Cowgirl Corner: 223 group shoot

[North Country Gal]

Group shoot, as in shooting for group size, not as in a community shoot, though Bill and I do make a community of two, I guess.

Every now and then, despite my tendency to shoot offhand, I do like to bench rest my best rifles and push them to make sure they're still shooting at their best. Just nice to know what they can do from a rest as a comparison for when I do shoot them, offhand. Also, it is nice to just relax and take a break form offhand shooting.

Today was all shooting from a rest with two of our favorites, both in 223. Top rifle, below is a CZ 527 American in 223 with a Nikon Prostaff 3-9x scope. Below it is our Winchester/Miroku Low Wall in 223, but the Redfield scope is gone (hated it). Replaced it with a superb Nikon Monarch UCC 5.5-16.5x in the pic that follows.


Low Wall with the MUCH better Nikon Monarch


Weather was very nice. In fact, today one of the few nice days we've had this month. Went right to work at 100 yards. Note that both of these rifles are well-known to us, so today was just to make sure they could still shoot some great groups. They did. While Bill went to work with the CZ, I went to work with the Low Wall. Last time out, I managed to get down to half inch for five shots and the Low Wall stayed right there, today, too. Here's one group, though I shot a couple more exactly the same size. Even the largest group, though, was just over half inch at .6". Can't beat that for consistency.


There is one problem with the Low Wall, though. I tend to keep shooting it and in the process, ignore the other guns we bring. Finally forced myself to trade guns with Bill at the end of our session. Here's what he did with the Low Wall for his 100 yard group. That's 8 shots, by the way.
software screenshot

Meanwhile, thought I'd shoot a quick group with the CZ before packing up and heading home. Yeah, maybe I should spend more time with this one. I'm calling it a draw between the two guns.


We did have shooters on both sides of us, today, sighting in their deer rifles. As we were packing up, one of them asked me if I shoot in competition. He had scanned some of my groups in his scope, I guess. Told him, no, not for many years, now, but nice of him to ask. Great way to end a fun day of group shooting.

[ESquared]

As usual, some fantastic shooting NCG! They're not all through exactly the same hole, but darn close!

Thanks for sharing!

[ditto1958]

Good shooting.

[RanchRoper]

Great shooting. Although you are not really getting your money's worth out of those targets if you keep shooting the same hole every time....

[bandit1250]

Great shooting. We have all come to expect that is what your targets will look like.

[North Country Gal]

Thanks, guys. My husband, Bill, likes shooting those one hole targets, too, but he's not as addicted to it the same way as I am. When you think about it, shooting those tiny groups really is a game, after all. Back in my hunting days, never worried about it too much. As long as the accuracy was reasonable for what I was hunting, didn't lose any sleep over it. Now it's just a fun thing to do at the range. A coyote would still be in trouble with groups twice that size or more.

[Henry88]

Great shooting NCG.

Amazing to me how everything, the rifling, projectile, and shooter all have to come into harmony to produce results like that.

[North Country Gal]

Great shooting NCG.

Amazing to me how everything, the rifling, projectile, and shooter all have to come into harmony to produce results like that.

Thanks. That's the fun part - knowing you made a perfect shot without even having to check the target. Getting in that groove is my goal for every range session.

[Sir Henry]

Great shooting Joanie. Those are some light bullets.

[North Country Gal]

Thanks, Gene. The 55 grain loads have been a long time standard for the 223, but, of course, not for the 5.56. The 50s, though, are on the light side, though still not as light as you can go in the 223. All of my Contender barrels in 223 are older stock, back when 1 in 12 was the norm for the 223. They do great with the 50 grain loads. Have heard that TC is now offering 223 barrels with a faster twist to keep up with the times and, of course, there is a thriving custom Contender barrel market with all kinds of options for twist and chamber configuration in 223. CZ made the switch to a 1 in 9 from a 1 in 12 about four or five years, back. Glad to see Henry keeping up with the times on their 223s, as well.

Overall, the 223 is our primary centerfire rifle round, given that we're now just recreational shooters. The cartridge is the perfect blend of cost, availability, accuracy and low recoil. Even the cheap bulk 223 ammo gives us pleasing accuracy. Not half inch groups at 100 yards, mind you, but sometimes an inch, with more like inch and a half average. That's still good enough for our fun shooting, though.

[Sir Henry]

I think I would like the 1 in 12 because shooting the lighter bullets make the barrel last longer.

[North Country Gal]

Honestly, I don't think you'll have any issues about shooting out barrels with a 1 in 9, either, as long as you're shooting a bolt gun, single shot or even a lever gun. It's when you go to the AR platform and start shooting as fast as you can pull the trigger that you have the issue. Even in an AR, as long as you keep rate of fire reasonable for target accuracy, no problem.

[Rochefort]

.223 is a great round that’s underrated as far as maximum range and accuracy. In Palma matches they’re shot wit iron sights at 800, 900, and 1000 yards (with 90 grain bullets and massive chamber pressures). For serious accuracy my preference is the 69 grain match bullet, like if I had money or car titles involved but otherwise I go cheap. I’ve even used (cough) Russkie steel case on occasion but only in a bolt gun.

Nice shooting and nice rifles, too!

[North Country Gal]

Thanks. Couldn't agree more on just how useful a cartridge the 223 is. Works great for our recreational shooting, especially now that we no longer reload. In fact, we were originally attracted to the 223 as a cartridge we could shoot on the cheap and not have to worry about reloading or chasing brass. Accuracy, even with the cheap bulk stuff is pretty darn good. With the premium ammo, it's excellent.