[ludlow22]

Looking for a barrel length and twist to accommodate 3050 fps at long range. Mostly to be used for varmint hunting so weight is not an issue. Would be nice to take harmonics into account, but I don't know any of the formulas. Thinking about just going with the 700 action, can anyone help?

[purehavoc]

Savage , Remington, Marlin , Take your pick they are all great shooters , get the one that feels best in your hands when pulled up to your shoulder and go with it .

[mountainman13]

Does this help?

[Model70]

Are you saying you want 3050 at the muzzle or at some other distance?

Your rate of twist doesn't effect your range other than how well it stabilizes the bullet you're shooting. The heavier the bullet the faster the twist you want. But if you go to fast you can only shoot heavy bullets as it will destroy light bullets.

Barrel length on a .223? 22". 24". Not really gonna make a lot of difference with a .223.

Not that there's anything wrong with a .223 or asking questions, but worrying about a lot of this stuff on a .223 is kinda like pimpin out a gremlin.

Not to say there is anything wrong with .223, you just might wanna step up to a 22-250 or a 220 swift for longer shots.

[axxe55]

Originally Posted by ludlow22

Looking for a barrel length and twist to accommodate 3050 fps at long range. Mostly to be used for varmint hunting so weight is not an issue. Would be nice to take harmonics into account, but I don't know any of the formulas. Thinking about just going with the 700 action, can anyone help?

Remington M700 SPS Varmint, 26" heavy profile barrel with a 1-12 twist ratio. weighs in at 8.5 lbs. before a scope, rings or bases. MSRP of $732 should be able to get from a dealer for about $625-675 new.

[JTJ]

1:12 is for lighter bullets. 1:7 is for heavy bullets. You might want to check out the Mossberg MVP, 1:9, 24" barrel, 5.56X45 chamber and takes AR mags. Savage rifles also use a 1:9 twist. Lots of other rifles available but make sure you check the twist rate.
Mountainman; thanks for the chart.

[ludlow22]

For coyotes and such, I cant find a cheaper round. Even though they're hot I can push the 223 rem to 4000 just like the swift and 250 but i would have to go to pricier bullets like Berger vld and wouldn't want to throw three dollars at a gopher (without crying) so I'm trying to build the most accurate gun that I can around these cheaper rounds, thanks for the windage chart and the barrel recommendations! Also the rounds are 55gr fmj

[axxe55]

Originally Posted by ludlow22

For coyotes and such, I cant find a cheaper round. Even though they're hot I can push the 223 rem to 4000 just like the swift and 250 but i would have to go to pricier bullets like Berger vld and wouldn't want to throw three dollars at a gopher (without crying) so I'm trying to build the most accurate gun that I can around these cheaper rounds, thanks for the windage chart and the barrel recommendations! Also the rounds are 55gr fmj

first of all, unless you reload and reload hot, a 55gr bullet is going about 3200-3400 fps at the muzzle. with factory ammo, going down to 35gr bullets will get you a lot closer to 3800-4000 fps MV. another factor, if you reload, when you start running hot and fast, barrel erosion increases rapidly. this is a big factor when dealing with small calibers, running hot and fast powder charges. might want to consider stepping up to a 22-250 or even a 243. with the 22-250 loaded with a 50gr bullet, MV is around 3800 fps and a 243 with a 58gr bullet, MV is around 3750 fps. both are excellent calibers for your intended purposes, and barrel life will be much better.

[ludlow22]

Yeah, I don't want to push the round any faster, for th at exact reason. Ive seen a lot of swift and 250 barrels shot out due to excessive velocities. But what I need is an ideal twist and length for the most stable flight of these rounds so i can have a barrel made and matched to my 700 action. Thanks

[jpattersonnh]

My CZ has a 24" barrel w/ a 1:9 twist. Don't think you'll find better. Loading it down is going to effect everything! Your rifle may not like it for starters.