Hollow Points out of a ar-15

[mike5123]

How effective would 50gr HP be out of a ar-15 out to 200yrds?\
thanks

 

[countryrebel]

For small and medium game I shoot wolf 55g HP out of my ar and everything has dropped on the spot for the most part.

 

[Squiggy]

I'd say 16'' and up you'd be fine for small to medium animals.

 

[mike5123]

so a 1-9 twist is too tight?

 

[Onmilo]

1 in 9 won't be too tight for 50 grain.
I chose a 1 in 10 twist for a 24" varmint rifle and use 45 and 50 grain out to 300 meters and probably longer on coyote.

I have shot 50 grain hollowpoints in several 1 in 9 rifles with no ill effects and accuracy was quite acceptable in all of them.

 

[mike5123]

here is a nother dumb question, know if i switch to a different round will that throw off the left and rigth aliment?
Thanks

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

What would you be shooting. It may be an effective varmint round, but for most two legged critters, you need to start out from 55gr and move up from there.

 

[vanfunk]

here is a nother dumb question, know if i switch to a different round will that throw off the left and rigth aliment?

You can usually expect different rounds to have slightly different points of impact on target. When switching between rounds, be sure to sight in after the switch to be sure your rounds will be on target. You are not guaranteed to have a point of impact shift, but it is very likely.

vanfunk

 

[Onmilo]

I hear tell that 45 and 50 grain hollowpoints have proven to be extremely effective in actual Police use defensive shootings.

 

[Nhsport]

I am not sure what your use is but all of my 1/9 bushmaster uppers shoot the Win Varmint 45gr load normally found at wall mart in 40 rd boxes into little bitty groups. They are full power loads that really step out and although I have not shot any critters with them they might be something you want to try for your use.
This load shoots like high cost top shelf ammo (or better)at about half the cost.

 

[DogBonz]

Yes, they are fine

While slower twists appear on most varmint rifles, it is usually because most varmint hunters will never shoot over 55gr bullets. I have heard from credible sources, (Bill Alexander, and the owner of JT Custom Rifles) who know the AR platform well, that you cannot “over stabilize” a bullet, and that light bullets spontaneously exploding in mid air from being spun to fast is largely a myth. That said, I cannot give you a good answer as to why too much spin could be harmful.

Your AR will do fine with light HP’s and even with polymer tipped rounds. I shot a raccoon with a 45gr Federal varmint round from my bushy 20” barrel at about 60 yards, and it left a hole that you could drive a Mack Truck through. Talk about “explosive performance”. At 200 yards they will work like they are supposed to, and perform reliably.

 

[fatelk]

I shot some 50gr Hornady SX bullets in a 1/9 barrel. I still don't know why I couldn't get them on paper at 100 yards. I bore-sighted it twice, aimed high, low, left, right. I couldn't even see any impact at all out there. I grabbed some 52gr Sierras and printed a nice tiny group in the center of the target.
My theory was (I could be wrong) that the fast twist combined with the thin jackets of the SX's indeed caused the bullets to disintergrate in mid-air. Either that or they flew off randomly who knows where.

 

[mike5123]

thanks helped alot