Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

[Gideon]

I'm looking for opinions on which 60gr flat base bullet folks have had good accuracy results with up to 300 yards. I will have a Krieger 16.5" barrel with a 1/7.7 inch twist and a .223 Wylde chamber.

I'm considering Hornady's V-MAX and their flat base hollow point in addition to Sierra's flat base hollow point Varminter. I'm certainly open to other suggestions as well.

I'll be evaluating 68, 69, 75 and 77 grain Hornady and Sierra bullets as well but wanted to hear about 60 grain recommendations.

 

[mtrmn]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

I had really good results with the 60 gr Varminter. The only bullet that beat it in my Colt 20" 1/9 was the 69gr SMK. This was several years ago and I'd have to refer to my notes on which loads were best.

 

[CMH]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

Why are you limiting your selection to flat base? My carbine loves 60 gr. Ballistic Tips, but they are boat tail....

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

I haven't shot a 60 grain bullet but the 55 grain Varmint Nightmare Extreme hollow point may fit the bill for you at $46 for 500 from Midsouth Shooters Supply. I've shot the 52 SMK, 77 SMK, and 82.5 Berger from my 20 inch. You should have good luck with 77's and 24 grains of Varget.

 

[Gideon]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

The reason I'm focused on flat base for the 60's is two-fold: there is a fair amount of evidence from the bench rest crowd that shows flat base bullets give superior short range accuracy (and sometimes long range as well), and all the bullets I'm looking at that are greater than 68 gr are boat tails and I wanted to evaluate a flat base for comparison.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

Well, it's an apples and oranges comparison, but. The Vmax line as a group is very accurate. Besides that Berger makes a few flat base bullets that might be suitable. I personally have very good luck with the 62 and 64 grain Bergers. If you want apples and bananas, try the 55VMax but I don't know about your twist, might be too much? Shooting 223, maybe not?
Good luck, BB

 

[BCP]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

52gr BTHP or 50-55gr HP flat base. Sierra, Nosler, I think Speer and Hornady all offer them and they are all good.

The odds of you noticing the theoretical accuracy difference between a flat base and a boat tail (keep in mind the lighter bullets don't have a long boat tail like heavies) is pretty small. Especially out of a 16" AR.

BTW midway is having a blemished bullet sale right now and there are several varmint 22 options.

 

[boltgunluvr]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jerub-Baal</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The reason I'm focused on flat base for the 60's is two-fold: there is a fair amount of evidence from the bench rest crowd that shows flat base bullets give superior short range accuracy (and sometimes long range as well), and all the bullets I'm looking at that are greater than 68 gr are boat tails and I wanted to evaluate a flat base for comparison. </div></div>

Very good. I've posted a topic about flat base vs boat tail a few weeks ago and it seemed to strike a nerve with some shooters. It is a FACT that some rifles shoot one or the other much better. Its very simple and I don't know why some folks insist differently because all of us know that no two guns are exactly alike. My Rem 700s in 223 Rem & 243 Win absolutely love flat base bullets. My 16in & 20in ARs prefer flat base as well. My 308s shoot both very well.

In my experience, the larger bore stuff hasn't been as picky with FB or BT like the small bore and I've talked personally with some real old school gunsmiths that have observed the same thing. You are headed in the right direction. Keep going. My friends laugh at me because I don't use the latest greatest bullet on the market. Just plain jane Sierra spitzer flat base in 223 and 243 because that what works all day, every day. Long range...so what...arch it out there a little more.

For reference.....my Rem 700 223 has 1 in 12 twist and is fond of 55gr flat base. My ARs 16in & 20in with 1 in 9 twist have done well with 60gr flat base and I'd love to try a tad heavier for kicks and grins, but haven't had the time. I'd like to hear your results because I've been curious about the above 60gr area for ARs. Btw, I've had better luck with tangent ogive bullets too. Let me know.

 

[Ring]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

just a FYI, i switched from vmax 60's to the new 53vmax.. the BC is nuts and at 3700 fps, its SS to 1k and will out wind a 69gr....

 

[Gideon]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

Did you notice a difference in short range accuray between the 53 and 60 gr V-MAXs? Also, if your looking at light weight boat tails, have you checked out the 52gr A-MAX?

 

[Beef82]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

60gr Vmax, I've shot .5" (maybe it was smaller, been a while) groups at 200yds with it out of my 16" 1:9. There's a video on Youtube, of a guy using them out of an AR pretty well around 6or700yds I think it was.

This one at 680
http://youtu.be/jJWLP81qCAE

 

[Ring]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jerub-Baal</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Did you notice a difference in short range accuray between the 53 and 60 gr V-MAXs? Also, if your looking at light weight boat tails, have you checked out the 52gr A-MAX?</div></div>

the 53 vmax has a better BC then the amax...

 

[Gideon]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ring</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I switched from vmax 60's to the new 53vmax.. the BC is nuts and at 3700 fps, its SS to 1k </div></div>

I was asking about loads for a .223 out of an AR15. I'm not sure what cartridge you're talking about and if it's for a bolt gun but I'm thinking for my platform, 3300 ft/sec would be about tops for a 53 gr. bullet, and that's not in a carbine length barrel.

 

[boltgunluvr]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

Very good. Glad to see you are looking at the fine details. When I saw that velocity posted I felt the same way. Not sure what cartridge or pipe its flying out of, but I don't think its an AR unless its a super duper special 24in model. Don't forget, BC means nothing if one's rifle won't shoot it well. I've always felt people get too focused on BC. In the topic I posted weeks ago, there was a great comment by a shooter that hit the nail on the head. He/She stated..if BC was everything, 338LM would win virtually every competition. So true. There's a lot of BS about BC.

 

[Ring]

Re: Which 60gr bullet for 5.56?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jerub-Baal</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ring</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I switched from vmax 60's to the new 53vmax.. the BC is nuts and at 3700 fps, its SS to 1k </div></div>

I was asking about loads for a .223 out of an AR15. I'm not sure what cartridge you're talking about and if it's for a bolt gun but I'm thinking for my platform, 3300 ft/sec would be about tops for a 53 gr. bullet, and that's not in a carbine length barrel.</div></div>

3700 out of a 24"bbl
so if u have a 24" varmit AR, u can get that, if not -25fps per inch for what barrel u do have..

the BC allows you to streach the usable accuracy of the round... if all u shoot is <300 then 40gr bullets my be best for u, if u shoot to 500, then 50's me be best 4 u... if u want to use your AR on varmits out to 800+, then BC does matter...