1 In 7 or 1 in 9 Twist?

T

TrxR

New member
I am getting ready to buy a Model 12 LRPV in a .223 for target shooting . I will be starting at about the 300yd range and going to try and push out to 1000yds eventually but realistically hopping to get the .223 to the 6-800yd range after alot of shooting. But my question is should I go with the 1 in 7 or 1 in 9 twist? Also what is the max weight and load for a .223 safely? What would you guys get? Should I maybe just go with the 1 in 9 until I get to the point where I am shooting 600 + the rebarell to a 1 in 7? As by the time I get that far out I will more than likely need a new barrel.

Thanks
 
Go with 1:7" or 1:8"

There is no disadvantage to the faster twist rate except if you plan to use lightweight, thinly jacketed varmint type bullets, which would likely spin apart before they reached your target. These would include the Speer TNT and Sierra Blitz.

Many other lightweight bullets will shoot beautifully through a fast twist, like the Hornady VMax, Sierra BlitzKing, Sierra match, and on and on.

Forget the 1:9". It's a compromise that you don't need.
 
Bill's already touched on the answer here, and I'll second his call. The 1x9"s became popular when the Sierra 69 was THE heavy bullet for the .223. We've got a much better choice of bullets today, and the 69s are seeing relatively little competitive use today. Since the intro of the 80s, 82s and 90s, the 1x9"s have become redundant. Perfectly fine if you're sure you never want to shoot anything heavier than the 69s, but you're closing the door to a whole lot of opportunities for better long range performance. If you even think that you may shoot 600 yards of further, go with the faster twist. Guaranteed, you won't regret doing so.

Kevin Thomas
Berger Bullets
 
1 in 7

I have two 1 in 9twist would be nice to have 1in7
 
TrxR said:
Will the faster twist decrease the accuraccy for the shorter ranges?
Click to expand...

No. However, you will NEVER know what load your rifle prefers until you try it. That's part of the fun by the way.

The Sierra 52 grain HP is a superb short-range choice for a .223, whether you're shooting a 1:12" or 1:7".

Given the choice between a 1:9" or a 1:7", I would choose the faster twist every time. No doubt about it.
 
The 9-tw still has its place, but IMHO, it's for cartridges like the 22-250 AI, where the extra velocity makes up for the slightly slower twist, even with 80s. However, if you're serious about shooting a 223 at 1000, you're probably going to skating on thin ice, even with the 7-tw. bbl. You've got to run very warm loads with a S80MK to keep it supersonic at 1k. That leaves you the choice of the 80 VLDs or 90 Berger, and the 90 is - at least in my experience - by far the better choice.

However, I'm not at all sure that a 7-tw will stabilize either the Berger or JLK 90 - we've always used 6.5-tw. bbls. on our AR15 service & match rifles for the 90s. And that's where the rub is - throat life of a 6.5-tw. bbl. can be relatively short with a steady diet of 90s.

If you're not dead-set on using the 223, you might be happier getting a faster twist 22-250.
 
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