55gr Nosler E-Tips in .223 Rem

[Scrumbag]

Hi Folks,

Has anyone loaded the 55gr Nosler E-tips in .223 Rem? Any hints and tips on them?

Plan on using Ramshot X-terminator in my 22", 1:9 twist CZ527.

Has anyone tried these bullets on foxes / coyotes? Mainly planning on using them as a small deer bullet but wondering if they will work for foxes as well.

(If not, might be an excuse to develop a varmint load )

Thoughts appreciated!

Scrummy

 

[Scrumbag]

Well folks,

Starting to get there with the Ramshot X-Terminator



Think the low left is me. Will load a few more around that point and see where I get to.

Scrummy

 

[Kurz]

Thank you for revitalizing your original thread. Too many times some of these gain little or no attention and silently drift off into oblivion.

Some of the answers may depend upon what barrel length you use (22") or which platform you choose to shoot over there (CZ527).

Often over here, the .223 Rem. cartridge is fired in the AR15 platforms and has a magazine length limitation of 2.260" as opposed to a custom chamber in a bolt action with additional freebore and or throat to accommodate the longer bullets. This can have a bearing on not only the operating pressure but the OAL and the powder selection as well.

We don't have fox over here in the desert but we have lots of coyote to test on. With fur prices depreciated to the point of not being worth the effort, I don't bother to skin and save the pelts. I was originally using the Nosler Ballistic Tips and a couple of other frangible bullets. However, with our neighbors to the West restricting all hunting bullets to 'non-lead' is forcing many of us to test and develop loads for the solid bullets.

Since coyotes will hunt together, I use an AR-15 rifle with a 16" barrel plus a moderator. I also take along a shotgun since those sneeky little coyote will sometimes work around me trying to use the wind to identify me. A couple have gotten uncomfortably close for the AR and the shotgun is perfect.

Coyote, like fox, are very lightly constructed so fast whiz-bang bullets can pass through with less effect. I use a high shoulder or neck junction as an aiming point which usually results in cutting the body in half. No losses for me. Your situation may be different, I don't know.

I happen to like the E-Tip bullets and use them in other cartridges but not yet in the .223 Rem. Other bullets perform well and are slightly cheaper when available over here. The VMAX are my usual bullets of choice in the .223 Rem. and the AR.

The Ramshot might be just a tad slow for your cartridge and barrel. I've been testing VVN-120 and Re-7 for the time being until the manufacturers and distributors restock us. Good velocities and more than adequate accuracy. No targets yet.

Best regards.

 

[Scrumbag]

Hi Kurz,

Yes you are right on the mag limitation. I shoot my .223 Rem from my CZ mag which means I practically can't get a mag length of more than ~2.30"

I don't do a lot of fox shooting these days but some say the 55gr E-Tip works well on foxes (not as hard as the Barnes options).

X-terminator seems to be a good burn rate. I have tried Ramshot TAC with 55gr FMJs and got rather sooty cartridges and struggled to get good groups with it. (Think you need a heavier bullet, when I have tried TAC with the 65gr Sierra SBT Gamekings and got very good results).

Over here in Europe, common Viht powders for the .223 Rem / 5.56 are N130, N133 and N135 (Guys with the faster twist rates tend to like N140 for the 70gr + bullets)

This is my set up:

CZ527 in .223 Rem CIP, 3-12x50 Zeiss Duralyt with No 60 ret (Like a No.4 with an illuminated centre dot), Harris 9-13 Bipod, Lawrence Precision Titanium Moderator.

I like a good pump gun myself and I have a fondness for the red dot mounted Benelli Supernova.

Shotguns and foxes are fun

 

[Scrumbag]

Oh forgot to say have high hopes for X-Terminator with some other bullets. I recently lucked out on some 60gr Sierra TMKs and 62gr Hornady FMJ Boat Tails which I think X-terminator should do well with.

Scrummy

 

[arlaunch]

I did a bit of work with that bullet last year. I could not get them to shoot in my Nato chambers. Two of those said rifles shoot 55 grain bullets more accurate than you could believe.

It turned out a few years prior i purchased a Rainier Arms barrel with a Wylde chamber. The chamber is so "short throated" that many bullets seated to SAMI lengths are jamming the rifling big time. I am glad i know how to use a OAL gauge as i found this out prior to even firing the thing,

The Nosler is a long sleek bullet, almost as long as a 69 grain SMK. In that chamber, jump seemed to be around 50 thousandths or less?? (can't remember) Turns out around 24.8 grains ?IIRC? of Benchmark was the ticket. I was able to get 2875 fps/No pressure at all, out of a 16 inch barrel and consistent & repeatable 2 inch groups at 200 yards.

I shot 1 Coyote with that load at 175 yards. Hit it right in the good area. It did not look like i hit it. It ran off, and then perished around 40 yards or so away.

What have i learned? I believe that this bullet is sensitive to seating depth. It did not like big jumps in Nato chambers. I also believe for good DRT performance, copper bullets need to hit at high impact velocities. I suppose light for caliber is the way to go.

I got this bullet going 2915 fps with H4895 but i was compressing the load so hard i was worried that i was going to break my seating stem. PP Varmint shot decent at around 2900fps also.

Benchmark was the best, though somewhat of a narrow "accuracy window"

I am happy with the load. If i was going to tinker around and waste time and money i may consider trying out AA2015 also.

 

[Scrumbag]

I did a bit of work with that bullet last year. I could not get them to shoot in my Nato chambers. Two of those said rifles shoot 55 grain bullets more accurate than you could believe.

It turned out a few years prior i purchased a Rainier Arms barrel with a Wylde chamber. The chamber is so "short throated" that many bullets seated to SAMI lengths are jamming the rifling big time. I am glad i know how to use a OAL gauge as i found this out prior to even firing the thing,

The Nosler is a long sleek bullet, almost as long as a 69 grain SMK. In that chamber, jump seemed to be around 50 thousandths or less?? (can't remember) Turns out around 24.8 grains ?IIRC? of Benchmark was the ticket. I was able to get 2875 fps/No pressure at all, out of a 16 inch barrel and consistent & repeatable 2 inch groups at 200 yards.

I shot 1 Coyote with that load at 175 yards. Hit it right in the good area. It did not look like i hit it. It ran off, and then perished around 40 yards or so away.

What have i learned? I believe that this bullet is sensitive to seating depth. It did not like big jumps in Nato chambers. I also believe for good DRT performance, copper bullets need to hit at high impact velocities. I suppose light for caliber is the way to go.

I got this bullet going 2915 fps with H4895 but i was compressing the load so hard i was worried that i was going to break my seating stem. PP Varmint shot decent at around 2900fps also.

Benchmark was the best, though somewhat of a narrow "accuracy window"

I am happy with the load. If i was going to tinker around and waste time and money i may consider trying out AA2015 also.

I would agree, it is a long, pointy bullet but BC is quite respectable as a result and with a bit of luck should hold velocity to target.

I believe (have to check my notes) but that load is at ~2.30" and 24.9gr of X-Terminator.

(2.3" is about as I long as I can run through the CZ527 Magazine)