223 Groups???

[Rimfire_223]

Hi all!
Have a question for you guys .
I am not I repeat not a reloader!!!!
But I am really wanting to start I have a 223 1/9 twist Handi 24" bull barrel.  Well I am having bad luck with 55Gr bullets and wanted to know what you guy prefer.
Thanks
Dale.

[marine]

mine liked pmc 55gr fmj ammo, 1" at 100yds.  Winchester USA 45gr jhp 1/2 to 3/4 at 100yds.  Hornady 40gr vmax 1/2 to 3/4 at 100yds.  this was through a 24" ultra varmint.  now its got an 18" barrel and i dont see a differance.

[gendoc]

go out and buy several different manufactures offerings in the same bullet weight
... you'll find one she likes. i have heard that winchester white box does a great job with the handi's
i handload, so i have never tried them

[gendoc]

hey marine, ain't that shorty .223 a blast !!!!!
ya need to try some reduced loads with trailboss. its fun 
i agree with you on ... ain't no difference it accuracy after the chop

[44 Man]

I bought a new .223 Handi last spring (standard barrel) with the 1/9 twist.  It took me all summer to get around to trying it out.  I kept waiting for funds to get a nice 'high' powered scope on it but finally gave up and put a Bushnell Legend 3x9 on it I had on hand and went shooting last week.  I cleaned it only by running a boresnake through it a few times and sat down to get the scope sighted in.  There was a heavy cross wind that day so I only expected so-so performance and figured I'd have to wring it out again on a better day.  I was fortunate to get it sighted in with only about 10 rounds.  Short end of the story is that with the scope turned up on 9 power, she shot a three shot group under an inch with Ultramax 55 gr softpoint ammo.  I'm sure it will do even better on a less windy day.  I'm happy with the Ultramax, which is over the counter re-loaded ammo.  Give it a try, it should be available any good gunshop that carries a good mix of ammo, and it's only about the same price as the cheap, military stuff.  I've heard all the stories about the Handi .223's not shooting well until they get about a hundred rounds through them.  I didn't find that to be the case with mine.  44 Man

[moorepower]

Fiocchi has 40 and 50 grain V-Max ammo, and at Cabelas one of the two seems to be on sale most of the time. It is cheap, and the most accurate I have ever bought over the counter.

[gendoc]

44 man, i'm with you too !!! ifin i can't make'r shoot wif less than 20-30 handloads... of different flavors,
 its gone  and it ain't happened in quite a while.  the .223 handi's are bout the best outta box
shooters there is... in my onion    we gotta bout 6 from vintage to 3 months ago and all are
dead on  i sold a heavy barrel to a guy in canada early this year and it would get down right eye-ball
nasty @ 150yrds....  had ta rid it cus the grandson wanted to shoot bullfrogs in tha head @ 50yrds with a
 simmons whitetail classic. it had ta go !!!   i tried to hide it... but he kept find'n it.
ever seen a 55gr .223 skip cross tha pond !!! its notta gud thang... NO!!
when ya got black-angus in them fields

[briannmilewis]

Some don't like to be cleaned much or at all...

[Dinny]

I bought a new .223 Handi last spring (standard barrel) with the 1/9 twist.  It took me all summer to get around to trying it out.  I kept waiting for funds to get a nice 'high' powered scope on it but finally gave up and put a Bushnell Legend 3x9 on it I had on hand and went shooting last week.  I cleaned it only by running a boresnake through it a few times and sat down to get the scope sighted in.  There was a heavy cross wind that day so I only expected so-so performance and figured I'd have to wring it out again on a better day.  I was fortunate to get it sighted in with only about 10 rounds.  Short end of the story is that with the scope turned up on 9 power, she shot a three shot group under an inch with Ultramax 55 gr softpoint ammo.  I'm sure it will do even better on a less windy day.  I'm happy with the Ultramax, which is over the counter re-loaded ammo.  Give it a try, it should be available any good gunshop that carries a good mix of ammo, and it's only about the same price as the cheap, military stuff.  I've heard all the stories about the Handi .223's not shooting well until they get about a hundred rounds through them.  I didn't find that to be the case with mine.  44 Man

+1 for the Ultramax ammo. It's available at Cabelas.

