I normally use so many of the fine varminting bullets available in 22 caliber, that I hardly ever buy something generic as a 55 grain SP...

However on a whim, I tried some of Hornady's 55 grain SPs...

Was I ever impressed... one of my Ruger 77s, and my Savage 12 BVSS both LOVED that bullet...

the load was a real generic IMR 4198/ 21.5 grain, Lake City Brass, and a WSR primer... these cases were on their 7th firing.. and I have them marked as picked up range brass ( can't beat the free price! )...

But in both rifles at 100 yds, they turned in one hole groups several times...

The Ruger had a one in 12 twist and the Savage Sports a one in 9...

Plus they are cheaper than the other varmint style bullets, even than the SPSX Hornadys....

as a side note, I also compared the loads of the same powder charge and the 55 grain FMJs from Hornady with the Winchester generic 55 grain FMJs....

the Hornady definitely did a much better job for accuracy, producing a one hold 5 shot group out of 4 volleys of 5 shots...

so there is definitely a difference in FMJ bullets, of which I thought there hadn't been...

cheers
seafire

I have a bunch of "seconds" 55 grain FMJs with flat bases that came from Lock, Stock & Barrel, thus are probably Hornadies. Those things shoot well in my .22-250 Savage.

seafire,

Have you tried the 55 rem sp's? They are listed for $8.99/100 and I've had good luck with rem bullets in the past.

Seafire/B17G: I have been known to "scrounge" brass, myself!
You are so right about not beating the price!
I am assuming.... or maybe I should not assume, that these loads are for a 223 Remington pair of Rifles?
I am going to be shooting a couple of my 223's tomorrow as a result of some scope switching (robbing!) I have been doing over the Holidays here!
Speaking of Holidays!

I wish to extend my wishes for EVERYONE on the Accurate Reloading Forum, along with Saeed and his staff and Moderators, to have a Happy and Safe New Year!
Along with that I hope everyone has the time to help get one new person involved in the shooting sports this year!

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I bought a thousand of those Hornadys one time when Grafs had them on sale. Work great out of my 223 HB Savage and ADL Rem. They did real well on Prarie Dogs too, more punts and chunks than mist but thats fun too. Have since swithced to TNTs, but have been thinking about the bulk Hornadys for most of my plinking, coyotes,ect. The bulk version comes with a cannelure, the ones I tried before didn't have it, guess they're the same bullet otherwise.

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
I wish to extend my wishes for EVERYONE on the Accurate Reloading Forum, along with Saeed and his staff and Moderators, to have a Happy and Safe New Year!
Along with that I hope everyone has the time to help get one new person involved in the shooting sports this year!

Same to you VG roger

Sorry to get off topic here but a funny thought just hit me, and I include myself as being the type. Some guy goes out and spends a ton of money on a rifle, mounts and scope. Spends hours working up loads and fine tunning bedding. Then what's he do? Uses cases he scrounged at the range! Doesn't that seem ironic?

On second thought, I do not admit to doing that!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Don Fischer:
Sorry to get off topic here but a funny thought just hit me, and I include myself as being the type. Some guy goes out and spends a ton of money on a rifle, mounts and scope. Spends hours working up loads and fine tunning bedding. Then what's he do? Uses cases he scrounged at the range! Doesn't that seem ironic?

On second thought, I do not admit to doing that!!!

sounds like you lost a cohort , John. Can't you Oregon boys stick together. roger

I guess a pro Hornady comment is in order, and that would be the SX style bullets were some of the very first to produce serious accuracy for me. I believe that the thinner jacket upset better to conform to the individual barrel and therefore shot better. That said.

I confess to being a scrounger myself! It would be a shame to waste perfectly usable brass...

quote:

It would be a shame to waste perfectly usable brass...

My sentiments exactly...

Just the other day, two local police guys on their day off came out with their police AR's or M16s.. and one guy shot off 3 clips of 20 and the other guy shot off 2 clips of 20...

They started to pick up the brass as they were leaving, and I walked over and asked them if they were just going to throw that stuff in the trash... He said yes...

I told him then I would pick it up for him, as I would reload it if he didn't want it...

He asked me how many loads do I get out of that brass, and I told him usually 10 or more...He said that was surprising.... he helped me pick it up and then gave it all to me...

100 rounds of Federal Brass, that is about 1000 rounds of loaded ammo out of that....

I don't think it is because we are cheap Roger, we are more along the lines of not being wasteful.....besides aren't you California boys the ones that tell the world about the benefits of recycling??

