90gr .223 loads for HD

[trueblue1776]

Quick question:

1 in 9" will not sufficiently stabilize a 90gr projectile in an AR-15 for target shooting.

But, what about home use, wouldn't it stand to reason the heavier projectile would be more desirable? For shorter distances where more ballistic energy could be beneficial?

Would setting the longer bullet at a standard OAL (vs. longer OAL) have any adverse effects on the gun or case? I imagine the base of the bullet would be protruding into the main case.

 

[taliv]

look at a picture of the bullet. if you scoot it back to normal seating depth (OAL) for say, a 55g bullet, i don't think any part of the bullet will actually touch any part of the case.

in other words, i don't think it's possible.

 

[trueblue1776]

? I don't quite follow.

 

[zinj]

He's saying you can't seat a 90gr bullet that far back.

 

[rcmodel]

.223 cartridges loaded with 90 grain .223 bullets have to be fed single-shot into the action.
They are too long to feed through a magazine.

Besides, SD performance would be dismal, as the velocity would be too low for fragmentation, and there would be no mushrooming either.

Energy figures are not the best measurement of SD bullet performance anyway.
Don't get hung up on energy!
It will lead you astray!


rcmodel

 

[taliv]

trueblue, the sides of the bullet aren't flat. they slope towards the front. on 90g projectiles, they're so long, that the slope is so long, that the front half of the bullet isn't wide enough to touch both sides of the case neck. so if you push it back far enough that it can be seated to magazine length, it will just fall free into the inside of the case.

 

[benEzra]

But, what about home use, wouldn't it stand to reason the heavier projectile would be more desirable? For shorter distances where more ballistic energy could be beneficial?

Kinetic energy scales linearly with bullet mass, but exponentially with velocity (KE = 1/2 m * v^2). So you actually get more kinetic energy with the lighter bullet weights in .223, IIRC, until you get down to 55 grains or so.

In my opinion, 55-grain JHP's are ideal for HD. If you need less penetration in building materials, 40-grain JHP's are available, but may be somewhat less effective.

I'm not sure what the heaviest bullet that will feed through the magazine is, but I suspect it's the 77-grain Black Hills load.

 

[trueblue1776]

 

[trueblue1776]

I was counting on them tumbling, from the Hornady pictures it looks possible, these are 55gr vs. 80gr.

 

[mc223]

I think you would be as well off with a magazine full of 60 grainers loaded to run about 3200.