Hornady 68gr bthp
- Thread starter jlorenzo
- Start date
Yes, plenty of luck with this bullet. It's good at what is designed for, but try to fill long range roles with it and you will be disappointed. It's cheap for a reason, there's more variation in weight and OAL compared to higher priced options.
If you have them already, send them, any powder in the Varget range and you'll be fine for a 223. I use it as a fire forming bullet for my 22-250 AI and they shoot under an inch at 100. Stretch them out to 300, they should hold less than 3 inches but not always.
I stopped buying them for AR, they are about as accurate as the RMR bullets, which are a good bulk option. I prefer the 75 Hornady over the 68, but I do plan on testing the 69gr Aeromatch in a few bolt actions, just for fun.
If you have them already, send them, any powder in the Varget range and you'll be fine for a 223. I use it as a fire forming bullet for my 22-250 AI and they shoot under an inch at 100. Stretch them out to 300, they should hold less than 3 inches but not always.
I stopped buying them for AR, they are about as accurate as the RMR bullets, which are a good bulk option. I prefer the 75 Hornady over the 68, but I do plan on testing the 69gr Aeromatch in a few bolt actions, just for fun.
DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
I don't know what you consider 'Decent'. These are 10 shots each from 100 yards. Savage Model 12, bedded, 1 in 8 Shilen barrel with Varget. Seating depth test. Personally, I'm looking for a bit better. Going to try 8208XBR. If I can't cut them in half, I'll be trying a different bullet.Yup,. Those group's,. LOOK,.. very familiar to, Me !
SOME Barrels, just don't like, That Bullet,.. IMO
I moved on to, the 69 gr. SMK's for my AR and will be using, the 69 SMK's in my .22-250 Rem at, 3150+ fps in my new, 1-8 twist Tikka for, a Steel Fun / Yote, Bullet ( Hopefully at, 1/2 MOA or,.. Better ).
Too darn COLD here to,.. shoot / Test loads, right Now !
Later this week,.. hopefully !
AND, my New, PVA Jet Blast, Muzzle Brake, should be, Here,.. on Tuesday
SOME Barrels, just don't like, That Bullet,.. IMO
I moved on to, the 69 gr. SMK's for my AR and will be using, the 69 SMK's in my .22-250 Rem at, 3150+ fps in my new, 1-8 twist Tikka for, a Steel Fun / Yote, Bullet ( Hopefully at, 1/2 MOA or,.. Better ).
Too darn COLD here to,.. shoot / Test loads, right Now !
Later this week,.. hopefully !
AND, my New, PVA Jet Blast, Muzzle Brake, should be, Here,.. on Tuesday
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Bullets, barrels, powder. Those three things have to work together more than anything else.
Just because the bullet doesn't shoot great... doesn't mean the bullets bad. You just haven't found the right combination the whole set up likes.
Yes I've seen bullets in my own guns from other makers as well that all I could do is just get it to shoot o.k. The question comes down to... how much time and combinations do you want to put into getting a set up to work. I've always liked the 69SMK. Too me always have been easy to shoot/tune. Can't tell you how many I've shot out of a 223 guns (AR's and bolt guns), 22-250, 22-250AI and a 220 swift over the years. Yes the 220 Swift and 22-250 barrels where 1-9 twist.
Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
Just because the bullet doesn't shoot great... doesn't mean the bullets bad. You just haven't found the right combination the whole set up likes.
Yes I've seen bullets in my own guns from other makers as well that all I could do is just get it to shoot o.k. The question comes down to... how much time and combinations do you want to put into getting a set up to work. I've always liked the 69SMK. Too me always have been easy to shoot/tune. Can't tell you how many I've shot out of a 223 guns (AR's and bolt guns), 22-250, 22-250AI and a 220 swift over the years. Yes the 220 Swift and 22-250 barrels where 1-9 twist.
Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
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DShortt
Gold $$ Contributor
I keep hearing good things about 69SMKs. If this next test is similar to the last, that's what I plan to try next.
I've been shooting them since the late 80's.
Clancy
Silver $$ Contributor
I shot several thousand of them in a 1:9 223 bolt gun. I started out with blue box black hills and later reloaded the same bullet with RL 15.
I never had any trouble getting them to shoot in that rifle. The next barrel hated them.
I guess the long and short of it is don’t spend a lot of time trying to make a bullet work. If my first 5 groups aren’t what I want, I switch powders. If the next 5 are bad, I switch bullets.
