Berger 85.5gr 223 Rem Twist Rate?

[260AckImp]

Hello Everyone

Got a new 30" Krieger 1-8" twist barrel on my Tikka to shoot some mid range FTR.

Currently got a healthy supply of Berger 80gr VLD'S that are looking promising but ive been offered a good deal on a bulk lot of the 85.5 Bergers.

Berger states minimum twist rate of 1-8" but Im shooting a 223 Rem so I'm just after any real world findings of guys shooting the 85.5 in a 8 twist 223 Rem at longer distances.

I have a 223 Wylde chamber with 0.152" freebore for the 80 VLD'S which currently shoot well at 2980-3000.

 

[flatlander]

I've been shooting some 85.5s in a 22 Grinch with a Krieger 1-8tw #5 sporter on a Zermatt Origin, and that rifle shoots a bit better with these bullets than the other Grinch, which has a 1-6.8tw Bartlein on a Howa Mini. That surprises me, as I expected the faster twist Bartlein to work better with these heavy-for-caliber bullets. If I had it to do over again, I'd have used a Bartlein 1-7tw #3B bbl that I had in stock on the Origin. From what I've heard from HP shooters who're using the Berger 85.5s in their 223s, most have found that they shoot best with a lot of jump, which seems to be the case in both my rifles.

 

[CharlieNC]

Several of my buds shoot 85.5 in ftr and do well. I tried them because of the performance on paper but scored worse than 80 and 90 vld. Looks like 50:50 whether they will work from all I have seen.

 

[OldManTA]

I have had very good experiences with the 85.5 Berger shooting Palma but my twist rate is 7. I suppose for mid-range 8 might be sufficient.
Tom Alves

 

[SVT_Tactical]

I have an urbanrifleman prefit 223, 8T. I found a great 100yd load using virgin starline match brass with the 85.5. Then during testing, what I found is it shot well from 100 to 300, so so at 600, but at 700 the groups went to heck. I think it's borderline stable at distance and past 5-600 is too unstable based on the speeds. I'm running right at 2625fps with BL-C2. I am going to do to 80gr bullets and test next as I want a load that's good out to 1000.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I have an urbanrifleman prefit 223, 8T. I found a great 100yd load using virgin starline match brass with the 85.5. Then during testing, what I found is it shot well from 100 to 300, so so at 600, but at 700 the groups went to heck. I think it's borderline stable at distance and past 5-600 is too unstable based on the speeds. I'm running right at 2625fps with BL-C2. I am going to do to 80gr bullets and test next as I want a load that's good out to 1000.

I always suggest the 7 twist for 223 for the heavier bullets. In fact the seven twist works amazingly well for all bullets in 223 at those lower speeds.

 

[dusterdave173]

85.5 in my 7 Twist Urban shoot fantastic--they do seem to appreciate plenty of jump--they shoot great anywhere between .030-.040 back
I have a box of 80.5 but have not cracked it open yet as the 85.5's are doing so well

 

[Evan]

Hello Everyone

Got a new 30" Krieger 1-8" twist barrel on my Tikka to shoot some mid range FTR.

Currently got a healthy supply of Berger 80gr VLD'S that are looking promising but ive been offered a good deal on a bulk lot of the 85.5 Bergers.

Berger states minimum twist rate of 1-8" but Im shooting a 223 Rem so I'm just after any real world findings of guys shooting the 85.5 in a 8 twist 223 Rem at longer distances.

I have a 223 Wylde chamber with 0.152" freebore for the 80 VLD'S which currently shoot well at 2980-3000.

What elevation are you shooting at? I can get away with a lot of things at 5-7000ft that won’t fly at sea level.

 

[mike mccormick]

I have been shooting them from a 7 twist for a couple of years. Does great at 600, not shot them farther than that. 2800 mv

 

[260AckImp]

What elevation are you shooting at? I can get away with a lot of things at 5-7000ft that won’t fly at sea level.

Thanks for the reply, I'm mostly shooting at 150-200ft but then also as low as 50ft at times.

 

[bpd459]

Greetings,
I put a .223 prone rifle together, dedicated to the B85.5’s on the advice of Mr Robert Pitcairn (RIP Sir), who was one of the original B85.5 test shooters. He swore on the 1-6.5” twist barrels. He said a 1-7“ would be marginal. Anything slower would be pissing in the wind, especially at sea level, and at further distances (beyond 300). 2840fps MV was the magic number. My Barnard S, 30” Krieger 1-7” netted a 3.74”, 10 shot group at 1000yds at Deep Creek a few years ago. @JFrank as a witness….
Good Luck,
John

 

[260AckImp]

Greetings,
I put a .223 prone rifle, dedicated to the B85.5’s on the advice of Mr Robert Pitcairn (RIP Sir), who was one of the original B85.5 test shooters. He swore on the 1-6.5” twist barrels. He said a 1-7“ would be marginal. Anything slower would be pissing in the wind, especially at sea level, and at further distances (beyond 300). 2840fps MV was the magic number. My Barnard S, 30” Krieger 1-7” netted a 3.74”, 10 shot group at 1000yds at Deep Creek a few years ago. JFrank as a witness….
Good Luck,
John

Wow thats an impressive group!!

Thank you for your advice, I think ill just stick with my 80's. That is until my 308 FTR rifle gets built.

Thanks again

 

[bpd459]

PS, using the .223 ISSF reamer….

 

[Dkk37058]

I’ve been thinking of trying the Berger 85.5s in my 223 bolt and have been wondering if they will shoot out of a Wylde chamber barrel is a 7 twist Kriger so I know the twist will be ok

 

[Evan]

Thanks for the reply, I'm mostly shooting at 150-200ft but then also as low as 50ft at times.

I have shot them in a 22BR, 8, 7.7, 7.5, and 7 twist barrels, some 4 groove, some 5R. They were finicky every time I tried them and didn’t ever provide the consistency I got from 90 VLD or the 90 SMK.

 

[kyotekiller25]

I asked this a couple weeks ago as I also have a 28" 8 twist Bartlein. General consensus was to stick with the 80g class of bullets, especially since I'm only at 500-1K ASL. The high BC looks good on the 85.5, until you plug it in with an 8 twist at 500 ft and find your BC is compromised quite a bit and offers no real advantage over the 80.5 at that point.

I'm shooting 75g ELDMs at 2975fps and had a little trouble finding a great shooting load. They're just proving to be super picky with seating depth.

I bought a box of 80.5s to try out, but not sure when I'll get to test them.

Looking for a nice 1K steel banger load is all. Super tough to beat the 75g ELDM ballistically with the speed/BC. It beats everything until you get up to the 85.5-90g bullets.