Howa M1500 GRS Berserk .223 Remington Blue/Black Bolt-Action Rifle

A: Erik, 600 yards will be close to the effective range for .223/5.56 due to velocity loss and more pronounced bullet drop. A 308 or 6.5 Creedmoor is a better choice out to a thousand yards. If you want the .223 then it is my opinion the HCR would be the better long range platform.

A: Erik, 600 yards with .223/5.56 is a stretch. More desirable calibers for that distance with any punch and not going side ways. You could be fairly effective up to 400 yards without having to cross your fingers. The .223/5.56 ballistics are 3240 fps at muzzle-600 yards, 1100 fps, 120" drop-800 yards, 100 fps and 320" drop-400 yards, 1590 fps, 32" drop. ballistic trajectory calculator.

A: With 62 grain bullets this is a 600 yard rifle. The 1:9 twist will allow you to gain some velocity with hand loads because it's easier to push a bullet down the 1:9 than the 1:7. Many of the 1:9 twist rifles will shoot 77-80 grain bullets quite well if you can push them fast enough and that makes 800 doable.

A: Erik, A 55 gr 223/5.56 round leaving your muzzle at 3240 feet per second will only have 100 feet per second energy at 800 yards no matter what you shoot it out of. 1100 fps at 600 yards so that would work.