Not sure if this is the best section in which to ask this, but here goes.

What range of bullets weights should produce the best accuracy at .223 velocities in a 9" and 12" twist barrel, respectively?

Thanks.

Paul

9": 40-69 grains

12" 40- 64 grains

Hey, Ingwe, have you used 60 gr NBT's in a 1 in 12?

1-7 works well for me. What is the gun for??

No doubt good in a 1 - 7, mine is a 1 - 12 No. 1V. Was loading 64 BSB's for Bambi this year and loaded a few 60's to test. Saw the Poobah's post and thought I'd ask. 60's would be for coyotes or, heck, just for fun.

3 pigs fell to the 75 grain Swift last year, 1 10 point to the 62 grain TSX the year before. Of course some know nothing will post "the 70TSX is what you need" to which those who actually shoot animals will respond 53 grain tSX works just fine on deer, aim for the shoulder.

Mostly targets/fun.

Not one gun, two bolt rifles.

Don't have a 1-7, so not relevant for me. Want to start on the right track with each, so I don't have to try too many different bullets, scarce and $$ as they are.

Paul

for fun the Sierra's are hard to beat accuracy wise.

Yep.


Travis

Which ones, accuracy wise?

Thanks again.

Paul

52's will most likely shoot great out of both of them.



Travis

Yes. Worked well...

Many thanks.

70 Speers will stabilize in 12"

Consider weight after length. Longer needs a quicker twist. Often heavier is longer, but that doesn't always hold true.....like in the case of the 70 Speers.

I don't get as serious about twist as some of you but when Ingwe says he shoots 60's out of a 1/12 and Mike NZ says 70 Speers will stabilize in a 12" twist, why would you want a 1/7 or 1/8? I'm thinking a 1/9 or 10 would be more than adequate and middle of the road.

I know the Army went to a 1/7 about 30 years ago but that was to shoot 62 grain steel core bullets. I do have one rifle that is a 1/8 but it does not shoot any better than one I have a 1/10 both shooting 60 grain Hornadays. Both rifles are completely different so that might be why.

I guess that's why we have a forum to discuss things like this. To each his own.

kwg

I just have 1-7's as that is what is usually provided with a 5.56 chamber. Thus you can get a scooch more powder in the case. I have had 1-12, 1-9, 1-7, and 1-12 would definitely keyhole ss109 greentip.

Probably because they don't charge more for the 1-7 over say a 1-9?

SOME bullets that you'd not think would stabilize in the 1-10/12 twist do but not all of them.

With a 1-7 - you get all of them.

50 gr v-max should work very well in either barrel. I've shot them out of 1-12 bolt gun and 1-7, 1-8 and 1-9 AR's, as well as a 1-14 221 f-ball. Very accurate in all the barrels.

64 grainers in a 1 in 12.....

50 vMax 1 in 12 twist...

What he said - length really does matter

The 63 gr Sierra Semi Point is short for it's weight, maybe a little shorter than a 50 gr V-Max. They're not designed to be a target bullet but they're not bad in my 1-12 Model 70 223 Sporter.

All my varmint rifles now use 1:9" twist for .223 Remington and .22-250 Remington. Good for 50 grain Barnes Varmint Grenade. Photo below 1:9" twist, 10 shots, 100 yards:



1:9" or 1:8.5" for .204 Ruger - shoots 24 grain Hornady NTX and 26 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades, 32 grain Nosler BT lead Free, Hornady 40 grain V-Max up to 55 grain Berger HPBT. Photo below shows a 10 shot group from a Hart 1:9" .204 Barrel, rifle is converted from semi-auto with no gas port. Now if I could just learn to shoot!



Below a 10 shot group with the now discontinued Berger 50 grain .204 in a 1:8.5: twist, this barrel shoots the 26 grain Barnes Varmint Grenade in the .25" to .30" range depending on if I'm having a good day. A load of 25.0 Varget is a bit more accurate, but I'm too lazy to scan it.



1:8" twist for everything in 6mm. If it shoots the 62 grain Barnes Varmint Grenade (.975" long) it will shoot any 6mm heavy bullet and most lighter ones too. Group below is 1:8" twist, the rifle is accurate, the shooter a bit shaky.



All my rifles must now shoot lead free bullets, which tend to be longer and lighter than lead core, because I live in California. Although I must admit that the lead free varmint bullets are accurate, maybe more so than lead core stuff.

They expand to different ranges. Off the top of my head, the little ones expand to about 250, the 62 at 325 and the 70 expands to 400.

Numbers from a 20" barrel.