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603Country · July 15, 2012, 01:24 PM

Based on recent shooting/reloading, I disagree with the statement that 55 grain bullets are on the extreme light end of what a 1 in 9 twist will shoot well. It probably depends more on the individual rifle, but my rifle (Ruger Hawkeye) shot the 55 grain pretty well, but shot the 65 gr Sierra extremely well (near max with AA2230), so I stayed with the 65 grainer for a year or so. Then I got the urge to just see what the rifle would do with the 40 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. After a bit of light research, H335 looked to be a good powder to try for that bullet and I had new Nosler cases and some CCI BR4 primers. The combination worked well, with the sweet spot at one grain under max (Lyman max). It's a little early for me to say that the load shoot as well as the 65 gr Sierra load that I have, but it still shoots real well and I'll use it as my varmint round till I run out of bullets and then I'll try the Nosler NoLead 35 grainers.

And I should mention that my best 55 gr loads were with Varget, at near max.

July 15, 2012, 01:24 PM	#5
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	Based on recent shooting/reloading, I disagree with the statement that 55 grain bullets are on the extreme light end of what a 1 in 9 twist will shoot well. It probably depends more on the individual rifle, but my rifle (Ruger Hawkeye) shot the 55 grain pretty well, but shot the 65 gr Sierra extremely well (near max with AA2230), so I stayed with the 65 grainer for a year or so. Then I got the urge to just see what the rifle would do with the 40 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip. After a bit of light research, H335 looked to be a good powder to try for that bullet and I had new Nosler cases and some CCI BR4 primers. The combination worked well, with the sweet spot at one grain under max (Lyman max). It's a little early for me to say that the load shoot as well as the 65 gr Sierra load that I have, but it still shoots real well and I'll use it as my varmint round till I run out of bullets and then I'll try the Nosler NoLead 35 grainers. And I should mention that my best 55 gr loads were with Varget, at near max.