223AI

[AWS]

I've been doing battle with a 20 Practical carboning up in the throat and pushing bullets back in the case in around thirty rounds, twenty accurate rounds then it starts to fall off until un-shootable. I finally got tired of trying to find a fix and bought a 223 AI barrel from Urbanrifleman. 22" light varmint(.750 muzzle), 12 twist to shoot 50-55gr bullets at predators.

I installed it last night, it took a little tweaking to get it to feed but got that figured out.

This morning headed to the range with 50 rounds of Win. White box 45gr to break in the barrel and form some brass, it is a shooter already with groups running around 1" with the wind and each group started with a freshly cleaned bore.

It is a little on the heavy side but will be fun to hunt with. He makes a 20 Practical barrel also so I have that 223 with the scary barrel that just might get a make over.

Now to load up some 50gr NBT's and hopefully hit the range in the morning.

 

[Coyotejunki]

I have a few 223AI's, one of my favorite calling rifles is my Kimber Montana 223AI with a Lilja barrel. I shoot mostly 50 NBT's also.

 

[Huckleberry75]

223AI’s are addictive. They can go plenty fast with light bullets and they can sling heavies too. Mine is a 7tw and has killed its fair share of white tails and coyotes and steel with 80.5 gn Bergers and 8208xbr.

 

[El Jefe]

30 rounds sure seems fast to develop to that point. Seems quite a few over at the shooters forum believe that short trimming brass can be an issue. Leaving the brass long keeps the chamber scrubbed or scraped clean.

 

[AWS]

Been that route, I have a bore scope and have trimmed long. The carbon build up is in the throat between the chamber mouth and the start of the rifling in the freebore. I suspect the throat is too narrow.

I changed powder, bullets, trim length to no avail. I'm thinking send it back and have the manufacturer take a look at it before I chuck it or see if they will discount another barrel for me.

It's for sale, half price.

 

[why]

The first thing I learned with an Ack Imp is to leave my brass long as it will shrink when fire forming as much as 10-15 thou of an inch.

 

[why]

Could be the problem with the 20p also but I have no 1st hand exp with the 20p

 

[AWS]

The first five round of 223 AI are the bottom group, I think I'm going to like this.

This was an easy one to get to shoot first powder, first bullet, first seating depth and I think I'm done with load development.

 

[DesertRam]

Yep, there's some potential there!