far, I might consider the heavies.

It is simple math:

Yondering + computer= expert

Says the guy who said 50gr 223 works as well as 75/77gr at long range. Genius. Who's the keyboard expert here?

My posts may be abrasive sometimes, but at least I refrain from talking about things I know nothing about.

That's fair, and maybe I read too much into your post. It seems pretty common for a lot of the older guys here to complain about how nobody does it their way any more, which is exactly what I thought your post was.

To be clear, if I could only shoot out to 200 yards with a 223, I'd probably use the old 50gr more too (although I'd still have use for heavy bullets too). I've found those Varmint Nightmare 50's from Midsouth shoot really well.

Here we go with a typical call out thread. I never said that! Not only are you wrong, you must be illiterate...

Unfortunately, it isn't the first time he's done this. He's a candidate for the ignore button.

he's moving to the top of my list.

Check your twist rate it may be too slow for those bullets...most use 9 or faster for those long bullets...
For the 223 I found a 50 gr bullet to be the best comprimese if you are going to be shooting prairie dogs...bunted through thousands of 40 gr vmax also...best all around powder for me has been win 748..it has shot good in every 223 I have...I got 16 lbs of surplus 846 that is proving to be pretty good also...label says use blc-2 data...

Blc-2 is a great 223 powder, but I keep using that unstable H335...

That's because you refuse to shoot rodents below 60 degrees or above 75.You're a temperature weenie, just like H335.

You are a real comedian, like you know anything about firearms or shooting...