Recommend some bullets

[Mr.Snerdly]

I would like to find a light bullet that shoots well in my 223 Axis. It has not liked what I have tried too much so far but with the shortage of bullets I haven't tried many. It does shoot the 69 and 77 grain Sierras quite well so the rifle is good enough I think. I have heard light bullets are easier on the rifle is the main reason I would like to find something that would work. I would also like to keep the price below 30 cents per bullet and less would be better, although I know you have to spend a little money to get quality.

By light, I mean from 50-55 grains.

[NF1E]

Been using 52 and 55 gn Sierra hp, 55 gn Bergers and 40 gn V-Max all with good success in a bunch of different bolt rifles including a couple savages,Winchester, and CZs. My Savage FVSS loves them all.

[Mr.Snerdly]

Would these be any good?

Barnes .224 / 22 52 Grain Match Burner Flat Base Bullet (100 ct.)I thought that the company has a pretty good reputation. They are reasonably priced too, less than 21 cents per bullet. 50-55 grain bullets are hard to find.

[Mr.Snerdly]

I see the Barnes bullets are quite a little higher at MidwayUSA.

[NF1E]

If you can get some give them a try and let us know the results. Personally I have only used Barnes .224 40 gn solids for some projects years ago.

[hamiltonkiler]

Sierra blitz kings in 55gn are really accurate in a Australia outback load.
Not sure the specs or how quick they were cooking but In my 21” 1-9 barreled savage gun they were .25” group loads, banged some plates at 400yds 8” plates. Never put them on paper past 100yds


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[Orezona]

Sierra blitz kings in 55gn are really accurate in a Australia outback load.
Not sure the specs or how quick they were cooking but In my 21” 1-9 barreled savage gun they were .25” group loads, banged some plates at 400yds 8” plates. Never put them on paper past 100yds


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I agree with this. The outback ammo is what got me to reload the sierra blitz kings in 55 gr. 25 grains of varget is money in my 20" pc carbine.

[GaryB]

Does no one here shoot Speer bullets? I have been shooting the Speer 52gr HPBT Match bullets for
years and have had great results in both the 223 and the 22-250.
And they're priced right.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101079949?pid=730946

[Mr.Snerdly]

^^^I can't seem to find any. I agree, nothing wrong with Speer. 243 shoots their 75 grain almost as well as the Nosler 70 grain at half the price. The way things are now, you have to settle for what you can get. I got some Hornady 52 grain ELD bullets yesterday and hope to try them when it cools. I have had terrible results with their 68 grain and also the 60 grain but I had just a very few 53 grain left over when I got the Axis that seemed to work pretty well in the Remington and I didn't have enough left to make a real judgment on the Savage. Not my first choice but they might be OK.

[Mr.Snerdly]

Results weren't great but not totally discouraging either. Remington shot average 5/8" group, Axis was 7/8" (only got one in with the Axis, starting to get a little too dark). This may or may not have anything to do with it but it was so hot I decided to go get the Axis to let the Remington cool. It was right around 89 outside and the Axis was probably about 72 degrees when I took it out. It did warm up a few minutes but the barrel was still quite cool. Two other things, I had loaded all this for the Remington and used the cases ranging from 1.4525 to 1.450, according to the Hornady gauge. The Axis chamber is way longer. Also, the Remington has a much shorter distance to the lands and I had them roughly .030" off but this would be about .100" on the Axis. I know getting them real close isn't that big a deal but I would like to keep them within .050". Again, I don't have enough experience at this to know if this made much difference or not, maybe some of the more experienced can comment. I want to load some ammo strictly for the Axis tonight with cases that are a closer fit to the chamber and the bullets closer to the lands and try it again in the morning. Thank goodness the heat is going to break tomorrow. Heat index has been well over 110 degrees for several days and actual temperature 99-102. Dryland corn has about had it too.

I also don't know if this says anything but on the Axis the horizontal spread was probably 1/8" and it was the vertical that killed the group.

[charlie b]

Jump to lands is a weird animal. Some bullets just don't seem to care, like most of the Sierras. Bergers for the most part seem to like touching the lands.

IMHO, Sierra, Hornady and Speer (maybe Barnes as well) seem to make their bullets a bit more tolerant of jump due to most of the end users, ie, factory type barrels with a wider range of headspace/throat. So, seating them makes more difference to the exit times and case volume than anything else.

If that was the only group you shot with the Axis I would not judge anything by it. Some barrels will be a bit off until you get at least a couple of rounds through them. Fouling and heat. Mine moves the POI just a tad as it warms up (about 1/2MOA).

[Mr.Snerdly]

I give up. MY Axis just will not shoot light bullets acceptably. Tried all of the things mentioned and it was WORSE this morning. I thought I would try the 77 grain I have loaded up from a few weeks ago and they shot 3/4" and 1/2" In fairness to the rifle, there was some wind. Not a lot but when you are trying to get below 1/2" it does make a difference. If the wind would blow at a constant speed it would make no difference other than moving the group but it does not. I have always shot my best groups under dead calm conditions. The first groups I shot was under calmer conditions with the 55 grain and although they were probably within 1/4" horizontally, I ran into the same problem as yesterday--there was a pretty big vertical spread. I have a good supply of 69 grain and it shoots them 1/2" or less if conditions are right. Just as well save the 55 grain for the Remington. It shot a 1/2" group with the 55s but again, the wind was a little calmer at the time too. I really think a lot of that little 783, which I am sure most, if not all of you know, is basically a Marlin X-7. It may not be a Savage but it shoots like one.

[Robinhood]

Do loads that work in one rifle work in a different rifle?
Once you find the best load do you work with seating depth?

I would like to see your load workup numbers.

[Texas10]

THESE: ​https://www.rmrbullets.com/shop/bullets/rifle/224-5-56mm/224-69-gr-rmr-jacketed-hollow-point-boat-tail-3-gun-hunter-bullets-new/

I just bought 500 at a cost of 16.6 cents each delivered. Can't wait to try them out.

[Stumpkiller]

I've been using Sierra 53 gr HP Match (#1400) for over 40 years. My rifles have been and still are 1:12" twist. I toy back and forth with the #1410 52 gr HPBT but keep going back to the flat-base.

[charlie b]

THESE: ​https://www.rmrbullets.com/shop/bullets/rifle/224-5-56mm/224-69-gr-rmr-jacketed-hollow-point-boat-tail-3-gun-hunter-bullets-new/

I just bought 500 at a cost of 16.6 cents each delivered. Can't wait to try them out.

When I need to buy some more I am going to try those.

[Mr.Snerdly]

THESE: ​https://www.rmrbullets.com/shop/bullets/rifle/224-5-56mm/224-69-gr-rmr-jacketed-hollow-point-boat-tail-3-gun-hunter-bullets-new/

I just bought 500 at a cost of 16.6 cents each delivered. Can't wait to try them out.


A shame you have to buy that many at one time. It is very tempting and more than likely they would be good but on the off chance they won't work I think I will wait until I have more info. It would be nice if they would sell them in 50 or 100 lots even if they were double the 500 price I would much rather pay double and be sure before I order that many.