what twist is best for 223 rem.
- Thread starter bruce johnstone
- Start date
60 grs for .223 look a bit heavy
Only if you are looking to use it for Varmints. For target/Long Range work, there are a lot of choices in quality bullets over that size, few in the lighter weights.
Longer bullets, not heavier bullets, determine the need for a faster twist rate. In some cases (Barnes Varmint Grenades, eg.) a 50 grain bullet will need a faster twist rate to shoot accurately, but mostly, it's about heavier bullets retaining energy better, and flying better at distance, so the heavy bullets are it.
Cheers
Trev
Depends on what you want to do with it. For factory bulk 55 grain 223 ammo, a 1:9+ will work fine. If you are hand-loading and/or using long match bullets, I'd suggest 1:8.
longer Bullets over 75 grains generally need 1:8.
longer Bullets over 75 grains generally need 1:8.
+2 on 1:9 or faster.
I've stot 45gr'ers from my 1:7 AR with ill effects.
Hi Bruce
A group of fellows at Range I shoot at are shooting .223 in different twists my Rem 700 XCR Long range tactical 1/9 will shoot 55gr Nosler BT at 3420fps in just over 1" at 300y,
the 75gr bergers VLD just under 1" at 300y.stay a way from ball powders that work good with the small bullets. use Varget ,RL 15 & VT 540 no particulor order.
Friends 1/7twist Savage 12 shoots about the same with 80gr sierra's & varget but beats me in windy conditions. My brother has a custom 40xb & 28' Hart barrel in 1/7 well it just beats every .223 he is using 80gr sierras at .2" at 100 and his best 5 shot at 300y .600" he never shoots over a 1' at 300y unless caught by miss reading wind.
he is now loading to test 90gr VLD bergers & 90gr Sierra's for 1000 y shooting at Connaught. Fellow has a new Sako stainlesss in 1/8 twist that is showing great things.
manitou
A group of fellows at Range I shoot at are shooting .223 in different twists my Rem 700 XCR Long range tactical 1/9 will shoot 55gr Nosler BT at 3420fps in just over 1" at 300y,
the 75gr bergers VLD just under 1" at 300y.stay a way from ball powders that work good with the small bullets. use Varget ,RL 15 & VT 540 no particulor order.
Friends 1/7twist Savage 12 shoots about the same with 80gr sierra's & varget but beats me in windy conditions. My brother has a custom 40xb & 28' Hart barrel in 1/7 well it just beats every .223 he is using 80gr sierras at .2" at 100 and his best 5 shot at 300y .600" he never shoots over a 1' at 300y unless caught by miss reading wind.
he is now loading to test 90gr VLD bergers & 90gr Sierra's for 1000 y shooting at Connaught. Fellow has a new Sako stainlesss in 1/8 twist that is showing great things.
manitou
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I suggest getting the fastest twist barrel you can find. The logic is as follows.
Every twist will stabilize a broad range of bullet lengths, but a fast twist will stabilize longer bullets than a short twist. The faster twist therefore makes your rifle more versatile.
My 1:7 .222 was exceptionally accurate even with bullets as light as 50 grs and remains the second most acurate barrel I've owned. Where I ran into trouble was with bullets designed to be explosive at low velocity like the Blitz and the SX. These fragile bullets would often turn to dust in the air, but normal soft points or match bullets worked fine. The fast twist did not inhibit the velocity or accuracy of light bullets, which is often claimed.
Every twist will stabilize a broad range of bullet lengths, but a fast twist will stabilize longer bullets than a short twist. The faster twist therefore makes your rifle more versatile.
My 1:7 .222 was exceptionally accurate even with bullets as light as 50 grs and remains the second most acurate barrel I've owned. Where I ran into trouble was with bullets designed to be explosive at low velocity like the Blitz and the SX. These fragile bullets would often turn to dust in the air, but normal soft points or match bullets worked fine. The fast twist did not inhibit the velocity or accuracy of light bullets, which is often claimed.
- Location
- Virden, MB
My 1:8 twist would shoot 40g well but wouldn't shoot 75g or over. Wish I had gotten a 1:7
I have a Rem 700 VLSS with a 1:12 twist - I have only tried 55Gr FMJ (UMC & PMC) and it shoots well out to 200M. But I am looking into handloading - with this type of twist, what do you think would be a good place to start in terms of bullet weight? This seems like a fast twist compared to what I've seen posted (1:7, 1:9 etc...)
- Location
- Virden, MB
1:12 is fast. You will find better results with light bullets. I doubt it would stabilize anything over 55g.
My Tikka Varmint with 1 in 8" will shoot anything factory or reloaded well from 40 gr up to 75 gr.
The only exception to this is that it will not agree with any Winchester ammo. I don't know why, but the gun just will not work with it.
The only exception to this is that it will not agree with any Winchester ammo. I don't know why, but the gun just will not work with it.
My CZ (9") doesn't shoot the lighter bullets (45 + 50gr) as well as the heavier ones, 69gr SMK's are the best so far, have some 70gr Bergers to try. 75gr Hornady's are the worst.
Got it (thanks boss-hog2) - I had it backwards - 1:12 is slow (it means 1 rev in 12" - right?) - so I should stick to 55-62gr - does that sound right? I've seen 62gr UMC available for a good price, would it be worth it for me to grab a few boxes & try them out? What does a heavier bullet bring in terms of target shooting?
