Questions about best weight bullet for .223 rifle.

[Kermit2]

I've purchased a new Ruger Hawkeye compact rifle. It is stainless with a laminate stock. It has a 16.5" barrel with a 1 in 9 RH twist according to specs.

I know there are many knowledgeable reloaders on this site, and am seeking some advice as to the best weight bullet for this barrel length and twist rate. I have a good supply of 55 grain .224 bullets on hand that I use to reload for another rifle. I was hoping that these bullets might work well with this barrel / twist combination also.

Also, any recommendations as to what might be the best powder for for this application. I have H4895 on hand, and have had good results using it in .204 and .222 rifles.

Thank you for all advice. It is appreciated.

[Garyshome]

The 55's are good for a 1 in 9. As far as powder goes you might have to use what you have depending on availability. Tac, H335, H322, I have been using H380. Load data for 4895 Hodgdon actually list 23 grains to start and 26.2 grains maximum, with a Winchester case and a Winchester WSR primer 55 grain Speer bullet.

[Tatume]

H4895 is an excellent powder for the 223 Remington. Use it, you'll see.

[Screwbolts]

Kermit2, I am successfully loading and shooting from 47 to 78 gr cast from 1x9 barrels. Your powder will work fine IMHO.

your rifle will let you know what it likes best.

Ken

[Jupiter7]

Really can't expand here. H4895 works great with 55's in 1/9twist barrels. I'd load one up to mag length to see what that is before loading off the lands. You may actually have a very accurate rifle on your hands.

[Kermit2]

I also discovered a stash of 50 grain bullets that I'd forgotten. I'm guessing these would work pretty well also. Any thoughts on these? Thanks

[Tatume]

I also discovered a stash of 50 grain bullets that I'd forgotten. I'm guessing these would work pretty well also. Any thoughts on these? Thanks

My favorite 223 bullet is the Sierra 50 grain Blitz (not Blitz King). Extremely accurate and destructive, I use them on groundhogs.

[wordsmith]

The most usable range of bullet weights for a 1:9 is 50-70 grains based on stability. For a 16" barrel, you'll find best accuracy at top velocities (harmonic nodes) with 55 and 68 grain bullets. Your 55 grainer's will work very well, if a little "overstabilized".

H4895 is a top choice for the 55 grainers - excellent clean burn (98.2% in Quickload) and very consistent. I found optimum accuracy at 26.0 grains, 55 Hornady SPFB, 2.200" COAL, LC/WCC brass - WARNING: THIS IS FULL POWER 223 LOAD (55k PSI) - WORK UP FROM A 10% REDUCED STARTING LOAD.

Ramshot TAC is another great choice, although the burn rate is more appropriate for the 68 grainers. I have found it to be more sensitive to ambient temperature changes than H4895, but still very useable. Just make sure you allow more "cushion" with TAC, and load development is best done in warm weather to ensure safe loads for all conditions.

[DR Owl Creek]

I would suggest buying a few boxes of factory ammo in different bullet weights to see what your rifle likes best. What works well in one might not work well in another. Let your rifle tell you what it likes.

I have a Bushmaster Varmint Special with the heavy 24" stainless barrel, chambered in 5.56, with a 1:9" twist. One of the best shooting factory loads was, of all things, the Winchester USA "white box" bulk 45 gr varmint loads. Those would shoot just under .75 MOA all day long. They're relatively cheap too. That rifle shot a little better with handloads using Nosler 50 gr Ballistic Tips and Benchmark powder, as well as with Sierra 50 gr BlitzKings and H-335. Those loads weren't the best, however, in some of my other 5.56 chambered rifles. Any bullet weights up to 69 grs shot very well in that rifle though. With the 1:9" twist, however, I would probably avoid some of the really frangible bullts like the Barnes' Varmint Grenades, Sierra Blitz, and Speer TNTs.

For jacketed bullets, probably almost anything from 50 gr to 69 gr, or so, would do well. Probably most powders in the burn rate from H-322 on the fast side to CFE-223 on the slow side would work well too.

I haven't loaded cast bullets in any of mine yet, so I can't comment on that. Perhaps Larry Gibson or some others who have done well with those will offer some good advice.

Dave

[dh2]

I shoot a lot of 55gr. bullets midway Dog town bullets the last few years. push them with H335 or BL-C2 I like CFE 223 but have not found it in a while

[Kermit2]

Thanks for all the replies. The 50 grainers that I'd stashed away and forgotten about are Hornady V-Max bullets. Hopefully they would work well. I also might try some of the Midway Dog Town bullets. Has anyone else tried these? Are they any good? Thanks!

[runfiverun]

4895 and something shaped like the rcbs 22-055-sp will work fine too...

[MaryB]

I use 50 grain v-max in my savage axis 1:9 223 bolt rifle. With handloads I can put 4 in the space of a dime. Using Cfe-223 with them.


Thanks for all the replies. The 50 grainers that I'd stashed away and forgotten about are Hornady V-Max bullets. Hopefully they would work well. I also might try some of the Midway Dog Town bullets. Has anyone else tried these? Are they any good? Thanks!