223 how heavy a bullet

K

KEYBEAR

Guest
I,v got two 223 Cal Rifles both with new barrels and one has a long throat ?

I have always shot 52/53gr. bullets with a 1-14 twist . So I buy a new Barrel 1-14 24 inchs long .
The overall Length to the lands is 2.265 and that is good for a light bullet .

Rifle number two I bought last week and a very nice older gun with a new barrel .
This gun also has a 1-14 twist but overall to the lands is 2.360 (A LITTLE LONG )

Both barrels are new and unfired . I,m think in rifle number two a longer (68gr.) bullet may be
better to start with ? I hate to buy 100 heavier bullets and will try the liter first (52gr).

Any Thought ? KEYBEAR
 
Keybear,

Are you sure about the 1-14 twist. The reason I ask is that most bolt .223's have a 1-12 twist and the AR types a 1-8, 1-9. The 1-14 will not stablize a 68g bullet. In fact you might have trouble with bullets 55g and up depending on the bullets shape and length, for example a Hornady 53g V-Max requires a 1-12 twist.

Ed
 
Stick with the 52s and 53s. 55 grain FMJBTs may be unstable in flight in colder weather. As in may not fly point first. How is this relevant? Here's how. Early AR-15 barrels were rifled with a 1-14" twist, and fired a 55 grain FMJBT projectile. Experience from cold weather tests in Alaska showed faster twists were required, so 1-12" became the Army's standard until the mid-1980s.

Hope this helps.
 
Yes I,m sure both rifles are 1-14 .
I,v shot 1-14 for a long time with 52gr. bullets and like it alot .

KEYBEAR
 
it maybe new, but i think i would get the bbl rechambered...or return it...me thinks accuracy may suffer with that long of a reach to the lands.

mike in co
 
Depending on how fast you can move the bullets, but anything longer than a flatbase 55 gr softpoint will likely not stabilize. It's the bullet's length not weight that matters. I've shot 55 gr Hornady SX's in a supposedly 1 in 14 barrel with good results until if got cool or the barrel fouled in a prairie dog town. My current 14" twist .223 likes 50 gr V-Max's, but has done well with 52 gr A-Max's.

As Mike says having the barrel with the long throat rechambered might be necessary, but I'd try it with some 50-52 gr bullets to see how it shoots first. If it's "accurate enough" for your intended use just shoot it. Some .223's like the bullet right at the rifling and some don't seem to mind. I've been told it's the angle of the leade that matters in that, but couldn't swear to it.
 
I bought this Rifle from a Gunsmith that retired . It was built maybe 10 years ago .

I was very surprised to find the throat that long ? I can get a 52gr. bullet out there but just ?

KEYBEAR
 
Some .223's shoot better with the bullet fairly leaping to the rifling than when it's in or close to the rifling. Others want the bullet at or even into the rifling it all depends on the rifle. A bullet that's barely in the case neck is fine if you're taking it from seating the bullet to chambering it if you're lucky. As I said before try shooting it before worrying about theory. I've got a 1 in 9 twist .223 that absolutely does not like bullets close to the rifling, and a .222 that shoots well with the bullets at least 0.06" off the rifling too.
 
I was playing with this rifle today (snowing like hell outside) I seated a bullet in the rifling at 2.290 OVL .025 over spec. not to bad ? I called the Smith that built the rifle this AM and he felt it was fine and had shot the gun with 52gr. bullets . Dam cold weather I need to be out on my bench COME ON SPRING ?

KEYBEAR
 
Well it has warmed up and I have had a chance to shoot the rifle some . With 52gr. bullets it shoots very well and makes one ragged hole at 100 yards . Shot some 60dr. bullets today and it shot as well or better ? Now I,m going to try 68gr. So far I,m shooting a lite/mid load of AA 2230 (23gr.with the 52 gr. bullet) and seating the bullet in the rifling .
Over all I,m happy with it so far .
 
1/14 twist and a 68 gr bullet in 22 cal does not sound very sound....
mike in co
 
Now really I don,t care how it sounds but how it shoots .
I was told on thes site a 1-14 twist would not work that I needed a 1-8 ??

So far the 1-14 works very well . If by chance a 68 gr. bullet does not work I do know any smaller will .
This long throat shoots very very well . So I guess a long throat and 1-14 twist just not that bad ?
 
I have a Ruger in .223 with a 14 twist that has a throat almost too long to measure. 55grn V-Maxs will be upward of .090 off the lands. It has shot ragged .200's most of it's life. Not BR capable, but really is a pleasant minute of P'dog rifle out to 300m yards. This is a bolt gun, not a #1
 
KEYBEAR,

What was the purpose of your post?

You asked a question, then took the logical step of live testing your rifle. It seems that you've purchased a range of projectiles to test (either before or after your enquiry), so you haven't saved cash or time.

I'm confused.

John
 
Yes John you Are confused .
I did,t buy any bullets I had 10/15 box,s from other guns . Most are 52gr. some 53 and two box,s of 60/68gr.
When I ask the question it was in February and it was to cold to shoot . Also my scope was at Leupold ?

So I thought maybe I could get a grip on what I should be looking to do with this rifle . As is the case on most web sites alot of advice some good alot not so ?

As for saving time and cash I now have time and cash to spend .
 
Last edited by a moderator:
John I thank You .
This is far from my first Rodeo and I,m having a ball . I like the 223 a lot have a lot of them and do shoot the hell out of them . At my age It,s all I have to do BURN POWDER
 
That can be generally true with most sites...this one not so much!

KEYBEAR said:
Yes John you Are confused .
I did,t buy any bullets I had 10/15 box,s from other guns . Most are 52gr. some 53 and two box,s of 60/68gr.
When I ask the question it was in February and it was to cold to shoot . Also my scope was at Leupold ?

So I thought maybe I could get a grip on what I should be looking to do with this rifle . As is the case on most web sites alot of advice some good alot not so ? As for saving time and cash I now have time and cash to spend .
Click to expand...
 
I have a Remington 700 5R in .223 with a 1-9 twist. The gun likes 69 gr. match Noslers and Sierras and 70 gr. Berger VLDs. It aggs in the neighborhood of .5 inches with these bullets. Heavier bullets like the 77 gr. Sierra just plain shoot into large groups. I haven't done much shooting with lighter bullets but a few groups with 55 gr. spitzers don't look very promising. FWIW
 
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