.22 Caliber Go To bullet for 1:8 twist?

[1stLast&Always]

Looking for a match bullet: Found good deal on 68 grain Hornady. So far they have good reviews and are cheaper than SMKs with 1 MOA or less.
Will be firing this out of a .223 Wylde barrel with a 1:8 twist and looking for some wind bucking.

What do you use? *Bonus if you want to throw in your primer/powder combo or PM it!

Apologies if this is a duplicate thread- I didn't turn up anything in my search other than sales from the past.
Thanks!

 

[Hohn]

I be interested in what recs you gets. I think the Hornday ELDs will be a great choice. Cheaper than SMKs and many are reporting even better BCs in a given weight (i.e, POI is higher than predicted by ballistic calculators using quoted BC).

 

[55fairlane]

RRA NM AR 1 in 8 twist , 20 inch barrel

68 grain Hornaday MATCH
23 grains IMR 8208XBR
2.250 C.O.A.L.

69 grain SMK
23.5 grains IMR 8208XBR
2.235 C.O.A.L

68 grain Hornaday NOT MATCH
23 grains IMR 8208XBR
2.235 C.O.A.L

77 grain SMK
23.2 grains IMR 8208XBR
2.250 C.O.A.L

No crimp on any of these loads

This load data is for reference only this load data is for reference only

I shoot iron sights and sling at 200 &300 and this will hold a good group

Aaron

 

[JeepHammer]

Facts,
Hornady has REALLY stepped up their game and they are producing a remarkably consistent bullet with a good design.
Terminal performance at the target is second to none.
They are very round, the cores are very centered, the weight is very consistent.
They are my go to brand since they are very good in all calibers/weights.

Personal experience,
SDs in single digits, BC required me to revise my ballistic tables.
Hornady will sell bulk to individuals.

The only down side I have found, I needed to revise the profile of seating rods to keep from leaving marks in the bullets.
The ogive doesn't match my common die seating rods.

 

[NyleRN]

Fact #1: the best shooting bullet in my barrel may not be very good at all in yours
Fact #2: with so many powders and bullets on the market now, you'd shoot out a barrel trying to find the "best" load for said barrel

ETA: Buy a couple different bullets and a couple different powders and do a ladder test. When you find a load that shoots a sub moa group load up 10 or 20 more and shoot a couple 10 shot groups to see if it replicates itself. If it does then all it good and practice a lot with that load

 

[SSE]

What range are you shooting? If you are shooting 300 and under you might want to go with a 50 or 55 gr bullet and save the 69 gr for over 300.
The faster bullet bucks the wind as good or better than heavier. A lot cheaper too.

 

[sloughfoot]

The 68 or 69 at 200 yards is a tight grouper over 24.5 grains of RE15, Varget, or N140. The Hornady 75 at 300 because it isn't effected as much as the 68/69 by small wind changes over 24.5 grains of the three universal powders. I use the Hornady 75 grain AMAX at 500 and 600 yards. Loaded long (2.550) and over 24.5 grains of the three universal powders. Many use one of the varieties of 80 grain bullet at medium range.

This is pretty much the standard load for match AR's with Wylde or similar chambers.

 

[1stLast&Always]

200 yds would be my max at this time. Will of course be trying different suggestions. We have a lot of flat land here, and a lot of wind.

 

[sloughfoot]

200 yds would be my max at this time. Will of course be trying different suggestions. We have a lot of flat land here, and a lot of wind.

In that case, nothing will group better than a 68/69 grain bullets. Pushed hard.

 

[gmcttr]

1:7.75 Krieger bull barrel blank prepped by Compass Lake Engineering (my old service rifle).

69 gr SMK
24.3 gr VihtaVuori N140
2.255" C.O.A.L

1/2 MOA or better @ 200 yds.

 

[mac45]

My rifle likes the 69gr SMK's over a near max load of Varget
Tried 68gr Hornady's, they didn't shoot bad, but the SMK's were always a little better.
YMMV

 

[Hohn]

I'm looking at N540. That stuff appears to be rocket fuel for heavy .223 loads. At mag length, it's pushing 2760+ with a 77SMK from an 18" WOA .223 Wylde with no pressure signs in some YT guy's rifle.

Vihtavuori load data shows max load with 75gr ELD going nearly 3000fps at mag length (albeit at 25" barrel). Should be 2800 or so from a 20"

 

[natdscott]

What size targets are we talking about?