I never had any trouble getting them to shoot in that rifle. The next barrel hated them.
I guess the long and short of it is don’t spend a lot of time trying to make a bullet work. If my first 5 groups aren’t what I want, I switch powders. If the next 5 are bad, I switch bullets.
TO Long- 68 Hornay/IMR3031. Better /69 gr Sierra/IMR4198.
Best/Nosler 55 gr/IMR4198.
jbmballistics.com
Best/Nosler 55 gr/IMR4198.
JBM - Bullet Length List
Hornady has like 3 different 68gr bullets depending on if is components or loaded ammo. I have never seen anyone that has been able to get them more accurate than a lot of other bullets. I consider them as a sight in bullet when switching scopes or rings or stocks around. They are a 1 MOA bullet and thats it.
I shoot them in my 1 in 7 Colt A2 HBAR 20" with a max load of Varget. Sub 1" at 100, like a 22's depending on the wind works well to 500 digging steel. The only varmint projectile I use for the A2.
I have around 5 pounds of, IMR 4350 to, shoot Up and my Main "All -Around", Steel / Yote Load, Bullet, in my .22-250 will Be, the 69 gr. SMK's as I KNOW that, they can produce, awesome accuracy w/ a little bit of, "Tuning".
I will Be going to, StaBall 65 Powder for, the 75 gr. Horn BTHP, 77 gr TMK / SMK's and maybe some, 80's, later.
IMR and H- 4350 do NOT lend themselves to, being, "Thrown" thru, the older, Drum Powder measures, very well.
They are making Better, "Temp insensitive" Ball Powders,.. Every Day.
I already use StaBall 65 in my 6XC and 65 Creed Rifles w/ Thrown Charges and I really, Like it !
The 69 gr. or, 77 gr. SMK's will Be hard to Beat for, the Price & Accuracy,.. Level.
The Horn #2279, 75 gr BTHP Match bullet, IS,. Way better than, the 68 gr Bullet,.. IMO and,..
for, the Price, .. it's Outstanding !
I will Be going to, StaBall 65 Powder for, the 75 gr. Horn BTHP, 77 gr TMK / SMK's and maybe some, 80's, later.
IMR and H- 4350 do NOT lend themselves to, being, "Thrown" thru, the older, Drum Powder measures, very well.
They are making Better, "Temp insensitive" Ball Powders,.. Every Day.
I already use StaBall 65 in my 6XC and 65 Creed Rifles w/ Thrown Charges and I really, Like it !
The 69 gr. or, 77 gr. SMK's will Be hard to Beat for, the Price & Accuracy,.. Level.
The Horn #2279, 75 gr BTHP Match bullet, IS,. Way better than, the 68 gr Bullet,.. IMO and,..
for, the Price, .. it's Outstanding !
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GetReal
Silver $$ Contributor
I've tried hornady bullets in about every caliber Imaginable and quite honestly have never had any real success with them.
In my opinion , they are plinkers and blasting ammo.
Im a Berger guy, for all my rifle ammo. 338 Norma Mag, 6.5 CM, 6 Dasher, 224 Valk, 6 ARC ( 2 different loads, bullet weights) , etc. I do use Hornady 9mm stuff for my pistols and SBRs.
Berger... cost more, and worth it.
In my opinion , they are plinkers and blasting ammo.
Im a Berger guy, for all my rifle ammo. 338 Norma Mag, 6.5 CM, 6 Dasher, 224 Valk, 6 ARC ( 2 different loads, bullet weights) , etc. I do use Hornady 9mm stuff for my pistols and SBRs.
Berger... cost more, and worth it.
I'd say that's decent, if you can source the bullet cheap. I am looking at this bullet to upgrade to from the 62gr Hornady fmj in my general purpose gas guns. If I can get a little increase in accuracy and a touch better flight performance out to 500y or so I will be happy. I also just like to tinker and develop loads.
I find bullets with a cannelure, tend to come apart in soft tissue at the cannelure increasing terminal ballistic damage. This has been floated as a hypothesis as to why the mk262 77gr ammo was/is so effective on soft targets, along with its increased mass over 55/62gr bullets.
I would like to test this at distance with a meat target a la Paul Harrell, rest his soul.
69 and 77 SMKs in factory loads are all I shoot out to 500 yards in my .223s at the range. At least I know I’ve got a good bullet.
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