Barrel twist ??

[cornhusker]

I know this has been kicked around several times,but I have to vent on it.
I just put together a new 223 for f class shoots,with a 7 twist.I have read
where anything from 62 to 90 grain will work..And for 80 to 90 a 6.5 twist
is needed..Sierra says their 69 gr match bullets will work..You get the
picture..What can more more confusing than all that?..
I am guess that the farthest shooting will be maybe 600 yards..Starting
at 300 yards..I get so many comments as what works for so and so..My
aimis as small a groups as I can get.for paper targets with bulls eye..
I guess any bullet might do it if your banging steel..
I would like some serious ideas on this so I don't have to buy every bullet
out there to try...Thanks for any help on this...Appreciate it..

 

[Seandradamus]

80s in the JLK or ELDM flavor would be my first choice

 

[03psd]

I would agree with Sean. If you aren't encumbered by mag length I would look at 80gr for your 7 twist. If your shooting is 600 and in I don't see the need for anything heavier.

 

[domdoc]

Get the JLK 80. It has the best BC for an 80 gr, and it stabilizes fine in 1:7 twist. Also, the 90 gr bullet offers no advantage in wind drift, since the 90 gr is going slower, and the JLK 80 BC is so high. The JLK 80 should be jammed .010" into the lands to get best accuracy. These shoot fine out to 1,000 yards, and I have won an F-class match at 600 with them. Mag length has no bearing on F-class, since you are single loading. For that matter, I also single load when hunting. Anybody here ever get a second shot at a deer, after torching off the first round? Me neither.

 

[Rob01]

The JLK does have a higher BC at .510 but run about .35 a bullet. The 80grn ELD .485 BC isn't bad and they are .19 a bullet now at Midway.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/4...er-224-diameter-80-grain-boat-tail-box-of-100

 

[Supersubes]

Op, just pick the bullet you want to shoot and try it. Twist and stability can be mathmatically determined pretty easy. I think sierra recommends an 8 twist with the their 80. The 7 twist should do any 80 easily. The 90 berger may work, at least is has for some. The manufacturers always err on the fast side because they cant account for your shooting location/air density etc.

I like JLK's but they are expensive, and never in stock. You pretty much order them and wait. When i was shooting them in 6.5, i was getting deliveries about once a year, and the price just kept going up. The 75 eld is on sale for $19/100 at midway, which is in light varmint bullet territory. I dont think you can beat that deal.

 

[sandwarrior]

Cornhusker,

I'm in agreement that all the information out there is confusing. First, know this: The reason the military went with the 1-7" twist was to stabilize the tracer round (M856) designed to match the M855 (62 gr.) ammo trajectory. The great thing is the by-product is that tight of a twist will stabilize long bullets all the way up to 90 gr. VLD type bullets. SSCCHHwing!

There is a catch here, though. Only the stubbier nosed 75/77 gr. HPBT bullets fit into an AR mag. length when loaded correctly. Which is when none of the ogive of the bullet is into the neck of the case. In an act of genius (like..."Gump, yo a gotdam genius") most all of the bolt manufacturers put a spacer in their mags so that you could only load the same length as what an AR can load in it's mags., 2.26". You've got to have a custom throat cut if you want to seat bullets long, Along with having the spacer removed to not limit the cartridge to 2.26".

With long ogive bullets you can single feed them if you load them with the ogive to the neck, but not in it. These rounds include anything above 75 gr. VLD Bergers, 80 and 90 gr. SMK's, 75 gr. Hornady A-max and up, 75 gr. JLK VLD/ULD type bullets and up. Nosler 80 and 90 CC's are on the edge

What will work in magazine length, and get you to 1k is SMK 69 and 77 SMK, 68 and 75gr. Hornady HPBT, Nosler 69 and 77 gr. CC's, Berger 70 gr. VLD's are excellent choices as are their 73 and 77 gr. OTM bullets. (they might also make the 75 gr. OTM too)

The problem isn't just finding the highest BC with these, it's finding the bullet that fits your magazine system as well. Call any manufacturer before you buy to save you some cash.

Save​

 

[cornhusker]

thanks for the info. I single feed any way and that's the rules in these match's .Just waiting for some warmer weather and the snow melts so I can get to the range and try a few different loads...