What do you mean by a 'match' bullet?..Are you going to be shooting in Matches (if so, what?)?

Who's barrel is this?


-Nate

 

[natdscott]

I'm looking at N540. That stuff appears to be rocket fuel for heavy .223 loads.

It is. It's also a GD plasma torch on your barrel. Same can be said for most of the triple-base powders, very much including Alliant 2000-MR (that's rocket fuel).

Just a couple things:

1) my current LR load with the above powder averages 0.0037" throat erosion per hundred rounds. That will wreck the world's best rifle barrel blanks in about 1/2 the normal time.

2) AR-15 .223 loads do not need to be pushed hard to do 99% of tasks do-able by the rifle, and the rifle typically does not shoot very well when loaded at the ragged edge.

Hell, I don't even KNOW exactly what many of my speeds are...I just know that they are moderate loads, and are easy on brass and rifle parts. They also HAMMER. The sheer accuracy of my loads will overcome the edgy extra 75 fps of hot loads all week long and thrice on Sunday.

It is usually better to watch and listen to what the rifle does and tells you than it ever is to read the Internet's bullsh@#$ or treat a chronograph's puke as quantitative gospel.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

I'm looking at N540. That stuff appears to be rocket fuel for heavy .223 loads. At mag length, it's pushing 2760+ with a 77SMK from an 18" WOA .223 Wylde with no pressure signs in some YT guy's rifle.

Vihtavuori load data shows max load with 75gr ELD going nearly 3000fps at mag length (albeit at 25" barrel). Should be 2800 or so from a 20"

We run alot of 540 in 308, excellent powders.

 

[Hohn]

It is. It's also a GD plasma torch on your barrel. Same can be said for most of the triple-base powders, very much including Alliant 2000-MR (that's rocket fuel).

Just a couple things:

1) my current LR load with the above powder averages 0.0037" throat erosion per hundred rounds. That will wreck the world's best rifle barrel blanks in about 1/2 the normal time.

2) AR-15 .223 loads do not need to be pushed hard to do 99% of tasks do-able by the rifle, and the rifle typically does not shoot very well when loaded at the ragged edge.

Hell, I don't even KNOW exactly what many of my speeds are...I just know that they are moderate loads, and are easy on brass and rifle parts. They also HAMMER. The sheer accuracy of my loads will overcome the edgy extra 75 fps of hot loads all week long and thrice on Sunday.

It is usually better to watch and listen to what the rifle does and tells you than it ever is to read the Internet's bullsh@#$ or treat a chronograph's puke as quantitative gospel.

So if one has happy to back down to, say, 2600 or 2650 with a 77gr or 2700 with 69gr, what's the "cool running" powder to use? Single base? Ball? Extruded?

What does one give up to gain the temp stability of many extruded powders? (Other than ease of metering if throwing).

 

[natdscott]

If a guy tells me he needs more from a 77 Sierra than it can do with RE-15 or Varget, I tell him he needs a bigger bullet. Or rifle.

...or he is lying to himself, having spent much time on the Internet for inspiration.

I'm not saying other powders are useless. I'm just saying that these two are so boring in their ability and cost effectiveness that I'd never bother looking further.

 

[sloughfoot]

If a guy tells me he needs more from a 77 Sierra than it can do with RE-15 or Varget, I tell him he needs a bigger bullet. Or rifle.

...or he is lying to himself, having spent much time on the Internet for inspiration.

I'm not saying other powders are useless. I'm just saying that these two are so boring in their ability and cost effectiveness that I'd never bother looking further.

^^^^^Thread closed...

 

[billybob44]

If a guy tells me he needs more from a 77 Sierra than it can do with RE-15 or Varget, I tell him he needs a bigger bullet. Or rifle.

...or he is lying to himself, having spent much time on the Internet for inspiration.

I'm not saying other powders are useless. I'm just saying that these two are so boring in their ability and cost effectiveness that I'd never bother looking further.

I DO know these are not Sierra's BUT??? How about this deal:
Nosler 22 Caliber 77 Grain Custom Competition HPBT Bullets (BLEM) - 100ct
^^^ Looks good to me..Bill.

 

[Sirshredalot]

50g v-max, 24.5gr varget, no crimp, cci primer.
2" group at 300 yards, 6 rounds.

16" faxon pencil weight, 1:8 twist.

God bless
Shred