.223 keyholing and unpredictable

[ultratec1]

Well my brother asked me to load some 68gr BTHP for him for his Remington 700 SPS varmint.

I used new brass and Varget powder. I used loads ranging from start load to a little below max and all the rounds were keyholing and all over the place.

Can someone help me figure this problem out. Anyone had the same issues?

 

[cfullgraf]

What is the twist rate on the barrel? If it is slower than 1-9, you probably will not stand a chance of stabilizing the 68 grainers.

 

[Haxby]

Twist rate is probably 1/12. The bullet is too long for the twist rate of the barrel.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Try some lighter bullets. That rifle has a 1:12" twist barrel. And make sure there's no damage to the crown of the barrel.

 

[jwrowland77]

If it's keyholing with 68gr, it sounds like it might be a 1:12 twist. If that's the case, 60gr is the heaviest I've been able to go in my daughters rifle. The 60gr Nosler Partition.

 

[Reloadron]

I have a Remington 700 action with a 1:12 barrel in 223 Remington. You get above a 55 grain bullet and it will keyhole all day. Run some 55 grain or less bullets through it and I would bet the problem goes away.

Ron

 

[alsaqr]

I used new brass and Varget powder. I used loads ranging from start load to a little below max and all the rounds were keyholing and all over the place.

i'm not surprised at all. The barrel has a 1/12" rate of twist.

 

[ultratec1]

Ok have you ever had one of those "moments" where you are almost to embarrassed to admit you messed up??

I never even considered checking the twist rate of the gun.... I have the same gun but in .243 and the twist rate is 1:9.25. I didn't even think to check his barrel to see what the twist rate was I just assumed that it was the same. So I come and on here and make a rookie mistake by not checking the twist of the barrel and ask for advice when I should have checked that from the get go.


Thanks everyone for the quick responses and for pointing out the obvious

 

[stressed]

Didn't the original M16A1 have a 1:7 twist rate to induce tumbling through targets?

 

[rcmodel]

No, the original military AR-15 had a 1/14.
Later changed to a 1/12 on the M16.
Later changed to 1/7 on the M16A1, A2, etc, as it remains today.

rc

 

[Weflyfast]

My SPS is 1:12.... Won't shoot anything over 52 grains worth a hoot. 40 grain v- max and 40 gr Remington hollow points are the best in my gun.

 

[Lj1941]

I loaded some 62 grain FMJBT pulls. The shot fine in my Savage with a 1 - 9 twist but key holed in my friends Remington with a 1-12 twist. He had given me a few to try and ended up giving me the rest of the 500 he had purchased.

 

[jpwilly]

Yip twist rate in those rifles is for 40-50gr pills. Don't know why a modern rifle doesn't have 1-9" at a min in this caliber.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

Yip twist rate in those rifles is for 40-50gr pills. Don't know why a modern rifle doesn't have 1-9" at a min in this caliber.

It is marketed as a Varmint rifle.....

 

[jpwilly]

It is marketed as a Varmint rifle.....

It's also marketed as a "tactical" rifle...so what. 1-9" twist wouldn't hurt and IMO is a better balance of shooting common 223 Rem ammo. :banghead:

 

[KansasSasquatch]

You're missing my point. The rifle in question in the OP is a Rem 700 SPS Varmint. Not a Rem 700 SPS Tactical. The Varmint version has a 1:12" twist, while the Tactical has a 1:9" twist. Chances are, with a 20" barrel on the Tactical, it will stabilize most of the heavier bullets just fine. The VARMINT obviously wasn't designed for those bullets having a slower twist rate. Buy the rifle that fits the intended purpose.... or re-barrel it.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

 

[1911 guy]

You already know why they were keyholing, but here's a hint, if you can find them. Try a box of the WWB 45gr. JHP's. They did better in my 700 VLS than anything I came up with handloading.

 

[SGT D USMC]

You know what's really happening---- You are jerking the trigger!

he went into younder village and never returned

 

[kerreckt]

The most accurate bullets for my 1/12 bolt rifle are in the 40-55gr range. No surprises there!

 

[Regular Joe]

You can have a lot of fun with a 1 in 12 rifle. Long ago, I had a Win. Mod. 70 varminter with a 26" heavy barrel. For P-dogs, I settled on the 50 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip over 29 gr. of W-748 for an average MV of 3,500 fps. If I still had that rifle, I'd probably switch to TAC, for the metering and temp. stability.

 

[41 Mag]

but here's a hint, if you can find them. Try a box of the WWB 45gr. JHP's. They did better in my 700 VLS than anything I came up with handloading.

I'll second this "hint" if you can find them they sometimes come in 40rd Varmint packs.

I have a Contender barrel in 223 AI I picked up to just play around with, in the years I have had it, this is about the only ammo I have used. It by and far beats anything in accuracy I have tried to work up, most 5 shot groups at 100yds from a rest are 1/2" or less. It's listed for 3600fps and I get just over 3150 from my 14" barrel, it still has plenty for critters of yote size and down out to 200yds.