Topic: .223 ammo question.

[Kcboats]

What is the recommended uses for the different types of ammo?

FMJ, FRG, HP, HPBT, SP, etc...

I know with handguns some people prefer HP over FMJ for defense so they dont overpenetrate in certain situations.  But when it comes to a .223 do these different types make that much of a difference?  Is a HPBT (boat tail) going to make that much of a difference in accuracy for my use...non competion.

[sheepdog1]

  if its a quality bullet it doesn't matter what type,  providing all your variables are consistant  you can make any quality bullet fly well.  You might find a bullet that your rifle likes better than others. HP and Boat tail and ballistic tip are  related to flight , HP SP and ballistic tip are impact related .   

[Nomad]

       These are used 223 /5.56 but these FMJ, FRG, HP, as well as the others come in different
calibers and have about the same use....as well as bullet weights will vary........

FMJ     cheap target shooting steel and paper targets......
 FRG    would be for close shooting as  house, rocks, steel very close and etc.......
 HP      two types of thought one is the use on varmints and small animals and the other
          is the hp's are used on shooting targets best use would be on small animals....
 SP     are lead tip bullets used in varmints as well as hunting up to small deer usually 60 -65gr
          bullets and some are good for saving hides on yotes and similar animals. Not
          what one would use when the shooting an automatic because of lead tips beingshaved
          when leaving the mag can be a problem....Work great in a bolt gun, pumps and single
          shots.. The lighter 45-55gr are good for varmints...They come in BT as well. 
 HPBT  Used for target shooting mostly with 65gr bullets up to 90gr bullets. Work very well
          as personnel protection round by some people such as the 75gr TAP by Hornady
          main use target and long range because high BC's.
       
   

[Kcboats]

Ahhh, thanks guys I appreciate the info!

[agunforeachhand]

       These are used 223 /5.56 but these FMJ, FRG, HP, as well as the others come in different
calibers and have about the same use....as well as bullet weights will vary........

FMJ     cheap target shooting steel and paper targets......
 FRG    would be for close shooting as  house, rocks, steel very close and etc.......
 HP      two types of thought one is the use on varmints and small animals and the other
          is the hp's are used on shooting targets best use would be on small animals....
 SP     are lead tip bullets used in varmints as well as hunting up to small deer usually 60 -65gr
          bullets and some are good for saving hides on yotes and similar animals. Not
          what one would use when the shooting an automatic because of lead tips beingshaved
          when leaving the mag can be a problem....Work great in a bolt gun, pumps and single
          shots.. The lighter 45-55gr are good for varmints...They come in BT as well. 
 HPBT  Used for target shooting mostly with 65gr bullets up to 90gr bullets. Work very well
          as personnel protection round by some people such as the 75gr TAP by Hornady
          main use target and long range because high BC's.
       
   

Thanks a ton Nomad, that helps a lot

[Nealio]

Ballistic tips are awesome in that they give you excellent ballistic coefficients while also giving you rapid expansion in impact greater than that of a HP or a soft point.  The 55 gr Nosler's I shoot will literally vaporize a yukon gold potato @ 100 yards (or vaporize 1/2 a whistle pig).
FMJ's are mandated by NATO to help keep deaths down in war, which is ridiculous in the first place.  Some people are under the false impression that a FMJ is a better "man stopper" than a hollowpoint or a ballistic tip because that's what the military uses.
Adding a boat tail on a spitzer bullet increases the ballistic coefficient on a bullet of the similar dimensions.  This is done with any size bullet (Nosler for example only has boat tail ballistic tip bullets 45gr on up)

[Nomad]

KTMNealio, contact Nosler about the ballistic tip bullet they have a exit piece, last spring and
summer shooting chucks I saw dust behind the animals shot walked over to chucks shot
and there was a exit wound....Called and asked they said yes that does happen well when
out shooting I dont like a exit objects. So I went to Vmax and that ended the problem.
 The BC may better but have shot a sub group with the Vmax with 24.7 of H335 in LC or fed cases
wsr primers using 55gr bullets. 

[J Mack]

The 55 gr Nosler's I shoot will literally vaporize a yukon gold potato @ 100 yards

The 36 grain Barnes I shoot will vaporize everything else 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjWegju76Xc

[e11charlie]

FMJ slow death if shot placement is good resulting in multiple exit wounds. FRG death through multiple lacerations and infection from the fragmentation. HP quick yet some what painful death through a very large hole. HPBT quick yet some what painful death through a very large hole created by a bullet traveling faster than normal due to improved aerodynamics.  SP death through lead poisoning.  

