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My .223 has a 1:8 twist rate. How heavy of a bullet will this stabilize? Thanks, D.
Twist ?
- Thread starter Shubey
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Is this a bolt gun or Ar-15?
77gr is about the most you can get thru an AR mag and will work fine in a 1/8.
If it's a bolt gun, you're probably still limited by mag dimensions but you might get away with 80gr or so. Either way, 1/8 will probably stabilize more than your action will allow.
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Thanks!
77gr is about as heavy as I'd go. 80gr would probably stabilize depending on your elevation.
Personally I'd look at bullets between 68 and 77gr. Lots more options and you can push them a little faster. 223/5.56 kills with speed more than payload....if that makes sense.
Mag length is what would make me shy away from anything heavier than 77gr. Plus the 77gr otm is a killing machine.
Personally I'd look at bullets between 68 and 77gr. Lots more options and you can push them a little faster. 223/5.56 kills with speed more than payload....if that makes sense.
Mag length is what would make me shy away from anything heavier than 77gr. Plus the 77gr otm is a killing machine.
That depends on whether you will use C&C or a monolithic bullet. Bullet manufacturers have a recommended minimum twist. For instance, Berger's 80.5g fullbore target bullet is below.
(https://bergerbullets.com/product/22-caliber-80-5-grain-fullbore-target/)
Also, altitude is your friend regarding bullet SG, but it is not a substitute for the required twist. In my last 4 builds, I have been on the "or faster" recommendation side. Good luck!
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Thanks!
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Good to know!
med358-boise
Well-Known Member
it is not about bullet weight, it is about bullet length. So bullet material and bullet shape play a major part.
Rob67gmc
Well-Known Member
Only way to really know is to try different weights. I have 2 rifles same brand, both 1-9 twist. Only difference is barrel length, 16" and 20" bull barrels. 20" shoots 77 gr OTM's great. The 16" won't hit the ground pointing straight down. Also have one with 1-7 twist that shoots 1 1/4" groups with a 45 gr bullet.
I thought that was a given since you cannot increase the bullet diameter to increase weight.
Josh06
Well-Known Member
I'm shooting 80 eldx's out of my 20" 8twist .223 bolt gun with no issues. I tried them out of a 9 twist 22cm and they key holed. Have also shot 75 eldm's out of the 8 twist .223 and they also worked well.
med358-boise
Well-Known Member
I was expanding on your comment that not only does cup & core (C&C; i.e. jacketed lead) vs. mono-metal (generally copper or some copper alloy) with mono-metals being longer or a given weight that also the even within the same material/construction type that shape of the bullet comes into play. All of those factors impact length. The the spectrum with respect to shape would be round nose vs. typical spitzer vs. a VLD/ELD/RDF. Also as you mention, altitude has a factor as well as air temperature.
It is interesting when you compare stability calculators that Berger and JBM take a slightly different approach. Berger includes temperature and altitude and JBM only includes temperature. JBM also includes an option to input the length of any plastic tip which I believe gets deducted from the overall length. I assume this has something to do with the plastic tip effectively having zero weight effectively reducing length for calculation purposes.
