222 Rem best twist

A

ArtinNC

New member
I read in a nother forum that ""The 222 with 50-52 gr bullets and 1-12 twist is where it earned its reputation as a tack-driver, "" I allways though it was a 1:14 twist that made a 222 a tack driver ?
 
ArtinNC said:
I read in a nother forum that ""The 222 with 50-52 gr bullets and 1-12 twist is where it earned its reputation as a tack-driver, "" I allways though it was a 1:14 twist that made a 222 a tack driver ?
Click to expand...

yes bullet length(weight) and twist are the answer. my 223 with 14 t is a 50-53 tool.
 
ArtinNC said:
I read in a nother forum that ""The 222 with 50-52 gr bullets and 1-12 twist is where it earned its reputation as a tack-driver, "" I allways though it was a 1:14 twist that made a 222 a tack driver ?
Click to expand...

My 1968 40 XBR 222 has a 14 twist. I’m pretty sure that was most common when the 222 was winning matches in the 1950’s-60’s.
 
1911Nut said:
My 1968 40 XBR 222 has a 14 twist. I’m pretty sure that was most common when the 222 was winning matches in the 1950’s-60’s.
Click to expand...

Back in the days before the .223 all .224 center fire cartridges were 14” twist. In fact the .223 started life at 14” then 12” an then 9”. We can thank the military for that. The original 14” barrels in colder weather would not stabilize the military 55 gr. solid jacket bullets very well. They were a little to long.
 
martin zuck said:
Back in the days before the .223 all .224 center fire cartridges were 14” twist. In fact the .223 started life at 14” then 12” an then 9”. We can thank the military for that. The original 14” barrels in colder weather would not stabilize the military 55 gr. solid jacket bullets very well. They were a little to long.
Click to expand...

In fact Sierra still makes a 63 gr. semi point bullet that shoots very good with a 14” twist. The length determines twist rate not weight
 
martin zuck said:
Back in the days before the .223 all .224 center fire cartridges were 14” twist. In fact the .223 started life at 14” then 12” an then 9”. We can thank the military for that. The original 14” barrels in colder weather would not stabilize the military 55 gr. solid jacket bullets very well. They were a little to long.
Click to expand...

me thinks you have some misinformation.
when the m249 came along it came with a tracer and it more twist as it was long for its weight.
 
martin zuck said:
The length determines twist rate not weight
Click to expand...
Actually, DENSITY of the bullet determines twist rate, not the length. You can get an 80 grain HPBT bullet to stabilize in a .221 Fireball, assuming the twist rate is appropriate. Change bullet composition to say, copper, and you might need more spin to stabilize the projectile. Or, change part of the core from lead to a lighter material, and you might encounter the same situation, hence faster twists for the M16A2, when the US adopted the Belgian designed 62 grain bullet (w/steel insert), and the associated 5.56 mm tracer (lower density material, replacing part of the core).
 
rsmithsr said:
when the m249 came along it came with a tracer and it more twist as it was long for its weight.
Click to expand...
The M-249 was originally built in Belgum and used Belgian designed ammo. The added length of the tracer added burn time, as existing 5.56 mm bullets did not have sufficient capacity for the desired performance. (Provide trace out to 800 yards?) The US adopted the ammo, and redesigned the M-16 rifles to use them, hence the M-16A2 (and follow-ons) and M-4 series of rifles and carbines. Initial barrel twist was 1 7", with later rifles changing to 1-9". (Think carbines have remained 1-7".)
BTW, the original bullet for the 5.56 mm cartridge was not 55 grains.
 
I guess I should have made clear that that I was referring to the early days of the AR rifles. Back in the early 60’s when I was in Pittsburg Eugene Stoner showed up looking for some one to do some work for his company. At that time they were experimenting with 14” or maybe it was 12” barrels. Up until then 99% of .224 center fire rifles were 14”. To make a long story short they were finding out that in colder weather the solid jacket 55 gr. bullets they were using at the time sometimes were not stabilizing. When the .223 became commercialized it came out with a 12” twist. If it not been for the military the .223 would also have been 14”. The solid jacket 55gr bullet was a little longer than commercial 55’s. That’s all I know about AR type rifles!

While it’s true length is not the only factor involving bullet stabilization it’s very important.Cases in point! In a .222 with a 14” T barrel a 60 gr. spritzer will not stabilize but a round nose 63 gr. shoots good. The spritzer is longer then the round nose. They weight the SAME. I realize velocity is also a factor. Try shooting certain 68gr bullets out of a 15”T 6ppc. Some times it works and some times it don’t. I realize my observations aren’t very technical but they work for me. Besides I slipped on ice the other day and banged myself up a little so I am recuperating.i
 
twist

Is that why a 5.56 tracer will shoot in the same place as the ball round? The tracer is longer but the back end is tracer powder. Doug
 
I tried a 1-13

last fall with a 6 Beggs, 67 gn bullets and LT32 powder and it doesn't shoot all that great. Bad barrel or wrong twist rate?

Pete
 
Doug Casner said:
Is that why a 5.56 tracer will shoot in the same place as the ball round? The tracer is longer but the back end is tracer powder. Doug
Click to expand...
Tracer bullets NEVER fly the same as a ball round. Why? The ball round keeps most of its mass in flight, the tracer's is affected by the tracer's burn. For starters, the bullet leaves the barrel with mass, and as it flies dowrange, loses mass as the tracer compound burns. It also flies differently, due to the reduced low pressure at the base, resulting from the tracer burn. Dispersion on a tracer is greater, due to the uneven burn of the "pellet". Ever wonder why some of the best aerial gunners removed the tracers from their ammo loadouts? Now you know why.
 
Thanks Asa

Never could figure out how they shot in the same place. I guess they dont. Loaded and packed alot of M60 and saw rounds at Lake City. Never had enough time to shoot them. Had to be a gunner. Thanks, Doug
 
Pete Wass said:
last fall with a 6 Beggs, 67 gn bullets and LT32 powder and it doesn't shoot all that great. Bad barrel or wrong twist rate?

Pete
Click to expand...

Pete, If I would have been the shooter the problem would probably have been me! Your twist rate was on the quick side but certainly within specs. Maybe the barrel? The bullet was certainly in right weight range. A while back Berger made a 70gr bullet that had a 9 ogive. They recommended a 12” twist rate because of it’s length. A fellow by the name of Skip ,you may have shot with him, used a bunch of them. They were a flat base and were considered a varmint bullet. Skip used them with 28.0 gr. N133. He said they shot best on the low side. If I remember right he did pretty good especially at 200 yds. His barrels were 13.5T.
 
martin zuck said:
Pete, If I would have been the shooter the problem would probably have been me! Your twist rate was on the quick side but certainly within specs. Maybe the barrel? The bullet was certainly in right weight range. A while back Berger made a 70gr bullet that had a 9 ogive. They recommended a 12” twist rate because of it’s length. A fellow by the name of Skip ,you may have shot with him, used a bunch of them. They were a flat base and were considered a varmint bullet. Skip used them with 28.0 gr. N133. He said they shot best on the low side. If I remember right he did pretty good especially at 200 yds. His barrels were 13.5T.
Click to expand...

Don’t remember like I use to. They were 69gr. flat base. They quit making them a few years back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top