Looking for advice on 55 grain 223 bullets

[westernrover]

I want to buy a couple thousand and get the most for my money. I want 55 grain. They will be for paper targets, cans, plastic bottles, ice blocks... plinking and target shooting. Accuracy matters because Coke cans will be shot out to 300 yards or longer, but I'm not going to measure groups with a caliper.

Bob's look out of stock
Everglades look like 29 cents
RMR doesn't have 55 grain except Armscor at 12 cents
Armscor are 7.5 cents at Raven Rocks with free shipping (when buying 4000)
Hornady are 10 cents at Midsouth with free shipping
Speer flat-based spitzer (soft point) are 10.6 cents

I've never shot any of these. I watched Johnny at Johnny's Reloading Bench shoot Bobs', Everglades, and Hornady. Those all seemed to work ok with the right load.

Are Armscor a good deal or junk?

The Speer flat-base spitzers might be accurate within my intended range.

So Speer, Hornady, or save money with Armscor?

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Check and see what Grafs have too, Armscore will be fine for plinking. But for 10 cents each i would go for the Hornady.

 

[irishlad]

I've been using Hornady 55 gr VMAXs for a long time.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

My 16" barrel AR does very well with the Hornady 55gr FMJBT w/ cannelure. I use IMR 3031 or H335 to push it out the barrel.

 

[westernrover]

I've been using Hornady 55 gr VMAXs for a long time.

aren't those about twice as costly as fmj?

 

[westernrover]

Check and see what Grafs have too, Armscore will be fine for plinking. But for 10 cents each i would go for the Hornady.

They have "Lightning" brand for 10 cents. Otherwise, they have some of the other bullets already mentioned but at higher prices. I buy from Grafs but I don't think they have my deal this time.

I also checked Ammoseek's reloading search engine. Other than what's been mentioned, I see Arm or Ally have their own brand for cheap: 7.9 cents shipped.

 

[irishlad]

aren't those about twice as costly as fmj?

Don’t know. I bought all Walmart had here when they were on clearance. They were more accurate for me than fmjs.

 

[2ndtimer]

aren't those about twice as costly as fmj?

Pretty much, but if you want the best accuracy, FMJ is not the answer. Of those you mentioned, either the Hornady or the Speer soft point would serve you well. My favorite is the Hornady 62 gr BTHP, formerly offered in bulk by Mid-South Shooter's Supply for around .12 per. Sadly, they have been out of production for the past year or so. Hoping Hornady starts producing them again, so I can buy a few thousand.

 

[Walkalong]

The Speer flat-base spitzers might be accurate within my intended range.

Will outshoot open base FMJ

I’m always looking for sot points, hollow points, plastic tipped bullets on sale.

 

[dredd]

I get great results out of a 20" Bull Barrel AR with the 55/gr Hornady SP's and W748.

 

[Walkalong]

55/gr Hornady SP's

My old .222 Mag loves those.

 

[Show Me]

Will outshoot open base FMJ

I’m always looking for sot points, hollow points, plastic tipped bullets on sale.

Very good. I'm still loading on clearance z max 55's. If you snooze you loose in the bargain bullet game. Got a lot of Barnes 53 gr before they got popular.

 

[2ndtimer]

I had pretty good luck with an order of these a few months ago. Price is right, can’t guarantee they will be as good, but I went ahead and ordered another 500.

223 55gr HPBT w/ Cannelure BLEMS - 500ct - American Reloading

Blemished Projectiles - May contain: Mixed Lots, Discolored Finish and/or Minor Deformities *Any specific blemishes will be noted and pictured

americanreloading.com

 

[BIZERKO666]

Most of my .223's have been Everglades. No complaints. I don't want "discount" seeds even if it's just plinking. Not knocking other guys, tried a lot of them too, it's just what I like and I'll usually pick an in-between. If things get serious I'll break out the Bergers or A-Max.

 

[BreechFace]

55gr Hornady SP’s cheap and very consistent in the accuracy department.

But yourself a box of 50 loaded Hornady ammo (Hornady #80255) of these and see how your rifle prints. They have been very accurate out of all my 223/5.56.

It’s the only 55gr projectile I buy now, I use 53gr Vmax when I want more performance and BC's. I used to be able to find them for $0.08-0.09/round when buying a 1,000 or more.

 

[Pottimus]

I loved the MidwayUSA Dogtown when available.

 

[GooseGestapo]

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 55 Grain Spire Point Boat Tail With Cannelure 250 Count

22 Caliber .224 Diameter 55 Grain Spire Point Boat Tail With Cannelure 250 Count by HORNADY Product Overview: The Hornady line of traditional Varmint bullets features a streamlined design for flat trajectory. Its lead core and match-grade copper jacket represent the original standard...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

These have been accurate in my experience.
I buy them when Available in 1,000 quantities and free shipping.
MidSouth currently has free shipping.

