223 Small Deer Rifle Twist Rate

[rookyshot]

Hi everyone, I recently got my first FAC grant which includes a 223 slot which I’m going to use for a small deer stalking rifle (CWD & Muntjac in England) along with a bit of foxing.

Please can you provide a bit of guidance on which barrel twist I should go for please. Originally I was planning to go for a fast twist so I could use some heavier bullets but I’m struggling to find many lighter weight rifles in this twist rate.

would I be better served with a slower twist rate which most non Varmint guns appear to be available in or should I just go for a heavy barrel gun to get access to the faster twist rate?

Any guidance appreciated thanks...

 

[Miki]

What weight of bullet were you thinking ?

 

[Sako75Hunter]

I used 75gr Hornady TAP in my 1:8 223 on feral goats for a couple of years, and they were very effective.

Not sure how goats compare in terms of size with muntjac + CWD though.

 

[ejg]

I think you would be well served with a T3 1/8 Lite. They will shoot just about any ammo well. In the two I had they shot 40gr just as well as 69gr, not the best shooting 223 I had but shot all around 3/4" sometimes 1/2". The old Sako 55gr gamehead ammo is normally very accurate and a good deer bullet.
edi

 

[Tazz]

I have a Nosler 48 custom in 223 twist rate 1 / 12 best factory round i found was Winchester Ballistic Silvertips in 55 grain sub moa. Great on CWD and Munty’s and devastating on Foxes

 

[tarponhead]

My CZ American in .223 is either 1:8 or 1:9 and likes 50g Sako Gameheads. Anything 69g is c.1 MOA but definitely MO Deer at 100yds

 

[User00033]

Lots to choose from @rookyshot. Seek, and ye shall find. The best lightweight I’ve shot recently was a new Howa Mini Action with the 1:8” twist. Howa only brought out the 1:8” last year, before that it was a 1:9”, and there will still be some old kicking about. If it is a 1:8”, it will be stamped on the barrel. CZ is 1:9” and their Carbine is a very good option. Tikka obviously. You’ll find one somewhere.

This list might be a bit out of date, and it’s not definitive, but reasonable guide nonetheless.

 

[monarman]

A 1 in 12 will do nicely...... you can then find any 50grain and upwards bullet that suits your particular rifle..... when you find it.... use it!.... learn to place an accurate shot at normal stalking distances and you'll have no issues with whatever bullet you use.
For a few years I used hornady factory 55 grain vmax on roe in Scotland.... killed them brilliantly!!!!.... better than the 243 in my opinion.

 

[rookyshot]

What weight of bullet were you thinking ?

I was thinking 60 or 65grn

 

[rookyshot]

Sounds like 1/12 with a 50 or 55grn bullet could be an option. I was planning to go for T3x in 1/8 but nothing in stock at GMK. so I'll have to hunt one out in the dealers.

Do any of you run a 60 or 65grn bullet on CDW OR Muntjac?

 

[rookyshot]

Lots to choose from @rookyshot. Seek, and ye shall find. The best lightweight I’ve shot recently was a new Howa Mini Action with the 1:8” twist. Howa only brought out the 1:8” last year, before that it was a 1:9”, and there will still be some old kicking about. If it is a 1:8”, it will be stamped on the barrel. CZ is 1:9” and their Carbine is a very good option. Tikka obviously. You’ll find one somewhere.

This list might be a bit out of date, and it’s not definitive, but reasonable guide nonetheless.

View attachment 150658

great info thanks..

 

[Miki]

I was thinking 60 or 65grn

You won't need anything that heavy for the smaller deer species, 55gn is fine, you'll get 3300fps, faster if you go for a 50gn (about 3500) which will still be enough for CWD, Munty and Fox out to 200yds + (the poi is easily within a 4" circle if you are zero'd at 150), just aim and fire.....
Larger than 55gr is (IMO) unnecessary.

 

[308tikka]

I use a 1:12 tikka 223. 52/53/55gn projectiles all shoot well. Comparitively same groups at 200 except for some old amax which was very good but I shoot 90% plus at 80yds or less so no realworld noticeable difference. I have only loaded to a standard length and thrown powder charge (also quick to load).

My preferred available bullet just now is sierra 1390. when it needs rebarrelled Ill get a varmint contour 1:8.

 

[Orion]

Ruger have two models of their American series rifles in .223 with 1:8 twist barrels: the Predator with a standard profile 22" tube and the Ranch Rifle with a 16.5" one, (both come threaded and take AR style magazines). The synthetic stocks are not to everyone's liking, although they can be easily sorted with some epoxy in the forend, but the rifles themselves are insanely accurate out of the box.

I have the RARR in 300BLK and it's a great short, lightweight rifle to tote around and is also small-deer legal with supers but will handle subs as well; and the Predator in 22-250 which I've dropped into a MagPul Hunter stock; it's a 1/2MOA rifle.

 

[macfarlane]

If purely for deer, fox I'd go 1/12 with 55 grain, also good for shooting targets to around 600 yards, if you want to play further out then go 1/8 twist and 70 odd grain should reach a 1,000 yards.

 

[takbok]

Ruger have two models of their American series rifles in .223 with 1:8 twist barrels: the Predator with a standard profile 22" tube and the Ranch Rifle with a 16.5" one, (both come threaded and take AR style magazines). The synthetic stocks are not to everyone's liking, although they can be easily sorted with some epoxy in the forend, but the rifles themselves are insanely accurate out of the box.

I have the RARR in 300BLK and it's a great short, lightweight rifle to tote around and is also small-deer legal with supers but will handle subs as well; and the Predator in 22-250 which I've dropped into a MagPul Hunter stock; it's a 1/2MOA rifle.

If i didn't go for a Tikka then a Ruger be my choice, or possibly one of the Savage rifles as I like the look of them, and I'm sure they have lots of choice for faster twists.

If you like playing with longer range bullets and some copper bullets then you need a fast twist.

For standard, effective deer bullets a 1:12 twist is adequate and should shoot the Barnes 50gr lead free bullets if you're interested in those.

 

[Harry mac]

I went for the Sauer 100 when I finally made a decision on which to go for.
It has a 1:10" twist and it shoots the Sierra 65grn Game King bullets very well indeed at an average of 3034 fps with 25.6grn N140.j

 

[alberta boy]

^ It seems to work .

AB

 

[Miki]

Nice

 

[A21MEO]

I have a Sako 75 1:12 for CWD, muntjac & fox. I find the 55g SGK or Norma Oryx over N140 very effective but much less destructive than my .308.