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53 grain Hornady V max

Started shooting Hornady's 53gr Vmax in my Rem LTR 223 w/9tw and 223AI w/Hart 9tw since they first came out with that bullet and it has done everything I've asked of it and then some. They shoot equally as well in my 22-250 which has a Brux 12tw tube on it. The 53gr Vmax is one of my favorite 22 cal bullets.
 
I'm shooting them in my 18" 1:8 Ruger AR. Running them at mag length and 3179 fps. Groups from the bench are roughly ¾" which I'm plenty happy with.
 
My 7.7 twist Badrock rifle 223, eats everything I have fed it amazingly well. I was not a fan of the twist, but that was all they offered. I was suspect of the RPM’s being a bit much on varmint bullets. The SXSP, some would make the trip, others wouldn’t. The Speer TNT were no different, spotty results.
I tried the 53’s after several folks pushed me towards them for the BC, speed and accuracy. I have crowded them pretty hard with zero issues. So had to stock up when I had some good discounts.

I ran some 55 Vmax with good results. Buddy tried some 40’s in his and was happy. I tried some 40’s in mine and was also pleased with the results, glad of that, as it turned into a good bday present for me. Digging around in the back of a cabinet and found two big coffee cans full of 40 grain Vmax and BK’s! Must be 2-3k of each, bought at a swap meet years ago, thought I had shot them up.

Plenty of powder, just made my primer supply even smaller,lol.
 
I have an 8 twist .223 and they shoot great. I have several 9 twists and they also shoot fantastic - as well as 12 twist. That 8 twist is a great compromise if you also intend to shoot bullets a bit heavier. The downside to the 8 is if you ever want to shoot lighter varmint bullets - as they don't do too well with them as a general rule. If you go with the 12 twist - which would be ideal for a 53, you are bound to light bullets exclusively - as well as not being able to shoot lead-free (if that could ever be of concern down the road). I think - for someone who wanted a particular twist that would be the only gun he owned for doing everything in .223 - the 8 twist would be hard to beat. Can run some relatively light varmint bullets, shoot mid-weight varmint and target bullets like your 53 - and go a bit heavier to shoot even a Barnes TSX in certain weights for larger critters.
 
I have 3 Tikka's, 223 Rems - 8" twist- they all shoot the 60 Vmax sub 1/2 moa.

I never could get the 50 to 55's to shoot consistently as good in my 8" twist Tikka's as the 60 Vmax's.
 
They rock in my 12 twist factory savage. 22/250. Them and the older 64gr berger varmints
 
I just started experimenting with them. Worked up a powder charge tonight in my 20" 223AI with suppressor, 3520fps with CFE223. No firm read on accuracy after one group but it's quite promising, seating depth test is next.
 

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