Hornady 55 gr FMJBT load ?

rebs · December 14, 2012, 12:20 PM

I am struggling trying to find a good accurate load for this bullet in my 16" barrel AR. The best I have got so far is 24.0 and 24.9 of H335, they both shoot about the same group of about 1 1/2 to 2 inch at 100 yds. Other bullets I load for are shooting under 1" and many 1/2 inch at 100 Yds. I am just struggling finding a decent load for this bullet. I have tried different COL as well.
Does anyone have any thoughts as to why ?

JimDandy · December 14, 2012, 08:16 PM

What is your twist rate? How about other 55 grain round performance?

m&p45acp10+1 · December 14, 2012, 08:48 PM

What type are those other bullets?

Different bullets work differently in different guns.

Try V-Max. The FMJBT bullets to me are pop can bullets anyway. I have 2 tack driving rifles that will shoot them well. Though they shoot V-Max to match grade levels.

rebs · December 14, 2012, 08:54 PM

twist rate is 1 in 8. I shoot other 55 gr bullets really well. Hornady 55 gr flat base soft points, 55 gr dogtown bullets from midwayusa, Hornady 55 and 53 gr Vmax these all shoot very well. I just can't get the Hornady 55 gr fmjbt to shoot well.

m&p45acp10+1 · December 14, 2012, 09:11 PM

Rebs they are more or less the economy plinker bullets in my opinion. I have had less than stellar results with them. Though I would not sneeze at the groups I get from them. I have also had the same thing happen with Remington 55 grain FMJ bullets.

golfnutrlv · December 14, 2012, 09:22 PM

I have found the Hornady 55Gr FMJ's to be the most accurate, cheap bullet in my AR. I load then to 2.24 inches with H335, in standard Lake City brass. They punch nice groups honestly.

Sure, I get better accuracy with 69Gr Matchkings, but Matchkings are expensive.

rebs · December 15, 2012, 05:47 AM

Quote:

I have found the Hornady 55Gr FMJ's to be the most accurate, cheap bullet in my AR. I load then to 2.24 inches with H335, in standard Lake City brass. They punch nice groups honestly.

Sure, I get better accuracy with 69Gr Matchkings, but Matchkings are expensive.

What is your twist rate and how much H335 powder do you load ? I am curious if its a load I have tried or not.

m&p45acp10+1 · December 15, 2012, 06:15 AM

With 55 grain bullets I use 25.0 grains of H-335. With V-Max I can get one hole groups at 100 yards with my Savage bolt action. It has a 1 in 9 twist. With the same load, and an FMJ bullet groups will go to about 3/4 of an inch.

golfnutrlv · December 15, 2012, 12:03 PM

Rebs,

Here you go: Understand, load data used at readers risk. Verify in your rifle...

Lake City Brass, headstamp 11 mostly
25.8 Gr H335, loaded to 2.24 Inches
Winchester or CCI small rifle primer (Have not noticed a difference)

1:9 twist, 16" barrel. I run a Vortex 1-4x24 power scope.

This load is actually .1 gr above the max in the Sierra manual, but is below max in the Speer manual. I have never had a pressure issue. No bulged out primers, and has functioned flawlessly in my AR.

rebs · December 15, 2012, 12:21 PM

golfnutriv
I have loaded 25.0 and will work up to 25.8 if I get no pressure signs and let you know how it works for me.
What size groups are you getting at 100 yds with that load ?

golfnutrlv · December 15, 2012, 02:35 PM

I don't recall what the group is at 100 yards. I zero at 50 yards, and it shoots just over .5 inch. Sure it could be better with higher magnification, but it's not a target AR. I can hit steel out to 500 yards with it no problem.

Colorado308shooter · December 15, 2012, 04:26 PM

I'm using 25.3 grains H4895, Remington brass, and CCI 400 primers with the 55 grain FMJBT. This load consistently shoot's two inches at 100 yards from my Mini-14.....plenty good enough for me, for a blasting round.

rebs · December 15, 2012, 06:40 PM

This is my target at 100 yrs, the upper two are with 55 gr varmint nightmares and the bottom two are with the 55 gr fmjbt's. Maybe I am looking for too much from the fmjbt's ? The red dots are 1" targets

Sport45 · December 15, 2012, 10:05 PM

I believe that's about as good as you'll get with fmj bullets.

radom · December 15, 2012, 10:25 PM

I belive they are more of a budjet type bullet on par with the M-193 GI ball slugs. I have never been able to get any 55 grain FMJs to group under 1-1/2 inch and thats a good day.

