GLOCK45GUY
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Generally speaking, what is the heaviest bullet that will reliably feed from the magazine?
I recall 68gr on one of these treads, but I can't find it.
I recall 68gr on one of these treads, but I can't find it.
AR-15 and max bullet weights
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Rottweiler
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77 grain SMK's can be seated deep enough to feed from a mag.
243winxb
Member
http://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html I think it would be more the length of the bullet than weight. Standard COL 2.26"http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/st223_120606/index1.html
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GLOCK45GUY
Member
Is that with a 68gr projectile?
243winxb
Member
The loaded round has to fit the magazine first. The COL 2.26" is just a standard to start with. Many different AR's out there today "As a rule, the Sierra 77-grain MatchKing and Berger 73-grain VLD are the longest bullets that should be seated deeply enough to feed from the magazine. All the others should be seated out of the case for single-shot loading."
http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/st223_120606/index.html ChristoperG good info.
http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/st223_120606/index.html ChristoperG good info.
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ChristopherG
Member
Bullet weight and COL (Cartridge Overall Length) do not necessarily correlate directly; a heavier bullet may just be seated deeper in the case.
Rott is right that 77 grain bullets are the heaviest that can typically be seated deeply enough to still function in a M16 magazine. Also 75's, 69's, etc.
Rott is right that 77 grain bullets are the heaviest that can typically be seated deeply enough to still function in a M16 magazine. Also 75's, 69's, etc.
snuffy
Member
Apparently some have to have it in bold type to get it through their thick skulls. It's not weight that matters, it's length! The 70 grain Berger VLD is too long to be seated so as to function through a magazine. Why? Because the VLD design has a very tapered ogive, along with a sever boat tail. That leaves very little bearing surface for the rifling.
Seated to clear a magazine, the neck would be over the ogive, not on the bearing surface.
Then, there's the rate of twist to consider. What may function through a mag might not be spun fast enough to stabilize. Length also plays a roll in whether a bullet will stabilize.
Seated to clear a magazine, the neck would be over the ogive, not on the bearing surface.
Then, there's the rate of twist to consider. What may function through a mag might not be spun fast enough to stabilize. Length also plays a roll in whether a bullet will stabilize.
GLOCK45GUY
Member
maybe I should have stated it a bit differently, but it's still my understanding that bullet weight and OAL go hand in hand. As I look at load data for Rem .223 the OAL gets longer the heavier the bullet gets, or maybe I do just have a thick skull.
I'l measure the opening of the mag to see what max OAL will fit? Keep it a bit below the mag opening?
16"HBAR w/1:9" twist
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snuffy
Member
I could have stated it in a more concise way also. The more streamlined a bullet gets, the longer it gets at the same weight. But the tip is all that matters as for mag length. The sleeker, higher BC bullet, then has to be seated deeper in the case to keep the tip at the same length. If the bullet has a long gradual ogive, it will be inside the end of the neck, so the neck can't grip it. This of course limits powder capacity, which limits velocity, so it may not be fast enough to stabilize.
Over-all-length should all be the same regardless of bullet weight, unless some are SHORTER than mag length. That could be so that a cannelure lines up with the case mouth.
I have a cartridge gauge that IF the bullet is at or below the end, it will fit and feed through my AR mags. I don't bother measuring OAL, if it's at the end of the gauge, it's kosher, if not, it gets seated deeper.
The heaviest I load for my my bushy AR,(1-9 20"), is the 69 nosler BTHP. I did try the 70 Berger VLD, but I could see they weren't fully stabilized at 100 yds. Groups were lousy as well.
Over-all-length should all be the same regardless of bullet weight, unless some are SHORTER than mag length. That could be so that a cannelure lines up with the case mouth.
I have a cartridge gauge that IF the bullet is at or below the end, it will fit and feed through my AR mags. I don't bother measuring OAL, if it's at the end of the gauge, it's kosher, if not, it gets seated deeper.
The heaviest I load for my my bushy AR,(1-9 20"), is the 69 nosler BTHP. I did try the 70 Berger VLD, but I could see they weren't fully stabilized at 100 yds. Groups were lousy as well.
ChristopherG
Member
For a 1/9, 69 is probably as heavy as you'll be able to stabilize--though you may have luck with the 75 grain Hornady OTM.
ftierson
Member.
You could also have posted it in a slightly softer way, if you catch my drift...
Just an observation...
Forrest
Rokman
Member
I loaded and shot my heaviest rounds through my AR's today. They were Nosler 69bthp bullets seated to 2.260 and shot through 1:8 and 1:9 twist barrels. I used Magpul PMAGS and I could't have been happier. I shot 75 of them and they worked perfectly. My next heaviest bullets will be Hornady 75gr. bthp's, or Nosler 77gr. bthp's.
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