View Full Version : 55 grain FMJ Accuracy?
What kind of accuracy at 100 yards should I expect from these bullets from xtreme bullets? I'm putting them through a Colt M-4 carbine with a gov't profile chrome lined barrel. Right now using 27.6 gr of CFE 223 in my reloads, 5 shot groups are about baseball size. The same rifle will group 62gr TTSX bullets over 26.8 gr of CFE 223 in about a 1 1/2" circle or smaller. The 55 gr are going to strictly be for range bullets and general blasting but I would like to get them as accurate as possible. If these baseball sized patterns are what I can expect, I'll live with them as long as the TTSX hunting loads stay small. I worked up both of these loads using Hogden's load data on their site and I know both are close to or a tad over max. If the 55 gr load patterns can be reduced, what powder and charges should I be looking at?
You could work back down in 3/10s grain increments from where you are now to see if any accuracy improvement can be had. Most 55 gr FMJs are at best 1.5-2moa shooters.
All 5-round groups @ 100 yards, Noveske Afghan.
Hornady 55 gr. FMJBT WC
1.750” LC 09
WIN 748 25.5 gr.
Rem. 7 ½ Primer
ES ATC
1) 0.803” (0.767) 0.284” (0.271)
2) 1.305” (1.246) 0.487” (0.466)
3) 1.182” (1.129) 0.488” (0.466)
Hornady 55 gr. FMJBT WC
1.750” LC 09
IMR 8208 XBR 25.1 gr.
Tula SR .223 Primer
2.200” COL
1) 0.677” (0.646) 0.159” (0.152)
2) 0.963” (0.920) 0.379” (0.362)
3) 0.850” (0.812) 0.257” (0.245)
4) 1.270” (1.213) 0.454” (0.443)
The XBR groups were boringly accurate. Every so often a crazy flier would really open a group. I chalk this up to the nature of bulk FMJ bullets. For the most part, they always hovered about 1", if not a tick under.
With the XBR group, I also changed how I sized my brass. Using brass that had been fired in my rifle, I started shoulder bumping, instead of full-length sizing. I think that made the biggest difference, more than switching powders/primers etc.
Not all 55 gr. FMJ bullets are equal. The ONLY ones I'd use in the future would be Hornady. I bought some re-packaged 55gr bullets from a local reloading shop that were marked Hornady. I doubt they were. When I got them home, you could tell the ogive was different and they shot like shit. Of course I didn't realize it was a problem until I made completed cartridges out of the bag I bought. Of course they all got mixed in with my bulk store of actual Hornady bullets. The only way I can really tell them apart is with an RCBS precision mic. Despite being the same COL, the two bullets read much different on the mic.
I don't reload anymore, it was just too time consuming.
RVTMaverick
05-05-14, 06:48
Just out of curiosty, what is the length of your barrels you guys/gals are shooting with here?
And what is the twist rate of your barrels, 1to7, 1to9?
Peace Jeff
I may have to try the XBR load, Jackson. I think I still have a handful of 55 gr Hornady FMJs on the shelf. I've been out of the light bullet realm so long, I forgot about Hornady's ability to shoot that good.
Just out of curiosty, what is the length of your barrels you guys/gals are shooting with here?
And what is the twist rate of your barrels, 1to7, 1to9?
We shoot all sorts of barrel lengths. But anytime we log serious chrono and accuracy data, it's a 20 inch barrel 1/9 5R rem 700 or a 20 inch Colt Match Hbar.
The barrel on the rifle in question is 16" 1in7 twist. The first thing on my agenda before going to the range again is to give the rifle a good cleaning and lube to take that variable out of the equation.
I would not consider Xtreme bullets of the same quality as the Horndays. What I've read concerning Xtreme is that they are hit or miss. Hornadays generally 1.5 -2" consistently.
Montana Gold 55 gr FMJ will (or would, had mine a while) do 1.5", too. That was with TAC, BTW.
With run of the mill 55g projectiles, 3 MOA out to 300 meters is doable. Bullet quality is the most important factor.
I have fired quite a few 1" groups at 100 yards with the 55g Hornady V-Max bullet loaded at 3,000 fps fired out of a carbine. I have also been able to do the same with factory Hornady 55g V-Max. The Hornady bullet is top shelf. Don't expect this kind of accuracy with standard projectiles.
14.5" and 1-7 poly twist was what I used in the above tests.
