Well the new Dillon 650 is ready to go. I got the powder and now I'm looking for suggestions for which bullet to load. I believe I'd like to stay in or about the 55 gr. Dillon has some for .08 ea. Don't know how they fly. Midway has some for .09 that are 53's from Hornady. Any suggestions? Mostly accurate plinker's is what I'm after. Thanks All!
inexpensive but accurate .223's?
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Damon555
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Inexpensive but accurate = 55 grain Vmax. In my experience comparatively speaking these are almost as accurate as bullets costing nearly twice as much. Yes, they are twice as expensive as the 9 cent bullets you quoted but they are well worth the extra cost.
Nature Boy
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I second the 55g VMAX. I've made some very accurate loads with them on my 650
Paddy
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I've been getting decent results from the 55gr soft point Hornady called spx I believe
Hardtarget
Member
May I cast my vote for the Hornady 55gr V-max as well. I've loaded and shot a good number of these. Printed some good groups too.
Oddly enough, I've gotten some very good groups with their 55gr fmj. Not talking one hole benchrest quality...just much better than expected.
My AR has a 20", 1:9 barrel, (it seems to like the 55gr best) and I have a 4.5x scope on it...so....my expectations are not way up there.
Mark
Oddly enough, I've gotten some very good groups with their 55gr fmj. Not talking one hole benchrest quality...just much better than expected.
My AR has a 20", 1:9 barrel, (it seems to like the 55gr best) and I have a 4.5x scope on it...so....my expectations are not way up there.
Mark
ArchAngelCD
Member.
It depends on what you consider accurate. Most shooters are satisfied with MOA accuracy and then there are those who want benchrest accuracy with an AR rifle and surplus components.
There are a lot of good bullets out there for under 10¢ a piece from Midsouth Shooting Supplies, Jeff Bartlett, Weideners, Midway USA, RMR and many others. HP and SP bullets are usually more accurate than FMJ bullets.
There are a lot of good bullets out there for under 10¢ a piece from Midsouth Shooting Supplies, Jeff Bartlett, Weideners, Midway USA, RMR and many others. HP and SP bullets are usually more accurate than FMJ bullets.
Nature Boy
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It's a good point. I'm happy with 1.5 MOA from my AR carbine. I'm unsatisfied with 0.5 MOA from my bold action target rifle.
LeonCarr
Member
IME you can take the Hornady 55 Grain FMJ and the Hornady 55 Grain SP, with identical loads with the same case, powder, and primer, and the SP will almost always be more accurate than the FMJ, sometimes twice as accurate depending on the rifle.
If you look around online you can find the SP for the same price as the FMJ. I have stopped using the FMJ for .223/5.56, even for plinking loads.
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
If you look around online you can find the SP for the same price as the FMJ. I have stopped using the FMJ for .223/5.56, even for plinking loads.
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
I bought 1000 RMR FMJ 55 gr for plinking. I'm not impressed with their accuracy. I shot a ladder yesterday using these bullets and CFE223. I also shot the same exact ladder with CFE223 and Nosler Ballistic tip varmint bullets.
The 7 5 shot groups with the nosler ranged from a best of .7" to a max of 1.2"
The 7 5 shot groups using the RMR 55 gr FMJ ranged from a best of 2.4" to a max of 3.2"
Both ladders were shot from a good front rest and a sand filled butt rest. The rifle was scoped with a 3x9 SWFA FFP scope in RRA 30 mm mount. It was a bit windy, but not any more or less windy for either ladder test.
All ammo was loaded on a single stage press with the loads trickled to weight on a good balance beam scale. The nosler loaded ammo was loaded using Lake City brass (various DOM), the RMR ammo was loaded using Federal brass. All the brass was trimmed and between 1.745 and 1.755
The target backers at our range are OSB board hung from a steel frame, there is a sloped steel plate behind the targets to deflect bullets down into the ground. I noticed the FMJ's developed considerably more fragments coming back at the target - My target was pretty thoroughly peppered with tiny holes, some of which had little pieces of copper jacketing stuck in them.
The 7 5 shot groups with the nosler ranged from a best of .7" to a max of 1.2"
The 7 5 shot groups using the RMR 55 gr FMJ ranged from a best of 2.4" to a max of 3.2"
Both ladders were shot from a good front rest and a sand filled butt rest. The rifle was scoped with a 3x9 SWFA FFP scope in RRA 30 mm mount. It was a bit windy, but not any more or less windy for either ladder test.
