223 Expertise Needed

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Hot Shot,

Give it a shot, the action can handle the extra pressure no problem. The worst thing I've ever read from someone shooting 5.56 out of a 223 bolt rifle is that the action locked up on a Savage.

I've shot a bunch of 5.56 through a Ruger M77MkII so I would expect that the RAR can handle it just fine.

Jimro
 
Unless the angle is over about 15 degrees, you are likely skipping the bullet off the water.
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I am shooting from about 30 feet up and background offers no danger with skipping. The shots average 140 to 150 yds.
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Your bullets are skipping off of the water. At 3000 fps, hitting the water is like hitting a rock, the bullet ricochets and won't penetrate the surface to any significant depth. Aim for the head instead of trying to hit their bodies. If you can't hit better than 1" at the range you are attempting (that's about the size of your target with a swimming muskrat), find ammo your rifle likes, or move closer.
 
many of the differences between 5.56 and 223 have become completely overblown and really only came about with the introduction of the internet. I have never once seen a confirmed case of 5.56 destroying a 223 chambered rifle.
 
Scorch said:
Your bullets are skipping off of the water. At 3000 fps, hitting the water is like hitting a rock, the bullet ricochets and won't penetrate the surface to any significant depth. Aim for the head instead of trying to hit their bodies. If you can't hit better than 1" at the range you are attempting (that's about the size of your target with a swimming muskrat), find ammo your rifle likes, or move closer.
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I agree that they're skipping. In the Marines I did two MEU(SOC) deployments on a Navy amphibious transport ship. We used to shoot off the helo flight deck into the ocean, and the flight deck was probably more than 30 feet up from the water line. We used to skip bullets off the water all the time; it's pretty easy to tell they're skipping when you're shooting tracers out of a belt-fed machine gun.
 
tahunua001 said:
many of the differences between 5.56 and 223 have become completely overblown and really only came about with the introduction of the internet. I have never once seen a confirmed case of 5.56 destroying a 223 chambered rifle.
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While I agree with this statement, I have also seen plenty of evidence that shooting a 5.56 in a .223 barrel can produce higher-than-optimal chamber pressures. So, while it's probably not a big deal and it most likely won't cause a kaboom, shooting lots of 5.56 in a .223 rifle might cause more wear than if you just shot .223.
 
Theohazard said:
While I agree with this statement, I have also seen plenty of evidence that shooting a 5.56 in a .223 barrel can produce higher-than-optimal chamber pressures. So, while it's probably not a big deal and it most likely won't cause a kaboom, shooting lots of 5.56 in a .223 rifle might cause more wear than if you just shot .223.
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It will wear out your rifle much faster. Not recommended. .. but you can do it. You might as well sell it and get the Wylde chamber, you will be better off
 
Shooting critters in the water can be problematic, even at short ranges. Few years ago the turtles were scarfing up bluegills in two of my farm ponds. Had no luck killing them using .22 LR and .22 Magnum. Finally hit on a 20 gauge rifled barrel shotgun with slugs. That did the trick on the turtles.

One must be very careful of ricochets when shooting into the water.
 
I used to have very good luck with turtles and 22lrs...

...also, WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU SAVING BLUEGILL?!!!
they are royal pests up here.
 
tahunua001 said:
I used to have very good luck with turtles and 22lrs...



...also, WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU SAVING BLUEGILL?!!!

they are royal pests up here.
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Me too. When I was a kid, my uncle and I used to shoot turtles at the farm pond with our 22s. Just wait for their heads to pop up.

Some people like Bluegill, I've heard. Most fisherman consider them to be the vermin of the aquatic world.
 
I am wondering if when the bullet strikes the water it disintergrates before hitting the rat?
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Oh Really!!! so Hot Shot you have no idea where or whats happening down range with those bullets 140 yards away over open water. My advice: Maybe you should consider trapping those litt'l pesky creatures instead.

FWTW: Hot Shot you may want to check out your State DNR Laws before doing what your already doing. {Shooting over open water with a high powered rifle is in some locals very much frowned upon by LE.} why chance a confiscation of your rifle and a required court appearance over Mushrat extermination in your favorite pond.
 
Sure Shot Mcgee

Just for the record I am shooting down at about a 30 degree angle at the pond . The banks are 3-4' above the water and downrange are mature trees as in woods for about 100 acreas. They are my trees, my woods, and given the above I am not worried about skipping bullets being dangerous to anyone.

I do agree that a 2" moving target at 150 yds requires better marksmenship than I currently possess. I shot on the US Army (45 cal) pistol team and was expert sharpshooter in 2nd half of my BCT in the Army but at 67 with flosterw and a stigmatisim in my shooting eye, I no longer see like I used to and clearly do not shoot the same.

Based on most of the very informative feedback here I have set some traps.

Thanks again to everyone who has tried to help me, the Blog is excellent.
 
FWTW: Hot Shot you may want to check out your State DNR Laws before doing what your already doing. {Shooting over open water with a high powered rifle is in some locals very much frowned upon by LE.} why chance a confiscation of your rifle and a required court appearance over Mushrat extermination in your favorite pond.
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some states, but definitely not all. also, can we please not fall into the anti gun terminology by referring to one of the smallest, lightest powered centerfire rifle cartridges as "a high powered rifle"?
 
tahunua001 said:
can we please not fall into the anti gun terminology by referring to one of the smallest, lightest powered centerfire rifle cartridges as "a high powered rifle"?
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Amen! The .223 is a medium-powered rifle at best, and arguably even a low-powered rifle. I love the look on peoples' faces when I tell them that the fearsome "high-powered assault weapon" AR-15 fires a lower-powered round that isn't even legal for deer hunting in several states.
 
"fur hunters use FMJ a lot on muskrat because they are small enough that they still die instantly but they don't explode and ruin the hide. "
I have no idea what the regulations are for others but in my state it would not be legal to shoot muskrats. Removal of nuisance animals is quite different from taking furbearers. I was presented with a rather stern commentary delivered by the local bunny cop for "disposing" of dike damaging muskrats using a rifle.
 
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