light n fast or slow n heavy

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  • Moorvogi

    Firearm Advocate
    Dec 28, 2014
    855
    I picked up some 52gr sierra matchking bullets a while back and figured I'll give them a go in some load testing before i transition to 75gr bullets. The grouping is better w/ 75gr and going to buck the wind a little better but only just.


    52gr @ 3316fps, 1269 foot pounds (0.73" group)[std dev: 8.3]
    75gr @ 2797fps, 1302 foot pounds (0.53" group) [std dev: 16.1]

    currently using
    55gr @ 2352fps, 675 foot pounds (0.83" group) [std dev: 66?!?]

    The 55gr load is kinda crap but it good enough for 200y groundhog feeder. And is low enough pressure that its not abusive. Mainly though, everyone and their brother keeps 55gr in stock. fmj, sp, hp etc etc.

    The question is....Which would be your recommendation and why? Targets include paper, gongs and groundhogs with ranges of 10-550yards. 90% of the targets will be under 350 yards.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    If the 52g bullets are flat base I would use them up to 350 yard. The reasoning is that a flat base bullet that seals the bore quicker will not only be more efficient but reduces the likelihood of gas cutting/ throat erosion after a high round count adds up. Not to mention less time in the barrel which offsets the possible disadvantage of slower lock times or shooter errors due to hold.
     

    Moorvogi

    Firearm Advocate
    Dec 28, 2014
    855
    If the 52g bullets are flat base I would use them up to 350 yard. The reasoning is that a flat base bullet that seals the bore quicker will not only be more efficient but reduces the likelihood of gas cutting/ throat erosion after a high round count adds up. Not to mention less time in the barrel which offsets the possible disadvantage of slower lock times or shooter errors due to hold.

    They ARE flat based. I picked up 700x 52gr bullets for $5 of someone that wasn't reloading anymore. Figure even if they are just plinking rounds.. they are cheep. Thanks for your feedback!
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    With all loads being sub-moa, at what point do you consider accuracy "good enough"? Just for giggles, lets say they are all EXACTLY the same at 100yards. Now what?

    which ever bucks the wind the best...that will cause you more misses.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    The other thing that I didn't mention is that with the right powder and primer selection a lot of obstacles are easier to over come regarding powder density and burning characteristics with matters regarding accuracy. The thing is, most manufacturers make boat tail bullets because manufacturing steps allow the bullets to be made more handily. I like to use game king bullets for the old junk I fool around with. If I'm not mistaken, its actually harder to make a flat base bullet due to the process involved in keeping the base concentric so they are not as prevalent for chamberings I'm fiddling with at the current time. 30/40 .303
     

    Moorvogi

    Firearm Advocate
    Dec 28, 2014
    855
    which ever bucks the wind the best...that will cause you more misses.

    Fair point. I've stepped away from the 220gr 300 win mag for the sake of learning how to read the wind better. It's no big deal with a big heavy bullet but w/ a 52-75gr it's a bit different.
     

    WildWeasel

    Active Member
    Mar 31, 2019
    468
    MI>FL>MD
    52gr @ 3316fps, 1269 foot pounds (0.73" group)[std dev: 8.3]
    75gr @ 2797fps, 1302 foot pounds (0.53" group) [std dev: 16.1]

    currently using
    55gr @ 2352fps, 675 foot pounds (0.83" group) [std dev: 66?!?]

    You're only getting 2350 fps out of 55 grain..?

    I've never done any long range shooting on a regular basis, so the lighter and flatter bullets would be my choice. Always worked great on woodchucks and coyotes...
     

    Moorvogi

    Firearm Advocate
    Dec 28, 2014
    855
    You're only getting 2350 fps out of 55 grain..?

    I've never done any long range shooting on a regular basis, so the lighter and flatter bullets would be my choice. Always worked great on woodchucks and coyotes...

    The 2350fps out of 55gr is a very conservative load. Never had cycling issues etc etc, and was sub moa so I went with it.

    I've not had a chance to get a coyote yet. I want a trophy coyote for my man cave.. anyway.. the groundhogs love/hate it. The little 2350fps 55gr is nasty on them even out to 320 yards and then some.

    I did some load testing today @ the range and found a load that i like w/ charges on either side of that load that are still sub-moa and same POI. I'm going with 24.3gr of 3031 pushing a 52gr bullet. Going to load up 40 and push 20 thru the chronograph tomorrow. See how things work out. 4 holes w/in a nice 0.54 inch group near max charge.. should be cookin!
     

