What is the heaviest of the match bullets that will still fit in the magazine of an AR 15? I would like to go a bit past 69 grains. My barrel has a 1-7 twist and I would like to get at least 2600 fps out of my 20 inch tube.

i meet your specs - 69gr, 2600+ from my 16" tubes with these

https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...-boat-tail-box-of-50

77 SMK's and Varget. Max loads (not best accuracy in my rifle) are heavily compressed but they work.
C.G.B.

Any 75/77 BTHP and a stout charge of RL15, Varget, 8208 etc should get you to 2750ish from a 20 inc bbl. Use a Mag primer- 450s, CCI 31s, Rem 71/2, Tula KVB556 etc. Load to 2.255".

I prefer the 75 Hornady BTHP and Varget, Rem 71/2 and 24 grns, Wyldy or 556 chamber. NOT a 223 Rem SAAMI.

1/7 Krieger 20" gives me 2750 at 15 feet, or 2765 MV. Brass life is kinda short!

Other than the 75 grain AMAX, you can load any of the 75-77 grain bullets to mag length. With a WCC case and a 77 SMK I get 2700 fps with 24 grains of Varget, 24.5 hits 2750. Same velocity as MK262 and Blackhills Match. I stuck with 24 grains the difference is one minute at 600 yards.

There is an 82 grain hornady made exclusively for fin feather fur in ohio that is the heaviest I have seen that can be loaded to mag length.

The 75 gr. Hornady BTHP sounds good and I can get them locally. Would this bullet make a good deer bullet?

My opinion is that the 5.56 or any 22 caliber is too small for deer, but there are others who will say it is okay for deer. Check your local laws I know some states have a 25 caliber minimum.

PS: My opinion is based on most bullets being either thin jacketed for varmint bullets or not being good for expansion. I think Berger lists a Varmint/Target bullet but I don't know about a larger game bullet.

Mag length 82 sounds interesting.

If you want to shoot 80 grain bullets, then get a bigger caliber. Twenty twos are not made for them.

quote:

Originally posted by Gunsmoker:
The 75 gr. Hornady BTHP sounds good and I can get them locally. Would this bullet make a good deer bullet?

Speer makes a 70 grain semi spitzer bullet with which, out of a 22-250 and out of a 222, I've taken a couple of deer; each with one shot. The one taken with the 22-250 was about 360 yards away. I also took a deer with a 22-250 using Remington factory 55 gr. loads.

Then there was the deer I took with a 45 grain spire point out of a 204 Ruger at a bit over 250 yards. You don't need an 80 grain bullet to take a deer with a 223.

DCPD;

22's have been using 80 and even 90s with some success out to 1000yds....

Moderate loadings in bolt guns can run an 80 to around 2900....from a 223 case.

Are they ideal? No, but when the cartridge is limited to 223/556,(as in NRA/CMP Service rifle) an 80 gets it done even if they must be single loaded in an AR platform.

Sure, one can use a 308 or a 30/06 in a much less capable platform....

Yes, well aware of them.
I thought he wanted to hunt with it.

I use a 77gr Sierra MatchKing HP out of my 16" barrel Bushmaster for coyotes. I can't remember the charge off the top of my head but I believe it is 24gr of BLC-2. I have no idea of the velocity but it is very accurate!

Loaded up some 75 grain Hornady BTHP with cannelure match bullets and shot them in barrels with a 1 in 9 (16 inch) twist and 1 in 7 twist (20inch). Accuracy is just fine in both barrels so I ran them thru a bullet test of sorts. Set up three milk jugs full of water twice and shot them with each barrel. The bullets penetrated equally well, through two jugs and the bullet being trapped in the third. The bullet from the 1/9 twisted barrel tumbled leaving it's jacket and some small bits of lead in the second jug with the core bent but mostly intact in the third jug. The 1/7 twisted barrel kept the bullet point on and the bullet lost some lead fragment and some pieces of jacket in the second jug but mostly the bullet ended up in the third jug expanded back to the boat tail taper with the lead core. The first two jugs in both cases showed extreme damage but the third in both tests just had a hole in it and was knocked over containing the remains of the bullets. Didn't even blow the cap off. I would use either to hunt deer for ranges under 150 yards and perfect shot placement.

The heaviest I show loading data for with OAL 2.26 is the 77 gr Sierra. The 90 gr Sierra has OAL 2.56 so requires single loading. as I recall, the powder for the 77 gr is Rl 15. I just follow the Alliant load data for amount.

Well I did shoot a 110 pound doe with the 75 gr.BTHP. Loaded with 24.5 grains of BLC-2, and a Wolf Magnum primer. It went in just under where the upper leg bone is connected to the shoulder and exited just over the same area on the far side of the deer, exiting. The lungs had a squarish 2 inch hole in them and the bullet was tumbling when it hit the far shoulder. The base of the bullet jacket was sticking out of the far shoulder blade an inch or so from where the rest of the bullet passed. The bullet exited leaving an almost perfect impression of the bullet going sideways through the hide. The deer hopped, ran thirty yards and went down. She was dead when I got there after walking the 90 yards to get to her. The hole in the shoulder meat was around an inch on both sides, hardly any meat was wasted.

quote:

Originally posted by Gunsmoker:
The 75 gr. Hornady BTHP sounds good and I can get them locally. Would this bullet make a good deer bullet?

I have taken many does, just one buck Good neck shot ,a well placed heart shot with a hornady 75gr BTHP penatrates great.

quote:

Originally posted by HPMaster:
DCPD;

22's have been using 80 and even 90s with some success out to 1000yds....

Moderate loadings in bolt guns can run an 80 to around 2900....from a 223 case.

....

Are those being shot in 1:7 barrels or gain-twist? Both?

1:7 twist will serve for up to 80gr bullets. Need a 1:6.5 twist for the 90s.

77gr Nosler competition are a third choice and very often available.

If you want a hunting bullet, there's the 62gr Nosler partition. The 70gr Speer also sounds great.

Jackets on the bthp competition bullets are extra thick, so penetrate well. Just don't expect them to mushroom, the hollow-point is only there to get all the BC possible from rear weight. It won't open up like a sierra gameking.