Why no love for the 55 gr a soft point?

FWIW, I'm still learning this predator hunting thing - still deciding where to set up stands, how to get to them, which rifle to use (and which ammo to use)...the list goes on.

My AR plinking load uses Hornady 55gr SP's (w/cannelure) and I keep around 1500 of 'em loaded at all times. I haven't had time to pattern my shotgun with any decent coyote loads and thought about using my 223 SBR for shorter range stands. I emailed Hornady to see what the velocity threshold was for proper expansion of the 55gr SP (w/cannelure). Hornady assured me that this bullet is made with a thin jacket and would expand down to 1650fps. Just FYI for those considering this projectile.
 
I have to add to the Hornady 55 gr. SP w/C love. I buy them by the pile, and load them as my SHTF ammo supply, plinking ammo, and if things get dry, hunting ammo. They shoot accurately in several ARs, and one Tikka T3.

I am also a fan of Hornady 50 gr. VMax, and Nosler 55 gr. BTs, in developed loads for several .22 cal rifles, but I will never be without a pile of 55 gr. SP .223 Rem. ammo, and a pile of new Hornady 55 gr SPs, for an ammo refresh.

Squeeze
 
Originally Posted By: pahntr760Originally Posted By: Matlock
I suppose that's part of why/how Sierra justifies charging double what everyone else does for the same bullet. OK, I don't want to start a war. No one is arguing the quality Sierra pumps out. It's good to see people like you have done the actual research.

What the heck are you talking about? What bullet does Sierra charge double for over a comparable Hornady or Nosler, or...?


You're right... I should have clarified: charging double what I want to pay
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Originally Posted By: ackleyman I don't know how this bullet would react to a fast twist, I shot thousands in 12 and 14 twists. Accuracy of this 55g blitz lead tip is something you will just have to see for yourself...Sierra quality control in jacket uniformity is worth paying for.

I know how they work in an 8 twist barrel 220 Swift. They vaporize about 15 feet out past the end of the barrel.
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The best I can get is moa with 55 gr. spire point. I can tighten it up to half that with v max. Today I bought 200 Nosler 55 gr. varmageddon to see what they will do. The price is right but twice as much as soft points.
 
Originally Posted By: Smackem223The best I can get is moa with 55 gr. spire point. I can tighten it up to half that with v max. Today I bought 200 Nosler 55 gr. varmageddon to see what they will do. The price is right but twice as much as soft points.

I shot a lot of 3 and 5 shot groups in the .1s with the 55 Varmageddon tipped during load development. They are an exceptional performer on paper and furred animals. I finished off that box of 100 and bought 4 250 count boxes as well as 5 boxes of their loaded ammo to use in a pinch.
 
Originally Posted By: MatlockOriginally Posted By: ackleymanThese posts are great for bringing out various hunters experiences.

RPMs are highly underrated in getting a particular bullet to shed it's jacket.

Benchmark loves the cci 450 primer.

read my posts on benchmark and 55's.

Antimony of the core is of a major importance! Cores are not pure lead!

How about Benchmark and Remington 7.5's?

I load at the rifle range, 7.5's were 1/2"-5/8". When I put the cci 450 in, glory...bug hole groups...time after time. I am not the only one that has found this to be true!
 
Originally Posted By: MatlockOriginally Posted By: steve garrett
a couple years ago I ground every 22 cal bullet I had to see what they looked like internally. without question every sierra bullet I cut open had the thickest jackets. about twice the thickness of the vmaxes. IMO in 22 caliber Sierra has you covered from top to bottom on coyote bullets. running a fast 22-250 try the 50 and 55 grain soft points. running something medium go with the HP's running slower yet like a 20" or less barreled ar 15, then go with the 50 or 55 grain blitzking.


I suppose that's part of why/how Sierra justifies charging double what everyone else does for the same bullet. OK, I don't want to start a war. No one is arguing the quality Sierra pumps out. It's good to see people like you have done the actual research.

Sierra's Blitz kings, 52 and 53g match, 55g BTHP, and 55g bt sp all have jackets that are sorted for concentricity. These bullets are MATCH grade bullets just like Berger. You pay a tad extra for the high quality jacket quality control. Sierra is very secretive on how they put the plastic tips in the bullets, that room is sealed off and only authorized persons get to enter that room.

So, don't think that you are buying a sloppy production bullet when you buy the bullets mentioned above, and stock up if you ever see them on sale.
 
Originally Posted By: Lazerus
Your logic is flawed. It makes PERFECT sense to buy an activity specific bullet. That is why they make them.

69 gr match kings are GREAT for banging steel at longer distances, but horrible for coyotes.



Thank you! No one seems to realize bullets have different purposes. There is a mentality of pick the highest BC match bullet available for everything and that is not the correct way of picking a bullet.

Where I hunt that 69 gr bullet has a good chance of a ricochet around livestock and buildings.
 
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Originally Posted By: ackleymanOriginally Posted By: MatlockOriginally Posted By: ackleymanThese posts are great for bringing out various hunters experiences.

RPMs are highly underrated in getting a particular bullet to shed it's jacket.

Benchmark loves the cci 450 primer.

read my posts on benchmark and 55's.

Antimony of the core is of a major importance! Cores are not pure lead!

How about Benchmark and Remington 7.5's?

I load at the rifle range, 7.5's were 1/2"-5/8". When I put the cci 450 in, glory...bug hole groups...time after time. I am not the only one that has found this to be true!

Thanks, ackleyman!
 
Originally Posted By: ackleymanOriginally Posted By: MatlockOriginally Posted By: ackleymanThese posts are great for bringing out various hunters experiences.

RPMs are highly underrated in getting a particular bullet to shed it's jacket.

