Author Topic: 60 grn For .223?  (Read 816 times)

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Offline henry1

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60 grn For .223?
« on: November 08, 2004, 03:53:06 AM »
Has anybody got any decent groups with any of the 60gr bullets out of a handi? I know that these rifles are not built to shoot that heavy of a bullet but I was just wondering what groups people have gotten. In a previous post I heard that somone shot the barns "x bullet" in (I think it was) a 50 gr. Do they really make the "x" for 22 cal? Thanks for all the input guys.
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Offline Cottonwood

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2004, 06:09:38 AM »
I believe the rifling twist rate of the Handi-Rifle in .223 is either a 1 in 12 or 1 in 14 at which case you can use a 60 gr bullet.  There are people using the AR-15/M-16's with a 1 in 7 twist using 80 and 90 grn bullets shooting them at 1,000 yards.

Offline handirifle

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2004, 11:25:57 AM »
henry1
I know several have posted here of poor results with bullets heavier than 55gr with a very few exceptions.  The twist is 1-12 and 55 is about the limit.

One notable exception is Sierra's 63gr bullet found here

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/609136

It is made for slow twist barrels.  it does not have as high BC as others but if you're after medium game at 100-200yds it ought to do the trick.
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Offline Longcruise

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2004, 02:11:39 PM »
IMO any 1/12 .223 barrel should shoot 60 grain bullets without any problem.  My Handi will shoot Hornady 60 gr JSP and Sierra 60 Gr HP as well as about anything else.

Offline quickdtoo

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2004, 02:16:27 PM »
Quote from: Longcruise
IMO any 1/12 .223 barrel should shoot 60 grain bullets without any problem.  My Handi will shoot Hornady 60 gr JSP and Sierra 60 Gr HP as well as about anything else.


Yeahbut, as I recollect, your .223 doesn't shoot all that well, but my memory doesn't always serve me well..... :wink: They'd have to shoot pretty dang good to beat the win white bx 45gr JHP rounds in mine, sub 1/2moa, anyway.
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Offline Longcruise

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2004, 04:06:50 PM »
Quote
Yeahbut, as I recollect, your .223 doesn't shoot all that well, but my memory doesn't always serve me well.....  They'd have to shoot pretty dang good to beat the win white bx 45gr JHP rounds in mine, sub 1/2moa, anyway.


Your recollection is excellent :grin:   OTOH, it is only my Handi .223 that doesn't shoot so hot.  My Tikka, TCR83 (now sold) shoot/shot wonderfully with bulets up to and throuh 60 grainers.

The 60 grainers don't match the win white box in my handi either.  It's about as good as any ammo shoots in my Handi.  OTOH the 60's shoot right along with the majority of my better handloads in the Handi.

My primary point being that the 1/12 twist is appropriate for 60 and even 62 and 63 grain .224 bullets.  Why NEF suggests they are no is beyond me, but then there are several things about NEF's that's beyond me :)

BTW, if my memory serves (which it doesn't always), you are not a loader.  Have you tried any factory 60 or 62 grain loads in your NEF?  Maybe they would outshoot the white box!!! :eek:   Beter yet, get a friend who does load to put together some loads with say a 60 grain sierra HP to see what they will do in your rifle.  There's nothing magic about the win ammo or the 45 grain bullets.  If your gun will shoot consistent .5 moa targets (average of four five shot groups) with the win, I'd suggest they would do the same with any good 60 grain bullet load.

Offline quickdtoo

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2004, 04:16:02 PM »
I thought about some heavier loads for the .223, but that's what I have the .243 barrel for! :-D  Thx, Longcruise... :grin:
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Offline Longcruise

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #7 on: November 08, 2004, 04:23:15 PM »
Quick, well, 60 gr is not my first choice in the .223 but IMO it truly shines with a 55 grain bullet.  It's easy to surpass the 45 win velocity with 55 gr handloads and of course the downrange ballistics of a properly shaped 55 grain bullet traveling faster than a 45 grain.... well, you see what I mean :grin:

I never saw a use in my own personal battery for a .243, but came close to a purchase of a savage at a bargain price the other day.  Just don't know what I'd use it for.  If a .243 will do it, heck a 7-08 or .270 will do it too :)

Offline quickdtoo

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #8 on: November 08, 2004, 04:25:47 PM »
The .243 kinda fills the gap between the .223 and the .25-06 in my collection, and the .204 Ruger is in there someplace, too. :wink:
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline henry1

