Took my new toy to the range today. Had bought a used Kimber M84 in .223 and added VariX III 6x18 scope so needed to try it out. Went to the local store and bought a few different boxes of ammo to try them out. Best of the bunch hands down went to the Federal V-Shok 50 gr Speer TNT HP. This was the first 5 shot group with them from 100 yards.



Couldn't believe it! Some of the other loads were thrown all over the target. The worst was Hornady 75 gr BTHP I had hoped to use on coyotes this winter. They ended up 5.5" high and about 2" spread.

Guess I will be stocking up on the Federals and dumping these Hornady's on my brother!

Brad

Not a bad group. Sounds like your gun likes the lower weight bullets; it must have a faster twist barrel. If you reload, you'll have a blast with the .223 - TONS of options!!!

Hollywood

I had actually heard you could tell what bullets would do better in the 223 by knowing the twist, but didn't believe it. How can I determine what the twist is within the barrel? Do you simply shine a light in the open action and look down and count something? I've looked through barrels checking for fowling, pitting and the like, but never to determine the twist. Can you explain?

Brad

Hollywood,
Thats ass backwards. A fast twist stabilizes the longer heavier bullets and a slow twist is for the short lightweights. Jim

[ 11-24-2003, 03:17: Message edited by: Jim White ]

Snake, put a tight fitting patch on your jag, remove bolt and insert as if cleaning the rifle. It helps if you use a cleaning vise to hold the gun. Somewhere back around the butt of the rifle put a piece of masking tape on the cleaning rod, a small index mark on the tape with a pen. Orient the index at 12:00 on the rod after the patch is an inch or three down the barrel. Another piece of tape on the rod at the back of the receiver, then slowly push the rod through the bore. When the index is at 12:00 again, another piece of tape on the rod at the back of the receiver, remove rod and measure distance between the two pieces of tape that were put on the rod at the rear of the receiver, either front or rear edges for both. That is your twist.

Per previous post, longer bullets require a faster twist. My guess is that you'll find the rifle has a 1:12 or 1:14 twist. Don't worry too much about it in any case, shoot what it likes. There is no doubt that twist affects what bullet lengths a rifle or pistol does best with, but there are a myriad of other issues at hand as well. Most guns for this chambering will shoot bullets of 40-55 grains without a problem insofar as twist is concerned.

Dan, thanks for the explanation. I will defintely check it out after the next range trip and subsequent cleaning.

Brad

Jim
You're right, I had it bass-ackwards. Knew what I was trying to say and typed it wrong! The following is something I copied from another web-site to use as a general rule of thumb. However, as was mentioned above - shoot what it likes!!!

224 CF
8" For bullets heavier than 70 gr.
9" For bullets up to 70 gr.
12" For bullets up to 63 gr.
14" For bullets up to 55 gr.
15" For bullets up to55gr. driven 4,100 fps or more
16" For bullets up to 55 gr. driven 4,300 fps or more

Hollywood