JimDandy · December 16, 2012, 01:32 AM

The groups aren't THAT much larger... they just seem like it because they're off, their POI is different it seems.

rebs · December 16, 2012, 05:43 AM

Yes the POI is off with the fmjbt's, on all four targets I was aiming at the center of the dot. Would further adjusting the amount of powder bring the POI closer to the POA ? I have loaded from 24.0 to 25.0 in .2 increments and these were the best groups I can get so far. Also 2.220 and 2.230 were the best COL.

golfnutrlv · December 16, 2012, 12:09 PM

Are you running an optic? If that is the best group with the FMJ-BT bullets, adjust the optic. In looking at your target, assuming you have a 1/4 minute optic, you should need 2-4 clicks if that target was at 100 yards. a few more if at 50. If you are running a red dot style optic, they usually have half minute clicks, so use 1-2 clicks inthe 100 yard scenario.

Even if you have an ironsight, most should have a windage adjustment to move the POI closer to the center.

If I recall, changing the amount of powder should affect the elevation, drop at distance, and group size more than the left to right, but I may be mistaken.

JimDandy · December 16, 2012, 04:31 PM

Remember, most people who talk about sighting in scopes point out its important to shoot what you're going to shoot when zeroing a scope, that Federal 165 grain whosit-whatsits will shoot to a different point of aim than Winchester 165 grain whatsit-whosits.

browninghunter86 · December 17, 2012, 11:30 AM

Rebs I just found this post. I posted in your other topics.

These groups look very good considering FMJs. I don't believe they will tighten up that much by increasing powder charge.

My plinking load is 25.0 gr H335 using 16" 1:9" twist. Seems this load is a "universal" good plinking load that is not hard on brass and shoots decent.

Give the Vmax a try. I had mine shooting 1/2 MOA @200 without trying

rebs · December 17, 2012, 12:30 PM

Quote:

My plinking load is 25.0 gr H335 using 16" 1:9" twist. Seems this load is a "universal" good plinking load that is not hard on brass and shoots decent.

browninghunter
what oal are you seating to with the fmjbt bullet ?

browninghunter86 · December 17, 2012, 12:44 PM

2.225". I tested 4 different OAL and that is the one that shot the best and I just went with it. I worked up to 25.5 gr and found the 25 to be good using the OCW method by Dan Newberry and tested those 4 different OAL( max magazine length and less) and settled on that one. I did not do extensive load testing since I made this load for me and my wife to just blast away and have fun at the range but still accurate.

rebs · December 17, 2012, 03:42 PM

Thank you to everyone for your help.
I will try the 25.o and 2.225 oal. Then work up to 25.8 like golfnut said.

December 14, 2012, 12:20 PM	#1
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	Hornady 55 gr FMJBT load ? I am struggling trying to find a good accurate load for this bullet in my 16" barrel AR. The best I have got so far is 24.0 and 24.9 of H335, they both shoot about the same group of about 1 1/2 to 2 inch at 100 yds. Other bullets I load for are shooting under 1" and many 1/2 inch at 100 Yds. I am just struggling finding a decent load for this bullet. I have tried different COL as well. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why ?

December 14, 2012, 08:48 PM	#3
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	What type are those other bullets? Different bullets work differently in different guns. Try V-Max. The FMJBT bullets to me are pop can bullets anyway. I have 2 tack driving rifles that will shoot them well. Though they shoot V-Max to match grade levels. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

December 14, 2012, 09:11 PM	#5
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	Rebs they are more or less the economy plinker bullets in my opinion. I have had less than stellar results with them. Though I would not sneeze at the groups I get from them. I have also had the same thing happen with Remington 55 grain FMJ bullets. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

December 14, 2012, 09:22 PM	#6
golfnutrlv Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,347	I have found the Hornady 55Gr FMJ's to be the most accurate, cheap bullet in my AR. I load then to 2.24 inches with H335, in standard Lake City brass. They punch nice groups honestly. Sure, I get better accuracy with 69Gr Matchkings, but Matchkings are expensive. __________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ VIGILIA PRETIUM LIBERTATIS "The price of liberty is vigilance" America is at an awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.

December 15, 2012, 06:15 AM	#8
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	With 55 grain bullets I use 25.0 grains of H-335. With V-Max I can get one hole groups at 100 yards with my Savage bolt action. It has a 1 in 9 twist. With the same load, and an FMJ bullet groups will go to about 3/4 of an inch. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

December 14, 2012, 08:16 PM	#2
JimDandy Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2012 Posts: 2,556	What is your twist rate? How about other 55 grain round performance?

December 14, 2012, 08:54 PM	#4
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	twist rate is 1 in 8. I shoot other 55 gr bullets really well. Hornady 55 gr flat base soft points, 55 gr dogtown bullets from midwayusa, Hornady 55 and 53 gr Vmax these all shoot very well. I just can't get the Hornady 55 gr fmjbt to shoot well.

