Posted: 12/11/2014 10:19:12 PM EDT
| I bought 2 Rem 788 223 rifles. Set up exactly with same Nikon 223 bdc scopes so my Dad and i can shoot together and compete. I zero mine in with fusion 223 62 grain bonded soft points. Very accurate with no issues. I then try to zero my dads with same ammo and it wont even hit paper at 100 yds. It was dead on with 55 grain cheapo before moving to tbe 62 grain. Why would the exact same rifle not shoot the same 62 gr softpoints that worked perfect in the other? Thanks for your help! |
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Each rifle is different on the ammo it likes. That said, I would not expect to see that big of a difference in two rifles of the same model as you would expect to have the same rate of twist. In the Remington 700 armorer school, the instructor told me Remington has $18.00 in each barrel they make for their standard production rifles. It's possible there's some nicks, burrs, or something on your father's rifle causing it to not like that ammo. Strange indeed, but not unheard of in standard production rifles.
Are the serial numbers close in range or are they far off? It could be they happened to change their rifling bit (forget the exact name, but tool that cuts the rifling into the barrel). They start out sharp and get dulled after so many barrels. The barrels made when the cutting bit is sharp are more accurate than the barrels made when the bit is worn. My last question would be how did his rifle shoot in terms of group size? Was it consistent or have you checked his scope, rings, and bases? If so, I would definitely check the twist of both your rifles to see if they are actually the same. The article here explains better than I can: http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/gunsmithing/how-to-determine-barrel-twist-rate/ |
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If it shoots other loads fine than you just have to chalk it up to the age old truth:
EVERY BARREL IS PREJUDICED Any kind of gun can have this happen. One AR to the next. One Glock to the Next, one identical 1911 to the next. It just is. But, if it's not shooting anything good, it is an indication of a different problem. Which is certainly possible. |
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Quoted:
It was shooting 1 1/2" 5 shot 100 yard groups with ultramax 55 gr soft points. Then moved to 62 gr fusion and wasnt hitting target. Turns out both are 1-12 twist. Are sure on the twist rate? I was under the impression that they were 1:14's due to the limited projectiles available during their production years. I've never measured the twist in mine, but it shot sub 50gr bullets the best. |
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Everything I have found is that the 788's were 1:12, but it's possible some were made differently. OP, if you say they're 1:12, I believe you. I was thinking of the 783 when you posted and didn't realize we were talking of the 788.
Either way, most 1:12 barrels will not stabilize a 62 grain round......but some will. No idea why, but it's the same reason some 1:9 AR barrels will shoot 69gr rounds really well and some 1:9's won't hit the broad side of a barn with the same round. I was helping instruct a Rifle Instructor class and two students from the same dept. had Colt A1 rifles obtained through the DRMO program. They were the old pencil barrels with 1:12 twist. Their duty round was a 64gr Speer Gold Dot, but it was tumbling sideways through the target at 25 yards and accuracy was obviously terrible. They had to send all their duty ammo back and get 55gr GD that would shoot well in their twist rate. At least your Dad's rifle shoots reasonably well with other ammo. You might try some lighter rounds yet and find you can get it to shooter tighter. Good luck! ETA: They probably made both, but many folks have them in 1:12... http://www.exteriorballistics.com/reference/pdf/Twist%20Tables_Rifle.pdf http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=438282 http://www.castpics.net/subsite/Twists/default.html |
| OP, try some Hornady 40gr Vmax's. Mine loved that load. Not ideal for extended ranges but it was very accurate in mine to 300yds. After that, the wind was really tossing those small pills around. With the right ammo, those rifles will hammer! My father and I have acquired 6 through the years and all shot very well once you get ammo that they like. |
| I called remington and gave them the seriel #'s and tbey gave me some info. 1 was made in 75 and other 78. They made two barrels. 1 is a 1-9 twist which was tactical model and other was 1-12 twist. That would make sense as to why 1 would shoot 62's and other wont. |
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Quoted:
I called remington and gave them the seriel #'s and tbey gave me some info. 1 was made in 75 and other 78. They made two barrels. 1 is a 1-9 twist which was tactical model and other was 1-12 twist. That would make sense as to why 1 would shoot 62's and other wont. Interesting info. 1) Tactical is a new term, but remington may have coined it. 2) IIRC, remington has limited info available on older guns due to a change in their system. That's what I was told when inquiring on an older model 700p recently. 3) I thought the 223 was only made in 1975 788's |