 

[snowman357]

I don't use the hornady 55gr but I do use the 62gr hornady fmj midsouth has them for 11 cent each, very good bullet I use them in all my ar rifles, very accurate.

 

[Bronco72]

Every rifle has it's preferences! I built an AR solely for accuracy, one upper for long range ground squirrels and the other for larger critters. The two uppers for it have, one with a 1:9 twist and the other with a 1:7. I lucked out on the first load I tested for the 1:9.... 55 gr Sierras blitz kings, max load of 4895, from a Sierra reloading manual. The rifle is capable of 5 shot groups at a 100 yards that can be covered with a nickel ! I looked not further for 55 grain bullet accuracy.
Just sharing my experience

 

[n2omike]

They have "Lightning" brand for 10 cents. Otherwise, they have some of the other bullets already mentioned but at higher prices. I buy from Grafs but I don't think they have my deal this time.

I also checked Ammoseek's reloading search engine. Other than what's been mentioned, I see Arm or Ally have their own brand for cheap: 7.9 cents shipped.

I have 600 Lightning 55g FMJ Boattail that I'd sell for $40 and free shipping if anyone wants to try them. I never tested them. They are relatively unknown, and YMMV. Not known as match bullets.

 

[westernrover]

Will outshoot open base FMJ

I’m always looking for sot points, hollow points, plastic tipped bullets on sale.

So far, you guys convinced to get the soft points instead of the FMJ. I was inclined to go with the Hornady FMJBT's because it seems like I couldn't go wrong with those for 10 cents. I suspected, but now I'm convinced I'll get even better results from closed and flat-based soft points and if I can get them without paying more, I won't have any fewer of them to shoot.

One source has 55 gr Hornady soft points for 10.4 cents but shipping would cost me something -- up to 11.4 cents.

Another source has the 55 gr Speer soft points for 10.6 cents and free shipping.

I think the biggest difference is the Hornady have a crimp groove and the Speer do not.

 

[Walkalong]

I'm still loading on clearance z max 55's.

Nice, I still have a few of those.

 

[EricBu]

I want to buy a couple thousand and get the most for my money. I want 55 grain. They will be for paper targets, cans, plastic bottles, ice blocks... plinking and target shooting. Accuracy matters because Coke cans will be shot out to 300 yards or longer, but I'm not going to measure groups with a caliper.

Bob's look out of stock
Everglades look like 29 cents
RMR doesn't have 55 grain except Armscor at 12 cents
Armscor are 7.5 cents at Raven Rocks with free shipping (when buying 4000)
Hornady are 10 cents at Midsouth with free shipping
Speer flat-based spitzer (soft point) are 10.6 cents

I've never shot any of these. I watched Johnny at Johnny's Reloading Bench shoot Bobs', Everglades, and Hornady. Those all seemed to work ok with the right load.

Are Armscor a good deal or junk?

The Speer flat-base spitzers might be accurate within my intended range.

So Speer, Hornady, or save money with Armscor?

Berry's 55 fmj are rebranded hornady's. They are cheap, and can be found in 5k ct packages and run great. Check berry's directly, but also check grafs and the other usual suspects to see who's doing the best deal.

 

[longdayjake]

Berry's 55 fmj are rebranded hornady's. They are cheap, and can be found in 5k ct packages and run great. Check berry's directly, but also check grafs and the other usual suspects to see who's doing the best deal.

Incorrect. Berry's has a 55 FMJ machine. I've seen it. I can't say much for quality, but when they first got the machine we bought and sold 300,000 of them. They were good bullets back then. I think that was 2019 or 2020.

As far as my advice on 55s go, the FMJ are lame. Every brand is lame. They don't shoot amazing no matter what you do. They are never very consistent. The Hornady SP that others mentioned would be WAY better. I personally like the heavier bullets but as far as cheap goes the SP are just a better bullet.

 

[BreechFace]

As far as my advice on 55s go, the FMJ are lame. Every brand is lame. They don't shoot amazing no matter what you do. They are never very consistent. The Hornady SP that others mentioned would be WAY better. I personally like the heavier bullets but as far as cheap goes the SP are just a better bullet.

Good to hear you comment on this Jake.

The differences due to how the projectiles are formed are the reason behind HP and SP's being more accurate than FMJ's. How FMJ's are formed allows for more variance between jacket and lead core, as well as often they are "open base" and generally the base is not as flat or square to the center line of the bullet causing destabilization in flight.