.223 AI info

BigKev

BigKev

New member
Hi guys, my old 700SPS in .223 Rem is about at the end of its useful barrel life. I have a wild hair to pop a .223 AI barrel on it when I re-barrel. Who here has some good practical (not read about on the Internet and regurgitated) experience with them.
I am trying to figure out optimal barrel length, twist rate and so on.
Secondly, has anyone tried to use standard .223 Rem Lee collet dies on the cases with any success. Since there isn't any difference in overall length between the two rounds, shouldn't matter on the dies either...but thats just my guess.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Kev
 
I was thinking about that, but the lee dies just strictly neck size only, there is no shoulder contact on them. I am going to get in touch with lee tech support and pick their brains on the phone tomorrow...I personally can't see where it would make any difference since the OAL is 2.260 on both cartridges.
 
I dont think so, but I am no expert.
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I think there is a guy in the classifieds selling a new rem barrel in 223ai with dies for 140.Look back a couple of pages,thought about it myself but just had my done so I didnt need it.Bobby
 
I made one about a year and a half ago with a Savage 112 action and ER Shaw barrel that came factory in .223 before I had it rechambered to AI. It has been a whopping success. I like it so much that I rarely shoot my regular .223 rifles anymore in favor of it. Brass last a long time too as I don't think I have lost a single case yet. It took me a lot of years to get around to putting together a .223 AI but I never plan on being without one again. It just does so much so well.
 
I have (3) different .223ai and love them. They all have 8 twist barrels.

I've had barrels from 26" to 21". I currently have (1) 21" and (2) at 22". I run my 75gr Amax at 3050fps during the warmer months. When I had a 26" barrel, I didn't gain anything. I had the rifle chopped to 22" and glad I did it. Gun balance great and I saved 11oz of weight.

All my .223ai's are setup for 75gr Amax and 75gr SSII's. I've shot a few 50gr Vmax out of my one .223ai and it shot them very well with the FF load. Another member and I were shooting birds at 500yds with the FF load with 50gr Vmax.

If you're going to run long bullets like 75gr Amax, you'll have to modify your magazine box if you don't want to single load them. Modifying the box is very simple. Dremel, JB weld and some aluminum stock.

Here's one Mod box I did.
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I am curious so I have to ask, how is there no difference from a 22 to 26 bbl in velocity?? It just seems with 4" more barrel, yodu have to gain something??

I have a 222 rem and when it shoots out, whenever that is, will definately be going the 223 ai route with a fast twist and set up to shoot the 75g amax. For me, with the LR type shooting I like to do, theres just no reason not to.

I have never liked the standard 223 because I feel it really does nothing the 222 doesn't already do, but a 223 ai w/26 bbl shooting 75g amax would be a great 600-1K yard practice rifle and still whop coyotes out to 600 and pdogs to about 1K all while burning 25-28g of powder...
 
Originally Posted By: kyotekiller25I am curious so I have to ask, how is there no difference from a 22 to 26 bbl in velocity?? It just seems with 4" more barrel, yodu have to gain something??
Most powders for the 223 are relatively fast burning powders and they are finished with their burn in 22" or less. In a 26" barrel you may actually lose velocity.
 
I use relatively fast burning powders in .223 and there is definitely a gain from 22 inches to 26 inches. VV133, XTerminator, AA2015, H4198 all got faster from longer barrels. I have also shot the new Superformance ammo from Hornady and it got faster as the barrel's got longer I used a 20 then 22 then 26 inch barrels. YMMV I guesss.
 
bigkev, after reading your post I tried my lee 223 collet die on my 223imp case. I tried a bullet to see if the neck was sized and it seemed to be ok. I have a hard time trusting the collet die as the feeling you get working the die is not the same as a conventional neck die. spike
 
Originally Posted By: kyotekiller25I am curious so I have to ask, how is there no difference from a 22 to 26 bbl in velocity?? It just seems with 4" more barrel, yodu have to gain something??

I have a 222 rem and when it shoots out, whenever that is, will definately be going the 223 ai route with a fast twist and set up to shoot the 75g amax. For me, with the LR type shooting I like to do, theres just no reason not to.

I have never liked the standard 223 because I feel it really does nothing the 222 doesn't already do, but a 223 ai w/26 bbl shooting 75g amax would be a great 600-1K yard practice rifle and still whop coyotes out to 600 and pdogs to about 1K all while burning 25-28g of powder...

I have no clue, honestly. I use to run Varget in my .223ai and I was getting the same velocities from my 26" and had it chopped 4" to make it 22". Brdneno witness the results and we were both shocked on the result. It's the reason I went with a 26" in the begining to gain more velocity, but in the end, I just gained an unbalanced rifles and added 11oz of extra weight. We used a a CED M2 Chronograph.
 
Originally Posted By: Spikebigkev, after reading your post I tried my lee 223 collet die on my 223imp case. I tried a bullet to see if the neck was sized and it seemed to be ok. I have a hard time trusting the collet die as the feeling you get working the die is not the same as a conventional neck die. spike

Thanks Spike, much appreciated. I had a feeling it would go that way with it.
I guess I am lucky, I never feel odd using a collet die because the first time I ever reloaded anything was with an Australian Simplex collet die, it got me used to it fast.
Thanks very much for trying that out for me though.
 
And the answer from Lee:

Mr. xxxxxxx:

The standard Collet die for the 223 Rem should work, provided that the base to neck/shoulder intersection dimension has not changed. Most Ackley Imp. cartridges have less body taper, and a steeper shoulder angle, but the distance from the base of the case to the neck/shoulder intersection is not changed. There is enough clearance in the collet to accommodate the improved cartridge.

Thank You,

Lee Precision
4275 Highway U
Hartford, WI 53027
phone: (262) 673-3075
fax: (262) 673-9273
 
I think I will try these before I buy the "proper" dies. I don't like full length sizing, so if I already have them and a micrometer I think I will give them a shot and mic every mm of them and make sure its right. If it doesn't work, I am not out anything other than half an hour of playing around
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