Which Bullet for .223?

[wanderinwalker]

Just a quick question about what bullet I should be looking at for 100-yard .223 loads. Should it be the 52gr or 53gr match bullets? Something else cheaper in a different weight that usually shoots well? (I'm looking merely for MOA accuracy on the cheap, to hold the X-ring on an SR-1 target.)

And if choosing between 748 or Varget, which powder?

The rifle is a 1-7" twist AR-15. I've loaded and fired many, many heavier bullet loads (69-80gr) at 200, 300 and even 600 yards with it. I'm just looking for something hopefully lighter on the wallet for close-range practicing in the winter, and if it shoots a little better than the heavy loads at 100, that would be a plus.

Thanks all.

 

[trickyasafox]

don't laugh but i've had good luck with 55gr win bulk bullets. they are just plain jane FMJ but the k i had were uniform and shot well. i'm not a MOA shooter with iron sights, so i couldnt tell you how tight they shot, but from my 15 in scoped encore they'd do under an inch 5 shot groups at 50 yds

 

[mc223]

Spinning them 52s that fast may not make it to the target.

 

[DWARREN123]

Anything 62gr and over should work in a 1-in-7 twist.
You can try bullets of less weight but unless you get lucky probably will not work very well with lite bullets.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Thanks for the replies.

Trust me, I wasn't going to load these to fire-wall velocities in a 1-7" barrel. More like, enough to cycle the rifle reliably and no more.

I've tried the bulk bullets before, and came to the conclusion that they were more aggravation than worth in my old barrel (1-8"). I'm not sure the new barrel will like them any better. No matter how cheaply 55gr surplus can be had, when I shoot a target from, say, 200-yards prone, that should be a high-X clean, not a 98 with few. (I shot it back-to-back with known, good ammo, so I knew it was an ammo/rifle thing.)

I think I'm going to try some 52gr boattails with 748 and see how it goes. The guys over at nationalmatch.us seem to think this is the best route.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Those will probably do OK, but I didn't have the best luck with them from my AR.

Like another poster noted, I got good results with the Winchester Bulk 55gr Soft Points. Except for the below mentioned Noslers were the most accurate bullet. The performed best over IMR4198 at 21.5gr.

Try the Nosler 55gr B.T.s' I've seen these shoot extreamly well from the fast twist bbls. These bullets are designed to hold together at over 4,000fps with out coming apart in mid-air. A friend had a 1/8 twist 40XB that would shoot one-hole groups with them at 100yds over 26.5gr of either BL-C2 or Win748.

I've lately had excellent results with RL-15. 27.5gr under a 55gr bullet and velocity is about 50-75fps higher than with the above mentioned BL-C2/748 load.

These were loaded to 2.25" oal so will feed through a magazine.

 

[270Win]

I have a friend with a 1-7" and he goes for the reaaaally lonnng bullets. 90 grains, etc. But I think his best accuracy was with the 80 grain MatchKings.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Goose,

Thanks! I may give the Nosler B.T.s a chance, as they're in the same league price-wise as a good match hollow point.

.270,

I DO shoot the big 80gr .223 bullets, but I reserve them for 600 yards, 300 at a minimum. They can't be loaded to magazine length and really don't give the most impressive groups at close range IME. But at longer ranges they settle nicely and will shoot MOA from 300 to 600. (At least, my old barrel did; still have to work up with the new one.) For 200 and 300 at matches that "count", I'll shoot 77gr bullets from the magazine. I feel my barrel might last a wee-bit longer if I shoot lighter ammo for close-range practice.

 

[jmorris]

Hornady 68r hpbt in front of 748 shoots under an moa out of my 1-7 AR. You can forget about “varmint” bullets, as noted above. For low buck, and decent accuracy, I bought Berry’s 55gr fmjbt for under $40/1000

 

[rbernie]

I've been getting very impressive results in my 20" 1:8" barrel with the Speer 70gr semi-spitzer. Loaded over 24.5gr of Varget and lit off by CCI400s (OAL @ 2.210), this combination gives a one-raggedy-hole performance at 100 yards, and is both relatively inexpensive, shoots to the same approximate POI as my 77gr Nosler OTMs, and is suitable for field work if needed.

It's becoming my standard short range practice load.

 

[Ares45]

I'd wager any brand name bullet will give you 1" at 100yds, assuming the rifle/shooter is up to the task.

With a 1:7 twist you'll probably find that the rifle prefers heavyer (62+) bullets. The only way to find out for sure is to shoot a bunch of different weights and see what the rifle likes.

 

[Freedom in theSkies]

I worked up a really nice and accurate load with 55gr. Win FMJBT bullets over CCI sm. Rifle primers and 19.1gr. of Hogdon 4198 powder. Works great in a bolt gun, and seems to cycle my AR just fine too.
Best of all is it is economical.

 

[ocabj]

How cheap are the 50/52gr bullets you are looking at? I was looking at Midway, and it seemed like the Hornady 75gr BTHP is only $1 or $2 more per 100 than the match 50/52gr stuff.

Granted, I'm going off of the Midway dealer prices (C&R), but I think the price differential is the same for standard pricing as well.

Also, there's a group buy on Hornady bullets on The Sniper's Hide forum. $375 for 4000ct Hornady 75gr BHTP match bullets (shipped). Great buy. I'm still debating on buying a bulk box for myself. I do have some cash that I can put towards it, but I don't really want to dip into those funds... Anyway, it's a great option for an inexpensive, yet accurate .223 bullet. If anything, it'll make a great practice bullet. Best case, you actually find an excellent load for it and can use it in matches; at least for 200 and 300 (gotta leave the VLD stuff - 75/80gr - for 600 yards).

 

[BsChoy]

I shoot 60 grain vmaxes with 26.0 grains of carget out of my 1/9 twist Savage and get very good results...so far out of IMR 4350, IMR 4064, and Varget...my guns like varget best...although in the 06 4064 is close...thats for 30-06,308,and 223..haven't tried in the 8mm mauser but I will probably buy some bulk 4895 to load in that.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Thanks all.

ocabj, I'm looking at the Nosler 52gr Custom Competition bullet. They're about $27 for 250, which is pretty good compared to Sierra and Hornady. The 77 and 80gr bullets I shoot OTC run about $34/250. (That's retail.) I missed a chance to go in on a group buy of Sierra's (IIRC) locally this year, for I wasn't shooting and didn't see the need. Of course... :banghead:

Father let me try out a stash of 52gr Hornady's he had loaded a couple years back. I don't have a digi cam to show the results, but considering how rusty my skills are, I was quite satisfied with my prone group. Sitting wasn't bad, and awful hand, well...

So I'm thinking 52s for winter practice and save my stash of big-boys for shoots that count.

 

[msgrep]

I shoot on the National Guard Marksmanship team for my state so unfortunately I dont get the chance to use my reloads, lol. 100 yds is a fairly short range and unless you are looking for one hole groups anything 62 grains and under should do well. On our team practices we try to use 55 gr ammo anytime we can. It seems to perform better than the heavier 62 gr bullets at 600-800 yds thru the M16A2 and M4.