Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

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Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by tripletwo » 23 Mar 2014, 4:31 pm

Obviously they make .223 "target" rifles, but question is...

Most serious target shooters in proper competitions where I read on the net are shooting 30 cal stuff.

Even if it's not huge distances. I don't think a .223 can do 1,000+ metre shooting right? But it's fine for 500-700 metres?

Are there any target shooting comps where you can shoot .223 competitively? Or not so much?
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Hilux2003 » 23 Mar 2014, 5:15 pm

Probably comes down to a couple of decisions, as the rifles chambered in .223rem, do fit/qualify for certain classes of competition.

How serious are you & how much money do you have to spend on it.

If you refer to benchrest, there are better chamberings available but at what cost for all the added dies, inline press, etc.

As long as you can keep the pill supersonic at the target, you can use the .223rem for as far as you like but the chamber pressures are going to be HOT for the 1000m stuff.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by tripletwo » 23 Mar 2014, 5:55 pm

I'm not serious at all yet, just asking and collecting info on the subject with a view to doing it more seriously.

In a nutshell, don't like putting up with 30 cal recoil from shooting it all day.

.223 is obviously soft as a kitten though, so if I can compete and get results without the recoil, that would be the idea.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Apollo » 23 Mar 2014, 5:56 pm

Until some specific long distance wildcat calibres came along the .223R's little brother the .222R held many long distance & 1,000 yard records. Some still say the .222R is a better designed cartridge case for target rifles with it's longer neck. Standard twist .222R not quite in the ball park but a quick twist custom barrel is right up there with the best.

There is also the thought of weight class and the lighter one's make it really a task to shoot one of the bigger calibres all day accurately.

The .223R along with it's big pal the .308W are the only two calibres in F-Class Standard. Don't shoot there but I think most choose the later but ..... in the right hands the ,223R can hold it's own on most days.
Last edited by Apollo on 23 Mar 2014, 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Pilch » 23 Mar 2014, 5:56 pm

500m is ok.

Beyond that, I think many people would argue the wind starts to through it around too a bit more than you'd like.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Chronos » 23 Mar 2014, 6:01 pm

Pilch wrote:500m is ok.

Beyond that, I think many people would argue the wind starts to through it around too a bit more than you'd like.


i'd agree but with the advice that if you decide to use a .223 at longer ranges i'd look for a rifle with a faster twist rate like 1:8 so you can run heavier higher BC bullets

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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Hinky » 23 Mar 2014, 6:40 pm

tripletwo wrote:In a nutshell, don't like putting up with 30 cal recoil from shooting it all day.


That's fair enough.

If you can do what you want with less recoil that's great IMO.

I dunno what a lot of peoples problem with saying it is, but recoil sucks!

Whatever calibre you're talking about someone always has to be the tough guy and say how "mild" is it.

Or make some stupid comparison like "338 win mag is very mild compared to 458 Lott". Yeah? So what? Getting punched in the face is very mild compared to getting hit by a car but it's not something I want to put myself through for no reason.

Rant over :lol:
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Apollo » 23 Mar 2014, 6:57 pm

I'd like to see the shoulder and hear the expressions of anyone, big macho guy or whatever after firing several dozen rounds of a large calibre.

One shot is just that, one shot even though it might sit some back on their bum and come back for another go....but, play with it all day.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Lorgar » 24 Mar 2014, 9:42 am

Yeah, once doesn't mean anything.

I've shot the heavy recoil stuff like 416 Rigby, 458 Lott etc. Stuff that's 3 and 4 times the recoil of a .308. They're fine to shoot once, and fun!

My 60kg girlfriend can (and has) shot the same once and had a giggle doing it.

I'm not embarrassed to say though that they're too much for me to spend an hour or two shooting off the bench though. The old shoulders can only take so much.

I recently sold my .308 (which was shooting 150gr loads) and recoil was part of that decision. I do a few hours at the range now and then and after 50-60 rounds on the .308 I'm getting over it...

