223 bullet help!

losacco · February 15, 2012, 09:43 AM

Venturing into 223 reloading and need some advise. Looking for a bullet that I can shoot a lot and give good accuracy for my AR-15. My research has yielded a lot of options and I'm having trouble choosing.

Thanks, Patrick

UtopiaTexasG19 · February 15, 2012, 10:10 AM

For general target shooting I use the 55 grain fmj made by either Sierra or the 55 grain fmj Varmint made by Speer. Both make for accurate loads in my
.223

PA-Joe · February 15, 2012, 10:10 AM

What is the barrel twist. If under 1:9 use 52-62 grain if over 1:9 try 68+ grains. If 1:14 use 52 or less.

steve4102 · February 15, 2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Looking for a bullet that I can shoot a lot and give good accuracy for my AR-15.

Define "good accuracy".

parisite · February 15, 2012, 10:41 PM

Look on gunbroker.....there are 1,000 55gr bullets for $100 delivered to your door.

amamnn · February 15, 2012, 11:43 PM

Some time ago, someone told me that 90% of all AR barrels sold on factory rifles were 1/0 or 1/8 twist. I've had very good results using Berger 64 grain match bullets in a 1/9 .223 rem barrel both in an AR and a bolt rifle in factory and custom barrels both. A lot of people swear by 55 grain bullets in the same barrels, but I have not had much luck with them in any of the brands I have tried. Match bullets for the .223 seem to be either 52 gr. or in the 60's or even the 70's.

I've also had very good results in a 1/9 barrel using Lapua 69 gr. scenar--someone told me that Lapua went to a 70 gr. and dropped the 69, but the last time I looked at Sinclair or Bruno they still had the 69 gr. My results with the Lapua encouraged me to try Berger's 70 gr. VLDs again and after buying a VLD seating stem for my seater die I got some encouraging results--in both my .223 rem and .22BR rifles. Then winter came and I have not been able to refine the loads.

Ideally, we want to use the slowest twist rate in the barrel that will stabilize the bullet we are shooting. This is pretty much backwards from the majority of shooters' experiences--since they learn about this twist rate business AFTER they've bought the rifle--and the factory rifles don't really offer much, if any choice in twist rates. So, we all try out various weights of bullets to see what works best. If you have a 1/9 twist in your AR you have the most versatile twist rate which should work well for you in most all weights between 45 and 70 grains, inclusive. I've even shot 40 gr. and 75 gr bullets in my AR, and while the groups would not be competitive, at least they were on the target at 200 yards and made round, not key, holes. Some AR builders are offering 1/7 twist barrels, through which I would not bother firing any bullet lighter than 60 grains, myself, but all this experimentation is half the fun, and endears you to your local bullet seller....................

February 15, 2012, 09:43 AM	#1
losacco Junior Member Join Date: February 1, 2012 Posts: 4	223 bullet help! Venturing into 223 reloading and need some advise. Looking for a bullet that I can shoot a lot and give good accuracy for my AR-15. My research has yielded a lot of options and I'm having trouble choosing. Thanks, Patrick

February 15, 2012, 11:43 PM	#6
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	Some time ago, someone told me that 90% of all AR barrels sold on factory rifles were 1/0 or 1/8 twist. I've had very good results using Berger 64 grain match bullets in a 1/9 .223 rem barrel both in an AR and a bolt rifle in factory and custom barrels both. A lot of people swear by 55 grain bullets in the same barrels, but I have not had much luck with them in any of the brands I have tried. Match bullets for the .223 seem to be either 52 gr. or in the 60's or even the 70's. I've also had very good results in a 1/9 barrel using Lapua 69 gr. scenar--someone told me that Lapua went to a 70 gr. and dropped the 69, but the last time I looked at Sinclair or Bruno they still had the 69 gr. My results with the Lapua encouraged me to try Berger's 70 gr. VLDs again and after buying a VLD seating stem for my seater die I got some encouraging results--in both my .223 rem and .22BR rifles. Then winter came and I have not been able to refine the loads. Ideally, we want to use the slowest twist rate in the barrel that will stabilize the bullet we are shooting. This is pretty much backwards from the majority of shooters' experiences--since they learn about this twist rate business AFTER they've bought the rifle--and the factory rifles don't really offer much, if any choice in twist rates. So, we all try out various weights of bullets to see what works best. If you have a 1/9 twist in your AR you have the most versatile twist rate which should work well for you in most all weights between 45 and 70 grains, inclusive. I've even shot 40 gr. and 75 gr bullets in my AR, and while the groups would not be competitive, at least they were on the target at 200 yards and made round, not key, holes. Some AR builders are offering 1/7 twist barrels, through which I would not bother firing any bullet lighter than 60 grains, myself, but all this experimentation is half the fun, and endears you to your local bullet seller.................... __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

February 15, 2012, 10:10 AM	#2
UtopiaTexasG19 Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 699	For general target shooting I use the 55 grain fmj made by either Sierra or the 55 grain fmj Varmint made by Speer. Both make for accurate loads in my .223

February 15, 2012, 10:10 AM	#3
PA-Joe Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: NEPA Posts: 661	What is the barrel twist. If under 1:9 use 52-62 grain if over 1:9 try 68+ grains. If 1:14 use 52 or less.

February 15, 2012, 10:41 PM	#5
parisite Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Paris, TX Posts: 1,059	Look on gunbroker.....there are 1,000 55gr bullets for $100 delivered to your door.