My new Remington 700 BDL Varmit rifle!!

[LHS]

Picked it up Sunday, deciding this one one sale was better than the Savage AXIS I was waiting on. She has the camo stock and a 1 in 12 twist in her 26" barrel.

Love the feel of it, but was wondering what grain bullets will shoot best out of her? I reload pistol and already have an RCBS die set in 223, but waited on buying bullets.

Anybody out there have one and want to share their best recipe or favorite factory ammo?
Thanks!

[LHS]

No one reloads .223?

[rugerfan.64]

Remington 700 sps varmint,65 grain Sierra Gameking,Varget,CCI 400,Winchester brass. Best ever 3 shots .176". Normal groups run from 3/8 to just a shade over half inch.

[Graybeard]

I've owned a bunch of M700 Varmint rifles in .223 and have used bullets from 40 to 55 grains but primarily stick to 40 and 50 grain bullets primarily Hornady V-Max and Nosler BTs.

I've yet to own one that failed to shoot those four bullets into half inch and less groups with no alterations to the rifle other than lower the trigger pull. I've not worked as extenstively with my current rifles as I have some others I had in the past but so far they seem to like most of the same loads.

I use AA2230, AA2460, AA2520, W748, BL-C2, H335 and it seems like I'm leaving something out. I generally work up to book max with all these powders and have gotten down into the .2s and .3s using each of them in various rifles in the past.

[drdougrx]

I've got a Rem 700 LVSF with a 22" barrel and a 1x12 twist.  My go to load is 40gr NoslerBT over 27gr of WW748.

[Graybeard]

I've got a Rem 700 LVSF with a 22" barrel and a 1x12 twist.  My go to load is 40gr NoslerBT over 27gr of WW748.

Excellent load. I use 27.1 grains don't ask me why as I have long since forgotten why that extra tenth of a grain was added. My guess would be it tightened the group with the rifle I had then. Still it has worked in the others since. I have a pile of that recipe loaded up.

[diggler1833]

Congrats on your purchase.  Not sure exactly which model of 700 you got, but the old BDL varmint rifles came with a wooden stock, sounds like you have one of the newer SPS models with a hinged floorplate.

Different rifles like different loads.  What works in mine doesn't necessarily work in other rifles.  Best bet is to play around some.  Bullets with tangent ogives tolerate jump a lot more usually, which is good with factory Remington chambers being cut the way that they are.  Secant ogive bullets usually are a bit more sensitive to seating depth and you may end up getting to the point of having them so far out that you turn your rifle into a single shot in order to get the accuracy you are looking for.

Good luck.

[deerandduck]

Was shooting a friends new 700 adl varmint this weekend and got my first "one-holer".  Five shoots in a measured 0.23" with my reloads.  Nosler 50 bal tips over 25.0 benchmark, wsr and LC brass.  He tried and got a good group with one flyer that he called, still about 0.5".
Deerandduck

[700xcr]

I reload 25.5grs. of Benchmark powder and a Hornady 50gr. V-max or 50gr. Nosler  ballistic tip using CCI 400 primr. Very accurate in my Remington 700 SPS Varmint 26" heavy barrel 223rem.

[Swampman]

Will the 55 grainers yaw before they reach the target?

[Lloyd Smale]

in my 223 and even 22250 i use 50s and 55s. Ive seen no need for lighter as the wind gets to them a bit more and dont see a need for heavier as most dont blow the heck out of varmits like the 50 and 55s. Id buy a box of 50 and 55 grain vmaxs and nos ballistic tips. Id bet one of those 4 will drive nails in it if not all four

[james]

I picked up a 1000 Rem 55gr CLs (cheap) and I have found 26.2 gr of Varget works nicely in my Rem 700 BDL and 788 rifles.  They're not one hole accurate like some other loads but many Wyoming prairie dogs have met their demise at 200 to 300 yards from those loads,..... even when a stiff wind was blowing.   A max load of AA2230 gives the same results but makes my barrels get hot faster when the pdogs are thick.  I'll bet you will be happy with your Remmy and with a heavy barrel, heat may not be an issue.

[700xcr]

My Remington 700 SPS Varmint in 223rem. with 26" barrel 1 and 12" twist loves 25.5grs. of Benchmark powder behind a Hornady 50gr. V-max or Nosler 50gr. ballistic tip using CCI 400 small rifle primer. Chronographed this load at 3432fps.  Very accurate in my gun.

[jmayton]

Will the 55 grainers yaw before they reach the target?

A 1:12 should get the 55s out there a ways.  I can get good, accurate hits out to 600yds with mine. 

[rugerfan.64]

My rifle will keep the 65 Gamekings stable out to 400 I know. Perfect holes. Dont know about further. I know its not supposed to with that 1-12 twist. But it does.

[LHS]

Finally got to go to the parent's place to shoot her yesterday! First two shots at 75 yards was about 4" low and 6" apart (expected for a first trigger pull), but after some adjustment and a few more rounds the kid and me hit a 8" tall but 3" across can 4 times out of five shots. Not bad for the scope not being set very good. Was shooting TULA 55gr FMJ from WalMart ($4.95 for 20 rounds).

Then it started to snow/rain mix and we had to stop. If the brother didn't have the barn full of junk we could have just opened the bottom door and shot from inside, but there was no room to set up!

[Swampman]

I believe with quality ammo it will do much better.

[LHS]

I believe with quality ammo it will do much better.

As do I, and on a day without 25 mph winds and snow!