How does 223 ammo zero

gearoidol

Im awaiting my lic back on a new tikka lite stainless 223 with 1 in 8 twist. Already have a hmr and I am just lost with all the ammo choices for the 223.

Does all the different 223 ammo have a different poi ie do u have to rezero every time u swap ammo ?

Should I get sOme heavier stuff for long range rabbits ?

ormondprop

Ya most ammo will have a diff zero, for long range rabbits ur better of with light flat ammo like 40gr vmax, although my old rifle loved cheap 50gr hp american eagle and worked well on rabbits and corvids out past 300 when i did my part, heavier ammo is usually for target shooting so wont expand enough to be used humanly for hunting although it can work on bigger animal, but on rabbits it will prob just zip through them like fmj's

kildare.17hmr

Im using 55gr softpoints in my 223 and find them great so will just stick with them. Have shot magpies, rabbits, foxes, goats and long range targets with them so imo a good all rounder for the 223

Chesapeake

your not going to shooting much from the Hornady range under 55gr due to the 1 in 8 twist.

You'll spin 40gr @ 340,000 rpm, 53gr superperformance @ 311,000 and even the 55gr Vmax @ 291,000
Hornady have a suggested Max rpm of 290,000! before the bullet rips itself apart.

Fedral premium using sierra bullets have a 340,000 max rpm
try to get some 55gr nostler balistic tips - 291,000
69gr sako are also a great round for that twist.

If its a 1 in 9 twist the 55gr vmax will be perfect @ 259,000 rpm and easy to get

johnfaul

Im shooting norma 50 grain v max through a 1-8 its giving well below 1/2 inch. Shot a pigeon over 250 yards yesterday and blew him apart.
Ive also read on the english forums that some are shooting 40 grain with very good accuracy through 1-8 twists, try a few different brands and find what the rifle likes, you may be surprised good luck

gearoidol

Thanks for all the help

lee70

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

Im using 55gr softpoints in my 223 and find them great so will just stick with them. Have shot magpies, rabbits, foxes, goats and long range targets with them so imo a good all rounder for the 223

I'm using these as well. I went over to my dealer the other day and he had none left. Some fecker has traveled through 3 countys and bought the lot.:D

EWQuinn

johnfaul wrote: »

Im shooting norma 50 grain v max through a 1-8 its giving well below 1/2 inch. Shot a pigeon over 250 yards yesterday and blew him apart.
Ive also read on the english forums that some are shooting 40 grain with very good accuracy through 1-8 twists, try a few different brands and find what the rifle likes, you may be surprised good luck

Ballistic coeficient matters. We typically go by weight because heavier bullets are normally longer, but not always. Generally the faster twist is for longer bullets relatively speaking (& longer are usually heavier).

1:8 is somewhat of a compromise twist rate and should be able to give you good performance for a decent range of bullets. A quote from an internet post that I refer to from time to time that is illustrative and I think backs what johnfaul is saying:

"a recent Handloader magazine test found that 40-gr plastic-tipped bullets (these are a bit longer BTW) shot the best of all lighter loads tested in a 1-8" Rock River Varmint AR15 and a 1-9" Savage bolt, with the accuracy edge going to the RR AR15. These were 1/2 MOA groups. However we need to remember that it was a smooth match-grade barrel with a long concentric high quality 40 grain bullet. Shorter 40 and 45 grain SP bullets intended for the Hornet shot very poorly but were plenty stable!"

kildare.17hmr

lee70 wrote: »

I'm using these as well. I went over to my dealer the other day and he had none left. Some fecker has traveled through 3 countys and bought the lot.:D

i heard that same ****er did that in kildare too and spunk84 couldnt get any! :rolleyes: haha

Mike87

Had a tikka myself. You do realise its a 1 in 8 twist so it can be fairly fussy with light ammo. You really want to be shooting the heavier stuff like the 75grain TAP or Superformance etc...

Although since you're want to go long range anyway thats not really an issue as a heavier bullet wont get blown about in the wind the same way light ones do..... on the flip side, heavier bullets have a bigger drop, but at least thats predictable.

