AR-15, twist and what ammo?

[pilgrim]

Please why is there so many different types of 5.56/.223 out there. My head hurts from reading all these websites.

It is a Bushmaster 16" 1:9 twist.

target shooting, not hunting.
What is good and cheap for plinking
What for 0-300 yards?
longer distance.

 

[Crab Bait]

This is just info from the net, but I thought enough of it to save it... others may shoot it down.

 

[Mooseman]

Right now, whatever you can find.

 

[davsco]

there are definitely rules of thumb, but i'd just start with "relatively" inexpensive .55g fmj (xm193, pmc, etc) and see how that works. if it fits the bill, then you're good to go without flushing $$$ down the drain.

also try working yourself up in bullet weight with black hills blue box (reloads), again a relatively inexpensive option.

but as noted, good luck finding anything at all...

 

[amoebicmagician]

1 to 9 is a good rate

You won't burn your barrel out too fast, and it works well with most weights.

My bushy is so old it actually has the bushmaster assault pistol in the logo! I've fired thousands upons thousands upon THOUSANDS of rounds through it with no sign of any wear that I can detect on the rifling, through bore light/camera, or through accuracy comparisons.

I usually just shoot 55 grain .223 or lake city m855 (69 grain) since I have a ton of the latter and the former is was cheap.

Just food for thought, but I've seen that m855 go straight through some substantial trees before. That stuff is awesome.

 

[pilgrim]

CrabBait- awesome chart.

Mooseman- I'm lucky, really this month. I appear to have choices, but I can not hunt for without knowing the brand.


what is best
Lakecity SS109 - 62 gr Green Tip Steel Penetrator
PMC 5.56 NATO FMJBT - 62 gr
Wolf 223 Ammo WPA HP 62gr hollow point

I was thinking the PMC over the Lakecity because its does not have steel tip. I have shot Wolf in a SKS, but it was made before polymer coating was invented.

 

[Bolts Rock]

1 to 9 is a good rate

You won't burn your barrel out too fast, and it works well with most weights.

My bushy is so old it actually has the bushmaster assault pistol in the logo! I've fired thousands upons thousands upon THOUSANDS of rounds through it with no sign of any wear that I can detect on the rifling, through bore light/camera, or through accuracy comparisons.

I usually just shoot 55 grain .223 or lake city m855 (69 grain) since I have a ton of the latter and the former is was cheap.

Just food for thought, but I've seen that m855 go straight through some substantial trees before. That stuff is awesome.

Use an actual bore scope and you'll see lots of wear in the throat.

Cartridge, Caliber 5.56 mm, Ball, M855 (United States): 5.56×45mm 62-grain FN SS109-equivalent ball cartridge with a steel penetrator tip over a lead core in a partial copper jacket. [Green tip]

 

[RW2111]

55gr you'll be fine and they are normally readily available.

 

[pilgrim]

there are definitely rules of thumb, but i'd just start with "relatively" inexpensive .55g fmj (xm193, pmc, etc) and see how that works. if it fits the bill, then you're good to go without flushing $$$ down the drain.

also try working yourself up in bullet weight with black hills blue box (reloads), again a relatively inexpensive option.

but as noted, good luck finding anything at all...

delay in building reload bench and no dies, brass ...yet.

Is anyone reloading, what are the reloads costing you? I guess I have to bring it in under $0.30-0.35/round to be worthwhile.

 

[Song Dog]

It is a Bushmaster 16" 1:9 twist.

target shooting, not hunting.
What is good and cheap for plinking
What for 0-300 yards?
longer distance.

For your 1:9 55's are fine, seen more than enough 1:9's that shoot the 60's even better, MOA & less, if you want to drive tacks try Blackhills ammo, its not cheap but the stuff does shoot extremely well

 

[stu929]

While the weight is important I have heard from a few the length is much more important then the weight...

Obviously heavier means longer but I have heard from some that shoot 69's out of a 1/9 with no issues but they are shorter 69's others cant get above 62-64 in 1/9 barrels.

I was given a list that had the length of most of the modern .224 bullets but I misplaced it. Anyway there is a fair amount of variety in bullet length that does not always strictly follow the weight.

Just food for thought.

 

[annihilation-time]

55gr you'll be fine and they are normally readily available.

^This.

 

[stu929]

I have a crap load of 50, 55, 69 right now I bought to reload and then returned my press and haven't picked one up....Oops!

I'm working on getting another press so I can start using some of my components!

 

[sailskidrive]

I shoot 69gr out of a Fulton Armory varmint gun with a Kreiger 24" 1:9 and its ridiculously accurate. 75 and 77gr sometimes tumble out of it though....

I think that chart is a good starting point but its a little off on the overlap.

 

[stu929]

I shoot 69gr out of a Fulton Armory varmint gun with a Kreiger 24" 1:9 and its ridiculously accurate. 75 and 77gr sometimes tumble out of it though....

I think that chart is a good starting point but its a little off on the overlap.

Agreed!

 

[annihilation-time]

I shoot 69gr out of a Fulton Armory varmint gun with a Kreiger 24" 1:9 and its ridiculously accurate. 75 and 77gr sometimes tumble out of it though....

I think that chart is a good starting point but its a little off on the overlap.

The problem with the chart is that it doesn't account for barrel length.

 

[AliasNeo07]

This is just info from the net, but I thought enough of it to save it... others may shoot it down.

Good chart.

A lot of people say 55gr is a no-go for 1/7 twist but in my experience it works fine.

For the OP...just go shoot 45, 55, and 62 grain of whatever you can find and be happy. You may run into accuracy problems shooting 79gr loads, but...I have a feeling you won't be shooting those.

 

[hitman1415]

Ok not trying to assert I am an expert but I have been through a few colt m16/ar15 armorer classes and involved in the AR community for sometime and have never heard anyone mention length of barrel in this conversation . Did I miss something along the way?

 

[RW2111]

Ok not trying to assert I am an expert but I have been through a few colt m16/ar15 armorer classes and involved in the AR community for sometime and have never heard anyone mention length of barrel in this conversation . Did I miss something along the way?

OP states it is a 16"

 

[hitman1415]

Right I understand that, I was just checking the ammo oracle, because that is where the most comprehensive data on this topic is compiled on the Internet, that I know of, and I can't remember or find anything about length of barrel being a variable when talking bullet stability . I know very light rounds spun very fast at high velocities can come apart, but other than that not sure what length of barrel has to do with it.