Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Round peg, round hole

This was what I had been hearing regarding feeding issues with the 223AI in 700's. Seemed simple enough, but others were crying no joy. I took my chances and built one anyway although the record should show that I went 23" on the barrel, just so I'd have enough to make a good 22-250 if the 223AI wouldn't cooperate.

She fed well enough during fireforming with virgin brass, 50-55gr bullets, and the factory magazine. I made some dummy rounds with those same bullets and fireformed brass, only to find that they worked also. Then I had to tackle the magazine modification to allow room for the longer bullets I planned to use with this 1-8" barrel.



Thanks to several fine folks who shoot the same chambering, I came across some info on how to make this work. I decided to use a piece of .250" aluminum stock that I found at my local hardware store. A few minutes with the dremel and the old spacer was removed, along with the "ears" that held it in place. Another few minutes with the hacksaw gave me a new aluminum spacer of similar width and length. To attach it, I tried to drill the rear of the mag box so that I could tap the aluminum and use screws, but the spring steel box didn't like even my toughest drill bits. Instead, I drilled half-depth holes in the rear of the aluminum and cut slits in the magbox with a cutting wheel, all to allow for a mechanical lock with JB-Weld. I let it set up in a C-clamp tighened to simulate the bottom of the action. After it set up overnight, a few tweaks on the rear mag lips with a pair of pliers gave a good tight fit. Inside dimensions allow for a 2.530" overall cartridge length.




The feeding test was a mixed bag sample. A full magazine of both SAAMI and AI cases, with bullets running from 50 to 80 grains. These were my dummy rounds used to establish seating depth for land engagement.

It fed them all, one right after another. No discernable difference between the formed cases and the new cases. Problem solved.

i like it.. think i need to do that to a couple of mine...

I did mine the same way, as did Jamison (who was kind enough to send me the piece of solid aluminum stock to use as a spacer) ... it's a "one beer" job, and one that basically anyone can do ...

you ain't never seen me and steely in action! grin

LOL Paul ... that's why I said "basically anyone" ...

I was able to bend/beat the factory spacer into position, but this definitely looks like a better alternative!

-Dan

That was my motivation for learning to bed rifles a few years back. I thought, "If those two can do it....".

TFF!

The spacer looks good.

glad we could help you out... grin

What's the skinny on brass not growing with these things? The no trimming is my only interest I don't need any velocity gain.


Mike


P.S. Good work and good pics!

trim initially and be done with it. i'm on my 8th reload of one batch and haven't had to trim. i'll get 10 out of them then toss and start with a new batch.

BTW, I FF with virgin brass then trim. FWIW.

Thanks Paul!

I guess from your location listed you're not digging the new location?

Mike

Was the grin in reference to:

a. Paul and Steely vs the job?

or

b. Paul and Steely with the words -only- "one beer" in the same sentence?

This sounds like it might become a priority this spring. I've been seating the AMAX's to fill the box, but this has promise.

Thanks for posting.

JCM

Nice write up. How did she shoot the fire forming loads?

Fireforming loads shot well enough, with all hovering around 1/2 to 3/4 MOA. These were various 50-55's I had lying on the shelf and I was burning some older W748. They were all into the lands pretty hard, so cases came out looking nice. I mounted a different scope yesterday and also came up with some more brass, so I'll likely run some "good" bullets and powder this weekend.

So it took you fifteen minutes?

What are you using to mark your bullets? Will a magic marker work to figure out when the lands touch? Sorry if the question is stupid but I am just getting into reloading. Got the press, powder, brass, primers, and bullets. Just need to put the press on the table and get a brass tumbler.