1/8" twist bullet weight "Update"

[valvesinmyhead]

Just bought a DPMS Praire Panther with a 20" 1/8 barrel. I'm guessing 53 and 55gr bullets are out. I will be using this for PDs and coyotes.

[Graybeard]

Why in the world would you guess such a thing?

Should do fine from the 40s to perhaps 65 or even 70 grains and with some bullet styles I'd think even heavier.

Bullets with boat tail base and plastic tips are long for weight and it really is length not weight that determines whether it will stabilize. Since 1 in 7" is as fast as I'm aware of them making .223 barrels you should realistically expect to be able to stabilize most .224" bullets except the very heaviest and longest match bullets. I would expect the 77 grain Sierra's to do OK in it. I have some of those I need to load up and see how they work in my ARs.

[Catfish]

I would guess you should be alright with 55 gr. bullets, but doubt that any liter than that would be accurate much past 100 yrds. Years ago I was looking for the liyest bullet for 30 cal. and found that even the litest bullets would group well out to abt 75 yrds. , but then would open up very fast and at 125 yrds. probly would not hit a groundhog. I shoot a 224 TTH with an 8 twist and have shot a 2 in. group at 600 yrds. with 80 gr. bullets. The only way to be sure though is to try them.

[nomosendero]

I just read a report on a RRA Coyote Carbine (1-9) & it did it's best with 40 gr. Black Hills ammo. Like Catfish said, you need to try them, that's the only way you will know.

I have a RRA 24' Varmiter that shoots many weights well, but likes 60V-Max & 77 SMK best.

[shot1]

In a 223 with a 8 twist you can do fine up to Sierra 80 gr. They have to be shot single shot in an AR because they are too long to work through the magazine. The 77 gr work through the magazine.

[valvesinmyhead]

I've read the 55s group great at 100 but not so good (with a 1/8 and 1/7 twist)at 200yds. Looks like Hornady 53gr is longer than 55 gr. Has anybody measured them yet. Can't find the length difference.

[helotaxi]

The new 53gn V-Max is a fantastic long-ish range bullet for the .223 on paper.  Can't wait to get ahold of some to see how they actually shoot.

A lot of match shooters use 1:8 twist with 80gn SMK and A-Max bullets with great results.  The 90gn VLD is pretty much the only bullet that needs a faster twist under normal conditions.  The 1:7 twist became the mil-spec standard for the M16 series because the tracer that goes with the 62gn steel core round is very long and in extreme cold conditions loses enough velocity that it wasn't stable in the denser cold air.

The lighter bullets should shoot fine.  The only real consideration is that the wobble caused any non-uniformity in the lighter bullets' construction will be exaggerated by the faster spin rate.

[valvesinmyhead]

Tried a few 55gr at a 100yds and none were that great. Hornady 55 V-Max and Tap were 3". FMJ same. Prvi SPs same. Hand loaded SPs 2". Rem 45gr HPs 6" yikes. My buds 1-9" did not like the 45s either. By this time I have put about 60rnds down range. Oh I was cleaning with some #9 and patches.
Done with the 55s and on to the Hornady SF 75gr BTHPs. 3 out of the 5 were touching! Finally. At 150yds had two in the 1 1/2 square the other three were just outside. Need more practice with this rifle. I want 1 1/2"s at 200yds.
Need to try some 60gr V-Max next.

[helotaxi]

My 1:9 shoots 53gn SMKs into nice tight little groups, it does the same with 75gn and 69gn match hollowpoints.  I've seen groups (10 shot) with 52 and 53gn SMKs fired from 1:7 rifles that you could cover with a dime.  It's all a factor of the load and barrel syncing up, the twist has pretty much nothing to do with it.

[Bugflipper]

May have skipped over but I didn't see that you tried a 77gr sierra match king yet. That and a berger 75 gr match target vld are the two best in my 1/8.

[Larry Gibson]

50 - 55 gr bullets will do fine,  just stear clear of the thin jacketed SXs, Blitz's and probably the Speer 52 gr HP.  Most of the plastic tipped bullets have strong enough jackets to take the RPM at 2900 - 3200 fps from the 8" twist.  The thinner jacketed bullets don't.  I'd take a hard look at the Hornady 60 gr V-max for that rifle for use on PDs and particularly coyotes.

Larry Gibson