question, factory ammo for pd

[bheadboy]

this is a limited question, I have shot a lot of pd and have the equipment and lots of reloading experience.

my grandson, a shooter, wants to go, has never reloaded and no way to start now, is buying a 700 varmint 223 and is asking what factory ammo 50 gr (12 twist) should he try - he is in Tx and I am in Fl, so i am trying to walk him through it at a distance,

have any of you any experience with factory ammo that i may suggest?

that is the question

Bob

 

[ShootDots]

My son does not have the patience for reloading. So we went thru a few "trial and error" boxes of various brands, bullet weights etc.. He is shooting a 22-250, not a .223. His rifle shoots the Hornady "Custom" ammo with 50gr bullets VERY well. We took it out to 200 yards and it shot 2 full boxes (40 rounds) inside 1".. Not too bad for factory ammo! They all were shot in 5 shot groups. BUT NONE of the groups went over 1 inch..

 

[bheadboy]

thanks that is good input.

Bob

 

[22DASHER]

I would try Ultramax 223 remanufactured ammo. I have shot thousands of them at dogs, both hollow points and ballistic tips. Way cheaper than hornady ammo and just as accurate in my rifles.

 

[Witchhunter]

I think the best bet is to try as many brands as he can. His rifle should like one better than others.

 

[drover]

The best I have found is the Winchester "white box", I believe it is called Winchester USA, it is sold at Wal-Mart and other discount stores. It is loaded with a 45 gr hollow point at the velocity of 3800 fps and it is not only very destructive on PD's but it is also very accurate, it has worked well in multiple rifles. The best part of is that you have new once-fired brass after shooting it which can be saved for when he starts reloading or can be sold to recoup a significant portion of the cost of the ammo, if he wants to sell the brass he can get enough for it that he brings his shooting cost down to near the price of reloads.

drover

 

[machineman98]

I have shot Black Hills 50gr. V-max .223 remanufactured. Shoots .5 groups @ 100yds.

 

[bheadboy]

any one experience with the ADI with 55 Sierra BK?

Bob

 

[jonbearman]

I love the ultramax reloads and it used to be all lake city. Fiocchi 40 grain ballistic tips are like lazer beams.

 

[86alaskan]

I'll recommend the Fiocchi as well. the 69gr SMK shoots better than any of my handloads in my 20" AR, I've also found great accuracy with the ballistic tips as well. they should do you just fine in a factory box

 

[Jaybo]

I varmint hunt with a 223 and i have had really good accuracy out of American eagle ammo it a 55grain ballistic tip works really good on coyotes and bobcats. At a 100 yards you can make one ragged hole all day long with it. I have been buying mine at Academy hope this helps

 

[dryhumor]

Hornady makes a 55gr SP, part number 80255, that comes in boxes of 50. When I had a M700 1:12, it shot just at 1/2 MOA for me. Seems like it was around $30 a box last time I noticed it.

 

[shoot4fun]

The answer is there are several options for the factory load shooter vs. prairie dog. I just returned from a shoot (I don't call this place hinting cuz it's too easy) where I pushed 900 rounds of Hornady factory loaded 40 grain Vmax thru an AR barrel with suppressor. The ammo was very accurate and explosive and I recommend it highly.
I am still smiling and my ears aren't ringing!

 

[Jtate]

I 2nd the Hornady factory ammo with 40 grain Vmax, that is all we shot in 223 on dogs, Shoots great in four rifles I know of, 1 Rem, 1 cooper, and 2 ARs, so well not worth reloading for them. JT

 

[Cold Bore]

For pure accuracy, I always default to Federal Premium if shooting factory fodder, in anything that I shoot.

However, for prairie dogs, that bill might get steep, fast.

For your scenario, I'd probably buy either Black Hills reman or Ultramax with an appropriate bullet, by the case. I've shot a ton of both through various AR-15s, and it is some really good stuff, at a much more manageable price point for the volume that you'd want for a good prairie dog town.

 

[ssv1761982]

In my Savage I have shot Winchester varmint pack 45 gr, Black Hills 50gr Vmax remanufactured, and Hornaday ammo and they all shoot great.

 

[akajun]

The best I have found is the Winchester "white box", I believe it is called Winchester USA, it is sold at Wal-Mart and other discount stores. It is loaded with a 45 gr hollow point at the velocity of 3800 fps and it is not only very destructive on PD's but it is also very accurate, it has worked well in multiple rifles. The best part of is that you have new once-fired brass after shooting it which can be saved for when he starts reloading or can be sold to recoup a significant portion of the cost of the ammo, if he wants to sell the brass he can get enough for it that he brings his shooting cost down to near the price of reloads.

drover

Somehow we got a case of this mixed in at work for patrol rifle practice ammo. Nobody wanted to shoot it. It was very accurate out of my 1/12 twist m16a1 and my personal 1/9 twist ar., much better than the 55gr ball we were supposed to have gotten.

 

[bheadboy]

Fellows, you have given me a lot of good info and I will get a sample of some of these and go from there, we have time for me to let him test them before loading up and going,

again thank you

Bob