so I have shot thru a 250 round box of Hornady 75g HPBT bullets, wiyhout finding a stellar load for them in my rifle. there were some ok groups, but not the end all be all bullet (with the powders and primers I have available to me. so I was looking at some Berger 85.5 grain bullets. but, to be honest, I think the ogive is to long to be seated short enough to run thru the magazine without the bearing surface being pushed back below the case mouth. I was able to fit and function checked bullets seated out as far as 2.273". but that was with 55 grain bullets, not those LONG, SLEEK 85.5g. Berger ( https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....half-grain-long-range-hybrid-target-100-count ) . has anyone tried them in an AR 15? What have you found to be the longest bullets that will run in your gun(s)? I have a couple of good loads with 55 grain seeds, but I want to have a good, heavy bullet for cases where I need more mass at impact.
AR 15 BULLETS?
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When you get up in the 69-70 grain 22 cal bullets, you need a fast twist barrel. A twist like 1:7 or so.
When you get into the heavier bullets, usually, the seating depth of the bullet is longer than magazine length. But, the rounds with the heavy bullets seated longer than magazine length can be loaded one at a time.
For Service Rifle competition, a frequent load for the 600 yard slow fire stage is the 80 grain Sierra Matchking seated longer than magazine length and loaded one round at a time.
When I was competing in Service Rifle matches, I shot mostly at matches that were reduced range matches (100 yards). I shot 69 grain Sierra Matchkings for all stages.
When you get into the heavier bullets, usually, the seating depth of the bullet is longer than magazine length. But, the rounds with the heavy bullets seated longer than magazine length can be loaded one at a time.
For Service Rifle competition, a frequent load for the 600 yard slow fire stage is the 80 grain Sierra Matchking seated longer than magazine length and loaded one round at a time.
When I was competing in Service Rifle matches, I shot mostly at matches that were reduced range matches (100 yards). I shot 69 grain Sierra Matchkings for all stages.
ArchAngelCD
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I need to know your barrel's twist rate before I can comment on bullet style and weight.
I found that RL15 gave me the best groups at 22.5 grains. The lower loads and higher loads my rifle did not like, the following were 5 shot groups at 200 yards a RRA 20" barrel with a 1/8 twist. I'm using Hornady's 75gr. BTHP bullets.
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kalielkslayer
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It’s been said at least 2Xs. You need to provide your twist rate; 1-9, 1/8, 1/7 before anyone can give you an educated answer.
I’m currently working with a 22-250, way more velocity. It has a 1-9 barrel and I’m questioning stability with anything over 70 grains.
I’m currently working with a 22-250, way more velocity. It has a 1-9 barrel and I’m questioning stability with anything over 70 grains.
Remington1911
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This is info I must look up each and every time I change.....I can't for the life of me remember it.
Ifishsum
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I shoot those 85.5 Bergers fine in my 20" 7 and 8 twists, but definitely not loaded to magazine length. Single feed only. If you want a heavier magazine length round, the Sierra 77 Match King or the Nosler Custom Comp 77s are about the best (also the Hornady 75s but you've already tried those). If you have a 1:9 I would stick with 69gr as max. Pretty much all the heavy slick .224s are going to be too long for magazine loading in anything regardless of twist.
n2omike
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Rotational speed of a bullet depends on two things... Twist rate of the barrel and velocity. The faster a bullet is driven through the rifling, the faster it will spin. Sometimes, if a longer/heavier bullet is having issues, driving it faster can help. Likewise, if a light bullet in a fast twist barrel doesn't have the ideal accuracy, slowing velocity can be something to try.
Barrel length increases velocity, and longer barrels (20") are very popular when shooting the longer/heavier bullets. A heavy bullet shot out of a 10.5" barrel would likely want a very fast rifling twist rate.
GooseGestapo
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My RRA NM AR15 has a Wilson 1/8” twist barrel.
The Berger’s will be “iffy”. Definitely not doable at Magazine length.
Which version of the 75gr Hornady BTHP do you have?
Those groups look like what mine does with the bullets WITH CANNELURES.
Hornady also makes them WITHOUT a cannelure. These shoot to approximately 0.7moa or better.
The bullets with the cannelure are inconsistent lot to lot. I’ve seen some shoot well, another lot# will group poorly.
Get the 75’s without the cannelure!
The Berger’s will be “iffy”. Definitely not doable at Magazine length.
Which version of the 75gr Hornady BTHP do you have?
Those groups look like what mine does with the bullets WITH CANNELURES.
Hornady also makes them WITHOUT a cannelure. These shoot to approximately 0.7moa or better.
The bullets with the cannelure are inconsistent lot to lot. I’ve seen some shoot well, another lot# will group poorly.
Get the 75’s without the cannelure!
sorry guys, my rifle has a 1 in 7 twist rate. I found out the hard way about barrel twist rates, trying (oddly enough, the SAME 75g bullet) out of a 1 in 12 twist rate gun. yes, the 75g Hornady's I was shooting DID have the cannelure. I thought that anything fired out of a semi auto box magazine needed to be crimped. I will try some of the 77g Nosler's or Sierra MK's, when I can find them. I'm going to have to find powder soon as well. I HATE it when stinking gun grabbing Democrats get in power. the gun community attacks itself by HOARDING EVERYTHING!
@x_wrench
Don't be afraid to try the RMR 69 BTHP. They are some of the better shooting bullets out there and the price is fantastic. Jake is also a heck of a nice guy that supports the shooting community.
Otherwise my standby is a 77 SMK over 8208 at mag length. I'm seeing 2820fps but I'm running a 24" 8 twist Criterion barrel.
Don't be afraid to try the RMR 69 BTHP. They are some of the better shooting bullets out there and the price is fantastic. Jake is also a heck of a nice guy that supports the shooting community.
Otherwise my standby is a 77 SMK over 8208 at mag length. I'm seeing 2820fps but I'm running a 24" 8 twist Criterion barrel.
A lot of us stocked up before hand. Then took a step back to wait on the carnage to end. I haven't bought a reloading supply since sitting of 2020.
I will be in the market to restock if things calm down a bit more.
H4895, IMR 8208xbr, Shooters World AR-Plus, and AR Comp are good options. IMR4064 is good if you reload single stage.
Nature Boy
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The 85.5 Berger full bores were designed to shoot in Palma match rifles (bolt action)
I ran into the same issue you did trying to get them to work in my Wylde-chambered AR built for NRA High Power tactical AR matches
First, there’s no way you’ll load them to magazine length. Second, even single loading in a standard chamber will put too much of the bearing surface inside the case and you’ll have difficulty getting consistent results.
To run these you’ll need to ream the chamber and lengthen the throat. There are specific reamers designed for these dimensions in .223 match rifles.
My first suggestion (which is what I did) is to drop back to a Sierra 77 SMK and find a good load there
I ran into the same issue you did trying to get them to work in my Wylde-chambered AR built for NRA High Power tactical AR matches
First, there’s no way you’ll load them to magazine length. Second, even single loading in a standard chamber will put too much of the bearing surface inside the case and you’ll have difficulty getting consistent results.
To run these you’ll need to ream the chamber and lengthen the throat. There are specific reamers designed for these dimensions in .223 match rifles.
My first suggestion (which is what I did) is to drop back to a Sierra 77 SMK and find a good load there
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