.224 bullet performance

[live to shoot]

Here in the Texas panhandle we are covered up with jackrabbits, Wheat harvest is over and I finally have a little free time :grin: In the last 2 weekends we have shot over 328 rabbits with another shoot planed for tonight. I have reloaded Nosler, Barns Combined Technology and Hornady bullets. every thing is 50g since that is what my rifle shoots best ( Savage 110 223)
Nosler-- I think that orange is my new favorite color !! It is the stand out of the bunch
Combined Tech.--- It is suposed to be a BT but sometimes I wonder
Barns --- I bought the XLC bullets, I am going for a big red mist, and this bullet expanded half the time every thing else is a little hole
V- Max---- I is more of a v- flop if your bunny is over 170yds. Accuracy is there and I think that it works alright.

Most of the rabbits shot were under 200 yds and nothing over 268yds countless prairrie dogs were shot in the testing as well.
So tell me am I right, wrong or I don't kmow what shootin is

Also is there any other bullet that I need to shoot that makes a red mist like the BT ?
My current powder or choice is Benckmark but I still have a little varget left.

 

[Powerstroke]

live,

You'll have to check on the bullet weight.
I use a lot of B-tips out of my 22-250, but have
also used the Blitz-Kings in 55gr. Awesome performance
that seems to be very consistant with the outcome.

 

[Larry in SD]

If you are looking for RED MIST the only bullet that I have ever found that creates as much RED MIST as the .224 Caliber Nosler Ballistic Tips is the 52gr. Speer Flat Base Hollow Point. This is not to be confused with Speer's Match Hollow Point, but rather is the Hunting Hollow Point with a flat base and the huge hollow point. I have always found this bullet to be accurate, but the BC is not as good as a Nosler Ballistic Tip so downrange performance will not be as far away. This bullet is super explosive though. I have used them in .223 Remington Rifles, .223 Remington Handguns and .22-250 Rifles with excellent results. Now days though I mainly shoot 50gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips in my .223.

Larry

 

[JD338]

Try some 40 gr BT for the red mist effect.
I shoot 50 gr BT in my 22-250.

JD338

 

[FOTIS]

I shoot 40 gr BT's at 4150 from my Swift. :wink:

 

[Desert Fox]

My Kimber 223 loves the 55 grain Nosler BT. Excellent jackrabbit load for this rifle. My 40X Remington in 222 Magnum loves the 40 grain Nosler BT or the it's equivalent, the Hornady V-Max. These bullets are very explosives on varmint. I don't think you need to look any further. I heard a lot about the Speer TNT or the Sierras Blitsking but I haven't experience any of those bullets so I can't comment. Stay away from match bullet. They're unreliable. I found this the hard way when I used them on my Varmint gun. They are very accurate but on long shots, they won't open even on target as small as ground squirrels.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Your shooting the wrong barnes bullets to get red mist. Try the VLC bullets, there the blue coated hollow points. I shot them at 4550fps out of my swift. Talk about mist!!! Also I believe the hornady SX bullets are made with VERY thin jackets for 222 and 223 velocities. I heard they are very very explosive and should not be pushed more then 3700fps. Also, dropping down to a 40g bullet might have a little more "pop" effect out to 200 yards or so, but after that, a 50g or 55g bullet is the hands down winner.

 

[rigpig78]

Try some Hornady 50g or 55g SPSX projectiles and watch those bunnies explode! Used the 55g in my .22/250 and they are great on small game!

 

[Jerry 919]

Stick with Nosler Ballistic Tips. Consistent, accurate and awesome downrange performance. I have never had a Nosler bullet fail, any caliber. The rest are copycats. Newer, sleeker, millions upon millions advertising and bottomline - Nosler is the best.

Jerry