The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - lightest bullet weight for 223 with 1-9 twist

somerled · February 27, 2008, 10:50 PM

There are some who get excellent results with 40 grain bullets in the 1-9" twist. I've never loaded anything less than 50 grains in mine, but that is solely because I have the heavier bullets on hand. Maybe some of the most fragile bullets pushed at the highest velocities obtainable in the .223 Remington may be unstable, but I wouldn't know without trying.

If I planned to shoot 35 or 40 grain .224 bullets in the .223 Remington exclusively, I'd get a barrel with a 1-12" or even a 1-14" twist. With a Savage, setting up a switch-barrel rig is certainly in reach.

February 27, 2008, 10:50 PM	#2
somerled Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2005 Location: eastern Kansas Posts: 603	There are some who get excellent results with 40 grain bullets in the 1-9" twist. I've never loaded anything less than 50 grains in mine, but that is solely because I have the heavier bullets on hand. Maybe some of the most fragile bullets pushed at the highest velocities obtainable in the .223 Remington may be unstable, but I wouldn't know without trying. If I planned to shoot 35 or 40 grain .224 bullets in the .223 Remington exclusively, I'd get a barrel with a 1-12" or even a 1-14" twist. With a Savage, setting up a switch-barrel rig is certainly in reach.