Thanks, Dinny

[marine]

right on gendoc i love the shorty and wish i had done it years ago.  I dont think you can really go wrong with your ammo choice in a .223 handi-rifle with a 1/9 twist.  rimfire_223 are you going to be target shooting or hunting with your rifle?  That makes all the differance in your ammo choice.  i listed my 3 brands i opt for and i shoot groundhogs with all of them.  i came into such a good deal on pmc 55gr that i will be shooting those for awile now that i ran out of hornadys.  they do work well for keeping critters out of the crops.

[JW307]

If you go the Ultramax route give the 68 grain match ammo a try.  My 1/9 Ultra really likes the heavy match bullets.

[Rimfire_223]

right on gendoc i love the shorty and wish i had done it years ago.  I dont think you can really go wrong with your ammo choice in a .223 handi-rifle with a 1/9 twist.  rimfire_223 are you going to be target shooting or hunting with your rifle?  That makes all the differance in your ammo choice.  i listed my 3 brands i opt for and i shoot groundhogs with all of them.  i came into such a good deal on pmc 55gr that i will be shooting those for awile now that i ran out of hornadys.  they do work well for keeping critters out of the crops.

Well It be a paper puncher and a Varminator . Really wanting to get her dialed in this week so the brother inlaw is loading up some 69gr matchking to try out. The choice for the 223 was because of I shot a coyote last year with my 308 cetme at 150 yds and well it wasnt pretty.

[marine]

  Let me know how the 69gr shoot.  Ive been wanting to try some 60gr nosler partitions.  If you dont save the hides i say blow them to pieces if you can. 

[PHATINJUN]

I do handload but have used plenty of the 55 soft points Ultramax and the Black Hills both shoot the same out of my 1-9 .223 under1" easy. Kurt

[Frank V]

Mine likes the Hornaday 50gr SX. I'm going to try some 55gr bullets though. It will hold an inch with the Hornadays.
Frank

[TonyS]

I shoot a Ultra-Varmint and have had good luck with Win White Box 45 gr JHP Varmint.  Once I sighted it in I got 4 shot groups I can cover with a dime at 200yds.  I have a Redfield 2x7 with the Accurange reticle.  Once I sighted in at 200 yds I took a crack at 400 yds.  Rang the gong all three times.  I am now shooting Fiocchi 45 gr nontoxic because I live in the 'should be extinct' bird zone.

[Rimfire_223]

Well its been awhile since I gave a report on things here goes. Had to take a much needed vacation to Myrtle beach with the family  .
Went to the range the weekend after I posted originally. Swapped scopes thinking that may have been part of the problem and still was printing terribly with the 55gr at 100 yrds. Yesterday we went again and found out that my rifle fouls really quick and after 20 rnds needs a brush ran through it. Mine is a 24' Bull 1/9 twist, after cleaning it was printing 3/4 in groups with 55 gr Blitz and about the same with 75gr Hornady A-Max the only thing is the 75gr prints higher{weird ). I think it will do better with a little load refinement.
I am really happy with that for now,Time to waste some Yotes!!   

[44 Man]

Thats normal, heavier bullets print higher.  Heavier bullets = lower velocity = longer barrel time during recoil = printing higher on the target.  Vice-versa lighter bullets.  44 Man

[petemi]

Thats normal, heavier bullets print higher.  Heavier bullets = lower velocity = longer barrel time during recoil = printing higher on the target.  Vice-versa lighter bullets.  44 Man

I knew that.....but did you know how many years it took me to figure it out?   It was good to see you.  Hope we do it again soon.

Pete