Most accurate barrel I've owned thus far was a 16" custom noveske with an intermediate gas system that was 3-land and groove 1-8 twist.
My current upper is waiting on a Mark 6 3-18...sigh. It sports a 18" cut rifled Bartlein SPR barrel. Needless to say I have high hopes for that one.
@ markm,
I normally wouldn't use XBR on "cheap" bullets, but the results speak for themselves. My smallest group ever was .462" with XBR and 77 gr SMKs. They were on the hot side too. With 23.5 gr (which is hot) of XBR my average of 15 5-shot groups was right at 3/4" with the SMKs. This was all during the Hook panic and getting ANY powder was hard as hell. I bought a bunch of XBR as the stock seemed untouched at my LGS. It just worked really well for both the 55s and 77s.
I could never get the 53 gr VMAX or the 60 gr VMAX to shoot for a shit.
With WIN 748 I was hovering about 1.3 MOA with the 55 gr Hornady. This was across 30 5-shot groups, and was way above my expectation for a "cheap" bullet.
I normally wouldn't use XBR on "cheap" bullets, but the results speak for themselves. My smallest group ever was .462" with XBR and 77 gr SMKs. They were on the hot side too. With 23.5 gr (which is hot) of XBR my average of 15 5-shot groups was right at 3/4" with the SMKs. This was all during the Hook panic and getting ANY powder was hard as hell. I bought a bunch of XBR as the stock seemed untouched at my LGS. It just worked really well for both the 55s and 77s.
We were running 23.8 with 77s and started blowing primers. :eek:
Backed it down to 23.4... so I'm right there with you. XBR, H322, and LT-32 all have roots in Benchrest and such from what I've read. I really can't wait to lay my hands on another 8 of XBR. I have tons of H322, but XBR is my Mk 262 clone powder.... and I'm running into my last few pounds.
I really wanted to try some H322 but could never come across it. LT-32 was so new no one really had any data on it. But, I did read they are all similar animals, just from different factories.
Markm-Russian primers with the XBR as well?
Markm-Russian primers with the XBR as well?
Yes. Except for Defense loads. I'll pull down Crimped and primed brass ammo and use those with 77s just for extra insurance against a popped primer.
Localgrizzly
05-07-14, 22:48
I generally get around 2 inches from my Colt LE 6940 with ACOG using Remington bulk M193 (55 gr FMJ bullets.) using 25.5 of H335 and Remington 7 1/2 primers in LC cases.
I can get 1 inch with Hornady or Sierra but at 2.5X the price.
By buying bulk packs of 2000 Remington FMJ, I have "kill the soda" can accuracy and low cost offhand practice.
If I need pinpoint accuracy, I just use my custom, heavy barrel 6MM Remington bolt gun with the 6.5-20X50 Nikon Monarch. That one will shoot 3/8 inch TEN shot groups with boring regularity.
IMR 8208 XBR 25.1 gr.
Tula SR .223 Primer
I did finally try this load with 55 gr Ballistic tip nosler bullets. Wow. They shot very well. 1/2 MOA if I remember right.
Glad it worked. I never got around to trying the XBR with a ballistic tip, but always figured they'd be more consistent that the Hornady FMJ, which were amazing for that type of bullet.
Best groups I've ever shot at 100 yards were 55 gr Hornady cartridges.
Were your Noslers flat base or boat tail?
They're boat tail. I think the wind was crushing them at 500. I don't expect such a light bullet to do well that far, but the load was nice closer in. Pappabear found 8 lbs of XBR at Brunos. I was down to my last few sprinkles of that stuff. ;)
I use the Hornady bulk 55 grain FMJ. I can do way better than baseball size. With an off the shelf rifle and iron sights, I can shoot a group of ten shots off a bench you can cover with a business card. Not super duper, but not bad.
I'd advise you chrono your loads. At around 3250 from 20" bbl they were running about 2.5 inch groups. Backing off the charge to about 3100 made the groups tighten up--standard deviations were at minimum and targets were most accurate.
Back off a bit and see if that helps.
I'd advise you chrono your loads. At around 3250 from 20" bbl they were running about 2.5 inch groups. Backing off the charge to about 3100 made the groups tighten up--standard deviations were at minimum and targets were most accurate.
Back off a bit and see if that helps.
That... and running them up to 3250 accomplishes nothing in my opinion. 3100 is nice balance of Pressure, Velocity, and Brass life.
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