Winchester 55gr FMJBT views?

[Scrumbag]

Hi folks,

Anyone got any views on the Winchester 55gr FMJBT?

Good, bad, just don't bother?

Thanks in advance,

Scrummy

 

[Dgd6mm]

I use them for plinking out to 300 yards. Good enough for me.

 

[Siko12]

I had some 55 grain harnady vmax loads worked up I had forgotten about and I sent them downrange last weekend out of a 1-8 twist Wilson 223 wylde barrel and i shot two 5 shot groups groups under the half inch mark I happened to hit two nodes in the same workup.

 

[wbm]

Some of the worst with the exception of the Remington equivalent.

 

[Scrumbag]

Hmmm, not sure then

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Best 55 FMJ for the money is the Hornady. Shoot better than any other 55 FMJ I have tried. Use them for my 200yd XTC practice gun with a 1-12 twist. Have also used them in main XTC upper with 1-8 twist for 200 yds. No difference in score. Last week I loaded up 5 to get a scope zero'd on a new 22-250 barrel (1-12). 1st shot was about were I wanted it so just fired them for group. First 4 made a 30 caliber whole. Not sure why I even tried to put 5th shot in there. As usual it was a little out of the group. Thats a shooter problem, can never put the 5th shot in the group. I wouldn't expect this type accuracy on a regular basis.

Frank

 

[Dgd6mm]

Yes, I am shooting the Hornaday 55 bthp. They do shoot better than the Winchester.

 

[rr2030]

About 8 years ago, I purchased a box of 500 from Midway, on sale, $12 Wish I bought 10 boxes. They shoot fine. I use them for plinking and shooting steel in my .223 out to 400 yards, Thats about all that particular rifle scope are capable of: Kel-Tec SU-16CA / 3X Nikon BDC.

 

[mac86951]

Aren't these a candidate for loading backwards for better accuracy? Hard to tell either way IME. I have found the common name brands to do better; and usually not seated to the cannelure. Hornady SP 55gr surprised me with decent results and only occasional fliers. Not bad for what you might still be able to find at $0.09 each.

-Mac

 

[Ackman]

Winchester makes a 55 soft point with cannelure - ignore the cannelure - that's very accurate and also nicely explosive. And cheap. As I remember they came in a bag.

 

[searcher]

Honestly - for plinking and blasting - good stuff. Not real accurate if accuracy is your primary concern. Iv'e tested a lot of 55 FMJ bullets in my handloads (Winchester included) and I found that the cheapest varmint bullets from Hornady or Nosler beats the average FMJ, regardless of who they are manufactured by. If you don't handload and plan on using for varmints - I'd look round to find the cheapest ammo offered with the 50, 53 or 55 Hornady V-Max bullet. There are a lot of different manufacturers that load them into their ammo and while usually a bit more than FMJ ammo, they can almost always be better on accuracy and you can more quickly and humanely kill varmints with them. The Winchester FMJ will go bang and keep most people happy that bought them for inexpensive blasting.

 

[AccelR8]

I ordered a bag of them some time ago. Just from the looks of them, particularly the bases, I decided to never use them. I think they are now in the butt stock of my National Match AR15 for added weight.

 

[JSH]

Buddy and I split a bulk loose pack case of them 20 years ago. Seems like there was around 27k, .03 each we couldn’t argue about it. What we used them for they worked well, 22 Hornet and they average 1”@100 out of two pistols.

I shot a bunch in my AR, they did ok out to 300, 5” group. Down to my last couple of thousand.

 

[Evan]

Was a 2 MOA bullet in my experience. If that's good enough for you, then they are a good deal. I found the soft points to be WAY better than the FMJ in every way.

 

[Scrumbag]

Thanks folks. Giving the Hornady FMJ BTs over some Ramshot TAC

 

[5spd]

Yea like other FMJ bullets, good enough for tossing down the range and expecting nothing spectacular in return.

 

[Scrumbag]

Well folks, seems I have found my plinking load

Range pick-up S&B .223 Rem brass
55 gr Hornady 55gr FMJBT (500 bulk pack)
~25gr of Ramshot TAC
Magtech small rifle primer
Crimp on the Cannelure (Lee Factory Crimp Die)

- 5 shot groups just about 1" centre to centre with a lightweight sporter CZ527 @ 100

Now if only I could get some of the 62 gr bullets to try...

Scrummy