You’re Accurate Rifle Bullets

Jebus35745 · Jul 22, 2023

Bought a Ruger NO1 with a Douglas heavy barrel in .223 with a 1-14” twist. Finally got the owner to sell me his reloaded ammo after 1 1/2 years. He used a Nosler ballistic tip 50gr. I tried Hornady 50gr A max and very inaccurate at 50 yds with Varget. Used 25.5, 25 & 24 grains, wanted mild loads but accurate.

Wondering what brand bullet you use in matches, doesn’t have to be .22. Just want to know what works best for you and see what brands are mentioned most. I will only buy and load the match grade bullets for my gun. It’s just a plinker for me, wanna shoot 100 yd groups. It wears a Leupold 12x converted to 18x with fine cross hairs with a small dot. He used it for prarie dogs. Larry

Just another 22 shooter · Jul 22, 2023

If all you want is tight groups at 100 yds, look no further than Berger 50 or 53 gr match bullets.

rockquarry · Jul 22, 2023

I'd start with Sierra and maybe try Berger for comparison then go with what shoots most accurately. I'd likely not consider any others unless I had them on hand.

David Sinko · Jul 22, 2023

You have a very slow twist. Logically, the lighter and shorter bullets should be more accurate. You can try the lightest match bullets you can find.

SGT ROCK 11B · Jul 22, 2023

Another vote for Sierra.

When I want premium Handloads I go with Sierra for targets. For hunting I pick Speer Grand Slam bullets.

rockquarry · Jul 22, 2023

David Sinko said:
You have a very slow twist. Logically, the lighter and shorter bullets should be more accurate. You can try the lightest match bullets you can find.

I have 1 in 14" Sako barrels and I think my Remington 722 in .222 may be 1 in 14" but I've never measured it. All these barrels will shoot 55 grain bullets well, but I prefer 50 grains in the .222. Should hold true for the .223 also.

Twist rate guides are guides only and sometimes there are exceptions. If you strictly adhere to the twist tables, you may miss out on a good bullet. Try what ever you wish, particularly if you have them on hand.

rockquarry · Jul 22, 2023

A few things I've noticed over the years with regard to .22 bullets...I've never found a Hornady bullet that will shoot with the accuracy of Sierras, but I have not tried newer Hornadys that have come out in recent years. However, Hornady bullets are cheaper. If you find a good one, stick with it.

Don't use match bullets on coyotes or other varmints or game. I found this out the hard way. I used to think all .22 bullet were varmint bullets. After you lose a few well-hit coyotes, you'll figure it out after you switch to a pure varmint bullet that will reliably kill. Match bullets may expand, but not consistently.

I found the 50 grain Sierra Blitz soft pont (not the tipped one) is just as accurate as the Sierra MatchKing HPs, to 200 yards anyway, as far as I've tested them on paper.

Varget is a popular powder and a good one, but I think many use it upon recommendation and it works well, so they never try something that might be more accurate. Try several powders.

Gamecock · Jul 22, 2023

I get tiny groups with my .222 Remington with Hornady V-max bullets.

For larger calibers, I have never found any bullet that comes close to Berger for accuracy.

rockquarry · Jul 22, 2023

Gamecock said:
I get tiny groups with my .222 Remington with Hornady V-max bullets.

For larger calibers, I have never found any bullet that comes close to Berger for accuracy.

I've shot a lot Berger .22 bullets in all of the popular centerfire .22 chamberings, but I'd be hesitant to say they are more accurate than Sierras. However, I have not used any Bergers in at least five or more years. They may have some new bullets I'm unaware of.

I seldom hunt anymore, but the last ten or so elk hunts I went on, I always used Partition or Barnes bullets, simply because they always worked well and were accurate. These were always .277" or .284" bullets.

I've never been able to buy into the Berger bullets coming apart and still killing well, but it seems there are many who like that feature and I guess it works. I won't argue, just not my kind of hunting bullet.

AJ · Jul 22, 2023

I am using Sierra Match King 52 Grain bullets over 25.4 grains over H-335 in Hornady cases. This load matches a American Eagle Varmint Load that convinced me to buy the rifle.

Below is the original target that I fired, that convinced me the rifle was a shooter. Was asked if I wanted to buy a Savage M11 with a 3-9X Nikon scope. Was given the American Eagle Varmint and told it likes this. These are the first three shots that I fired at 100 yards. Decided to buy the rifle as it was well worth the $350.00 asking price.

The second target is with the ammunition that a friend has made up for me through a buy of trial and error. It is a 52 grain Sierra Match King over 25.4 grains of H-335 in a Hornady .223 case.

Gamecock · Jul 22, 2023

rockquarry said:
I won't argue, just not my kind of hunting bullet.

Never hunted with the Berger bullets. Strictly target shooting. For which they are the best.

pantannojack · Jul 22, 2023

BW 36 was a China produced powder made special order for a Arizona dealer supplier in the 90's. We were getting it for 6$ a pound and very popular with the HP Rifle shooters at the time. In the '06's it would display a 4" fire ball at the muzzle.

rockquarry · Jul 22, 2023

AJ said:
I am using Sierra Match King 52 Grain bullets over 25.4 grains over H-335 in Hornady cases. This load matches a American Eagle Varmint Load that convinced me to buy the rifle.

Below is the original target that I fired, that convinced me the rifle was a shooter. Was asked if I wanted to buy a Savage M11 with a 3-9X Nikon scope. Was given the American Eagle Varmint and told it likes this. These are the first three shots that I fired at 100 yards. Decided to buy the rifle as it was well worth the $350.00 asking price.

