.223 ammo for new rifle

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groundscrapers

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Since I will be complering my ar build in the next few weeks I wanted to check with you guys about what a good ammo brand is for getting the rifle sighted in. I would like some consistancy with the ammo before I get into running some of this cheapo stuff through the gun. Any thoughts? I know I want to order all of this so I can take advantage of the $20 off (which basically equates to a free LULA)
 
+1, many (including me) have done their best to copy the performance of that load.
You can do better handloading, but it is a very good factory load for accuracy (at least to 200 yds - I haven't shot it any farther than that).

J
 
From what range are you shooting, what are your accuracy expectations, and how much skill/experience do you have with a rifle? I see little point in buying a $1.50+/round ammo like Federal Gold Medal if you're just sighting in a rifle at 25 yards. That ammo is more accurate than most shooters, and you'll see little difference between that and any M193 ammo inside 200 yards.

If you want to break in the rifle with something of a higher quality before you move to the "cheap stuff," I'd suggest PRIVI PARTIZAN (PPU) 55gr. You should be able to find it < $0.40/round.

Also, do you have a Cabela's near you, or an out-of-state address? I'm pretty sure they don't deliver to MA.
 
What will you be using the rifle for, plinking or highpower competition? What distances? 50, 100, or 1000 yards? What twist is your barrel, different twists require different weight bullets. Need more information!
HS
 
If it's a carbine, FGMM is overkill for it. I would just start using Wolf from day one. If it makes you feel any better, run a couple of boxes of PPV 55 grains through it. However, I find Wolf to be more than accurate for the purposes of a carbine.
Just remember - for Wolf to be reliable you need to have a true 5.56 chamber and a black extractor insert.
If it's a precision AR, I also have good luck with PPV 73 grain .223 match ammo.
 
Barrell is a 16" with 1:9 twist. I would say my Intended usage is for plinking with a range of about 75-100 yards max. As far as cabelas goes, East Hartford is about a 30 or so min ride from my place so I would have my order shipped to the store and then pick it up there.
 
I am not a very good rifle shooter, nor do I have any highly accurate 5.56 rifles. I am just a average own a few ARs joe.
OK so if you zero your AR @ 100yards with a higher grade ammo, than buy something else like the herters you mentioned. You will haev different results. I would zero your AR with the ammo you plan to purchase in the most quanities.

My Stag model 2 5.56 16" barrel eats wolf with no issues. I zeroed my Stag iron sights @ 50 yards with wolf mil-clasic. @ 100 yards I get about 4" groups aiming center mass. I can not complain about that. Now when I use the more exspensive ammo I have, My personal accuracy does not seem to improve.

Move on now to my 2nd AR-stag model 2 16" 5.56 1:9 with a leopould VxIII Zeroed for 100 yards with the wolf mil clasic I get the same 4to5 in. groups , Fed XM193 I can keep it under 4". My friend tossed me a box of hornady Vmax 55g. I pulled off a 2.75" 5 shot group with the 1st 5 shots!!! Fun fun.
 
Cabela's in East Hartford had tons of bulk 223 this week. Some in their plastic ammo cans, as well as Remington and other bulk boxes. For breaking in and plinking, just about any ammo will do.

I agree FGMM is top quality match grade ammo. Certainly not needed for break in or plinking.
 
Jose said:
My head hurts listening to some of this advice.
Click to expand...

Then correct us if you think we're wrong - tell us why. Your opinion is respected.

Given this:

groundscrapers said:
I would say my Intended usage is for plinking with a range of about 75-100 yards max.
Click to expand...

How in the world is he going to benefit from 69 grain Federal Gold Medal? Seems like a waste of money to me.
 
TonyDedo said:
Then correct us if you think we're wrong - tell us why. Your opinion is respected.

Given this:



How in the world is he going to benefit from 69 grain Federal Gold Medal? Seems like a waste of money to me.
Click to expand...

