Most 223's with a 1 in 9 twist barrel will stabilize up to a 75 grain bullet (depending on actual bullet length, velocity, etc) 

The 75 grain Hornady A-Max is a decent long range 223 bullet that won't break the bank.  The 75 Grain Swift Sirocco is virtually the same bullet ballistically but it will actually work ok on deer size game with good shot placement.  I've shot 10" groups at 1000 with a 1 in 7" twist rifle shooting 80 grain low drag bullets I made.  They have very little energy at that distance but if conditions are not too extreme, they will get there. 

On the lighter end of the spectrum, I have loaded and shot thousands of the Hornady 55 grain soft point bullets with the cannalure.  I get them bulk by the 1000.  Out to 300 (or out to 500 or so in ideal conditions) these bullets are great.  Very accurate and good varmint performance.  They also cost about a third of the premium bullets. 

A fast twist 223 with good low drag bullets can get hits way out there.  It is astounding how many people have went to the 223 for Hi-Power Across the Course competition where you shoot at 200, 300 and 600.  The 223 makes the 2 and 300 yard rapid fire strings so much easier. 

I still shoot my 30-06 for Hi-Power but it is pretty much a dinosaur, although I still have my NRA Expert Rating with it.

Quote from: ducatiz on September 04, 2011, 09:35:02 AM
People use .17hmr for prairie dogs.

Most folks I know use that or a .22mag

youz guyz is crazy

Quote from: WarrenJ on September 04, 2011, 10:47:34 AM
My long prairie dog shot was 820 with a 30-06.  We just got back from Wyoming a couple of weeks ago.  My wife shot two consecutively at 550 with her Rem VTR in 308.   I've shot them with everything from 22 short, 17 HMR to 50 BMG. 

Day in, day out though a fast twist 223 is a darn good dog gun.

Tell me more about when a prairie dog meets a 50bmg. . .

Just freshly plowed dirt with some "stuff" in and around it.  Breaks them down into their basic amino acids.

A friend of mine used to build 50s and I did most of the demo shooting for him.  I really don't care to shoot them much as the shockwave off the muzzlebrakes makes me nauseaus and gives me headaches after a short while.  One private match we used to shoot was fired from inside a barn haymow where the benches were set up.  Every time someone would shoot, the old hay chaff that had settled between the floorboards would fly up about 3".  The noise and shockwave confined in the building was intense. 

50's are not to be taken lightly.  The power and range of those rifles is so far beyond normal smallarms that most public ranges cannot safely handle them and people shooting them outside purpose built ranges at least East of the Mississippi are courting disaster.  If you have a 50, you better really understand what you are doing if you intend to be at all safe. 

I had a guy on the bench next to me yesterday shooting 300win magnum

He had a side-venting muzzle brake

I thought my retinas were going to detach

I had to move to a different bench during target check cease fire

I never found myself wanting a .50....

I figured if I was headed in that direction I would skip a level;

and move to a more advanced sporting weapon like a GE Mini-gun or Phalanx CIWS system

My buddy that built the 50's made some reloading presses and dies for some people that were wildcatting the 20mm down to 50 cal.  I have no idea how it worked but - WOW!

Had a chance to shoot a .50bmg single shot rifle that an instructor had. He was running a long range rifle class when I was running a shotgun class on the other side of the range. I passed. Still don't regret it. Impressive stuff though. That rifle range went to 800 yards and the instructor made it seem like he was shooting a .223 at 200 yards. Always nice to watch someone who knows what they're doing... shooting, welding, cooking, etc.

I want to shot again.. ny so expensive though ($ tight), az was so cheap it was crazy..  lot of places charge per bullet out here..

Ranges charge per bullet fired? That's crazy! The indoor and outdoor ranges where I occasionally shoot just charge a range fee (there's a charge for their paper targets) and you could stay there all day and shoot as much ammo as you can carry. That's why I like shooting at my farm and my buddy's ranch in west TX. It's very reasonably priced.

Yea, they charge to use their ammo..  in the city itself I believe you can't shoot u less licensed.  Going out though you can.. even a spot vin PA charged per bullet..  I need to get my damn license all ready but the pistol one is too much right now..  150$ for the shotgun/rifle one is decent so ill be going that route till I'm out of ny..

Quote from: DarkStaR on September 02, 2011, 11:09:21 PM
Almost done...Haven't even fired it yet though.  

Quote from: fastwin on September 03, 2011, 08:55:53 AM
Love those M1As. My buggered up shoulder likes .223 better than .308 these days but I still dig the M1A rifles! Can't make out details in the pic, what did you use for a mount and scope?

Quote from: ducatiz on September 03, 2011, 02:17:31 PM
Mount is a SWAN or a copy of one

Sorry pic is shitty.  Need to find the charger to the GF's camera.  

So far:
SAI Standard 22" M1A
Sadlak Spring Guide
Sadlak Mag Release
Sadlak Airborne Scope Mount
Leupold Rings
Leupold VX-R 4-12x40 Scope

Next mod is going to be the JAE-100 Stock.  
It's heavy already, and will just get heavier...

(like my opinion matters)

that rifle looks awesome as is, that JAE-100 strap-on ninja stock will ruin it

(I like wood)

Quote from: cokey on September 05, 2011, 11:35:02 AM
Yea, they charge to use their ammo..  in the city itself I believe you can't shoot u less licensed.  Going out though you can.. even a spot vin PA charged per bullet..  I need to get my damn license all ready but the pistol one is too much right now..  150$ for the shotgun/rifle one is decent so ill be going that route till I'm out of ny..

Move to Texas!

Quote from: Jacob on September 06, 2011, 03:13:33 AM
(like my opinion matters)

that rifle looks awesome as is, that JAE-100 strap-on ninja stock will ruin it

(I like wood)

Yeah, I'm 50-50 so far.  I'm going to see if I can get some add-ons to help get a better cheak weld before i go that route, chin weld doesnt seem to consistant.

That is certainly one of the main problems with hanging a scope on an M1A.  The ergos just go right out the window.  I put a scout scope and a cheekpiece on my Socom to check accuracy but it detracted from the handiness of the rifle so much I went back to irons.  I can consistently hit a 10" plate at 300 with the Socom and irons sitting with cross sticks.  In my book, that fulfulls the mission of that particular rifle. 

I was toying around with the idea of building a JAE/LRB rifle that could have good ergos with optics and a far more sound scope mounting system than most standard M1A's.  The problem is if the weight gets out of hand, the only real utility it has is to show off at the range.