All ammo was loaded on a single stage press with the loads trickled to weight on a good balance beam scale. The nosler loaded ammo was loaded using Lake City brass (various DOM), the RMR ammo was loaded using Federal brass. All the brass was trimmed and between 1.745 and 1.755
The target backers at our range are OSB board hung from a steel frame, there is a sloped steel plate behind the targets to deflect bullets down into the ground. I noticed the FMJ's developed considerably more fragments coming back at the target - My target was pretty thoroughly peppered with tiny holes, some of which had little pieces of copper jacketing stuck in them.
Ifishsum
Member
I use the Hornady 55gr SPs; can usually buy them in bulk for less than .10 and they shoot better for me than the 55 FMJs...also better I think for other general purpose uses such as hunting if necessary, defense, etc. I have about a 1000rd loaded stash for rainy days, and try to keep it around that number. Previously those were mostly 55fmj but as I shoot I'm reloading more with the 55sp.
spanky1968
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Speer grand slams 55gr soft points can be had for 10-11 cents ea if you buy in bulk. 22.5 gr of IMR 3031 makes for an accurate and inexpensive bullet in my .223 bolt gun.
SlowFuse
Member
I have had good experiences with Midways dogtown 55 grain soft point. They're reasonably accurate using H335 and W748.
Besides paper and steel targets, I have used them on coyote only, no real testing on expansion. But, they did just fine in that role. 1.5-2" at 100 yards with an AR15. That's fine with me for the price. I did however buy mine a few years ago at about 7 cents per. They're still a good deal I think.
Besides paper and steel targets, I have used them on coyote only, no real testing on expansion. But, they did just fine in that role. 1.5-2" at 100 yards with an AR15. That's fine with me for the price. I did however buy mine a few years ago at about 7 cents per. They're still a good deal I think.
RPegram
Member
I have tried 55gr FMJ and Hornady SP and got the best accuracy from the SP. I can buy the Hornady 55gr SP in bulk and get them to my door for less than 10 cents a round, so that is all I buy now. AR's are fun to shoot, but man they can eat some Ammo!
greyling22
Member
I've had good success with the midway dogtown and the midsouth varmint nightmare's.
Yeah, the Hornady 55g SP is the same price as the 55g FMJ and by all accounts is more accurate. I bought the 55g SP in bulk for about 9 1/2 cents per round ($23.74/250 at Midsouth Shooters Supply).
It's still not the most accurate bullet in my rifle, but it's plenty good enough for casual plinking or reduced "pop can/bunny" loads.
It's still not the most accurate bullet in my rifle, but it's plenty good enough for casual plinking or reduced "pop can/bunny" loads.
mahansm
Member
It's easier to form the copper at the front of the bullet than at the back to get the center of mass of the entire bullet consistently closer to the bore axis. Soft points and hollowpoints, all other things being equal, tend to be more accurate.
Math follows:
If the center of mass is off the bore axis by .0001 inch on a .223 fired at 100 yards (assume 3000 FPS average velocity) in a 1:7 twist barrel(1 twist in 7 inches), then the bullet will move .33 inches in a random direction away from the bore axis during the flight.
This means a .65" group if all other factors affecting point of impact are neglected.
The dispersion scales in a linear fashion with increasing center of mass errors and slightly greater than linear as range increases.
This much error is not important for plinking ammo but becomes a limiting factor when trying for tiny groups.
Math follows:
If the center of mass is off the bore axis by .0001 inch on a .223 fired at 100 yards (assume 3000 FPS average velocity) in a 1:7 twist barrel(1 twist in 7 inches), then the bullet will move .33 inches in a random direction away from the bore axis during the flight.
This means a .65" group if all other factors affecting point of impact are neglected.
The dispersion scales in a linear fashion with increasing center of mass errors and slightly greater than linear as range increases.
This much error is not important for plinking ammo but becomes a limiting factor when trying for tiny groups.
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GooseGestapo
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The Midway 53gr BLEMS are decently accurate. My CZ527 in .222 shoots them about 1/2" 5-shots over RL10X. Most accurate load I've found for it yet.
Damon555
Member
Probably a typo but bullets jackets are made almost exclusively of copper.
The base is far more important for accuracy than the tip. So any HP or SP of decent manufacture will out shoot a FMJ.
FastCut
Member
I also agree with the Vmax but once in a while you can purchase the Zmax which is the same bullet with silly zombie green tip for considerably less. I use these and they perform the same in my rifles.
spitballer
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V-Max
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