The second target is with the ammunition that a friend has made up for me through a buy of trial and error. It is a 52 grain Sierra Match King over 25.4 grains of H-335 in a Hornady .223 case.

The late Bob Hagel, perhaps one of the four or five best gunwriters since I began reading gun magazines and books in 1962, stated that H335 was the supreme powder for the .223. Many new powders out since Hagel died, but I'll bet H335 remains a good one.

Skeet 028 · Jul 22, 2023

after quite a few 10,000 22 cal bullets I used Mosty Sierra. 52 gr BTHP match in 22-250 222 223 225 224 W and 222 Mag. I also found that the Remingron 50 gr match HPs shot more than very well in the 722s 222 and mags and in the 224 Weatherby. The Bushaster shoots the Sierras best as does a Rem 788 223. Don't go max and the 223 shoots better...almost as good as the 222

pantannojack · Jul 22, 2023

one more try in the 788-223

Any bullet I tried did well. The Speer 50g TNT in one other target

HarpHack · Jul 22, 2023

Doubt I will tell you anything you aren't aware of but as the owner of two No. 1's all of my accuracy issues have been with the gun, particularly in the area of the forearm. There is plenty out there on this subject so I won't recap here other than to say the bullets may be a secondary concern.

Mine are in 45-70 and 220-Swift and I love them, but improving accuracy has been an adventure. Hornady bullets perform no worse than other makes in the Swift.

An easy first adjustment would be the tension on the forearm screw (give it less). I have a very good reprint of an article by Frank de Haas which I think I bought on eBay since I couldn't find it online. The Title is "Ruger Number 1 - Bedding the fore-end to improve accuracy and zero retention". Afraid I cannot deduce which magazine it is from.

The 2-part stocks are part of what make No. 1's so darned sexy so I don't really complain - all part of the fun.

Ivan the Butcher · Jul 22, 2023

The 50 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet and its close cousins, Sierra Blitzking, Hornady V-Max, and Combined Technologies Ballistic Tip all shoot well in most 223 rifles. That bullet/ powder combination and maybe the primer too are suspect. WW748, H-335, H-322, and H-Benchmark and TAC as well as several others work great.

Pull the bullets and save the powder. Unless you know what the primers are, Ditch them. I would use a CCI Sm Rifle Mag, CCI BR 4. a Remington 7 1/2, or a Federal 205M primer. Load with a more appropriate powder (Varget is great for heavier bullets). I would try to seat the bullet to touch the land if possible.

I don't have a 223 Rugar No 1, but I currently have a 7x57 Mauser (22" barrel) and a 218 Bee (26" Barrel) and found that touching the lands really helps. My 218 does .540" Offhand and .356" from a rest (using a Bushnell "Big Eye" Scope 4x12 w 50mm Objective)

If nothing you can try gets the groups down, Call Rugar CS and find what the factory torque settings for your model's fore end screw is and adjust accordingly! (use an Inch Pound torque wrench) Different barrel configurations and calibers have different settings! People play with those not understanding anything about what they just messed up!

Ivan

rockquarry · Jul 22, 2023

HarpHack said:
Doubt I will tell you anything you aren't aware of but as the owner of two No. 1's all of my accuracy issues have been with the gun, particularly in the area of the forearm. There is plenty out there on this subject so I won't recap here other than to say the bullets may be a secondary concern.

Mine are in 45-70 and 220-Swift and I love them, but improving accuracy has been an adventure. Hornady bullets perform no worse than other makes in the Swift.

An easy first adjustment would be the tension on the forearm screw (give it less). I have a very good reprint of an article by Frank de Haas which I think I bought on eBay since I couldn't find it online. The Title is "Ruger Number 1 - Bedding the fore-end to improve accuracy and zero retention". Afraid I cannot deduce which magazine it is from.

The 2-part stocks are part of what make No. 1's so darned sexy so I don't really complain - all part of the fun.

Best looking rifle ever built. I've had four and will never own another unless someone gives me one. Not good about holding zero. While I got good accuracy with all of mine occasionally, accuracy wasn't consistent.

Gunwriter C.E. Harris, certainly one of the best, worked for Ruger in the 1980s. He said if you had one that would consistenly group inside of 1.5", you had a good one. I'm in agreement.

Allegedly, the newer guns are better, but I'm not going to spend the money to find out.

AJ · Jul 22, 2023

rockquarry said:
Best looking rifle ever built. I've had four and will never own another unless someone gives me one. Not good about holding zero. While I got good accuracy with all of mine occasionally, accuracy wasn't consistent.

Gunwriter C.E. Harris, certainly one of the best, worked for Ruger in the 1980s. He said if you had one that would consistenly group inside of 1.5", you had a good one. I'm in agreement.

Allegedly, the newer guns are better, but I'm not going to spend the money to find out.

Ask them for a loaner. Tell them you want to write an article......

wyo-man · Jul 22, 2023

Slight caliber drift:
My mid 1980s #1 in .30-06 would hold a steady 1.3" to 1.5" groups if I did my part.
It did take hundreds of rounds to find the combination it liked. Harvested 18 deer with 19 shots (missed one time).

wyo-man

You’re Accurate Rifle Bullets

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Attachments

Member

US Veteran

Attachments

Member

Member

US Veteran

Attachments

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Similar threads