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Offline merkelerk

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cartridge overall length
« on: February 01, 2009, 02:31:18 PM »
What am I missing (besides an adequate brain)?
I loaded some .223 with 45grain hornady bullets, flat base/bee. These are very short bullets with a very pronounced hollow point on a flat nose.
If I try to get anywhere near to the suggested overall length, the bullets base would not even be in the case neck.

-Should I just seat them down to a respectable depth (at least the bullet diameter) and not worry?
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Offline OR-E-Gun Bill

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2009, 03:52:54 PM »
Hornady doesn't have any load data using the 45 gr. BEE for the .223 Rem. They do have data for the 45 gr. BEE in the following:

221 Rem. Fireball
218 BEE
22 K Hornet
22 Hornet

Does that mean Hornady doesn't recommend using the 45 gr. BEE in your .223 Rem.? I don't know. Maybe someone else can comment...


Bill
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Offline Lone Star

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2009, 04:07:05 PM »
The 45-grain FP 'Bee' bullet is limited to a muzzle velocity of 3100 fps, well below what most shooters would load it in the .223 case.  Choose a more appropriate bullet if you intend to use full-pressure loads.


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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2009, 01:27:25 AM »
I agree with above.

 But if you want to use it go ahead, no harm. Just know if you do push it really hard fast it may never reach the target!! :o

 I had a good amount of the 46 FP Speer bullets some time back and loaded it in my 223. It worked qite well. Seat it so that there is no danger of bullet being knocked from the case in reg handling. Say 1/8" in the case mouth. If yours has a cannalure, seat it to there. (Dont worry about the crimp.) Keep the powder charge to the 3000-3200fps range and enjoy!!

 CW
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Offline Steve P

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2009, 09:04:08 AM »
Base of the bullet even with base of the case neck.  From there work your way out until they fit into your ammo box or rifle magazine.  As CW said, always keep at least 1/8" or so of bearing surface in the neck.  OAL as listed in the reloading manual is data so you know how they come up with their numbers.  They OAL you use for your gun is taken from yours gun and ammo measurements, not the book.

Steve :)
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Offline merkelerk

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2009, 03:23:04 PM »
Thanks for the replies, I have now shot about 30 of these loads with average to not so good results (-13 degrees celsius, very windy and the blowing snow kept covering up my targets). I will try a few more on a better day and report back.
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Offline Coltdriver

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2009, 02:56:59 PM »
It is a great idea to get to know the actual chamber dimensions of your rifle.  They are all different! 

For the really short bullets like you are talking about you will not get them close to the lands.  But that is not the end of your ability to get accuracy from them.  If you do a search on optimum charge weight there is a quick and easy method to find out what your rifle/bullet combination likes best.  Its repeatable and it does not matter what the col is. 

I ran some of the 35 grain hornet bullets out of my .223 too fast and they just come apart. 
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Offline merkelerk

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2009, 02:32:05 AM »
After a bit of experimenting, I have yet to find a bullet design that I can load out to the lands for this rifle, the throat is just too long.
Thats not to say a 70gr or heavier won't do it, but anything over 55 grains and I would need to be surrounded by barns to hit the broad side of one. I have made some good shooting loads with the 45gr Bee but the best has been a 50 gr Hornady V-Max.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2009, 04:11:17 AM »
Its possible you gun dosent like short bullets. Do you know the twist rate?

Try the 60Gr Hornady bullet. Another in speer still makes it, is the 63Gr semi pointed. I found it very accurate in my old 22-250 788 and it was my go to bullet for longer range coyotes.

CW
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Offline Autorim

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2009, 04:30:54 PM »
In a rifle, cartridge OAL is generally only important as it relates to reliable feeding from the magazine and is usually stated as a maximum and not necessarily a suggested length. What rifle are you using and what is the twist? I agree that your bullet is not a good choice to achieve optimum performance with the .223.

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Offline merkelerk

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2009, 10:39:52 PM »
Handi bull barrel .223 rem, 1:9 twist.

Like I mentioned, the 50 gr Hornady V-Max is working great.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: cartridge overall length
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2009, 12:27:59 AM »
Great, Glad you got it figured out!! ;D

 Enjoy,
 CW
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