Originally Posted by Hook
Was out playing with my AR earlier this week. It has an upper built by a buddy that is a 16", 1/9 twist, with a 223 Wilde chamber. Over the 2 years I've had it, it has just impressed me as a good fun gun, usually getting around 1.5 MOA more or less. All my shooting with it has been with 50 and 55 gr bullets, with one attempt with 64 gr WWs. It didn't like te 64 grainers at all.

Because of the tighter twist, I decided to try some other heavier bullets. Unfortunately, because of the shortages, I am down to just 55 grainers and one box of these:

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


I don't know where they came from, probably some long ago trade or group purchase, but they've been sitting there for years. Anyhoo, I loaded up a handful to try. The first three shot group went into 0.33". Subsequent groups were 0.67", 0.98", and 0.6". They only clocked in at 2660 fps but were dang sho shooting close.

Here is the question....has anyone used these things and will they expand on a deer? I called Nosler yesterday and the technician could not find this bullet in any of the catalogs or sales materials he had on hand. Since they only went back to 1975 or so, he thinks the bullet was probably from the 60s when they were making them by hand.

The box refers to them as 'Solid Base' and not 'Match' so it really doesn't help much. Unless I can get definitive information on how well they will expand on a deer, I'll either pass using them or only take head or CNS shots. I'd hate to shoot a deer in the boiler room and have it just pencil through or explode on the rib cage.

It's newer than the sixties and I'm pretty sure it's Nosler's take on a hpbt match bullet. I don't have my old Nosler manual handy to check. What it will do in flesh I can't say.