What bullet weights for 223 Reloads?

[mountainview]

I am beginning to reload metallic cartridges and wanted to try and find some info with repsect to the following:
1) What weight bullets are optimal for a 1-9" twist out of a 26" bbl. Does this faster twist handle the heavier grain bullets better than the lighter grain (say less than 55 grain) or is it the other way around?
2) In general would fullmetal jacket or soft points tend to give better accuracy or is it a toss-up?

Thanks in advance.

[josebd]

in my savage 12fv i can shoot 60 v-max all the way down to 40 grain,with excellent accuracy in any bullet i shoot.

[Dand]

Your 1:9 twist should handle the heavier bullets weights better than a 1:10 or 1:12.  But I don't know if 1 in 9 will handle the ultra heavy 70 to 80 gr boat tail target bullets.

My Ruger 1B in .223  has a 1 in 10 twist and while it will shoot the 70 gr speer flat base fine it will not shoot the Sierra 80 boat tails at all.  The bullets go through the targe side ways. My gun likes the 52 to 64 gr bullets best - partly due to the long throat as well as the twist rate.

I bet your rifle would do well with 55 to 70 grain bullets.

I believe you will find your best accuracy with soft point or hollow point bullets and not with the full metal jackets.  The various brands of match bullets are always made with a tiny hollow point -  for protection of the point, more precise jacket and core formation - not for performance on game.   HTH

[bigdaddytacp]

I am beginning to reload metallic cartridges and wanted to try and find some info with repsect to the following:
1) What weight bullets are optimal for a 1-9" twist out of a 26" bbl. Does this faster twist handle the heavier grain bullets better than the lighter grain (say less than 55 grain) or is it the other way around?
2) In general would fullmetal jacket or soft points tend to give better accuracy or is it a toss-up?

Thanks in advance.

..........THe 1-9 should work fine with 40 to 69 grain bullets....the 55grain is the middle of the road and works well....USUALLY the hollow point or new V Max type polymer? tip ammo is most accurat with the base of the bullet being smooth and even being best for absolute accuracy.....the plastic tip such as Hornady V-Max do well in several different 223's for me......hth..good luck and good shooting-loading!!!

[Somerled]

The 1-9" twist will handle the 64-grain Winchester PP with aplomb. Anything lighter than that works good as well. I've never tried anything heavier than the 64-grain bullet in mine. The heavier and longer bullets may work o.k. But a 1-7" will probably be better.

Bulk FMJ bullets haven't worked for me. If I wanted to use a FMJ, I'd pick the more expensive ones offered by Hornady, Sierra or Speer. The bulk Remington and Winchester bullets perform much better accuracywise and cost only slightly more than the bulk FMJs.

[mountainview]

Thanks for the info guys, helps me quite a bit in my quest to work up a good 223 load.

Regards,