Benchmark loves the cci 450 primer.

read my posts on benchmark and 55's.

Antimony of the core is of a major importance! Cores are not pure lead!

How about Benchmark and Remington 7.5's?

I load at the rifle range, 7.5's were 1/2"-5/8". When I put the cci 450 in, glory...bug hole groups...time after time. I am not the only one that has found this to be true!

Do you find this to be true with other powders as well or just the Benchmark? How about varget or 8208? Any improvement/diminishment from 7.5s to 450s?
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdadOriginally Posted By: Lazerus

Your logic is flawed. It makes PERFECT sense to buy an activity specific bullet. That is why they make them.

69 gr match kings are GREAT for banging steel at longer distances, but horrible for coyotes.


Ill take all your 55gr soft points if you don't want them. They are great bullets for any kind of use from 300 yds on in, which is 99% of my shooting



Yet Amax, Vmax and Berger VLD are great for both. I would much rather have a high BC, accurate, consistent bullet that kills than a super effective killer that shoots OK, and falls apart at anything past 300yd. High BC "target" bullets are very efficient killers at any range.

Everyone's priorities are different...I have 6 or 7 thousand 55gr SPs that have been sitting on my shelf for years, while I buy through better bullets.
 
Hi guys, I am a newbi. I am 59 years old and have been shooting the 220-S sense I was 14. I also have a 220-AI. when I wanted to find the bullet with the best terminal ballistics I would shoot a block of clay! just dig some up, put it in a 5gal pal and shoot it at what ever range you normally shoot. this way you can see what happens when it hits something soft and gooey. you will be surprised at the result? and it's fun to!
 
Originally Posted By: topend this way you can see what happens when it hits something soft and gooey. you will be surprised at the result? and it's fun to!

Hey Topend. Welcome to the forum.

I like to shoot things that are soft. Soft things that live in holes and have whiskers. And after they come in contact with my own personal .220 Swift they are plenty gooey then!
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Originally Posted By: ackleyman

You may want to try this load:

New Lake City brass
cci 450-very important for accuracy
25.2-27.0g of Benchmark, stop where you see pressue
Seat the bullets to kiss the lands
55g Hornady

Bushmaster bull bbl stainless, with 6.5x20 shoots 24-25.2g into tiny groups with the 55g Hornady...AMAZING!

Remington sps stainless 223 with 27g of benchmark, cci 450, bullet kissing lands is 3/8" and under, 3500 fps
Work up to this load in your rifle, Rem's are 12 twist, 8 and9" twist will jack up the pressure and you may not be able
to approach this load. 55g Sierra lead tip blitz blows a coyote all to pieces with this load, 12and 14 Slow twist only.

is that a straight up 223 or a 223 ackley?
 
Thanks Rustydust, good hummer. I like your pic, 705 that's a long walk. great shot! I recently popped a crow at 325y. I was shooting at water bottles full of tannerite on a 350y range with my 220-AI and it got in the way? oops. Last summer I took a 900y shot at a Farrel cat, well i missed, 4" low. lucky cat?
 
As far as 55gr. soft points, the hornaday heavy jacket not the bulk ones have the best penetration, they flatten out to about the size of a dime! so far I have not had to make a follow up shot using these on a coyote? I stopped using hollow points on larger game! hope this helps.
 
Originally Posted By: LazerusOriginally Posted By: ackleymanOriginally Posted By: MatlockOriginally Posted By: ackleymanThese posts are great for bringing out various hunters experiences.

RPMs are highly underrated in getting a particular bullet to shed it's jacket.

Benchmark loves the cci 450 primer.

read my posts on benchmark and 55's.

Antimony of the core is of a major importance! Cores are not pure lead!

How about Benchmark and Remington 7.5's?

I load at the rifle range, 7.5's were 1/2"-5/8". When I put the cci 450 in, glory...bug hole groups...time after time. I am not the only one that has found this to be true!

Do you find this to be true with other powders as well or just the Benchmark? How about varget or 8208? Any improvement/diminishment from 7.5s to 450s?



this preference for the cci 450 I would say is characteristic of Remington 700's in a 223 with a 12" twist, this load is awesome in many remingtons, and the 53g V max makes it a tad better if your barrel likes them. I just like the tougher 55's for coyotes.
 
Originally Posted By: cowpokeOriginally Posted By: ackleyman

You may want to try this load:

New Lake City brass
cci 450-very important for accuracy
25.2-27.0g of Benchmark, stop where you see pressue
Seat the bullets to kiss the lands
55g Hornady

Bushmaster bull bbl stainless, with 6.5x20 shoots 24-25.2g into tiny groups with the 55g Hornady...AMAZING!

Remington 223 sps stainless 223 with 27g of benchmark, cci 450, bullet kissing lands is 3/8" and under, 3500 fps
Work up to this load in your rifle, Rem's are 12 twist, 8 and9" twist will jack up the pressure and you may not be able
to approach this load. 55g Sierra lead tip blitz blows a coyote all to pieces with this load, 12and 14 Slow twist only.

is that a straight up 223 or a 223 ackley?

this 27g load is what we found in 223 Rem 700's with a 12T, guys in different states are using it, stock factory guns, sps sporters and VSSF's.

Note the difference with the Bushmaster SS heavy barrel load(24.2-25.2g 9" Twist), that bushmaster shoots like a benchrest rifle, with a JP trigger and Leupold 6.5x20.
 
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Originally Posted By: topendAs far as 55gr. soft points, the hornaday heavy jacket not the bulk ones have the best penetration, they flatten out to about the size of a dime! so far I have not had to make a follow up shot using these on a coyote? I stopped using hollow points on larger game! hope this helps.

specifically which bullet is this?
 
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