Switch to 7mm-08 and now I have a 140gr load for hunting and a 120gr load for the range.

Much happier shooting the lighter 120gr load I can tell you.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Chronos » 24 Mar 2014, 12:49 pm

The answer tithe op's question is yes, the .223 is popular in competition

It's one of the allowable cartridges in Fullbore shooting, F-standard and target rifle all NRA classes and shot at ranges all over Oz.

Infact for a shooter new to competition I'd go as far as to recommend it as a starting point.

It's also a common cartridge in high power shooting and field rifle, both great classes to teach you real world hunting shooting skills

The .223 is a great cartridge to learn to shoot with, and for learning to reload for that matter.

Start there, you won't regret it.

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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Warrigul » 24 Mar 2014, 1:31 pm

tripletwo wrote:Obviously they make .223 "target" rifles, but question is...

Most serious target shooters in proper competitions where I read on the net are shooting 30 cal stuff.

Even if it's not huge distances. I don't think a .223 can do 1,000+ metre shooting right? But it's fine for 500-700 metres?

Are there any target shooting comps where you can shoot .223 competitively? Or not so much?


A couple of years ago I sold an Omark reworked to .223 in F standard 1:8 twist 28" barrel 80 grain Amaxs, recoil was the main factor for the change as my son was starting to have a go and at 13 was still very small. My son turned out to be a pistol shooter and I don't shoot competitively much so sold it for use as a club gun and just kept the .308's. I did enjoy the lack of recoil and it was VERY accurate when I did my part.

The bigger .223 projectiles allow the .223 to compete with the .308 up to 1000, there is very little practical difference in wind bucking ability in my humble experience. Usually when wind is a bigger factor than normal, wind reading experience has a bigger effect on placings than the difference between .223 and .308 although internet experts will often say otherwise.

If one were very keen on distance shooting then F class is a good place to start and an old Omark with a .223 conversion kit all for under $1000 a very good rifle to start with.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Granting » 24 Mar 2014, 2:26 pm

Warrigul wrote:although internet experts will often say otherwise.


I'm picturing this little twitch of your lip curling in contempt as you typed the words "internet experts" :lol:
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by tripletwo » 24 Mar 2014, 2:28 pm

Thanks guys.

Like I said I'm interested in doing it more seriously, competitively...

I was reasonably convinced on the .223 but just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be locking myself out of any shoots I might like to do.

If the .223 will take me out to 1,000m that will be more than enough I'm sure.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Warrigul » 24 Mar 2014, 4:42 pm

tripletwo wrote:Thanks guys.

Like I said I'm interested in doing it more seriously, competitively...

I was reasonably convinced on the .223 but just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be locking myself out of any shoots I might like to do.

If the .223 will take me out to 1,000m that will be more than enough I'm sure.


Always pays to drop into your local club and see what others are using and it must be the right .223 as well.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by tripletwo » 24 Mar 2014, 7:34 pm

Gunna try to squeeze that in this weekend ;)
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by MCLE » 27 Mar 2014, 7:34 pm

The Fclass team that won the state title at Tasmania this year had a Couple of 223 and they shoot well out to 1000y no probs.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by tripletwo » 28 Mar 2014, 6:20 am

Cool, thanks.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by Warrigul » 28 Mar 2014, 8:39 am

MCLE wrote:The Fclass team that won the state title at Tasmania this year had a Couple of 223 and they shoot well out to 1000y no probs.


Precisely, when I first started using a .223 on the range I was ridiculed and heckled a bit but the proof of the pudding is always in the eating.

It is funny but those same people(and I am strictly talking of Tasmanian shooters here) that heckled the use of a .223 were also derisive of F class as being a poor substitute for Target rifle and the skill level required was supposedly second class. It is also interesting to note that most of them are competitors nowadays and have shut right up.
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Re: Are 223 used for target shooting competitions

Post by tripletwo » 11 Apr 2014, 3:01 pm

I think I can survive a little ridicule :lol:

Gotta scrape the cash together now but I'm sold on the .223 now :)
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