Midways dogtown bullets

[ralph2]

I got some 243 cal 55 grain soft point bullets from Midway a month or so ago. The first
problem I had was they didn't make it to the target at 3500fps. At 3300fps most
made it to the target (70 yds). I dropped them to 3200fps and things seemed ok
for a while. Today I was having only a 60 % hit rate on 3 inch targets at 70 yds
from a rested position. So I set up a paper target and shot 10 rounds. Three
key holed and except for one of the keyholes the group was about 1 inch.
The gun is a Stevens 200 with I believe a 1 in 9.25 inch twist. I believe the
problem is the bullets but any thoughts would be appreciated. The last batch
of bullets I shot in the gun was 200 Hornady 87 grain V-maxes and never missed
a 3 inch target at 70 yds with them.

 

[Hay Creek]

Had some no name bullets for .223 with similar results. A few made it to the target back board but most went into never never land. Did find some pieces of copper imbedded in my tack shed and tie up post. And 1 round managed to come apart and take out the chrono.
I'd check with dogtown and find out what velocity they're meant to handle. My guess is they're spinning too fast and just flying apart.

 

[Funshooter45]

That's good to know. I have an identical rifle and I have noticed that it seems to shoot best with bullets weighing 85-100 gr. I have always been a little suspect with light bullets anyway. I know that 170 gr bullets are horrible in my .325 WSM for instance.

It's good info on the Dogtown bullets. I was just contemplating ordering some more .243 bullets from Midway and I saw the Dogtown bullets. I don't really care about the weight or construction of the bullets because most of my .243 shooting is at paper or an occasional coyote. Any bullet will work there as long as it's accurate. On the rare day that I shoot a deer with the .243, I have some good rounds made up using 100 gr Hornady SP.

I guess I'll stick to the 85-100 gr range. I'll probably stick to Hornady or Sierra, depending on which one is on sale that day.

 

[Waywatcher]

My guess is they're spinning too fast and just flying apart.

That's what I think is happening as well.

Other small bore rifles have this issue too, like .223. It is caused by not matching bullet length to the twist rate of your rifle at that velocity.

 

[Blackrock]

My 6mm don't like the 55g's in any make. But it really does well with the Hornady 87g bullets.

 

[DesmoDucRob]

Ralph, Sorry I can't say the same for Hay Creek, but you may have just saved me a chronograph...

 

[BruceB]

I bought a box of 500 55-grain .224" Dogtown hollowpoints from Midway.

In tests with my CZ heavy-barrel varminter, I fired five CONSECUTIVE 5-shot groups that all went under 1/2" at 100 yards. The charge was 38.5 grains of H380, and velocity was 3780 fps average (26" barrel).

With performance like this, I will be ordering more of the Dogtown bullets.

 

[ILikeLead]

Just FYI

I'm able to shoot 36 grainers .224 diameter out of my 1 in 9 inch AR and they all make it to the 200 yard target and punch a neat little hole. I was kinda worried about them flying apart but none so far. Haven't chrono'd them yet, but will soon.

YMMV

 

[sgte5]

I've had very good results with Dog Town bullets. I've used them in my 223 ar, 223 rem 700, and 22-250 savage and rem 700. They have all had excellent results. I don't load max. loads and have not checked speeds though.

 

[ralph2]

Thanks for the responses. I am still trying to figure out my next move with the bullets.
At 3200fps I don't think the bullets are coming apart now. They are not stabilizing,
thus the keyholes. I just measured the diameter of two of the bullets and came up
with .242 on both. Maybe the slightly undersized bullets and a less than clean
barrel together didn't stabilize the bullets so I may give the barrel a good cleaning
and give it another try.

 

[Glock20]

Ralph2, you may want to call Midway or send them and e-mail and ask them what the diameter the bullets are supposed to be. They may have received a bad batch of them.

I have no experience with Dogtown bullets for 243, but have used them in my 223 Vanguard with excellent results. Both SP and HP will shoot as well as V-max or Nosler BT at a fraction of the cost.
I was talking to a guy at the range last week and he said he didn't have very good luck with Dogtown, so it may be a hit of miss with these bullets.

If you do reach out to Midway, let us know what they have to say.

 

[ralph2]

Glock20 -- I called Midway and they admitted no problems but I can return them for any reason.
They said the bullets should be .243. I checked some other bullets to see if it could me my
micrometer and found some 223 cal sierra varmiters to be .224 and some 243 cal Hornady
58 grain V-maxes to be just under .243 so they are maybe .0005 inch greater diameter than
the dogtown bullets. I don't think the diameter by itself is causing the keyholes since I have
heard of .308 bullets working in Russian rifles with .310 bores.

 

[ralph2]

I cleaned barrel and reduced from 34 grains of Varget to 33 grains
and it looks like I still got 1 keyhole at upper right. I am surprised that the keyhole grouped with the rest. Target was at 70 yds. 10 shots are in group

 

[GooseGestapo]

Sounds like a bad batch of bullets. I've had simiular issuses with some Hornady's. One box of Hornady 117gr BTSpt's were normaly accurate at 100yds. After missing 7 shots at three different mule deer at ranges from 180-240yds. we rechecked the rifle at 250yds. Only one bullet hit a large 24x30" cardboard box and it was a full sideways key-hole.
Another batch of 140gr SST .284" bullets would only expand on a concrete block or metal plate. Four deer shot were complete pass throughs with no expansion. Checking the one deer that died from a spine hit revealed zero bullet expansion. .284" entry and exit wound.

Send them back to Midway. They'll make good on them. Once I bought a box of 100 Remington .300RemUltMag brass. I got 98 pieces and one was a defect. They sent me a box of 20 to cover the shortage.
Expensive shipping, but good folks to do business with......