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2004, 04:48:16 PM »
K, thanks for the info guys. i will just be using them for yotes. I appriciate the info and think that i will give the sierras a try. Thanks again. Hank.
dont pee down my back and tell me its raining
if my guns were my children theyd be incredibly spoiled
the mountian has got its own way, pillgram
ther's many a slip twix the cup and the lip
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Henry
hunter8734@yahoo.com
Looking for pdo

Offline Longcruise

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2004, 08:31:21 AM »
Quote
The .243 kinda fills the gap between the .223 and the .25-06 in my collection, and the .204 Ruger is in there someplace, too.


Is your 25-06 a Handi?

Can't tell if you have filled the 204 gap yet.  If so, what do you think of it?

Here's a curious observation from the Predatormasters forum.  The guys shooting .223 are pushing bullet weights down down to the 40 and 45 grainers and some guys are in love with the 35ers.  The 204 guys OTOH seem to be pushing bullet weights up up with many shooting the 50 grainers and clamoring for a 55 :shock:  :?

Go figger!

Offline quickdtoo

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2004, 08:47:01 AM »
Yes, a .25-06 Ultra. Have only shot the .204 a dozen times, so far. It's grouping an inch or a little less at 100yds with the 32gr Vmax factory rounds. I may need to handload for it eventually, it's fun to shoot, kinda like a centerfire .17hmr. Ammo at $13 for 20 rounds is quite a bit more spendy than the .223's same cost for 40 rounds. I've read that a lot of shooters aren't happy with the 40gr Vmax factory stuff, sounds familiar since the rate of twist is the same as the .223 Handi's 1-12". :wink:
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Longcruise

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #12 on: November 09, 2004, 03:50:32 PM »
Quote
I may need to handload for it eventually, it's fun to shoot, kinda like a centerfire .17hmr. Ammo at $13 for 20 rounds is quite a bit more spendy than the .223's same cost for 40 rounds.


I don't know how anyone who shoots as much as you do or at least owns as many guns as you do can not reload.  The win white box is truly bargain priced ammo, but my cost to load the same 40 rounds is $7.96.  And, thats assuming only a five shot case life which is on the low side for .223.  In my Tikka almost any random load shoots as well as the white box.

Offline quickdtoo

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #13 on: November 09, 2004, 04:01:50 PM »
Quote from: Longcruise
Quote
I may need to handload for it eventually, it's fun to shoot, kinda like a centerfire .17hmr. Ammo at $13 for 20 rounds is quite a bit more spendy than the .223's same cost for 40 rounds.


I don't know how anyone who shoots as much as you do or at least owns as many guns as you do can not reload.  The win white box is truly bargain priced ammo, but my cost to load the same 40 rounds is $7.96.  And, thats assuming only a five shot case life which is on the low side for .223.  In my Tikka almost any random load shoots as well as the white box.


I'm workin on it! Some people just have more money than common sense... :wink:  :lol:
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Longcruise

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #14 on: November 09, 2004, 04:27:03 PM »
Quote
I'm workin on it! Some people just have more money than common sense...


Maybe you should buy your ammo from me!  More than happy to relieve you of excess money :)

BTW, when did you become a moderator?  Suppose now I'll have to treat you with at least a small modicum of resepct? :shock:

Offline quickdtoo

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #15 on: November 09, 2004, 04:47:47 PM »
:-D Nope, just be yerself! The NEF Rimfire forum was without a moderator temporarily so I volunteered to help in the mean time.

To keep this on topic, I have ordered a Lee Anniversary Kit and all the goodies needed to get me going in handloading including a chrony. If I had invested all the money I have in factory ammo in equipment and bullets instead, I would have had a good start....Noooo, I have to learn the hard way...I got to put part of the blame on my family, no one handloads and my huntin partner quit handloading before we hitched up 33yrs ago...Now I can put the blame on me becoming a Handiholic and newbie handloader on everyone here! :wink:
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Longcruise

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60 grn For .223?
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2004, 05:25:16 PM »
Quote
I have ordered a Lee Anniversary Kit and all the goodies needed to get me going in handloading including a chrony.


It's all over now! :)

I've been loading with that same equipment for more years than I can count and it's still going strong.  Adding a Chronograph a few years back was one of the more enjoyable additions.

Have fun!