I have a 1-9 twist in my AR and I've run 53 to 69 gr bullets thru it with good stability through out the range. Just curious as to what success others have had with bullets at the extremes. How small to how big with a 1-9 twist rate?
It never dawned on me till I read your post how a longer barrel (higher velocity) can have a faster rotation than a shorter barrel (lower velocity), that's perfectly logical and answers some unasked questions of mine. Kudos to youVelocity matters, so barrel length matters. A 24” 1:9 223 is spinning faster than a 16” 1:8”, so what stabilizes in a longer bolt gun may not stabilize in a Carbine.
Stabilization also isn’t the only parameter for precision, nor is it the leading detractor for short range precision. “Optimally stabilized” is a different thing than “stabilized enough to fly tip forward, with a bit of yaw,” which is very different still from “tumbling in flight to the point of keyholing on target.”
I’ve shot as small as 40’s and 45’s and as heavy as 77’s and as long as 75 A-Max’s in 1:9” twist barrels.
It gets even more complicated. My 1 in 12” twist Remington 26” barrel will stabilize a long Hornady 62 gr BTHP with good accuracy at 100 yards in warm weather, but in freezing temperatures, they won’t stay on paper at that range. The fact that they are loaded with ball powder may also attribute to that effect, since my 40 gr bullet handloads with TAC powder lost 300 FPS at 30 degrees compared to same loads at 80 degrees. Haven’t chronographed the 62 gr loads at low temperatures yet.It never dawned on me till I read your post how a longer barrel (higher velocity) can have a faster rotation than a shorter barrel (lower velocity), that's perfectly logical and answers some unasked questions of mine. Kudos to you
It gets even more complicated. My 1 in 12” twist Remington 26” barrel will stabilize a long Hornady 62 gr BTHP with good accuracy at 100 yards in warm weather, but in freezing temperatures, they won’t stay on paper at that range. The fact that they are loaded with ball powder may also attribute to that effect, since my 40 gr bullet handloads with TAC powder lost 300 FPS at 30 degrees compared to same loads at 80 degrees. Haven’t chronographed the 62 gr loads at low temperatures yet.
This can be deceptive. I had a .22-250 Remington with a 1:14 twist. It shot 55 grain bullets well. But it just would not stabilize 69 grain match type bullets worth a hoot. It would do better (but still poorly) with some 70 grain round nose bullets. The 70 grain bullets were just a trifle shorter.Velocity matters, so barrel length matters. A 24” 1:9 223 is spinning faster than a 16” 1:8”, so what stabilizes in a longer bolt gun may not stabilize in a Carbine.
Going faster only helps if your twist rate is marginal. I couldn't even get a 1-12 22-250 to stabilize 69 grain bullets. Your 14 has no hope.This can be deceptive. I had a .22-250 Remington with a 1:14 twist. It shot 55 grain bullets well. But it just would not stabilize 69 grain match type bullets worth a hoot. It would do better (but still poorly) with some 70 grain round nose bullets. The 70 grain bullets were just a trifle shorter.
I reasoned that shooting them faster would spin them faster and solve the problem. It doesn't.
From all the research I did the fast velocity produces more atmospheric resistance and therefore a greater tendency to yaw. Those were the symptoms I found and it seems to fit the explanation.
Remington 7 1/2’sBullet length is also a factor. You can have two bullets of the same weight, one long and pointy, and the other rounded and blunt, and you'll be able to stabalize one but not the other.
what primer where you using
This can be deceptive. I had a .22-250 Remington with a 1:14 twist. It shot 55 grain bullets well. But it just would not stabilize 69 grain match type bullets worth a hoot. It would do better (but still poorly) with some 70 grain round nose bullets. The 70 grain bullets were just a trifle shorter.
I reasoned that shooting them faster would spin them faster and solve the problem. It doesn't.
From all the research I did the fast velocity produces more atmospheric resistance and therefore a greater tendency to yaw. Those were the symptoms I found and it seems to fit the explanation.