Any .223 varmint/target shooters out there?

[CigarStone]

Just bought the Remington 700 SPS Varmint in .223 and love shooting it! I can't wait till I find the ammo that groups best in it as this thing should a be a tack driver.

I need a bi-pod for it and will probably get a better scope eventually.

If anyone has an advice on ammo or experience with this gun I'd love to hear it!

 

[bimmer635csi]

About a year and half ago, I got a Ruger single-pump, 1000 fps, with scope for $100.

Best Ben Franklin I ever spent.

It is good enough for rabbit from 30 or 40 yards, and boy do they jump.

 

[XxMerlinxX]

Just bought the Remington 700 SPS Varmint in .223 and love shooting it! I can't wait till I find the ammo that groups best in it as this thing should a be a tack driver.

I need a bi-pod for it and will probably get a better scope eventually.

If anyone has an advice on ammo or experience with this gun I'd love to hear it!

That rifle has a 1 in 12" twist, so you want to look at a lighter grain bullet such as Black Hill's 52gr. Match HP or Hornady's 53gr. Match JHP. For plinking and just general use, you can look at any of the cheaper rounds in the 45-60gr. range.

 

[CigarStone]

Just bought the Remington 700 SPS Varmint in .223 and love shooting it! I can't wait till I find the ammo that groups best in it as this thing should a be a tack driver.

I need a bi-pod for it and will probably get a better scope eventually.

If anyone has an advice on ammo or experience with this gun I'd love to hear it!

That rifle has a 1 in 12" twist, so you want to look at a lighter grain bullet such as Black Hill's 52gr. Match HP or Hornady's 53gr. Match JHP. For plinking and just general use, you can look at any of the cheaper rounds in the 45-60gr. range.

Yeah, I am looking to try the 50 and 55 gr. V-Max for tack driving and prairie dogs out to 400 yards. Do you know of any ballistics calculator which will take the rate of twist into account?

 

[Goldie]

My good friend has a Savage 12 and has had the best results with the cheap PMC ammo, and consistently had Winchester ammo hitting one to two inches off, typically to the right. I don't believe he has used any of the more expensive ammo like Hornaday or V-Max, so I don't have anything to say about those. But I would guess they are probably pretty solid.

 

[Seth]

I have a Savage Model 12. I have always heard great stuff about Black Hills ammo. I reload 52gr Barts Bullets in mine and have put three in one hole several times at 100 yards.


Seth

EDIT : Spelling

 

[Wurm]

I suggest buying a few boxes of different brands and grains and going to the range. Every rifle is different in its preferences.

Besides shooting stuff is fun! /boxoftruth

BTW I have a 700 .270 it was the first hunting rifle I owned and the one I still use the most. I applaud your choice in firearms!

And my 700 seems to shoot best with Federal Premium 140 grain which is fine for Whitetails.

 

[gunsandcigars88]

Just bought the Remington 700 SPS Varmint in .223 and love shooting it! I can't wait till I find the ammo that groups best in it as this thing should a be a tack driver.

I need a bi-pod for it and will probably get a better scope eventually.

If anyone has an advice on ammo or experience with this gun I'd love to hear it!

That rifle has a 1 in 12" twist, so you want to look at a lighter grain bullet such as Black Hill's 52gr. Match HP or Hornady's 53gr. Match JHP. For plinking and just general use, you can look at any of the cheaper rounds in the 45-60gr. range.

This rifle originated with the 1 in 12" twist rate, but has been modified now. The recent models Remington has changed to a 20" 1 in 9" Twist Rate Rock Creek Barrel. Will shoot up to a 69 Grn Bullet (unfortunately will not stabilize a 75 grn Amax). I purchased one of these rifles a few months ago and I love mine. They shoot a 69 grn Sierra Matchking Bullet like a dream. Sub 1/2 MOA. My Smallest group almost made 1/4 MOA. Best factory match grade ammo I have found for my rifle is Fiochi. They load the 69 Grn Sierra in their Match round. I have just finished purchasing all the loading components for mine and am about to start generating loads.

For the bipod just spend the money once and buy the Harris S-series and get a pod lock for it.