You're gonna have to get yourself a scope with plenty of minutes for heavy bullets aswell. <---- I learned that one the expensive way :rolleyes:

Mike87

ormondprop wrote: »

heavier ammo is usually for target shooting so wont expand enough to be used humanly for hunting although it can work on bigger animal, but on rabbits it will prob just zip through them like fmj's

Please let me assure you, any rabbit I ever shot with the 64/75 grain was left looking like he was sitting on a grenade. I have never once had to a put a second bullet into a rabbit while using 64/75 grains.

ejg

My T3 lite stainless 1/8 is quite fussy.
Best result was with 55gr Fiocchi sp.
second best was Sako 55gr sp.
edi

kildare.17hmr

Mike87 wrote: »

Had a tikka myself. You do realise its a 1 in 8 twist so it can be fairly fussy with light ammo. You really want to be shooting the heavier stuff like the 75grain TAP or Superformance etc...

Although since you're want to go long range anyway thats not really an issue as a heavier bullet wont get blown about in the wind the same way light ones do..... on the flip side, heavier bullets have a bigger drop, but at least thats predictable.

You're gonna have to get yourself a scope with plenty of minutes for heavy bullets aswell. <---- I learned that one the expensive way :rolleyes:

1 in 8 twist should shoot 55gr fine, my lampin buddys old sako 75 was a tac driver with 55gr vmax.

I prefer the slower twist in a hunting rifle, my cz is 1 in 12 and shoots 40gr vmax and 55gr softpoints very well and with these 2 rounds i can shoot anything with good results. If i fancy some target work i can still go up to 63gr

Mike87

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

1 in 8 twist should shoot 55gr fine, my lampin buddys old sako 75 was a tac driver with 55gr vmax

I never said it wouldnt shoot 55gr.... I just said he might find it very fussy with lighter bullets.

lee70

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

1 in 8 twist should shoot 55gr fine, my lampin buddys old sako 75 was a tac driver with 55gr vmax.

I prefer the slower twist in a hunting rifle, my cz is 1 in 12 and shoots 40gr vmax and 55gr softpoints very well and with these 2 rounds i can shoot anything with good results. If i fancy some target work i can still go up to 63gr

I think the tullamo @ €20 x 3 boxes over in Atlantic Sports is 63gr? I've herd lads talk about it but no reports back on it yet.

kildare.17hmr

€20 for 3 boxes???

lee70

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

€20 for 3 boxes???

Yes 60 bangs for 20 bucks. Mixed reviews from the US on youtube, but it is going through AR's

kildare.17hmr

lee70 wrote: »

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

€20 for 3 boxes???

Yes 60 bangs for 20 bucks

For that money its well worth a try! Got a number for them?

lee70

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

For that money its well worth a try! Got a number for them?

Atlantic Shooting And Fishing
Address: Church St Graiguecullen Co. Carlow
City of Carlow
Phone: (059)9179984
Categories: Sports Goods & Sports Goods Equipment
Let us know what its like as my howa is a 1-12 as well. I think he's a couple AR's in his gun room.

ormondprop

Mike87 wrote: »

Please let me assure you, any rabbit I ever shot with the 64/75 grain was left looking like he was sitting on a grenade. I have never once had to a put a second bullet into a rabbit while using 64/75 grains.

Well i've had 75gr bthp zip through, i had a 1:8 sako and it shot 50-80gr well, only thing it wouldn't shoot was 55 gr federal sp but loved hornady and fiocchi sp

Cass

I think the tullamo @ €20 x 3 boxes............

Thread referencing that ammo. Not a lot of talk about it, but a starting point.

gearoidol

thanks for the help again,i think ill start at 55 grain and work up and try a few different boxes

Collioure

gearoidol wrote: »

thanks for the help again,i think ill start at 55 grain and work up and try a few different boxes

I was shooting 50gr remmington full metal jackets with perfect zero, went off and bought hornady 55 gr hornady vmax and to my amazement zero was exactly the same on my 223 t3 lite

gearoidol

Collioure wrote: »

gearoidol wrote: »

thanks for the help again,i think ill start at 55 grain and work up and try a few different boxes

I was shooting 50gr remmington full metal jackets with perfect zero, went off and bought hornady 55 gr hornady vmax and to my amazement zero was exactly the same on my 223 t3 lite

Can u only use the fmjs for target work, how much were they and what did they group like at 200 yards

tonysopprano

Sports Den in Navan has federal 55g FMJBT at 9.99 for 20, and bulk discounts AND free delivery. Best priced 223 in Ireland(as far as I know) and good out to @300yds for rifles down to 1 in 8

kildare.17hmr

tonysopprano wrote: »

Sports Den in Navan has federal 55g FMJBT at 9.99 for 20, and bulk discounts AND free delivery. Best priced 223 in Ireland(as far as I know) and good out to @300yds for rifles down to 1 in 8

Good price alright but no good for hunting