16" Barrel, 1/9 Twist: Which bullet weight to use?

[TheSaint]

I just purchased this guy for my first AR build:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/83...contour-1-in-9-twist-16-chrome-moly-phosphate

For a 1/9 twist, 16" barrel, what weight of bullets would you recommend for just your standard plinking? Before I order 4,000 bullets to make my supply chest bulge, I'm just wondering if there's some consensus matching up the barrel to the bullet weight. The barrel arrived from Midway without any documentation or suggested weights, so I'm left to doing research online.

I was thinking about buying your standard 55 grain FMJ in a smaller quantity and make a few loads that way and see how it handles out on the range. Your thoughts?

 

[vujade]

I believe 1/9 twist will stabalize 50-62 grains well.

I'm an AR newbie and I've only loaded 55 and 62 grain bullets. They are about the same for me - a little less than an inch at 50 yards (but that's not precision shooting. I only have a red dot with the front of the rifle on a sandbag).

I just picked up a box of 50 grain vmax and hope to load/try that this weekend!

 

[243winxb]

Bullets - Length VS Weight

69 gr Sierra, 68 gr Hornady is the longest/heavest to light 50 gr work. Its more the length of the bullet that matters. A heavy flat base, round nose bullet may shoot ok, but one at the same weight that is boatail & pointed may not. The velocity also is a big part. The bullet needs RPM's of the correct amount to be accurate also. Short barrels produce less FPS = Less RPM.

 

[Beentown]

40-62

 

[rcmodel]

40 varmint of any brand to 69 grain Match bullets.

1-9 will shoot just about anything you can stuff in the magazine.

That is why it has become almost the universal AR-15 rifling twist.

rc

 

[BullfrogKen]

Yeah, pretty much up to 69 grains.

Can't take advantage of 77s though.

 

[jim243]

50 grain to 69 grain bullets will work.

Jim

 

[RustyFN]

For 100 to 200 yards I like 55 garin bullets for punching paper and steel. Over 200 yards I like a heavier bullet. I have shot 69 grain bullets in my 16 inch 1:9 twist with good accuracy.

 

[TheSaint]

Thank you all for the advice. I'll probably purchase a small quantity of each of the ranges suggested above and see how they shoot out of my build once it is complete.

 

[Fishslayer]

This says up to 73gr.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/223rem/

 

[jack44]

somewhere around 60 or so gr.

 

[Beentown]

This says up to 73gr.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/223rem/

I have never seen a 16" bbl with a 1/9" twist shoot anything over 68 grains worth a darn.

 

[balderclev]

I've shot commercial loads in everything from 37 to 62 grains with <1MOA in all.

 

[squarles67]

Accuracy in mine goes out the window once you go above 69g

 

[Steve in PA]

I have a Bushmaster 1:9 that shoots 75 grain ammo just fine. It also shoots the 55 grain ammo just as good.

Try some ammo in various bullet weights and see how they shoot in your rifle.

 

[SSN Vet]

try 69 gr SMK with 23 gr of H335.... that's a sweet spot in my 16" 1:9 middy