[Nomad]

 Some result of 223 bullets and results..........

Forums | Loaddata | Articles

223 RemingtonTop Loads10 mm22 Long Rifle223 Remington25 ACP30 Carbine30-30308 Winchester32 ACP357 Magnum357 SIG38 Special38 Special +P38 Special +P+380 ACP40 S&W41 Magnum44 Magnum44 Special45 ACP45 ACP +P45 Colt9 mm9 mm +P9 mm +P+
 All                                     All40525562646869     

223 Remington Stopping Power, all bullet weights
Brand Bullet Shootings One Shot Stops Percent Diameter Penetration Notes
Remington 69 gr JHP 40 39 98% 0.32" 16.9"   
Winchester 68 gr Match 38 37 97% 0.37" 18.5"   
Federal 40 gr  162 156 96% 0" 9.8" Fragments
SS109 62 gr  283 272 96% 0" 15.7" Breaks into 2 pieces
Winchester 52 gr  41 39 95% 0" 8.8" Fragments
Winchester 64 gr PP 21 20 95% 0" 9.1" Fragments
Federal 52 gr Match 37 35 95% 0" 9.4" Fragments
Federal 55 gr JHP 112 105 94% 0" 9.2" Fragments
Federal 55 gr Nosler 27 25 93% 0.38" 11.8"   
Winchester 55 gr JSP 41 38 93% 0" 10.4" Breaks into 2 pieces
Remington 55 gr JSP 36 33 92% 0" 8.7" Breaks into 2 pieces
Federal 62 gr JHP 48 44 92% 0" 9.7" Fragments
Remington 55 gr FMJ 46 42 91% 0" 10.3" Breaks into 2 pieces
Winchester 55 gr FMJ 123 113 83% 0" 12.3" Breaks into 2 pieces
14 loads


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
BT = Black Talon  GS = Golden Saber  GD = Gold Dot
HS = Hydra Shok  ST = Silvertip  LRN = Lead Round Nose
SWC = Semi Wadcutter  JHP = Jacketed Hollow Point  FMJ = Full Metal Jacket

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Diameter and Penetration are the average from bullets recovered in actual shootings. All data taken from Evan Marshall and Ed Sanow's book: Stopping Power: A Practical Analysis of the Latest Handgun Ammunition and used with permission from the author.
 


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[Nealio]

KTMNealio, contact Nosler about the ballistic tip bullet they have a exit piece, last spring and
summer shooting chucks I saw dust behind the animals shot walked over to chucks shot
and there was a exit wound....Called and asked they said yes that does happen well when
out shooting I dont like a exit objects. So I went to Vmax and that ended the problem.
 The BC may better but have shot a sub group with the Vmax with 24.7 of H335 in LC or fed cases
wsr primers using 55gr bullets. 

What weight were you shooting?  I've shot many a whistle pig, and never seen anything go past the pile of bloody meat that's that is left.  I find this very surprising when shooting a rock chuck, since they are so much bigger....

[Nomad]

 Nosler Ballistic Tip 22 Cal, 55gr Spitzer 250 count, Part No 39560.....
 This bullet was very accurate out of the 223 and shot out past 350-400yds
used H335 in win cases.
 Yet as stated earlier they did have an exit piece.......
 

[broncovan]

I won't shoot FMJ out in the desert.  Only at the range with a good backstop.  I really don't like to hear that bullet whine bouncing off the dirt or rocks, even though I "know" what's downrange, you never know what idiot is going to be riding into a shooting area.  I usually only shoot V-Max's when out and about.

[Nomad]

 As long as you have a good back stop Ballistic Tipswill work......
 The Vmax doesn't have an exit they do explode and have become a good
choice of use.........

[danmalx]

 SP     are lead tip bullets used in varmints as well as hunting up to small deer usually 60 -65gr
          bullets and some are good for saving hides on yotes and similar animals. Not
          what one would use when the shooting an automatic because of lead tips beingshaved
          when leaving the mag can be a problem....Work great in a bolt gun, pumps and single
          shots.. The lighter 45-55gr are good for varmints...They come in BT as well.

That would explain the weird groupings out of my AR. Didnt think about that. Thanks Nomad!