Best grain for 1/9 twist in a 16inch barrel in .223

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  • Gamez235

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    Mar 24, 2009
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    According to that chart alot of Ammo would be unsuitable for the barrels we use.

    Me personally I would pick a bullet weight that your gun likes. I don't shoot too much of anything over 62 gr. period out of my AR's.. I find the 55gr Nosler BT or 55gr V-Max works well for groundhogs and critter out to 350m if I do my part. I've shot well out to 500m with the same loads, but at that distance you'd be better of tossing paper airplanes at them. Yes, there is 69gr and 75gr .224" bullets out there, but it paper is the target by all means try them out. I prefer something with more weight and energy behind it for anything past 400m though. So the .308 is my go to for those things.

    Long range for a 16" AR is in the 350m if you're up to it. Know your ballistics though if you go father, it gets into a lot more math out past 400m
     

    red_zr24x4

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    My experiance with a Savage .223 1 in 9 it depends on the bullet /powder combo. I went to South Dakota a few years ago prairie dog shooting. I had a few 1000 55gr fmj to load they really liked aa2015. I then went to BLC2 and after trying a few different bullets I ended up using 60 gr v-max
    Are you reloading or buying loaded ammo? If your reloading I would try different powder/ bullets until you find that magic combo, seating depth will affect accuracy also but you will be limited in how long you can make them because of the mag.
     

    jblomenberg16

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    I've tried a variety of bullets for my both of my 16" 1x9 barrels. Standard 55FMJ's as well as 62Gr ss109's shoot well for me. 69 gr HPBT match is the heaviest that I've been able to shoot well. The 75 and 77gr HPBT match bullets out htere seem like they are just a bit too long, as my groups started opening back up compared to the 69's during load development.
     

    techres

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    I've tried a variety of bullets for my both of my 16" 1x9 barrels. Standard 55FMJ's as well as 62Gr ss109's shoot well for me. 69 gr HPBT match is the heaviest that I've been able to shoot well. The 75 and 77gr HPBT match bullets out htere seem like they are just a bit too long, as my groups started opening back up compared to the 69's during load development.

    This matches my experience as well. 55 & 62 no problem. 75 gets sloppy. It is funny when PMC 55 outshoots 75 grain match at 100 yards...
     

    rmabrey

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    This matches my experience as well. 55 & 62 no problem. 75 gets sloppy. It is funny when PMC 55 outshoots 75 grain match at 100 yards...
    It is funny. PMC 55 gr shoots the best groups so far for me. Out performed 55 gr WWB and 55 gr Remington Core Lokt
     

    SSGSAD

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    Anyone have experience shooting past 100 yards. I'm currently limited to 100 yards at my club (about to change in 2011)?
    I have a Colt, w/ Match 20" barrel, and I shoot at 200 yds, at Crosley, and did one long range match, a couple years ago, at Wildcat??? near Lafayette... shot 80%, with my reloads...
     

    slow1911s

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    The tables and formulas tell us what the barrel should like. But that is only a starting point. The truth is each barrel has a mind of its own and it is going to take some experimentation to find out what YOUR barrel likes to eat.

    Jahred posts that his 1:9" likes 55 gr NBTs. My 1:9" hates them. Maybe it was that particular load (Ultramax), or that bullet, or... My barrel shoots 52 MHPs very well (~1 MOA at 300). It also shoots 68 MHPs well.

    Start with some ammo known to shoot well in a lot of rifles (e.g. Black Hills, Federal Gold Medal) and do some experimenting.
     

    jblomenberg16

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    This matches my experience as well. 55 & 62 no problem. 75 gets sloppy. It is funny when PMC 55 outshoots 75 grain match at 100 yards...

    What really shocked me was some of my first starter loads for the rifle with the 62gr ss109's shot better than one of my fine tuned loads with the 55gr bullets. I've heard lots of things regarding the SS109's, and most of which seems to say they are not all that great for accuracy due to the potential for the steel core being slightly off the true axis that the bullet spins around. But, I can't complain thus far.


    Singlesix-

    I've shot some of my loads out to 200yds at a 12"x12" plate and of course have no problems hitting it with any of my loads. The 55's have seemed to do the best for me though, even at that range.
     

    singlesix

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    I have to make it to one of those 200 plus ranges and test out my hunting (Yote) loads out to at least 300 yards. Shooting at 100 yard target is boring with a Bolt Action .223. To easy.
     

    rugernut65

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    Jul 27, 2010
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    i ve had the best luck with hornaday 50 and 55 grn v max but the best was by far blackhills 50grn vmax ,this is through a dpms sweet 16. knocked yotes on their keaster up to 400 yrds\. Guns are like us they prefer certain loads to perform accurately i run at a minimumof 6 different loads at 100yrds and when i find one or so that shoot an acceptible group(for me 1/2 in@ 100) then i take those loads out to what ever distance i like to shoot and go thru it all again but then thats just how i do it
     

    SpecWar

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    Got this load our of a magazine couple of years ago. This was for a bull barrel DPMS, 16 inch, BLC-2, 27gr, 55gr Hornady SX or SP. Or using IMR 4320, 26gr., 55gr SX Hornady. The BLC-2 looked the promising of the two, I started a full grain below each and worked my way up.
     
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