December 15, 2012, 12:03 PM	#9
golfnutrlv Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,347	Rebs, Here you go: Understand, load data used at readers risk. Verify in your rifle... Lake City Brass, headstamp 11 mostly 25.8 Gr H335, loaded to 2.24 Inches Winchester or CCI small rifle primer (Have not noticed a difference) 1:9 twist, 16" barrel. I run a Vortex 1-4x24 power scope. This load is actually .1 gr above the max in the Sierra manual, but is below max in the Speer manual. I have never had a pressure issue. No bulged out primers, and has functioned flawlessly in my AR. __________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ VIGILIA PRETIUM LIBERTATIS "The price of liberty is vigilance" America is at an awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.

December 15, 2012, 12:21 PM	#10
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	golfnutriv I have loaded 25.0 and will work up to 25.8 if I get no pressure signs and let you know how it works for me. What size groups are you getting at 100 yds with that load ?

December 15, 2012, 02:35 PM	#11
golfnutrlv Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,347	I don't recall what the group is at 100 yards. I zero at 50 yards, and it shoots just over .5 inch. Sure it could be better with higher magnification, but it's not a target AR. I can hit steel out to 500 yards with it no problem. __________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ VIGILIA PRETIUM LIBERTATIS "The price of liberty is vigilance" America is at an awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.

December 15, 2012, 04:26 PM	#12
Colorado308shooter Member Join Date: November 11, 2012 Posts: 72	I'm using 25.3 grains H4895, Remington brass, and CCI 400 primers with the 55 grain FMJBT. This load consistently shoot's two inches at 100 yards from my Mini-14.....plenty good enough for me, for a blasting round.

December 15, 2012, 06:40 PM	#13
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	This is my target at 100 yrs, the upper two are with 55 gr varmint nightmares and the bottom two are with the 55 gr fmjbt's. Maybe I am looking for too much from the fmjbt's ? The red dots are 1" targets

December 15, 2012, 10:05 PM	#14
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	I believe that's about as good as you'll get with fmj bullets. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

December 15, 2012, 10:25 PM	#15
radom Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2000 Posts: 1,357	I belive they are more of a budjet type bullet on par with the M-193 GI ball slugs. I have never been able to get any 55 grain FMJs to group under 1-1/2 inch and thats a good day.

December 16, 2012, 01:32 AM	#16
JimDandy Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2012 Posts: 2,556	The groups aren't THAT much larger... they just seem like it because they're off, their POI is different it seems.

December 16, 2012, 05:43 AM	#17
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	Yes the POI is off with the fmjbt's, on all four targets I was aiming at the center of the dot. Would further adjusting the amount of powder bring the POI closer to the POA ? I have loaded from 24.0 to 25.0 in .2 increments and these were the best groups I can get so far. Also 2.220 and 2.230 were the best COL.

December 16, 2012, 12:09 PM	#18
golfnutrlv Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,347	Are you running an optic? If that is the best group with the FMJ-BT bullets, adjust the optic. In looking at your target, assuming you have a 1/4 minute optic, you should need 2-4 clicks if that target was at 100 yards. a few more if at 50. If you are running a red dot style optic, they usually have half minute clicks, so use 1-2 clicks inthe 100 yard scenario. Even if you have an ironsight, most should have a windage adjustment to move the POI closer to the center. If I recall, changing the amount of powder should affect the elevation, drop at distance, and group size more than the left to right, but I may be mistaken. __________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ VIGILIA PRETIUM LIBERTATIS "The price of liberty is vigilance" America is at an awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. Last edited by golfnutrlv; December 16, 2012 at 05:53 PM.

December 16, 2012, 04:31 PM	#19
JimDandy Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2012 Posts: 2,556	Remember, most people who talk about sighting in scopes point out its important to shoot what you're going to shoot when zeroing a scope, that Federal 165 grain whosit-whatsits will shoot to a different point of aim than Winchester 165 grain whatsit-whosits.

December 17, 2012, 11:30 AM	#20
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 524	Rebs I just found this post. I posted in your other topics. These groups look very good considering FMJs. I don't believe they will tighten up that much by increasing powder charge. My plinking load is 25.0 gr H335 using 16" 1:9" twist. Seems this load is a "universal" good plinking load that is not hard on brass and shoots decent. Give the Vmax a try. I had mine shooting 1/2 MOA @200 without trying

December 17, 2012, 12:44 PM	#22
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 524	2.225". I tested 4 different OAL and that is the one that shot the best and I just went with it. I worked up to 25.5 gr and found the 25 to be good using the OCW method by Dan Newberry and tested those 4 different OAL( max magazine length and less) and settled on that one. I did not do extensive load testing since I made this load for me and my wife to just blast away and have fun at the range but still accurate.

December 17, 2012, 03:42 PM	#23
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	Thank you to everyone for your help. I will try the 25.o and 2.225 oal. Then work up to 25.8 like golfnut said.