.223 Ammo recommendation

f100zardoz

jaycee wrote: »

It kinda depends on the rifle, the twist rate, and what you want to do with it.

Faster twist = Longer bullets = Heavier bullets = longer range.
Slower twist = the opposite !

Are you using it for hunting or target shooting ...?
What rifle is it ..?

Hey shooters, I am moving up from .22 to .223 and am looking at a tikka t3. Can someone give me a quick explanation of the twist vs grain stuff. This is new to me coming from a .22 where it was not a consideration. I don't want to make a mistake in the rifle I buy. Best grain for shooting targets between 100 & 300m & what twist is best. Thanks in advance for the info.

Ghost.

1:12 twist will stabilise up to 55g maybe up to 60g depending on the rifle and ammo. All are different.
1:8 twist will stabilise heavier bullets up to about 75g maybe higher but unless you are reloading anything heavier wont be available to you. They are slower but carry more punch down range but have a bigger drop.
Smaller bullets are flatter and faster and probably better out to 300m.

As you say you will be shooting from 100m-300m Id go for a 1:12 twist and use hornady 40g v-max. Id say that would be the best for you and the 40g v-max are devastating when they hit.

Feidhlim Dignan

f100zardoz wrote: »

Hey shooters, I am moving up from .22 to .223 and am looking at a tikka t3. Can someone give me a quick explanation of the twist vs grain stuff. This is new to me coming from a .22 where it was not a consideration. I don't want to make a mistake in the rifle I buy. Best grain for shooting targets between 100 & 300m & what twist is best. Thanks in advance for the info.

Go ahead and buy the tika there a great gun wish i had the money for one when i was buying, as for the 100-300m any 50,55,62gr will do fine at those ranges.

Jonty

Feidhlim Dignan wrote: »

Go ahead and buy the tika there a great gun wish i had the money for one when i was buying, as for the 100-300m any 50,55,62gr will do fine at those ranges.

a big +1 here too

f100zardoz

Thanks for the info lads

hedzball

Shoot a 1in8 tikka myself and have used everything from 50GR up and no hassle at all.. shooting 50gr umc at the moment took a fox only yesterday just past 300yards.

f100zardoz

I recently got my tikka t3 in .223. now i have the scope mounted and am planning to zero it in next weekend. Seems like the posts on this trend might be a little dated so i'm lookin for advice on a good round at a good price. Also this will be my first time buying .223 ammo. I presume all i need is my licence?!? If I order from the likes of sports den, do they/can they send in the post or do you have to collect. Thanks shooters.

Cass

f100zardoz wrote: »

............. i'm lookin for advice on a good round at a good price.

Been a while since i bought .223 ammo but for the 1:8 Tikka i'd try a few different rounds. Although it should prefer the heavier rounds it shoots like the CZ and will shoot rounds not necessarily designed for a fast twist rate. So:

• Hornady 53gr
• Hornady 55gr V-max
• Federal 55gr BT
• Hornady 75gr

These are the more expensive rounds at approx €28 per box.

For cheaper shooting, but not necessarily better try:

• UMC
• American Eagle

They run around €12 - €15 per box.

Most of what i have listed is 55gr. They are the more common rounds, but i've seen lads using them successfully in 1:8 twists. However try out the 75gr. better for longer ranges.

Also this will be my first time buying .223 ammo. I presume all i need is my licence?!?

Yup.

If I order from the likes of sports den, do they/can they send in the post or do you have to collect. Thanks shooters.

Send them a copy of your license and they post afaik.

bravestar

Fiocchi 50gr vmax, around 40 quid for 50 rounds. I shoot it out to 500 metres and it is sub MOA out of my 1 in 9.5 barrel. Best ammo I've found for the price.

EWQuinn

My .223s are 1:8, its very versatile for the modern range of ammunition. If you are primarily target shooting thats probably the deal for you. In the Tikka you will probably be surprized by the range of bullets it will shoot well.

ace86

Have a tikka t3 tactical myself and one day out shooting we fired 40gr Hornady,40gr Norma and 55gr Remington Full Metal Jackets and we were firing at a few clays and coke bottles of water @ 150yrds and no problem and I zeroed Previously with 53gr Hornady Super Performance.As the lads said above can't fault them they take anything and prices range from €12-€28 abox depending on the round and ammo choice you want.

Tikkat3

Ive a 1:8 twist Tikka Tactical also and it is as good with 40gr V Max as it is with 75gr BTHP from Hornady. It shoots everything else in between.

Only ammo I ever had accuracy issues with is 64gr Federal Power shok but that was just that brand in my rifle.

Hornady, AE, Norma, all have been excellent. My current favorite is 40gr v max which is a corvid vaporizer

yubabill1

Tikkat3 wrote: »

Only ammo I ever had accuracy issues with is 64gr Federal Power shok but that was just that brand in my rifle.

I have 1:8 Varmint 24" and I get a little less than 1"@100 with Fed 64g Power Shok. One of my favourites - but drop like a stone.

I find I can shoot:
Remington UMC 55gr FMJ, Hornady Ballistic tip 55gr, Tulammo 62gr FMJ and Federal 64gr PSP's with the same zero.

I originally used Remy UMC's set 1" high @ 100yds/ zero @ 150yds / -4" @200yds: the others just happened to follow pretty closely.

Tried a few (literally) American Eagles, they seem on first impressions to shoot to a different POI, but never seriously tried to find out.

Also never shot below 55gr, but found 75gr needed a different zero. Now that I remember, the 69gr MatchKings shot to same POI as Remy UMC 55gr, so I suppose you could add them to the list, but at the huge price they make, I haven't shot them since Celtic Tiger days!

Just my 2c.

650gs

I shoot a Tikka too and found the Fiocchi 50gr vmax at 30 euro a box of 50 great value but also find I have put everything through mine including some really cheap stuff from the UK and out to 300 mtr mine never loses zero

f100zardoz

650gs wrote: »

I shoot a Tikka too and found the Fiocchi 50gr vmax at 30 euro a box of 50 great value but also find I have put everything through mine including some really cheap stuff from the UK and out to 300 mtr mine never loses zero

Where do u get this? Thanks.

bravestar

650gs wrote: »

I shoot a Tikka too and found the Fiocchi 50gr vmax at 30 euro a box of 50 great value but also find I have put everything through mine including some really cheap stuff from the UK and out to 300 mtr mine never loses zero

Are you sure you don't mean fiocchi 50gr HP for that price? Never seen the vmax for lower than 40. For what it's worth, the hollow points are very irregularly shaped and I wasn't too fond of it. That being said it's grand for arsing around with.

f100zardoz

Well in that case where can I get a good deal on the fiocchi 50gr HP. I'm looking for a balance with a decent round and a reasonable price. You would recommend these Bravestar?

bravestar

f100zardoz wrote: »

Well in that case where can I get a good deal on the fiocchi 50gr HP. I'm looking for a balance with a decent round and a reasonable price. You would recommend these Bravestar?

Sportsden and patrick carley have the fiocchi ammo but it I were you, I would pay the extra 10 euro for the vmax round. It's superior in pretty much every way to the poor quality control of the HP stuff. The fiocchi 50gr vmax is sub MOA consistently out of my rem 700 and hitting at 500 metres is very doable as long as you have your dope and can read the wind.