Which would not explain why the same loads stabilized and reached the target in 2 other slower twisted rifles.Chances are good that those SHOTS bullets were coming apart from the velocity not tumbling from twist.
Bullet length is what matters, not weight. The two are obviously closely related, but are not absolutely interchangeable.
The longish bullets you used in your 1:8 twist rifle must have been .222 bullets for the 221 Fireball or 222 Remington or 220 Swift.
Or changing shape or construction. When I've got 3 bullets of .224 caliber all weighing 50gn and all three are vastly different in length and have heavier bullets that are shorter than lighter ones, your gross generalization doesn't hold up. A flat based bullet will weight more than a boattail of the same length with the same ogive shape. A semi-spitzer will weigh more than a true spitzer and certainly more than a poly tipped bullet of the same length and a round nose is the heaviest shape per length of all. And then there's bullet construction. Changing the composition of a bullet has dramatic changes in the bullet length to weight ratio. Adding a steel penetrator as in the M855 will increase length for a given weight, likewise going with a polymer tip. Solid copper or gilding metal bullets are very long for their weight as are the frangible designs that use a powdered copper-tin core instead of lead. On the other end of the spectrum are the powdered tungsten core bullets like those from DRT and Hevi-shot which are very short considering their weight.A 223 bullet is .224 in diamiter and that does not change the only way the weight can change is by being longer or shorter.
The longish bullets you used in your 1:8 twist rifle must have been .222 bullets for the 221 Fireball or 222 Remington or 220 Swift. Not ment for a 223/5.56 AR.
but what astonished me shooting my Contender is the difference in flash and boom different powders made out of it's shorter barrel. Shooting H335 was like shooting a cannon, yet H322 and 748 had half or less of the report.
That's why I really like my 1:9 twist .204. Shoots 26gn Varmint Grenades up to the 55gn VLDs (at least at this elevation) without a problem. I'd actually like a 1:8 but can't find anyone that makes one.To add an example, I am working on getting 40 grain 20 caliber bullets to shoot in my Savage 12. The twist rate is marginal for the length of 40 grain bullets
The Hornady VMAX, Sierra Blitzking, and Berger HP all weigh 40 grains, all are lead core, copper jacket construction, and all are different lengths. The lengths are enough different that you can see it with the naked eye, no caliper needed.
Once again you're making an assumption that simply isn't true. You're completely neglecting bullet shape.The comment made was that there is no relationship between length and weight of the same caliber bullets of the same materials, that is just not true. Yes you can make a bullet out of different materials but that is like comparing apples and oranges, not the same thing.
If you have to use a lead free bullet, yes it will be longer for the same weight bullet out of lead. But a 50 grain lead free bullet IS shorter than a 55 grain lead free bullet.
Jim
Differences in pressure curve. The same thing is pretty common from handguns as well. Slower powders will have more residual pressure when the bullet leaves the muzzle. Has nothing to do with how much powder has burned.Another subject all together.....but what astonished me shooting my Contender is the difference in flash and boom different powders made out of it's shorter barrel. Shooting H335 was like shooting a cannon, yet H322 and 748 had half or less of the report.
This does not comport with my observation of 45 grain Winchester factory ammo out of a SIG556 w/ a 7 twist.Pick any of the loading books you want for this information. I'm not going to type a book out on this forum.
Twist rate has a direct correlation to accuracy when factored in with bullet weight. That is why a 1:7 twist .223 does well with 50 grain and higher bullets but poorly groups anything less. A 1:12 twist .223 does better with the 50 grains and lighter bullets.
Yeah, don't mind him. He's still stuck in some Twilight Zone where modern understanding of what's going on with a bullet in flight hasn't come to light yet or modern bullets aren't available.This does not comport with my observation of 45 grain Winchester factory ammo out of a SIG556 w/ a 7 twist.
They shot great!
Yeah it happens. Some bullets are notorious for it. Most of the newer varmint bullets are designed to be driven *really* hard though. Mach snot is the term I like. They hold up fine with high velocities and fast twists...until they hit something.However, in a Krieger 7.7 twist the 52 grain bullets would blow up occasionally on their way to the target... I could see a "puff of smoke" downrange where the bullets (Sierras) would spin themselves into disintegration.
Sounds "sporty". If they're anything like the 58gn VMax and 55gn BTs that I've shot from a .243 at over 4kfps, "spectacular" is a great description of the terminal effects. Shooting gourds out to 300+ yds sounded like slapping a wet towel on a wall and completely disintegrated the 2.5-3" gourds.I pushed 40gr out of a 1:9 twist 223WSSM 24" barrel to 4550 fps and got sub 1/2" 5 shot groups. Basically that was an experiment when I got my Chrono to see how big a number I could put up I have no idea what sort of terminal ballistics something like that would have, but I imagine it would be akin to having a small grenade go off 3" under your skin.