That 50 Rounds of 6.5 x 55, that you were using for your MAS when I was down your way, and you let me pick up and take home...well 20 of those cartridges have let me load up about 200 rounds so far and they are doing pretty well...with 30 more still sitting in the bag, all cleaned up in the tumbler and looking like new...

My Mauser has put them to good use!

Thanks again....

cheers
seafire

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
My sentiments exactly...


I don't think it is because we are cheap Roger, we are more along the lines of not being wasteful.....besides aren't you California boys the ones that tell the world about the benefits of recycling??

Thanks again....

cheers
seafire

Yes, did I forget environmentally correct... some we are doing the right thing...

Best regards

quote:

Originally posted by Snapper:
seafire,

Have you tried the 55 rem sp's? They are listed for $8.99/100 and I've had good luck with rem bullets in the past.

Anybody?

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:

quote:

It would be a shame to waste perfectly usable brass...

I don't think it is because we are cheap Roger, we are more along the lines of not being wasteful.....:

No arguement here, John. You'll have to continue for some time before you have picked up as much brass as I have. You may be getting close, however. rogersounds like you lost a cohort , John. Can't you Oregon boys stick together. roger

quote:

Originally posted by Snapper:

quote:

Originally posted by Snapper:
seafire,

Have you tried the 55 rem sp's? They are listed for $8.99/100 and I've had good luck with rem bullets in the past.

Anybody?

Snapper,

no one was ignoring you intentionally... I have used some of Remington's bulk 22 caliber bullets...they did fine, but I have noticed a big difference in accuracy consistency, with the Major Brands vs Bulk from Rem or Winchester on the 55 grain SPs.... they are great for the money....but we volume shooters are always looking for best value for the dollar...

I have a lot better accuracy luck with Winchester's 46 grain HP, and they were only like $6.00 per thousand... or less.. Last time I ordered some, it was 2,000 for $122.00 delivered...now something like that is $190.00 delivered...

I am going to order the Midsouth Varmint bullets via Midsouth at the suggest of Roger Bartsche here... he has had good luck with them...and he is an accuracy nut ( or strives for it)...

cheers
seafire

quote:

Can't you Oregon boys stick together. roger

Well Roger,

Don Fischer lives over by Boise there, in the eastern part of the state... about a 500 mile drive from here...

Don is probably one of those more affluent Oregonians... instead of us poor ones over in this direction...

We mainly just stick together when Californians are the subject..... ....

... beyond that we are a pretty independent lot...

quote:

Originally posted by Snapper:

quote:

Originally posted by Snapper:
seafire,

Have you tried the 55 rem sp's? They are listed for $8.99/100 and I've had good luck with rem bullets in the past.

Anybody?

My experience with them was poor. The noses were inconsistent and the placement of the cannelure varied so much that it was impossible to get a consistent crimp (when loading for an AR-15 clone, otherwise I don't crimp my centerfire rifle ammunition.) I gave up and sold the remainder of the lot I had bought. The same problems occured with Winchester bulk bullets.

I think the problem is that the dies used by volume ammunition producers are allowed to wear well beyond the point that manufacturers who sell only (or primarily) to handloaders (Nosler, Hornady, Speer, Sierra) will allow. In other words, the handloader bullets exhibit better quality control.

This is not to say that you might not get lucky and get a lot of Remingtons from fresh dies that perform well; just that I have not been so lucky.

Nah--not odd to scrounge brass. Now what is odd is that we weigh our charge to the infinite degree and we nit pick over which bullet and often pay premium price for the bullet and load this all into mixed lots of cases. My opinion the case has more to do with it than being off a grain in the powder measurement. I have found that the Winchester bulk packed 55 grain .22's do very well. I also use the Win bulk packed 100 grainers in .243 on deer and they work great. I know I've read it many times that a .243 is too small for deer and just to be marginal you need a premium bullet. Good news is,the deer I hunt don't read this board.

I have just bought some Hornady 55gr SPSX £12.00 (about $24.00 to you guys) for 100, i have not had chance to try them yet but will be soon through my cooper 1/9 barrel, main use will be rabbits and foxes, thinking of H335, what you guys using ?

I just got in today 2k of Midsouth's "Varmint Nightmare" 55 grain sp delivered to my door for $120.06 I have used them for several years now, mostly for paper but occasionally shooting a crow, groundhog or feral with complete satisfaction. Look like Hornadys to me.