I need help identifying a 55gr .224 bullet.

thump_rrr · January 17, 2016, 07:32 PM

I've been cleaning my reloading room this weekend and I found 30 bullets which I bought in a mixed batch of bullets a few years ago.
Since my progressive press was setup for 55gr Hornady FMJ I decided to load these 55gr hollowpoints to see what they would do.
I loaded them with 24.5gr of IMR 8208 XBR with CCI 400 primers in Federal brass and gave them a light crimp.
The pictue below shows the bullet in question flanked by a 69gr SMK on the left and a 55gr Hornady FMJ on the right.
You can see how large the hollowpoint is compared to the SMK.
It has a solid base like the SMK.
The coke bottle look of the bullet in question is because of the crimp when it was loaded.

Both the groups below are 5 round groups.
I pulled the last round on both groups due to nerves.
These groups were shot at 50M indoors through my Stag 3G on a bipod with no rear bag.

bfoosh006 · January 18, 2016, 08:01 PM

Ummm... can't answer your question... but that is a pretty heavy crimp.

If there are only 30 of them... I would just load them with a middle of the road load.

Metal god · January 18, 2016, 08:11 PM

If I come across bullets that just seem to come out of nowhere or I do something to them that causes them to be less then perfect but still loadable . I mark what they are and put them up for the zombie apocalypse .

Mobuck · January 18, 2016, 09:52 PM

I second the opinion of too much crimp.

Longshot4 · January 18, 2016, 10:00 PM

So these are pulled bullets and you want to know about the middle bullet.
All we can do is guess just like you except you more likely have more info that we do. Heck I guess I will have to get out my crystal ball. Oh shucks I lost it.

The tooling on the canalure looks very much like the taller hollow point. But not exactly.

It's time to pull out all of those manuals that every loader should have for reference. I have a dozen or so manuals but I'm giving you the job.

FrankenMauser · January 18, 2016, 10:37 PM

It looks like a Sierra 55 gr BTHP. ...But Sierra doesn't put a cannelure on them.

Hundreds of other options. No good way to narrow it down.

thump_rrr · January 19, 2016, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longshot4

So these are pulled bullets and you want to know about the middle bullet.
All we can do is guess just like you except you more likely have more info that we do. Heck I guess I will have to get out my crystal ball. Oh shucks I lost it.

The tooling on the canalure looks very much like the taller hollow point. But not exactly.

It's time to pull out all of those manuals that every loader should have for reference. I have a dozen or so manuals but I'm giving you the job.

The closest I've come up with is the 55gr Sierra Game King except for the lack of a cannelure.
They were in a bulk batch of 4,000 bullets which I bought for $200.00.
The majority of the bullets were, from my best guess, 62gr SS109, Hornady 55gr FMJ, and some 69gr SMK's

January 17, 2016, 07:32 PM	#1
thump_rrr Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2010 Posts: 403	I need help identifying a 55gr .224 bullet. I've been cleaning my reloading room this weekend and I found 30 bullets which I bought in a mixed batch of bullets a few years ago. Since my progressive press was setup for 55gr Hornady FMJ I decided to load these 55gr hollowpoints to see what they would do. I loaded them with 24.5gr of IMR 8208 XBR with CCI 400 primers in Federal brass and gave them a light crimp. The pictue below shows the bullet in question flanked by a 69gr SMK on the left and a 55gr Hornady FMJ on the right. You can see how large the hollowpoint is compared to the SMK. It has a solid base like the SMK. The coke bottle look of the bullet in question is because of the crimp when it was loaded. Both the groups below are 5 round groups. I pulled the last round on both groups due to nerves. These groups were shot at 50M indoors through my Stag 3G on a bipod with no rear bag.

January 18, 2016, 08:11 PM	#3
Metal god Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 6,876	If I come across bullets that just seem to come out of nowhere or I do something to them that causes them to be less then perfect but still loadable . I mark what they are and put them up for the zombie apocalypse . __________________ If Jesus had a gun , he'd probably still be alive ! I almost always write my posts regardless of content in a jovial manor and intent . If that's not how you took it , please try again .

January 18, 2016, 10:37 PM	#6
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,427	It looks like a Sierra 55 gr BTHP. ...But Sierra doesn't put a cannelure on them. Hundreds of other options. No good way to narrow it down. __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

January 18, 2016, 08:01 PM	#2
bfoosh006 Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2009 Posts: 1,089	Ummm... can't answer your question... but that is a pretty heavy crimp. If there are only 30 of them... I would just load them with a middle of the road load.

January 18, 2016, 09:52 PM	#4
Mobuck Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 6,846	I second the opinion of too much crimp.

January 18, 2016, 10:00 PM	#5
Longshot4 Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2014 Posts: 868	So these are pulled bullets and you want to know about the middle bullet. All we can do is guess just like you except you more likely have more info that we do. Heck I guess I will have to get out my crystal ball. Oh shucks I lost it. The tooling on the canalure looks very much like the taller hollow point. But not exactly. It's time to pull out all of those manuals that every loader should have for reference. I have a dozen or so manuals but I'm giving you the job.