I have a SS scope on mine with a Seekins Precision scope base and Burris Tactical Rings (waiting to upgrade all of that). I am getting ready to drop this baby in a Mcmillan A3-A5 stock. Remington even does a good job of Setting the trigger at the factory on this rifle. I am ready to go plinking coyotes with it, but have not gotten to yet.
B

 

[XxMerlinxX]

This rifle originated with the 1 in 12" twist rate, but has been modified now. The recent models Remington has changed to a 20" 1 in 9" Twist Rate Rock Creek Barrel. Will shoot up to a 69 Grn Bullet (unfortunately will not stabilize a 75 grn Amax). I purchased one of these rifles a few months ago and I love mine. They shoot a 69 grn Sierra Matchking Bullet like a dream. Sub 1/2 MOA. My Smallest group almost made 1/4 MOA. Best factory match grade ammo I have found for my rifle is Fiochi. They load the 69 Grn Sierra in their Match round. I have just finished purchasing all the loading components for mine and am about to start generating loads.

For the bipod just spend the money once and buy the Harris S-series and get a pod lock for it.

I have a SS scope on mine with a Seekins Precision scope base and Burris Tactical Rings (waiting to upgrade all of that). I am getting ready to drop this baby in a Mcmillan A3-A5 stock. Remington even does a good job of Setting the trigger at the factory on this rifle. I am ready to go plinking coyotes with it, but have not gotten to yet.
B

Don't suppose you have a link to this on Remington's website? I only ask because what he has, an R700 SPS Varmint, only comes with a 26" barrel using only a 1 in 12" twist rate. What YOU might have sounds more like either an R700 SPS Tactical or an R700 LTR (light tactical rifle), neither of which come from Remington with a Rock Creek barrel. If you do have a Rock Creek barrel, it was an addition to the rifle done by someone else after it left Remington.

 

[gunsandcigars88]

This rifle originated with the 1 in 12" twist rate, but has been modified now. The recent models Remington has changed to a 20" 1 in 9" Twist Rate Rock Creek Barrel. Will shoot up to a 69 Grn Bullet (unfortunately will not stabilize a 75 grn Amax). I purchased one of these rifles a few months ago and I love mine. They shoot a 69 grn Sierra Matchking Bullet like a dream. Sub 1/2 MOA. My Smallest group almost made 1/4 MOA. Best factory match grade ammo I have found for my rifle is Fiochi. They load the 69 Grn Sierra in their Match round. I have just finished purchasing all the loading components for mine and am about to start generating loads.

For the bipod just spend the money once and buy the Harris S-series and get a pod lock for it.

I have a SS scope on mine with a Seekins Precision scope base and Burris Tactical Rings (waiting to upgrade all of that). I am getting ready to drop this baby in a Mcmillan A3-A5 stock. Remington even does a good job of Setting the trigger at the factory on this rifle. I am ready to go plinking coyotes with it, but have not gotten to yet.
B

Don't suppose you have a link to this on Remington's website? I only ask because what he has, an R700 SPS Varmint, only comes with a 26" barrel using only a 1 in 12" twist rate. What YOU might have sounds more like either an R700 SPS Tactical or an R700 LTR (light tactical rifle), neither of which come from Remington with a Rock Creek barrel. If you do have a Rock Creek barrel, it was an addition to the rifle done by someone else after it left Remington.

Well darn it I stand corrected. I have the SPS Tactical and i could have sworn that is what he posted he got. When I read your reply to me I had to go back to the 1st post to see if I had misread. I had a SPS Varmint before my Tactical (Except in .308). Merlin quotes correct information here, I was wrong. Sorry for the confusion. Now that I am speaking about the correct rifle let me change a couple things. Trigger needs work on that rifle. If you are up for the challenge take the entire trigger assembly and polish the individual parts then adjust using the three set screws. If you are not up to taking the trigger assembly apart(can be a little tricky) then just adjust using the set screws. Also ditch the Bell and Carlson stock that comes on it and get a stock that is free floated and has a full length aluminum pillar bedding system. Or get a Mcmillan and pillar and glass bed it. Bell and Carlson makes a good stock but the one that comes with the rifle is not well done. You would be shocked at the accuracy difference you will get if you get a stock thats free floated and bedded. Especially since you are going to be putting a bipod on this rifle you are going to want a new stock. Forget my info on the bullets as well. Like Merlin said you cannot shoot heavy bullets with that barrel. The twist rate will not stabilize them. Merlin, thanks for pointing my mistake out to me.
B

 

[XxMerlinxX]

No worries, Remington makes so many versions of the 700 that it can be confusing sometimes. I also second the notion of ditching the regular Remington stock and picking up either a McMillan, Bell & Carlson, or H-S Precision stock that has a full length aluminum bedding block in it. This should probably satisfy any accuracy needs, but if not, you can skim bed the action afterwords and you'll basically have the most accurate stock system possible.