Hey everyone! This fall were going to wyoming and we are wanting to kill some Prarie dogs, I plan on taking my S&W mp15OR, before i did some thing s to this rifle I wouldn't have dreamed of shooting Prarie dogs with it but after replacing the 3-9 leupold with a 4-16 millett, adding a timney trigger, changing out the wobbly stock with a magpul acs, and swapping out the handguard with a free floated one I feel it is now more than accurate enough for 400 yard shots with factory hornady ammo. I really want to be able to shoot lighter bullets, in the 40 grain range. This rifle has a 1-9 twist and a 16 inch barrel. I'd love to get some information on a good sierra blitzking or vmax load that this twist rate will stabilize at longer range, thanks!!
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Help with .223 bullet choice
- Thread starter aOWENc
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HARPERC
Well-Known Member
1-9" will stabilize virtually the full range of .223 ammo.
I have a 1-8" Tikka that I have shot 40-75 grain bullets from. More so at the 75 end. The 53 grain V-max works very well, the 60 as well. The Hornady 75 match ammo, hasn't expanded as well on varmints, but in my experience, accuracy at distance is more achievable than the other factory loads.
I have a 1-8" Tikka that I have shot 40-75 grain bullets from. More so at the 75 end. The 53 grain V-max works very well, the 60 as well. The Hornady 75 match ammo, hasn't expanded as well on varmints, but in my experience, accuracy at distance is more achievable than the other factory loads.
I think the best all range bullet is the 53gr V-MAX it has a .290 BC and should make good velocity. For longer ranged shots the 69gr Tipped MatchKings with a .375 BC, shoot great in a 1:9 twist and they are explosive like a V-MAX. My Dad was going to try the 69s for doe season. But he shot a Gatorade bottle that was half full at 50 yards and the bullet never excited, it completely exploded! Nonetheless they are too soft for deer but are great for long shots on varmints. I think his muzzle velocity is around 2850-2900fps from a 16" barrel with the 69s.
Kansaswoodguy
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1-9 in 16" may stabilize 75's it's on the edge of doing so won't know until you try them. The 50gr and 55gr vmax are cheap and should shoot out to 400 yards just fine you will find past 400 yards the 69gr or 75gr serve you much better. In the 50-55gr weight bullets I like IMR 3031 powder. In the 75's IMR 8208, IMR 4895 and Ramshot TAC would be good choices. Those 53gr vmax are very good bullets also but not available in boxes larger than 100 that I have seen when the price of them is onpare with the 50-55's they may become my bullet of choice for vermin. Midway also sells the 55gr dog town bullets made by nosler that are known to be good bullets on the cheap. One very nice advantage to the 55vmax is with the same powder primer and seating depth setting on the seating die and the 55 GMX have had the same POI as the vmax bullets in my guns.
engineer40
Well-Known Member
This is 8 shots in a tiny 1/4 inch group using an AR15 with 16 inch barrel and 1:9 twist. Hornady 40gr Vmax.
Fed and shot from magazine. I believe the OAL on the target was using my Hornady OAL comparator.
Groups out to 200 yards still looked really great. I don't think the 40gr would do wonderful in a windy environment however.
Have fun and good luck!
Fed and shot from magazine. I believe the OAL on the target was using my Hornady OAL comparator.
Groups out to 200 yards still looked really great. I don't think the 40gr would do wonderful in a windy environment however.
Have fun and good luck!
ohiohunter
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Thats some gas gun magic! What is the set up?
I have a Rock River and w/ TMK 69gr I can pull off about 1/2" 5shot, but not a 8 shot bughole. That's impressive.
I have a Rock River and w/ TMK 69gr I can pull off about 1/2" 5shot, but not a 8 shot bughole. That's impressive.
engineer40
Well-Known Member
I agree! It is some kind of voodoo I don't understand completely. But I've recreated now a few times.
I also have a target saved of 19 shots through 1 hole. I fired 20 but I lost concentration on 1 shot and pulled it way off. But that 19 shots through 1 hole measures right at 1 inch. To me, that is still incredible. Especially since I gave the barrel zero time to cool. Just kept pulling the trigger.
I was going to do some mods to the AR, but now I'm scared to change a single thing about it.
I never got a 69gr bullet to group better than 1 inch for me out of this same rifle.
Here is a link to my setup:
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f111/moa-challenge-157578/index6.html#post1131449
This rifle, and the scope, my style of reloading for it, and my style that I shot the groups in; break almost every "rule" I thought I knew about accuracy. I'm not complaining! I just don't understand it.
I only paid around $460ish for the AR15 brand new.
engineer40
Well-Known Member
I didn't want to lie to you guys. So I went and found the other target. It might be just over 1 inch for the 19 shots actually. But that's still pretty darn impressive considering I didn't give the barrel any time to cool between shots.
I do want to do this test again with a different scope on the AR. I love the Burris on it now, but the reticle is so fat it actually covers the bulls eye completely. The reticle is a fat circle with another fat circle around it. I think I can do even better if I tried using a scope with a thin target reticle.
I do want to do this test again with a different scope on the AR. I love the Burris on it now, but the reticle is so fat it actually covers the bulls eye completely. The reticle is a fat circle with another fat circle around it. I think I can do even better if I tried using a scope with a thin target reticle.
