24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,797
dsink Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,797
Ok, I stuck a new 1/8 twist Bison Armory 18" barrel on my 223 AR. I am wanting to work up a load using one of the heavier bullets + 60 gr. Mainly will be used for punching holes in paper and shooting at some steel.

Whats every ones opinion on the best bullet/powder combo? I have looked at the 77gr Sierra or 75gr Hornady match bullets but I am wide open to suggestions.

Thanks

ARIC

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,448
Campfire Regular
Online Content
Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,448
Can't go wrong with either bullet. The 77 or the 75, see which bullet the barrel likes best and roll with it.


All the best things in life, live on the other side off fear.

The true eye sees not the despair of its victims, only the elegance of equilibrium. It's a demonstration of superior judgment.
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,621
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,621
The 69gr and 77gr SMK seem to be easier to load for, they have a more forgiving design, but you pay for it. Nosler makes a similar match bullet but my experience has shown them to not be as accurate as the Sierras or Hornadys. The Hornady 75gr HPBT is my favorite. While not as forgiving, they can still be very accurate and cost a good bit less than the sierras. They also work well as a hunting bullet.

From my 18" 1/7 twist Douglas SPR barrel I typically get 3/4" groups at 100 yards and less than 4" groups at 400 with the Hornady 75gr. Velocity is 2750fps. For the money, they are a great bullet.


John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,368
R
Campfire Kahuna
Online Content
Campfire Kahuna
R
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,368
I have realized the 75 bthp can not take a hard kick in the rump and stay accurate. In none of our guns.

But if max MV doesn't matter to you accurately, I ran the 75s a bit slower, I don't recall how much, but likely 75 or 100 fps slower than I could have, and they were ok.

69s always shot better than 68s in my guns also.

77s could be really good or not depending on the barrels.

73 bergers were just super accuarte out of every tube but they may not be what you want or need.


We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,797
dsink Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,797
Thanks for the replays so far. Thats what I am looking for. Mainly looking for a cheaper bullet to send out of the AR. As much as I love Bergers, I don't see much need for them for my use in the AR.

What powders are you guys finding work good with the heavies?

IC B2

Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,621
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,621
Originally Posted by dsink

What powders are you guys finding work good with the heavies?


TAC, Varget, RL-15, and IMR8208.

TAC has worked well with the 75's in my guns. 24gr of it has been accurate in several barrels.

Varget works extremely well with the 77 SMK's but the velocity isn't quite as good.


John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,806
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,806
Add CFE223, N140/540, H4895, and Lever has shown some promise.


Islam is a terrorist organization.

Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 13,205
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 13,205
Originally Posted by wareagle700
Originally Posted by dsink

What powders are you guys finding work good with the heavies?


TAC, Varget, RL-15, and IMR8208.

TAC has worked well with the 75's in my guns. 24gr of it has been accurate in several barrels.

Varget works extremely well with the 77 SMK's but the velocity isn't quite as good.


I would add H4895 to that list as well. CFE223 was a disappointment for me.

I had better luck with the Sierra 69's and 77's than the Hornady bullets.



Let's Go Brandon! FJB
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 23,564
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 23,564
Originally Posted by wareagle700


TAC, Varget, RL-15, and IMR8208.


Varget works extremely well with the 77 SMK's but the velocity isn't quite as good.


TAC is/has been virtually unobtainable for a long time, so I've scratched it...........

Add RL-15 which performs almost identically to Varget but usually with a little higher velocity, AR Comp, MR 2000 & H4895.

I usually stop with IMR8208 at the 69 gr bullet level; it's accuracy is always very good but the pressure seems to get too high before the velocity equals the others with the heavier bullets.

MM


Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 5,572
C
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
C
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 5,572
Powder valley has TAC


She never made it past the bedroom door, what was she aiming for...?
She's gone shootin..
IC B3

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,368
R
Campfire Kahuna
Online Content
Campfire Kahuna
R
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 57,368
cheap bullets... look and see if you can find armscorp... I think they may have a heavy.

If not 68 Hornady. Or 63 sierra semi point, 64 WW power points, 60 sierra flat base HPs.

Or go down to any of the RP/WW type bulk bullets in anythign but FMJ....


We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 23,564
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 23,564
W/o getting into FMJ's in bulk from an offshore source, the Hornady 68 & 75's a re about as cheap as you will get for a halfway decent bullet.

The 60 grain Nosler BT or the Win 64 gr PP are both decent & not too expensive but are still more than either of the Hornady's............at least at the prices I have been able to find.

MM

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,822
A
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
A
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 19,822
Originally Posted by rost495
...If not 68 Hornady. Or 63 sierra semi point, 64 WW power points, 60 sierra flat base HPs.


63 gr Sierra LINK

60 gr Sierra HP LINK

62 gr Bonded SP LINK

Just a few suggestions.

BTW, I just bought 1,000 of the 62gr bonded bullets. They sure look like Nosler Accubonds to me.

Ed


"Not in an open forum, where truth has less value than opinions, where all opinions are equally welcome regardless of their origins, rationale, inanity, or truth, where opinions are neither of equal value nor decisive." Ken Howell



Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,797
dsink Offline OP
Campfire Regular
OP Offline
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,797
Thanks for all the input.

Looking at my powder stock, im good on powder and have a few boxes of bullets on hand to play with.

Now I just need to find time to get to the loading bench.

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,755
Y
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
Y
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,755
You could try the 65gr SGK as well. Sometimes it shoots better for me than the 69gr SMK, pushed to max velocity with AA 2230 or 2460.

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,267
F
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
F
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,267
I have had good luck with the 75 gr Hornady and the 77 gr tmk with CFE 223, A2230 and A2460 has worked best with the 69 gr tmk, for some reason the 77 gr Noslers don't shoot well with CFE.


Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
665 members (163bc, 06hunter59, 09wingates, 007FJ, 160user, 76 invisible), 2,682 guests, and 1,195 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,605
Posts18,398,346
Members73,817
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.154s Queries: 14 (0.003s) Memory: 0.8657 MB (Peak: 0.9781 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 13:46:25 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS