Rem 700 .223 Remington

Wallyl

New member
Mine has a 1 in 12" twist...is the twist too slow to shoot 62 grain FMJBT bullets? I'd have to but 1,000 and I'd hate to find out the hard way...
 
A 1:12 twist **should** still stabilize the 62gr bullets - up to 69 grain possibly. With that said. The military steel core M885 62gr bullets may not do to well because they are a bit longer than conventional all lead core 62 grain bullets. And may require a 1:9 twist.

Although I think 69 grains would be too heavy. In a perfect world a 1:9 / 1:10 wist barrel should be the optimum for 62 grain bullets.

Really the only way to know for sure is to test fire some.

I would not purchase a bulk box if you are a reloader without having tried them first.

Regards,

Rob
 
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I tried standard MILSPEC 62 grain steel core in a 1:10 twist barrel and had no problems. I don't recall if I shot the same ammo in a 1:12 barrel so much of what I wrote above is from reading.

I bet there are folks here who did that and will respond.

Rob
 
I've never tried it, but based on all I know and understand you are working right on the edge. Might work just fine, might not. You'd just have to try. I wouldn't invest in 1000 rounds until I knew for sure.
 
I would give it a try if you had a barrel 20" or longer. but no way I would buy a thousand rounds to find out. you can easily buy one box of pre-loaded 69gr and find out real quick.
 
I had a Weatherby Vanguard; try as I could I could not find out what the twist was in that sucker. But at 200 yards, it "keyholed" everything above 64 grains. I sold it.

I think you would be well served with something in a 1:7 to 1:8 range. Do your research and tread carefully.
 
I don't have a need to shoot bullets heavier than 55 grains out of my .223 Rem bolt-action rifles. Both of mine shoot 1/4" min out to 200 yards, which handles any varmint shooting and informal target shooting that I desire to undertake with either rifle.

If I need anything heavier, I switch to rifles using .243 Win, and heavier yet, to .270 Win. Works for me, but I understand other's needs/desires.

To each his/her own!
 
Arizona Fusilier, since you've sold your rifle I guess it hardly matters now, but the Vanguard in .223 used to have a 1-12 twist. They began using a 1-9 twist a couple of years ago, I think around 2013.

1-12 I think will be on the bubble with the 62 FMJBT, about all one can do is try it as others have suggested.

Agree with Fusilier, 1-7 or 1-8 gives the broadest range of choices, personally I like 1-8.
 
My cousin had a bolt action with 1:12 twist and it would key hole M855 at 50 yards.

He didn't know to check the twist. Mine has 1:9 and I have shot 35 grain up to 75 grain out to 100 yards with no problems. I am curious what the 35 grain will be doing further out, just never took the time to find out.
 
.223 Rem with 1:12 barrel

"My cousin had a bolt action with 1:12 twist and it would key hole M855 at 50 yards."

I have an AK in .223 with a 1:12 twist barrel. At 25 yards with a 3X3 target I could put every shot on the target.

Problem is, that 3x3 target was 3 FEET X 3 FEET.:eek:

Shooting the 62g FMJ, 62g M855 and 62g SS109 the bullets were not just beginning to tumble. At 25 yards some shot oblond holes but some had already yawed a full 90 degrees!!!

For an AK type rifle it was fairly accurate with 40-55g bullets...

T.
 
"I had a Weatherby Vanguard; try as I could I could not find out what the twist was in that sucker. But at 200 yards, it "keyholed" everything above 64 grains. I sold it."
Az Fusi:
You should have tried some 50 grain bullets-those Vanguards shoot those like a laser beam.


I found that my Vanguard doesn't shoot anything 60 grains or heavier. It's 1/12 so I doubt you'll be happy with 62 grain bullets from a 1/12.
 
The OP might find that the 63 gr Sierra SMP bullet will work in the 1 in 12 twist. It's a stumpy little bullet, but shoots extremely well in a good rifle. That one is likely to stabilize even when the Nosler 64 gr BSB won't.
 
I had a Weatherby Vanguard; try as I could I could not find out what the twist was in that sucker.

I have been told that, from the muzzle, you stick a cleaning rod in with a patch tight enough that it twists with the rifling. Put an horizontal mark and a vertical mark (make a plus sign +) and put the horizontal line even with the end of the barrel. Pull out the cleaning rod until the vertical line makes one rotation, measure from the end of the barrel to the horizontal line.
 
My 24" Howa shoots 50 and 55 grain best. I have tried 62 gr but they have always grouped over 1" at 100 yards where the 50'and 55gr have grouped as small as .35".
 
So you want to know what weight .224 bullet will stabilize in your 1:12 barrel?
I suspect you want a 50gr. bullet since my 222 with a 1:12 performs best with a 50gr. You can always use the 1000 stock pile to plink with if you can't get them to stabilize.
 
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