It all depends on whether you like to see "blood and guts" or dead varmints! The 55's will probaly give you some extra "B&G" on the smaller varmints as they will have enough butt to blow the stuffing out the back side on exiting. The 40's will probably dissipate all their energy "internally" and will remain there! Not many pass thrus with the 40's! Just big internal explosions! GHD

I've recently bought a 223 caliber rifle for exploding small undesirable animals with. The barrel has a 1 in 12 twist rate. Since 55 grain and smaller soft point and polymer tip bullets seem to be designed to do this, what reasons are there to choose between 55 and 40?

H. C.

My Rugger #1V in .223 ( 1 in 12 twist) does not shoot 55 grain bellets nearly as well as 40 grainers. I just got back from the range where I shot five five shot groups which measured .796, .813, .443, .872 and 1.072. Used 40 grain V-Max over 28 grains of 748.
Pete

Henry, just my opinion but if your gun will shoot the 40's use 'em. For everyday use inside 300 yards or bit more, the gain in velocity and flatter trajectory is a plus with that particular cartridge. They will eventually lose out to heavier bullets in that caliber at long range, but.....

My 700 223 loves 45-55gr bullets. But the 55s buck the wind the best and have more down range punch. But the 40s get there faster. It all depends on the critter to. I would say shoot both and see which one your gun likes the most. That will tell you more than we could ever tell you.

Ray

Last year I bought a Handi Rifle in 223 Rem and it's the most accurate rifle I've ever owned. It has a 1:12 twist. I put a Bushnell 3200 Elite 10x40 mil dot on it. At 100 yards, using Winchester Value Pack 55 gr FMJ it grouped .75 inches. Using Hornady Varmint Express 55 Grain V-Max brought it down to .5 inches. My handload of Hornady 53 gr HP Match, 26 gr H335, Winchester Small Rifle primers at 2.200 OAL got it down to .35 inches.

This year my handloads at 200 yards grouped .80 inches.

I am very, very happy. Three NH woodchucks are not.

Every rifle prefers a specific load. Buy about 10 boxes of varying weights from different manufacturers and have at it.

I'm going to order a box of Winchester Supreme Ammunition 223 Remington 64 Grain Power-Point Plus from MidwayUSA and see what happens. I'm wondering whether the 1:12 twist will stabilize it.