55gr V-Max/Varmint Nightmare - short throat or too much OAL?

[JRM83]

I'm currently loading for an AR with an 18" Nordic barrel with a Wylde chamber. The two bullets I have on hand at the moment are Midsouth 55gr hollow points and a run of 55gr "poly tip" blems also from Midsouth. I strongly suspect the poly tip blems are Hornady V-Max bullets because the item number of a 55gr V-Max is part of the item number for the blems on Midsouth's website (Hornady #22271 and Midsouth #285-22271W500). As to the Varmint Nightmare bullets I'm not sure who manufactures them for Midsouth, but I suspect it is probably Nosler. The length of the bullets is identical to a 55gr Varmageddon and I haven't found any other manufacturers who offer a 55gr FBHP in their lineup.

I don't have direct load data to give me an OAL for either bullet. I loaded the Varmint Nightmare using Nosler's data for a 55gr Varmageddon at 2.260 (max mag length) and after I chambered a round the bullet had marks that looked like it had been started into the lands. This suspicion was confirmed when I had so much trouble extracting a round that the case came out with the bullet lodged in the lands. I tried loading the "V-Max" to an OAL of 2.250 and had no problems with extraction, but the bullet still had some burnishing on it like it was being started into the lands.

It doesn't seem like I should be into the lands at mag length in a Wylde chamber with this bullet, but I'm a bit in the dark on this one. Can anyone with some experience point me in right direction - barrel problem or me problem?

 

[stranded]

Maybe someone with more experience will chime in later. Here are my thoughts. Separate the upper/lower remove BCG and drop a round in the barrel. It should go fully in. No marks on the bullet when removed. It does have marks, throat not long enough. No marks? Check bullet tension as bullet could be slipping forward/out as bolt slams shut.

 

[JRM83]

Maybe someone with more experience will chime in later. Here are my thoughts. Separate the upper/lower remove BCG and drop a round in the barrel. It should go fully in. No marks on the bullet when removed. It does have marks, throat not long enough. No marks? Check bullet tension as bullet could be slipping forward/out as bolt slams shut.

Just gave that a try and there was definite marks on the bullet. Chambered a round that was 2.2545 and it came out 2.2505, so the bullet was set back .004.

 

[BobinNC]

I'm currently loading for an AR with an 18" Nordic barrel with a Wylde chamber. The two bullets I have on hand at the moment are Midsouth 55gr hollow points and a run of 55gr "poly tip" blems also from Midsouth. I strongly suspect the poly tip blems are Hornady V-Max bullets because the item number of a 55gr V-Max is part of the item number for the blems on Midsouth's website (Hornady #22271 and Midsouth #285-22271W500). As to the Varmint Nightmare bullets I'm not sure who manufactures them for Midsouth, but I suspect it is probably Nosler. The length of the bullets is identical to a 55gr Varmageddon and I haven't found any other manufacturers who offer a 55gr FBHP in their lineup.

I don't have direct load data to give me an OAL for either bullet. I loaded the Varmint Nightmare using Nosler's data for a 55gr Varmageddon at 2.260 (max mag length) and after I chambered a round the bullet had marks that looked like it had been started into the lands. This suspicion was confirmed when I had so much trouble extracting a round that the case came out with the bullet lodged in the lands. I tried loading the "V-Max" to an OAL of 2.250 and had no problems with extraction, but the bullet still had some burnishing on it like it was being started into the lands.

It doesn't seem like I should be into the lands at mag length in a Wylde chamber with this bullet, but I'm a bit in the dark on this one. Can anyone with some experience point me in right direction - barrel problem or me problem?

The problem is you OP. Both the 55 gr HPFP (Nosler?) and the 55 gr Poly Tips (Hornady V-Max?) are very short bullets with correspondingly short noses. For example, a 77 gr. SMK has an nose length of 0.484" before the bearing surface starts. The 55 gr HPFB and the 55 gr V-Max have noses of 0.398" and 0.419" respectively. That puts the bearing surface much closer to the lands.

So take a .223 case @ 1.760" + 0.419" = 2.179" max COAL

You might be able to go a little bit longer, by about 0.040" or so depending on which Wylde reamer (and there are several different one's) was used, but certainly not full mag length of 2.260".

 

[stranded]

My suggestion is to take the gun to a 'smith for further eval. I have always thought the Wylde chamber was good for up to 62gr bullets at mag length. I can't imagine the ogive of a tipped 55 being closer than that. Again, wait and see if someone else answers as my knowledge is limited. Please post your results if you go to a 'smith

I tried to delete my post as BobNC seems to have a better answer. Oh, well.

 

[BobinNC]

My suggestion is to take the gun to a 'smith for further eval. I have always thought the Wylde chamber was good for up to 62gr bullets at mag length. I can't imagine the ogive of a tipped 55 being closer than that. Again, wait and see if someone else answers as my knowledge is limited. Please post your results if you go to a 'smith

Here are some ogive lengths for .22 cal bullets that I have:

Sierra 52 gr SMK 0.460"
Sierra 55 gr FMJ 0.411"
Sierra 69 gr. SMK 0.497"
Sierra 77 gr. SMK 0.484"
Nosler 55 gr BT 0.516""
Hornady 40gr Vmax 0.418"
Hornady 50 gr Vmax 0.417"
Hornady 55 gr Vmax 0.419"
Hornady 52 gr Amax 0.416"
Hornady 75 gr Amax 0.619"
Hornady 68gr BTHP 0.460"
Lapua 69 gr Scenar 0.410"

As you can see ogive or nose length has little to do with bullet weight, but everything to do with how a bullet is designed.

 

[stranded]

Thank you Very much. My internet connection is really slow tonight. (so's my mind)

 

[JRM83]

Thanks a bunch Bob, I suspected that might have been what was happening. I was looking at a 77gr Nosler and the 55gr bullets and thought the short nose might be putting the ogive too far forward. I didn't realize it would be enough to put the bullet into the lands. Thanks for the help, much appreciated!

 

[bruddah]

This is exactly why you need to measure to the lands with each and every bullet type.

Each bullet will give you a different reading.

Do you have a comparator tool to measure to the lands?