    KRC

    Active Member
    Sep 30, 2018
    615
    Cecil County MD
    Ballistics Calcs?

    From Hornady's online ballistics calculator:
    (many variables, so all values approximate)

    With a 5mph crosswind, wind drift at 100 / 300 yards for your loads are:

    52gr. SMK .6" / 6.2" (3300fps)

    75gr. ELDM .4" / 4.5" (2800fps)

    55gr. SBK .9" / 8.7" (2300fps)

    55gr. SBK .6" / 5.7" (3000 fps - .223?)

    These are all light bullets for distance shooting. These bullets all drift a LOT in the wind. If you want to hit groundhogs or gongs at 300+ yards, and there is any wind, the heavier bullets will provide far superior precision, given equal initial precision. (Duh!)

    As others have stated, your 55gr. pills, if they are SBK's, can be loaded with much higher velocity (and likely much improved SD), and have excellent terminal performance on varmints. My .223Wylde's shoot these with consistent sub-1/2 MOA precision at 100 yards.

    At .223 magazine length COAL's, 55SBK's can be loaded into the lands with most chambers for improved precision, while ELDM's not so much, but you seem to have them working for you.

    A wind drift caused by a 5mph crosswind (light wind) is approximately the same as a 2.5mph left to 2.5mph right switch. You might want to consider the general wind conditions that you will encounter in your shooting when developing loads, and hey - why not work up loads for lighter and heavier?
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    With all loads being sub-moa, at what point do you consider accuracy "good enough"? Just for giggles, lets say they are all EXACTLY the same at 100yards. Now what?

    LOL! Good question. If I were only shooting at 100 yds and both shot exactly the same, I would use the lighter bullet since you said you picked up a lot of them on the cheap. That said, I don't consider 100yds to be the best distance to measure accuracy. When going out to distance (for this discussion, I'll use over 200yds) both accuracy and wind drift would be taken into consideration. In the crappy cell phone pic below are 2 groups shot at 200yds prone w/sling from one of my match rifle AR's. Shot the first 5 and couldn't tell through the spotting scope where all the shots were so, I walked down to check the target. Those are on the right side. I walked back to the firing line, got back into position, put a click left on the sights and shot the next 5. I have come to expect this level of accuracy or very close to it. This was with 77gr Sierra's, 23.5 gr N140.
     

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    Moorvogi

    Firearm Advocate
    Dec 28, 2014
    855
    These are all light bullets for distance shooting. These bullets all drift a LOT in the wind. If you want to hit groundhogs or gongs at 300+ yards, and there is any wind, the heavier bullets will provide far superior precision, given equal initial precision. (Duh!)

    [stuff removed fore brevity]

    You might want to consider the general wind conditions that you will encounter in your shooting when developing loads, and hey - why not work up loads for lighter and heavier?

    FUNFACT! I did some testing over the weekend that matches this comment! I tested some 52gr bullets against a known zero from the 55gr bullets and another load i had that was 75gr.

    All three OCWs are sub moa and w/in the same 1/4" point of impact without changing scope zero. Point is.. i can load each load and assuming i know which is which.. calculate the come-ups as needed. 52 and 55 is fine for ghogs n gongs out to 300. 200 flips dueling tree plates with authority. if a target presents itself out past 350 or so.. change it up to 75gr and be happy.

    this gives a chance to learn how to read wind dir and speed cheaply w/ 52gr bullets while still remaining effective against targets.
     

    Moorvogi

    Firearm Advocate
    Dec 28, 2014
    855
    LOL! Good question. If I were only shooting at 100 yds and both shot exactly the same, I would use the lighter bullet since you said you picked up a lot of them on the cheap. That said, I don't consider 100yds to be the best distance to measure accuracy.

    I came to that conclusion also when doing some testing for 22-250 this weekend. even the scatter node was sub moa. i didn't pull out a ruler but maybe 1.00001 inches.. but still the rest of charges in the OCW test were jagged holes at 100y.

    They do wonders on dueling tree gong plates at 200 yards too. The crops are too tall to test 300+ so for now that'll have to stay w/ the 220gr win mag.

    3-4 shots of 52gr 223 is still cheaper than 300 win mag HAHAH but only just.
     

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