His purpose is to get an accurate sighting in. Such is impossible to do with crap ammo. Once the rifle is sighted in, blast away with cheap cannon fodder. Then you know that shots landing where you don't want them are not the rifle's fault.

A box of FGM is what? $30? What is that amortized over all the ammo he's going to burn?
 
Jose said:
69 grain Federal Gold Medal.
Click to expand...

Jose, is he going to get a stable flight path out of a 1:9 with the 69gr FGM? I used some of this ammo, along with some Match Black Hills 75gr out of my 1:7 Sabre M4 barrel and it was just superb. I never dreamed I could hit a 6" circle at 200 yards consistently with a 14.5" barrel until I tried it with good ammunition. If the 69gr won't stabilize, is there a 55gr that the OP could try that would offer the same results?

To the OP...Find some Federal XM193, Winchester Q3131 or Pirvi 5.56 for shooting - pass on Wolf. If you want cheaper fodder, folks seem to like the UMC 223, but I find it pretty weak. Check out qmmo, (a member here) - he makes some nice 223. It's also expensive, but I used some Hornady V-Max 55gr and was impressed with the accuracy.
 
Last edited:
I was out at cabelas last night and bought a LULA and 500 rounds of wolf 55g to play with. I will grab an additional 100 rounds of federal XM193 to get everything sighted in. After loading a bunch of mags up I can say that LULA is amazing. period.
 
MassMark said:
Jose, is he going to get a stable flight path out of a 1:9 with the 69gr FGM? I used some of this ammo, along with some Match Black Hills 75gr out of my 1:7 Sabre M4 barrel and it was just superb. I never dreamed I could hit a 6" circle at 200 yards consistently with a 14.5" barrel until I tried it with good ammunition. If the 69gr won't stabilize, is there a 55gr that the OP could try that would offer the same results?

To the OP...Find some Federal XM193, Winchester Q3131 or Pirvi 5.56 for shooting - pass on Wolf. If you want cheaper fodder, folks seem to like the UMC 223, but I find it pretty weak. Check out qmmo, (a member here) - he makes some nice 223. It's also expensive, but I used some Hornady V-Max 55gr and was impressed with the accuracy.
Click to expand...

A 20" 1/9 barrel will stabilize up to a 70 grain lead core bullet, easily.

Actually, a longer 1/9 barrel like the 26" tube my old Model 70 Varmint had will stabilize a 75 grain Hornady match bullet (this is personal experience not book theory), and I bet it works too with Sierra's 77 grain Match King.

The longer barrel allows a greater linear velocity which in turns provides enough rotational velocity to stabilize bullets that would tumble at lower MVs in barrels with the same rifling rate.
 
Jose said:
A 20" 1/9 barrel will stabilize up to a 70 grain lead core bullet, easily.

Actually, a longer 1/9 barrel like the 26" tube my old Model 70 Varmint had will stabilize a 75 grain Hornady match bullet (this is personal experience not book theory), and I bet it works too with Sierra's 77 grain Match King.

The longer barrel allows a greater linear velocity which in turns provides enough rotational velocity to stabilize bullets that would tumble at lower MVs in barrels with the same rifling rate.
Click to expand...



Thanks Jose - great info as per... [cheers]
 
Jose said:
A 20" 1/9 barrel will stabilize up to a 70 grain lead core bullet, easily.

Actually, a longer 1/9 barrel like the 26" tube my old Model 70 Varmint had will stabilize a 75 grain Hornady match bullet (this is personal experience not book theory), and I bet it works too with Sierra's 77 grain Match King.

The longer barrel allows a greater linear velocity which in turns provides enough rotational velocity to stabilize bullets that would tumble at lower MVs in barrels with the same rifling rate.
Click to expand...
FYI the barrel is 16" and will be dropping to 14.5 / 1:9 once everything is all said and done.
 
If you are going to switch the barrel get a 1/7. If you are just going to have it chopped, well, never mind that
 

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