heaviest .223 load

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bbuffett

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Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
What is the heaviest .223 bullet you can load in a .223 Rem chamber rifle with a reasonable velocity ( doesn't need to be 3000 fps)?
( I am using a 1:9 twist barrell so 80-90gr bullet are not applicable.) Also I would like to keep the OAL in spec. ~2.260 so it will wotk from the magazine.

The short throat or leade in a .223 Rem chamber will/can lead to high pressure; more than the 50,000 psi recommended for the .223 Rem ( I know the nato 5.56 is good for 60,000)

I'm NOT talking 5.56 or .223 Wylde with the long throat ( leade). Both AR-15s and mini-14 have the 5.56 chamber so those loading are of no use.

Thanks
bbuffett
 
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Use a 62 grain bullet. That's the bullet weight used in SS109 NATO ammo. Despite all the internet rhetoric, the .223 and 5.56 are the same thing.
 
Having rounds that load from the mag generally means you need bullets that handle the jump to the lands, and that you have bullets that don't take up too much case when seated to mag length -this you already know.

I think Sierra have this wrapped up in their 77 & 69gr SMK bullets, but the Hornady's are generally a bit cheaper and do near as well (although they are slightly longer than the Sierras, respectively)

A 1:9 might shoot the 77gr. Sierra Match King or the 75gr. Hornady HPBT, but should have no issue at all with the 69 gr. SMK or the 68gr. Hornady HPBT.
Nosler has their .224 match bullets in similar size & weight, but I haven't seen them around Alberta -may change where you are.

Another option is Berger. They have a 70gr. & 73gr. LTB (length tolerant bullet) that flies nice and are tolerant of the jump, but Berger in general are a bit harder to find and a bit more expensive than the big bullet makers.

As a side note, the 69gr. SMK is about the same length as the ss109 but will kick its ass.
 
.223 loads

I have used 69 smk, 73 bergers, 75gn amax, and 77 gn SMK.

I use them in a Rem700P 1:9 twist bolt gun. The best longdistance performance was with the 77gn SMK (varget 24gn, Oal 2.36, 2850 fps, groups 0.3 inch at 100 yards). I have used them in matches out to 800 yards with no problem. Obviously they drift more than my 308, but the perfomance of these is quite acceptable.
 
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