Has anyone loaded the Nosler 80gr CC in .223 Rem for ARs? Like everyone else I'm having a hard time getting components and have a line on these. I'm concerned it will seat the ogive below the case mouth and might have feeding issues.
Thanks,
Keith
See replies RE double post, in the competition threads.....
You will need to make sure you have a fast twist barrel 7 or 8 twist or you will not stabilize a 80 grain bullet.
A lot of AR's have a 9 or slower twist barrel for 55 to 62 grain bullets.
Are you going to load your rounds one at a time? As the longest bullet I have used in the magazine is 75 grains without loosing to much powder capacity or cause feeding issues. Loading a 80 grain bullet where it will feed in a magazine will really take up valuable powder capacity in the .223Rem case.
My barrel is fast enough. Just didn't know if it is substantially longer than the 77gr SMK which will load at mag length.
FWIW, those not in the know, a FULL 9 twist will stabilize the 80s all day long out of a 20 inch barrel with a top end load. Most say it won't but thats because they read and don't try...
A good friend of ours on our shooting team purposely barrels his ARs with 20 inch 9 twist and shoots 80s about every weekend out to 600 if not beyond at times.
It actually takes more twist by a hair to stabilize a 77 due to the length of bullet etc...... at least thats what I"m told by those in the know, I don't have to worry as when I shoot 223 AR, I run 6.5 twist barrels and if I drop any its only to a 7 twist.
Jeff, I never tried a 1-9 twist on bullets that heavy, I do know a 1-12 will not stabilize the SS1079 green tip bullets. I am surprised to learn the 1-9 will stabilize an 80 grain bullet.
The Nosler 80 is a lot longer than a Sierra 77. It's about the same length as a Sierra 80. In fact, it's pretty much a clone.
Like I said, what I"ve heard on the 77 vs 80, thats the only thing I have not tried because I don't run the ragged edge on stabilization, I err to the other side. On that side I know that a 6.5 twist can still shoot a 52bthp SMK...
This reminds me of the Hornady 80gr bullet Fin, Fur & Feather had a few years ago. They were built like the 75gr BTHP & Sierra 77s, not like an AMAX or a Sierra 80. So their length was about midway between the 75 BTHP & the Sierra 80.
Great idea, right? Well, no. They didn't go over because even with the better BC than the 75 & 77, they intruded into the case capacity so much they couldn't get the velocity necessary to be superior to those bullets. In the end, they were ballistically inferior.
Fin Fur & Feather eventually put them out at a fire sale price.
of course OTOH you can run a 75 amax fast enough, with a high enough BC< that its worth the hassle at the time.
I don't recall if the 77 sierras were out yet then. The 75 H bthp didn't take pressure on the base well at all and hence an ok bullet but had to be driven slowly.
Of course I've also hunted with cup and core bullets when I didn't have Barnes handy... so sometimes we do what we have to, to continue to shoot.
Yes, the 77s had been out for years when the FF&F 80 BTHP came out.