.223 key-holing need suggestions

[Theriverjustknows]

I did some reloading for a new rifle and the bullets were tumbling. I loaded 62 grain FMJ bt with 24 grains of H335. I was shooting a brand new Daniel Defense which has a 1 in 7" barrel. I shot this same recipe through my mini 14 and kel-tec and they both ate it right up.

I happened to find 30 rounds of an old recipe in the ammo crate and they seemed to work better but judging from the holes in the paper the bullets were still wobbling like a bad football pass. This 2nd recipe was same exact bullet with 23 grains of 3031.

[GeoffLinder]

Try some factory ammo (55gr and 60-70 gr) and if they tumble too, it's the rifle (barrel or crown thing most likely).

BTW, do you have a muzzle brake on this rifle? If so, is it possible it is out of alignment and the bullets are striking one of it's baffle plates after leaving the muzzle?

[Low-Pressure]

Your data are with in specs, but you are starting on the high end. Have you tried starting at the min and work your way up? What is your OAL?

[incredablehefey]

yea check the gun, might be a bad barrel or crown or....

[Theriverjustknows]

Your data are with in specs, but you are starting on the high end. Have you tried starting at the min and work your way up? What is your OAL?

Do you have a suggestion for load? I had to guess with the H335, I only found data for a 55 and 63 grain fmj. I went with 24 grains for a 62 gr fmj.

Try some factory ammo (55gr and 60-70 gr) and if they tumble too, it's the rifle (barrel or crown thing most likely).

BTW, do you have a muzzle brake on this rifle? If so, is it possible it is out of alignment and the bullets are striking one of it's baffle plates after leaving the muzzle?

No brake, this a complete gun from the factory. The only thing I've done is install an ambi safety. The brand shouldn't matter on the factory ammo right as long as it's not russian?

[tonelar]

U have a pic of your target? What distance are we talking about?
What's your rifle chambered for (5.56 NATO, .223 Remi) ?

[Low-Pressure]

Do you have a suggestion for load? I had to guess with the H335, I only found data for a 55 and 63 grain fmj. I went with 24 grains for a 62 gr fmj.

I would use the data for the 63grs. Start at the minimun and work your load up.
The Lyman's 49th has this data:
63gr.
2.260 OAL (60gr, 63gr, 69gr)
H335: min: 23.7 - max 26.4

IMR-3031: min: 20.0 - max 22.5

[ronas]

I really don't think anything is wrong with you rifle. But of course I'm not expert.

I shoot ORB 556 with 16" barrel 1:8 twist. I have shot the 55 grain bullets by they are not very accurate with my rifle and twist. I don't bother with them except for very short distance.

I shoot the 62 grain Speer and 62 grain GoldenWest bullets at 100 and two hundred yards they are pretty accurate. Load is LC brass, CCI 450 primer, 25grains of H335 with OAL of 2.255.

I don't know how long your barrel is but it's possible with your twist rate that you rifle just don't like that weight bullet, need some other opinons on that.

With you twist rate you can easily shoot Sierra Match Kings in 69, 77 or even 80 grain. I think they make an 80. You will be very satisfied with the heavier bullets. I shoot the 77 SMK to 600 yards easily and accurately. I shoot them to 800 with difficultly. The 77 SMK with my rifle and load the bullet goes subsonic at about 700 yards.

I shoot 69 at 600 too and it's about the same as 77, but not as good with wind. I've not shot the 80grains SMK's and I'm not sure they would fit in my mag, I would need to load one at a time.


Edited:

Current Speer reloading manual shows for 62g fmjbt as 24-26 grains of H335 with use of magnum primer which is what CCI 450 is.

[Theriverjustknows]

No reason to take pics of the 100 yd target since only 1 hit paper and we recycle targets(tape up holes and keep shooting). The fifty yd. target 6 out of 10 hit with no discernible pattern. The dimensions of the cardboard is about 24x18. I know many shooters may say this but I know I'm not that bad that could miss a big ol target like that at 50 yds. It wasn't me, the bullets were definitely key holing. Rifle is chambered in 5.56mm

[GeoffLinder]

Any quality factory ammo that shoots without key-holing in another rifle is fine to rule out the ammo. A 1:7 twist barrels should have no problem shooting 55 through 80 grain bullets at reasonable accuracy.

Large target group pattern is one thing, keyholing with huge target group pattern going off the paper at 50 yards is entirely another thing and will almost certainly be attributable to something bad going on with the rifle itself if known good factory ammo does it too.

[ronas]

What is your barrel length?

[Diabolus]

Have you checked the muzzle brake for any evidence of strikes, like copper fouling, or burrs?

[Theriverjustknows]

I have yet to shoot factory ammo through it, I need to go get some first. In this house buying factory ammo besides rimfire is a rarity. It's 16", mid length gas, no brake, has a A2 birdcage. Theres no visible damage to it. There were no other problems with the gun, feeding, extraction & ejection all normal, no light primer strikes.

[sonnyt650]

So were the six holes elongated or perfectly round? If they're round it could be a loose mount, barrel nut, etc.

[ronas]

Different brand bullets will stabilize at different points during there flight. Sometimes it takes a bullet a 100 yards before it stabilzes.

What bullet are you using? Did your rifle come with a test target showing group size and exactly what ammo was used to acheive same?

It sounds like as mention earlier you need to get some good factory ammo with different weight bullets and see what happens.

Or if you can load some 77 SMKs and fire those and see what happens. I have basically same rig as you but wtih Wylde chamber and the 77s are extremely accurate nearly 1/2 moa at 100 yards and 1 to 1.5 moa at 600 yards. I'd be questioning manf. if you can not get execellent results with 77 SMKs.


Edited:
Load for 77 SMK that is most accurate in my rifle with good velocity is LC brass, cci 450 primer, 25 grains of BLC2 and OAL of 2.255, and with barely any crimp at all.