Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles .224 60-64 grain optimum twist rate

I am going to replace the barrel on my 223 bolt action. I plan on shooting 60-64 grain mostly and some 52-55 grain and want to hear about the best twist rate for those bullets. Right now, I have a 1-12 twist that’s the original factory target/varmint contour 24" model 700 barrel. I have other AR rifles and load only 69 grain. I used those 69 grain once in my 1-12 twist and they were stabilized, at least at 200 yards and 5300' elevation so maybe 1-12" should work. I have looked into it and it looks like 1-10 should be good. Are there any 1-11 twists out there? Or something unusual like a 1-10.5", 10.75", 11.25"? I just want to make sure I get the right barrel and not just go with 1-9" like everyone else because I may shoot some 52-55 grain bullets since they’re cheap.

The 1:9" barrel of my 223 shoots 50-55 grain bullets great. 40 grain Ballistic Tips as well. Don't worry about it.

This is a horse that has been beat to death numerous times. Go 1 in 7 or 1 in 8, 1 in 9 at the slowest.

You’re suffering from Oldthink. Benchrest shooters might think in terms of optimum twist, the rest of us mostly go for a twist that will stabilize anything we might want to shoot now or down the road and that will fit in our magazine. I might tolerate a pokey twist for the sake of some nifty old rifle, but if I were re-barreling, 1-8” would be the slowest I'd consider. Bullets are better and one doesn’t have to worry about overspinning unbalanced ones as before.

I agree with Pappy348.

A 9 twist will shoot those 52-55 just fine.

My Ruger is a 9 twist and shoots 40 grain Sierra Blitzkings down around 1/2".

I have 1in8, but only shoot 62 grain Bear Claws. It works well for those.

The only thing a slow twist does well is limit you to a certain bullet weight. Oh no, now I've done it. Now those benchresters are going to come in with their sandy mangina's and panties in a bunch.. God help us all...

1 in 8 or 1 in 9

Thanks for the replies. I guess I’m overthinking it. It seems like if the fast twist barrels can take anything you want, it would be better to discontinue the slow twists because they are so limiting. It just makes more sense for a rifle to be able to shoot 40-85 grain bullets with no issues across the board from light to heavy. It would seem to make financial sense for manufacturers too to be able to sell a do all rifle. Also the fact that a 55 grain bullet at 3300 revs per second for 1-12 performs the same as 4400 revs per second in 1-9.

I would go 1-11 or 1-12. I prefer shooting the 50 grain SPSX and 50 grain TNT bullets in my .22 centerfires. They will stand up to 1-14" in .22-250 or .220 Swift unless you've got a rough throat. Same for 1-12" at .223 speed. Trying to run them with a faster twist leads to either downloading or a good percentage of bullets that don't make it to the target. I have no earthly need for anything faster than a 1-9" twist in a .22. I have other guns for those uses .. 6.5 PRC, for example.

You CLUELESS Fhuqktards are a hoot! Hint.

Starting velocity,isn't impact velocity. Read that again. Now one more time. Hint.

I only have 223 Boltguns in 7,7.7,8,9,10,12 and 14" RPM. There's yet another Custom 7",in this pile of Mail. Hint.

Pass the 88's and hold The Fluff. Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!................

JFC… it isn’t even debatable, 1:8 at minimum.

There isn't many bullets a 1 in 8 won't stabilize... so I agree 100 % with JackMountain...

For an 85 or 90 grain bullet I'd just go with a 6mm or 243 of some flavor...

Recently put a 6 x 45 barrel on a Savage Action, and it was ordered with a 1 in 8 twist from Douglas..

Contour is heavy barrel, 20 inch length....

I am with TOM. Why pick a twist that I will never use the correct bullets for. I went the 1-8 twice. Never again. If I want to shoot 75 plus bullets with will be with a 6mm or above.

How well did your 1-12 twist barrel shoot? If you are not planning to shoot anything bigger than 64 grains a 1-9 works pretty good. I did over spin some 55 gr. Hornady SX bullets a while back out of a 1-7. If your plan is under 300 yard target shooting and Coyotes then a 1-9 is just fine. I used 1-14 and 1-12 twist barrels for many years and didn't ever have a reason not to like them.

My 1-12 shot good for a long time. All I ever shot were 52-55 grain and nothing else. Occasionally I would fire some TSX and 60 grain Berger as the biggest bullets and they did fine. Even the 69 grain held stabilization. The reason I want to use 60-64 grain is that I still like 3000 fps and I have a 6mm ppc for 75-90 grain bullets when I feel the desire and I have a K Hornet for 36-45 grain. I love .224 caliber rifles and see getting more in the future, so I’m by no means done after this. The groups are starting to open up a little and it’s the original barrel from the mid 90s that I shoot once or twice a week. I have been talking to many others for close to a year about it and I think I will put a 1-10 twist on it. It will be sent away next week.

What are the correct bullet weights for a 1-8" twist barrel?

I have 223 barrels with 1 in 9 and 1 in 8 twists... they digest most 22 caliber bullets from 35 grains to 80 grains with zero problems... only ones I've had problems with were the fragile bullets.. like the Hornady SPSX for example....

almost all others work just fine...