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Wildcatting: Keep it Tight

Wildcatting: Keep it Tight

There’s little doubt that from its original military roots, the 223 Remington has become the top choice for a .224” centrefire calibre for both target shooting and small deer and vermin/fox control. But, as always, choice of rifling twist is crucial, to maximise the benefits of the wide-range of bullet weights available and suitable for use in the .223. In fact, where most .22 centrefire rounds utilise a 1 in 12 or 1 in 14 twist for the lighter bullets, the .223, because of its military heritage, can also utilise the heavy bullet weights and tighter twists of 1 in 9, 1 in 8 or even as fast as 1 in 7, thus making it a truly flexible round.

Its endearing attributes have to be the minimal recoil, especially with a good moderator fitted, the shooter is capable of spotting their own shots to confirm a good hit or miss. The .223 is a no-nonsense round that has a vast array of reloading components to choose from and its inherent accuracy makes it a real winner.

Choice

Bullet choice and barrel twist rate are key here and I use a 1 in 9 twist and 1 in 7 twist rate, switch barrel RPA Quadlite rifle, whilst data has also been gained from friend’s 1 in 6.5 twist rifles too. To me, the fast twist ethos starts at around 70-grains, as the standard 1 in 12 twist rate on sporting rifles is good for bullet stability up to 60-65-grains at a pinch. For 70-grains and above 1 in 9 is so much better and when the 90-grain bullets are used then the 1 in 7 is fine but 1 in 6.5 is better.

When you start looking at heavier .224 bullets, you are transcending the realms of varmint with target type projectiles. But because their end use will be for long range use and varminting, the fact that the majority are Match-types or non expanding ammunition is of no consequence.

You can choose the correct bullet for you by the best Ballistic Coefficient (BC) value or weight that gives the best performance in your rifle’s barrel. I always come at it from a hunting point of view and this is why I like long range varminting, as so long as the bullets are accurate in your rifle, then a hit at range is a hit. Also, at such extreme ranges, most bullets do not expand anyway, regardless whether they are designed that way, so it’s really a bit academic!

 

Lots of choice

There’s a plethora of bullets available and I now buy most of mine from Norman Clark’s Gunsmiths because Norman holds a great deal of stock, ideally suited to these purposes. What he does not have, then Hannam’s or Henry Krank and Edgar Brothers fill in the gaps.

It’s hard to beat the Berger range, with choices from the 70-grain Match VLD with its 0.371 G1 BC value, right the way up to the 90-grain Match VLD or Match BT Long Range with 0.551 and 0.512 G1 BCs respectively.

You also have 73, 75, 77, 80, 80.5 and 82-grain weights in between, so every possibility is available to fine-tune a load for your individual rifle. The style of bullet differs from the VLD type that needs correct seating depth to achieve best accuracy to the BT and OTM Tactical types that are more seating depth tolerant.

Hornady, too, offer some really nice .224 longer range bullets, with their 75-grain A-MAX being one of my favourites, it’s a superb performer in my .22 Satan wildcat. It has a G1 BC of 0.435 and is also available as a BTHP design but with a BC of 0.395. The 80 grain A-MAX too is a good performer with a BC of 0.453, this design is very wind slippery and that polymer tip does expand!

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Sierra

Next up, are the Sierra bullets that I have always found to be excellent performers, with their Game King range ideal for small species deer or Roe in Scotland but their Match King bullets were the industry standard for long range rifle shooting. For fast twist rifling, then the 80-grain Match King is excellent, with its seating depth and twist rate tolerant design and BC of 0.413. I have used to good effect the 90-grain version too and they always seem easier to get to shoot accurately than other bullets of similar weight and these have a BC of 0.504. You have to remember too that the .223 is a small case compared to a .22-250, so 90-grainers are pushing it a bit but with a long barrel are still great performers!

 

Field results

Down range comparison, using Quickload Ballistics program and Quick Target, is always handy for an accurate prediction of the chosen bullet’s path.

A 40-grain Hornady V-MAX launched at 3843 fps, zeroed at 100 yards, drops -1.2” at 200 yards and -6.8” at 300. Although if you zero at 200 yards you are never more than +0.8” high up to this range and then only -4.8 at 300 yards. This just gives you a little more advantage at longer range but it will run out of steam past 500 yards.

Compare this to a heavier 80-grain Sierra Match King at 2709 fps and zeroed at 100 yds, it now drops -3.8” at 200. Out at 300 you are -13.9” low and at 500 yds. only -56.3” low, compared to the 40 gr V – MAX that is now -57.4” low. So, pretty comparable really but at 750yds the 40-grainer is down a whopping -253”, whist the 80-grainer drops a significantly less -189.” Despite being slower, the better BC values are winning out here. Out at 1000 yds., it’s a no brainer and that’s why the heavy weight bullets are king for 500 yd+ shooting.

Wind drift is also significantly reduced with the heavier projectile and one of the major priorities when using a heavy weight .223 bullet. At 500 yards, you have 38” of windage from the light 40 grainer, whilst the 80-grainer drifts less at 24” in a 3 o’clock, 10 mph cross wind, which makes a big difference! You can usually dial out trajectory compensation but the changing wind gets you all the time.

CONCLUSIONS

It’s easy to forget the shear performance of these little wonders. It may be a little old hat these days but its still a great performer and economical to load, mild to shot and quiet when a moddy is fitted. You have fantastic array of bullets to choose from, as well great powders, such as CFE 223, to achieve optimum performance. The quality brass cases now available also offer the reloader a level of performance that makes it almost impossible not to achieve an accurate load.

I use my wildcats tenderly these days, as they are hard on barrels, whereas a good day’s Varminting at hooded crows or Scottish rabbits, where a volume of shots will be consumed is when the .223 comes out. Trouble is, me being me, I kind of have rediscovered the .223 in my shooting regime and actually I really fancy a .223 AK Imp now, there’s no hope is there?

 

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  • Contact: JMS Arms 07771 962121 www.quickload.co.uk Quickload and QuickTarget Norman Clark 01788 579651 Reloading Supplies Edgars Brothers 01625 613177 Hornady, Alliant Hannam’s Reloading 01977 681639 Reloading supplies Henry Krank 0113 256 9163 Sierra bullets, Lee dies
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