Light barrel .223 for targets?

[Steelrain]

Is anyone here using their sporter barrel .223 for occasional target shooting?
I bought a Howa 1500 .223 22inch sporter barrel 1 in 8 twist for foxing but I would like to take part in the occasional 300 meter comp from time to time,so far I've changed the stock to a PSE carbon fibre hunter stock and I've put a Timney 1.5 pound trigger in.Would this set up be ok to get me going or am I likely going to have to rebarrel in the future to a heavier profile barrel?

 

[trickie]

Provided your shot strings are not too many too often, then you’ll be ok. The lighter profile barrel will over heat and poss loose accuracy with overly long string and insufficient time to cool between. It is 20 rounds in 20 minutes you should be fine.
The stock is also light, a bit mor weight would possibly help with accuracy, however only you will know how well you can shoot the rifle. The trigger is a good choice, it should have a very repeatable break - jus what you need.

Rebarreling will depend on your needs, if you need both barrels, then a second rifle, won’t be double the cost of a new rifle, depending of course what your finances dictate.

 

[Steelrain]

Provided your shot strings are not too many too often, then you’ll be ok. The lighter profile barrel will over heat and poss loose accuracy with overly long string and insufficient time to cool between. It is 20 rounds in 20 minutes you should be fine.
The stock is also light, a bit mor weight would possibly help with accuracy, however only you will know how well you can shoot the rifle. The trigger is a good choice, it should have a very repeatable break - jus what you need.

Rebarreling will depend on your needs, if you need both barrels, then a second rifle, won’t be double the cost of a new rifle, depending of course what your finances dictate.

Yes it's 20 rounds in 20 minutes, I'm hoping by leaving the moderator off and by mabye leaving the bolt open until its my turn to shoot again that that this might help in leaving the barrel cool sufficiently to give me some sort of reasonable accuracy

 

[Dan Newcombe]

I use a sporter weight .22-250 M595 for occasional competitions to 500m - barrel gets hot but it’s workable and I don’t feel held back particularly.

 

[Andy RV]

It’ll be fine, most 223 varmint barrels are heavier than fitted to 5.56mm assault rifles and they cope!

 

[Steelrain]

I use a sporter weight .22-250 M595 for occasional competitions to 500m - barrel gets hot but it’s workable and I don’t feel held back particularly.

Hi Dan,are your comps fast fire like prs type or slow fire prone type. Thanks

 

[Trickyd66]

Not sure of my comments worth, but one range I have visited was selling battery air bed inflates ... bemused I asked why... to speed barrel cooling. God idea or not I don't know, but can see the logic.

 

[JamesH]

It will be fine. Moderator off will help a lot and there will be some heat haze but the barrel won’t melt. I’ve used a Tikka T3 lite for several target competitions including ones with quick ( under 3 mins) 10 and 12 shot strings plus slightly longer (5/6 mins) 20 shot strings.

 

[Steelrain]

Not sure of my comments worth, but one range I have visited was selling battery air bed inflates ... bemused I asked why... to speed barrel cooling. God idea or not I don't know, but can see the logic.

God I'd say I'd win a competition no bother then with tears of laughter running down the other shooters eyes looking at the fella at the end of the line after turning up with an air bed inflator and a generator to run it

 

[Steelrain]

It will be fine. Moderator off will help a lot and there will be some heat haze but the barrel won’t melt. I’ve used a Tikka T3 lite for several target competitions including ones with quick ( under 3 mins) 10 and 12 shot strings plus slightly longer (5/6 mins) 20 shot strings.

Thanks mate,that's exactly what I was wondering about would a light barrel hold accuracy somewhat to remain competitive

 

[25 Sharps]

Provided your shot strings are not too many too often, then you’ll be ok. The lighter profile barrel will over heat and poss loose accuracy with overly long string and insufficient time to cool between. It is 20 rounds in 20 minutes you should be fine.
The stock is also light, a bit mor weight would possibly help with accuracy, however only you will know how well you can shoot the rifle. The trigger is a good choice, it should have a very repeatable break - jus what you need.

Rebarreling will depend on your needs, if you need both barrels, then a second rifle, won’t be double the cost of a new rifle, depending of course what your finances dictate.

How does weight help with accuracy?

 

[PhilRS03]

Your biggest issue (which hasn’t been touched on) is Mirage. You can’t shoot what you can’t see. A thinner profile barrel will heat quicker but also cool quicker. As mentioned above, if you’re on a bench a cheap battery powered fan to your flank will help a great deal. Not in terms of cooling so much, but pushing the heat haze (mirage) away from your sight picture. It will have a very minimal effect on actual cooling.

As the barrel heats up, especially the chamber, you’ll see an increase in MV and potentially start seeing pressure signs. Even the most temperature stable powders will show a slight MV increase.

Again as mentioned above, you won’t kill the barrel, it’s purely a case of ammunition MV/SD variations and being able to see the target your shooting at

 

[trickie]

It doesn’t what it does is enable a faster twist barrel, that will push longer more efficiently allowing greater ranges before going transonic.
A 12” twist won’t handle 75 grain bullets well. They may be unstable long before 300 yards, going into the target off point of aim by 6-12 moa of more and it’s noticeable on paper as they don’t just make a .224” hole they are wobbling and the faster twist rate can (with some ammunition) cause the bullet to breakup in flight.

For 600 and beyond, I would recommend an 8” twist or faster. There is much more going on, but that’s a reasonably simple explanation.

 

[Steelrain]

Your biggest issue (which hasn’t been touched on) is Mirage. You can’t shoot what you can’t see. A thinner profile barrel will heat quicker but also cool quicker. As mentioned above, if you’re on a bench a cheap battery powered fan to your flank will help a great deal.

As the barrel heats up, especially the chamber, you’ll see an increase in MV and potentially start seeing pressure signs. Even the most temperature stable powders will show a slight MV increase.

The comps will be shot from the prone position on an outdoor range so hopefully that might help a bit to keep things cool with a bit of luck
The biggest problem that we face here in southern Ireland is the lack of ability to relaod our own ammunition unfortunately so it's off the shelf stuff for me and due to local availability at the moment I think I might use Hornady 75gr bthp match as starting point to try.

 

[Malxwal]

How does weight help with accuracy?

Heavier the whole rifle is, easier it is to hold steady. Or are you being pernickity on the grammar ?

 

[trickie]

@Malxwal I read that as bullet weight, you are of course, correct

 

[PhilRS03]

The weight masks poor marksmanship principles, simple as that. Anyone that tells you a light gun isn’t accurate can’t shoot for sh**.

 

[Dan Newcombe]

Hi Dan,are your comps fast fire like prs type or slow fire prone type. Thanks

Strings of 6 relatively quick, overall I think it’s about 30 shots on the day so not masses.

 

[Steelrain]

Strings of 6 relatively quick, overall I think it’s about 30 shots on the day so not masses.

You would imagine 30 shots should not be much of a problem to a modern rifle bore especially in a mild target caliber like the 223 anyway.

 

[hybridfiat]

How does weight help with accuracy?

Heat is one factor. Steadiness is another. Then there's barrel harmonics. Barrels do flex when fired and a stiff barrel is more predictable in it's behaviour. Less dependent on one or two specific loads for consistent accuracy.
At least that is, I think; the theory.