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best 223 factory loads for contender pistol ?

MARK WINFREYMARK WINFREY Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
edited September 2008 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Does anyone have favorite 223 factory load for a Contender with a 10 inch barrel?I'm looking for a bullet I can buy over the counter that shoots well in pistols.I don't have access to a reloader at this time and need a good factory load.
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Comments

  • B17-P51B17-P51 Member Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Welcome to the forum!

    This is going to be tough. Most of the 55 GR fmj loads are formulated for 16 to 20" bbls. Most every thing else is for a 22 to 24 inch bbl. For plinking the fmj loads would seem to be the best choice. I assume you are looking for a hunting load but for what? 45 to 55 grain bullets would work on vermin but a 60 to 75+ grain pill would be a better weight for game from big coyotes to whitetails. The twist of the barell would also tell the story. 1/9 would handle most anything up to 69 or 70 gr but above that 1/7 or 8 would be better. Post more info and maybe we can help you out.
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  • MARK WINFREYMARK WINFREY Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm looking for anything that will be accurate in a 10 inch barrel. I prefer to stay in the 55 gr range I'll go lighter or heavier whichever will shoot the best groups.Also will be hunting groundhogs.I'm not sure but I think the twist rate is 1 in 12.
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  • B17-P51B17-P51 Member Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If it is 1/12, for starters, I would try these,

    223 Remington PRA223RB 50 AccuTip-V Boat Tail

    223 Remington PRA223RC 55 AccuTip-V

    Remingtons are usually fairly easy on the pocket and I called a friend that shoots Prairie Dogs with these in his backup/ walking sporter. He, like I, shoots a 22-250 heavy barell as a primary gun but when you get stiff and want to take a little walk 10 lbs gets heavy fast in 90 plus heat.

    Edit: I checked the T-C barrels and the twist is 1/12. This twist will not stabilize bullets heavier than this very well
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  • MARK WINFREYMARK WINFREY Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Does Blackhills or any of the other ammunition companies load a special pistol bullet for the 223 ?
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There is NO "special bullet" for a 223 pistol. I've had good results with the Remington 55gr. PTD soft Point in my Super 14 Contender.
    You might try Black Hills loads in different grs. in your 10in.
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  • B17-P51B17-P51 Member Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    DCS, I think Mark is interchanging "bullet" and "cartridge" and is actually asking if a "special" load is available for something with a short barrel. Kind of like us loading Bullseye in 2" snubbie and 2400 or 4227 in a 7.5" super blackhawk.The answer of course is still no, but he makes a good point. With all the different factory loads out there there could have been such a load offered. Thet might call it SBR or Short Barreled Rifle.[:D]
    We now have premium bullets, managed recoil, varmint loads, elk loads, solids, Polymer tipped,rubber tipped etc.
    When I started reloading the best factory bullet available was Remington Core Lokt.
    What we now call "Green box", about the cheapest you can buy nowadays.Factory Hollow points were hard to find on dealer shelves and usually had to be ordered.
    Sure there were Winchester Silvertips, Bronze points and every one had their own version of some kind of soft point but that was about it for deer sized game and up.
    The GOOD OLD DAYS? I'm not so sure.
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  • b00merb00mer Member Posts: 975 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/chart_contender.php

    here is twist rates of t/c barrels
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  • MARK WINFREYMARK WINFREY Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm going to try some Remington 50 gr and 55 gr accu tip and some Winchester Supreme Ballistic tip 50 gr.I'm buying 3 boxes of each.If I had my reloading equipment set up I could solve this problem .I'll try these loads and see which one groups the best.
    My Dad and I had 7 different presses and dies for many calibers.The reloading room was at his house, he died so all of my reloading equipment is in storage because we had to sell his house.He was also a NRA Life Member too.
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  • MARK WINFREYMARK WINFREY Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought a Super 14 barrel in 223 and I'm selling my 10 inch barrel on Gunbroker.com.The ammo that shot best was the Winchester Supreme 50 gr ballistic tip.I zeroed my barrel at 25 yds so it will be zeroed at 225 yds as well.It will shoot approx 3 inches high at 125 yds,this is with a guesstimated 2800 fps.The Winchester ammo shot a 1/2 inch group at 25 yds firing 3 rounds 2 of the shots went through the same hole the 3rd[:)] round was a little less than a half inch.I also shot the Remington 50 and 55 gr Premier Accutip the best group was around an inch at 25 yds.The Winchester shoots best in my ported Super 14 barrel [:)][:)]
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  • B17-P51B17-P51 Member Posts: 2,248 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the follow up! Good luck to you and your new barell. Had one years ago and liked it alot.
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