Best bullet for .223 with a twist rate of 1 in 9

J

JBinMontana

New member
Well this next week my 24" bull barrel will be here, and I'm gonna be reloading quite a few empties that I have. Need so help determining the best bullet weight for a 1 in 9 twist rate.

I have not decided on powder yet, so if you got that information I would really appreciate some heads up.

My uncle has been loading for his Remington bolt in .223 but I believe the barrel twist are a bit differant. So I want to get the best information that I can here from you guy's.

Thanks
Jon
 
Last edited:
Jon, I have a 1/12 twist Remington 700 that handles 40-60gr bullets really well, so it's going to be what you intend to use them on..The performance on the target will really be what your choice boils down to..and shooting conditions will also be a factor..Heavier bullets tend to buck the wind a little better, but lighter ones can be pushed a little faster.

For powders, I depend a lot on Winchester 748 and a couple from Ramshot (X-Terminator & TAC)...The most accurate for me will be from .4-.7gr below published "max" loads...depending on the rifle...
 
OldTurtle thanks for your input....

My uncle has been loading a 60-gr bullet for his Remington 700 as well with great accuracy. My intensions are for varmint and preditors, mainly preditors though.
 
Last edited:
The 1-12 i had shot hornady 60gr sp so well i never looked for another bullet.
My favorite load now is 60 v-max with a case full of varget.
 
For Predators,,, do your self a favor and get some Sierra 55gr GameKings #1390... Very accurate, really hammers Coyotes at 223 Velocities, and is about as "Fur Friendly" as a 22cal bullet gets..
For Rodents,,, the V-Max is hard to beat for "Splat Factor" and fairly economical to load when ya buy em in volume..

I tend to go a little against the current trends,, and like to shoot the heaviest bullet a given barrel (read twist) will stabilize.. Some say "just get the fastest twist made and shoot everything from ten to one hundred grains" but competition shooters will disagree with that theory... JMO!!!

I sold Turtle his 223. The heaviest bullet I could get to stabilize in the 12 twist was the 60V-Max's he talked about.
I loaded em with Benchmark and even sold him a couple hundred loaded rounds at the time. He's sold on the Ramshot powders, but I'll bet he goes to the Benchmark loads I worked up for the gun when it's all said and done..
grin.gif


Good Luck
Charlie
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: OldTurtleJon, I have a 1/12 twist Remington 700 that handles 40-60gr bullets really well, so it's going to be what you intend to use them on..The performance on the target will really be what your choice boils down to..and shooting conditions will also be a factor..Heavier bullets tend to buck the wind a little better, but lighter ones can be pushed a little faster.

For powders, I depend a lot on Winchester 748 and a couple from Ramshot (X-Terminator & TAC)...The most accurate for me will be from .4-.7gr below published "max" loads...depending on the rifle...

+1 on the bullet weights and powder choices...
I shoot the Sierra #1390 with 3031 or X-term and get a dime size hole at 100yds now out of my 700 SPS Varmint.
 
My rifle with a 1-12 bull barrel shoots Hornady 55 gr sxsp bullets with 27.5 grains of varget better than anything I have tried.
 
Last edited:
I did a test recently with the Hornady 55g sp with the crimping groove against a Berger 52g in a custom 223 with a Max heavy varmint, minimimum spec match chamber. I was shooting very tiny groups with both bullets.

Needless to say, the 55g Hornady's ogive lengths were very uniform, also. Makes me wish that I had bought a case of 5000 of these bullets. Years ago, I found the 55g Hornady's to be a little "tougher" than the ballistic tip bullets, and they gave much better penetration on quartering shots on yotes.

You just don't expect a cheap "bulk" bullet to group in the low 2's.
 
I also like the 55 grain spsx, and the 50 grain spsx too. There are alot of good powders for the 223 but I like 748, Benchmark, Varget, and AA2230.
 
JB,
My load for my CZ .223 which is 1-12 twist is the following and it shoots really great..26 gr. 4895 with 50 gr. Nosler Spitzer Ballistic tip. the orange tip ones. My OAL is 2.280 but that may change for your gun.
I really wanted to shoot the 60 gr, bullets but the 1-12 twist will not stabilze them. Groups opened up to 3 or 4 inches at 100 yds. However the 50 Gr. stays under an inch 98% of the time. BTW I only neck size for my CZ.
 
One guy who has the very same barrel I am getting reports:

Quote:My H&R bull barrel was a confirmed 1 in 9 and loved the Horanady TAP 75 gr load , Not only did it religiously print dime sized groups at 100 .. That load did excellent on game , But again i spent the time and money experimenting with those 223s to find what it liked in the realm of what i wanted the wepon to be capable of using ... This may not perform in yours like it did mine , That is just barrels being barrels.

So the testing will begin when I get my barrel.
 
I have a RRAs Coyote with 1-9" twist BBL Just yesterday I hammered a huge 50 LB + Nevada coyote. I was shooting 27.2 ( Work up to that load)grs of Varget behind a 65gr Sierra Game King. That bullet just about de-gutted that coyote at 75 yds.
 
I have 2 FP10s in .223 with the 1/9 twist.
I use a 50 & 55 gr vmax in front of 27gr W748.
Both put them under a nickel at 100 and closer to a dime.
I also use h335 & varget, they both are accurate powders and shoot the same holes.
 
I'm still wondering how so many "answers" can be derived from such a vague question. So I must ask, best bullet for doing what? It kinda matters, you know........
 
1:9 should shoot pretty much everything pretty well. I've had two which shot the old discontinued Barnes 40 grn Varminators VERY well and they also shot the 60 grn sierra varminter HP's well.

My recomendation goes to the Sierra 60 grain varminter. With 25 grains of Benchmark this is an outstanding load. My bushy will give dime sized groups as did my D-Tech My buddies kit gun was 1" or a little better as well.

It's a coyote stomper too. Anyways good luck.
 
Am I missing something here? How did we get from the original twist rate 1-9 question to responses that all talk about best loads for a 1-12 twist rate?
 
Back
Top