Accuracy Issues With 223 Reloads

[jmnardo]

I'm having some accuracy issues with my first attempt at reloading 223 for my AR. I just found out (thanks to this forum) that my barrel is a 20" with a 1:12 twist. I've been using 55b boat tail bullets and 4895 powder.

I get good accuracy with factory Remintion 223 with 55g bullets. Not sure if they use boat or flat tails.

Someone suggested switching to a flat tail bullet to decrease the bullet length which would help with accuracy in a 1:12 barrel. I will give that a try, but I'm wondering about the powder. I used 4895 cause I had a lot of it, but is there a better powder for accuracy in a set up like mine?

Thanks, Mike

[ocabj]

N133 is a popular powder for lighter bullets (60g and under) in the .223 Rem cartridge. You can also try H335.

[rksimple]

What kind of bullets are you loading? Brand-wise?

[What Just Happened?]

I don't reload rifle, but have a question. Wouldn't a boat-tail bullet have a smaller bearing surface than a flat-base bullet?

Oh, and you could always pull a Remington round and see what they use.

[moulton]

N133 is a popular powder for lighter bullets (60g and under) in the .223 Rem cartridge. You can also try H335.

+1 I have had good results with Hornady 55 gr. FMJBT and 24.5 gr. of H335 using once fired Remington brass and Winchester magnum small rifle primers. The groups have been ~2.5 MOA out of my 1-12" 20" M-16a1 upper.

[rksimple]

I don't reload rifle, but have a question. Wouldn't a boat-tail bullet have a smaller bearing surface than a flat-base bullet?

Typically, yes...given the same weight.

[Bruce3]

I don't reload rifle, but have a question. Wouldn't a boat-tail bullet have a smaller bearing surface than a flat-base bullet?

Oh, and you could always pull a Remington round and see what they use.

i would think boat tail would have more surface area than a flat surface. imagine a trapezoid vs a square with both having the same over all length.

[rksimple]

Surface area, yes. Its usually longer...again, given the same weight. However, bearing surface is reduced.

[jmnardo]

The bullets are Winchester 55g FMJBT. I use an assortment of brass. Primers are Winchester small rifle. I trim the brass to spec lenght after resizing.

[Vepr62]

brass

Your problem might be "assortment of brass". Try shooting 5 round group with reloads with the same head stamp.

Vasiliy

[hylander]

Wrong Powder for good accuracy, 223 is not picky about mixed brass.
Varget or H-335 are both Excellent
BLC-2 and Win 748 are also good.
Try 25.5 of Varget under that 55 grainer and seat to spec.
This has given me under MOA out of every rifle I have tried it in, including my Mini-14

[Beelzy]

Concur with the others, H-335 gives better performance in a broad spectrum
of bullet weights. The bullet style should not matter.

I would make sure your cases are at least close to spec though, as different
cartridge OAL will make a big difference as far as accuracy is concerned.

[xrMike]

I'm having some accuracy issues with my first attempt at reloading 223 for my AR. I just found out (thanks to this forum) that my barrel is a 20" with a 1:12 twist. I've been using 55b boat tail bullets and 4895 powder.

I get good accuracy with factory Remintion 223 with 55g bullets. Not sure if they use boat or flat tails.

Someone suggested switching to a flat tail bullet to decrease the bullet length which would help with accuracy in a 1:12 barrel. I will give that a try, but I'm wondering about the powder. I used 4895 cause I had a lot of it, but is there a better powder for accuracy in a set up like mine?

Thanks, Mike

It seems to me like you are leaving a lot of information out, which makes it hard to pin down the likely cause of your problem.

For example:

-- What was your load workup method for the reloads? Did you try different amounts of powder, or just pick a single load that was halfway between the min and max (or some other method)?

-- What are you using to weigh out your powder charges -- a nice digital scale, or cheapy mechanical one, or even worse, those lousy Lee scoops?

-- What is your cartridge overall length? Are you loading to max mag length (2.26")?

I guess what I'm saying is, describe your process in detail, and there might be one part of it that jumps out (as your problem).

I wouldn't be using different brass either. Try to stick to all the same brand, all fired out of the same gun (preferably once-fired, out of yours). You need to eliminate all of the variables in your control.

[bohoki]

remington makes the "mc" bullets they are 55 grain flat back

i like boat tails cause they seat better no messed up mouths when i fumble one

http://www.natchezss.com/Bullets.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=RM22962&prodTitle=BULLETS%20.224%2055%20MC%20100%2FBAG

[Pryde]

I'm in agreement on the powder issue.

H4895 isn't very good for .223

Get H335 or Varget.