223 Ultralight handi rifle ( TEST RESULTS ROUND 2 12/31 )

[Osage1978]

Picked up a NEF ultralight 223 1:12 twist recently for coyote hunting. I'm tired of carrying heavy rifles and this thing with a cheap-o Simmons 4x32 scope weights just under 6lbs empty.

Most of these ultralight's in 223 aren't tack drivers. Hopefully I can get it to shoot under an inch at a 100 but many ultralight's won't. I'm ordering the following ammo to try in it & wanted to put up a poll to see what everyone thinks ahead of time will shoot the most accurately.

I'm betting the 40gr VMAX is it's favorite but we'll see

Couldn't get the 40's
Winchester white box 45gr HP.
Fiocchi 50gr VMAX.
Fiocchi 55gr vmax

 

[Osage1978]

The test subject, nothing fancy but soooo light

 

[Camo]

With a 1:12 twist I bet the lighter stuff is better.

 

[bigred1]

@swampratt

 

[swampratt]

I have 1:7 ad a 1:9 and they both shoot under MOA with 40 gr V-max and 55 V-max.
I tested a handful of factory .223 ammo and Tulammo was the most accurate out of the box.

I had Hornady Zombie max which is the 55gr Vmax bullet with a green tip. It was the worst.

I then dissected 5 rounds the factory ammo and found powder amounts and brass weight and dimensions very consistent not enough to make it not accurate.

What I did find was the bullet being held in the case was the accuracy killer.
Inertia pulled all the bullets from the cases i measured and some took 7 wacks and some took 20+ wacks.
Some would not come out at all.
Huge scratch marks on all bullets pulled. Necks of the cases were very rough.
Smoothing the necks and sticking the powder back in and reseating the bullets accuracy was cut in 1/2.
A 2" group became 1".

Now on the Zombie Max I did another test I just inertial pulled the bullet a little ways out of the case not all the way and then reseated it to my rifles liking which was much longer OAL.
It then became the most accurate of all of them.

All this .223 and 5.56 ammo was seated very short so it would chamber in an AR or fit an AR magazine.
My bolt rifle likes the 55 v-max to be set .025" longer than what will fit into an ar15 magazine.

Funny thing is if I single feed those long ones into my AR they shoot more accurate.

And this is why I reload and why the majority of handloaders reload.

Now the 55gr bullet is the minimum weight bullet that is legal to hunt deer with in Oklahoma.
Just know that.

 

[Osage1978]

I have 1:7 ad a 1:9 and they both shoot under MOA with 40 gr V-max and 55 V-max.
I tested a handful of factory .223 ammo and Tulammo was the most accurate out of the box.

I had Hornady Zombie max which is the 55gr Vmax bullet with a green tip. It was the worst.

I then dissected 5 rounds the factory ammo and found powder amounts and brass weight and dimensions very consistent not enough to make it not accurate.

What I did find was the bullet being held in the case was the accuracy killer.
Inertia pulled all the bullets from the cases i measured and some took 7 wacks and some took 20+ wacks.
Some would not come out at all.
Huge scratch marks on all bullets pulled. Necks of the cases were very rough.
Smoothing the necks and sticking the powder back in and reseating the bullets accuracy was cut in 1/2.
A 2" group became 1".

Now on the Zombie Max I did another test I just inertial pulled the bullet a little ways out of the case not all the way and then reseated it to my rifles liking which was much longer OAL.
It then became the most accurate of all of them.

All this .223 and 5.56 ammo was seated very short so it would chamber in an AR or fit an AR magazine.
My bolt rifle likes the 55 v-max to be set .025" longer than what will fit into an ar15 magazine.

Funny thing is if I single feed those long ones into my AR they shoot more accurate.

And this is why I reload and why the majority of handloaders reload.

Now the 55gr bullet is the minimum weight bullet that is legal to hunt deer with in Oklahoma.
Just know that.

In my savage 111 the 55gr VMAX is the most accurate & that rifle has killed deer for us for years now, I gave it to my son I'm just hoping this little handi rifle will shoot one of these loads under an inch? We'll see I reckon.

Appreciate the feedback, good info

 

[HoLeChit]

I’m willing to bet the 40gr vmax will do the best. My Howa 223 with a 1:12 will shoot Winchester vmax 40gr factory loads .6-.7moa using a rubber block as a rest, and nothing else.

 

[HoLeChit]

My Howa is pretty heavy though. I’m curious to see how weight affects things with such a light recoiling cartridge.

 

[Osage1978]

I’m willing to bet the 40gr vmax will do the best. My Howa 223 with a 1:12 will shoot Winchester vmax 40gr factory loads .6-.7moa using a rubber block as a rest, and nothing else.

The consensus over on the GBO site where most of the handi rifle crowd dwells is that the Winchester white box 45gr HP is the gold standard in the majority of these rifles with 1:12 but I'm with you thinking the VMAX will shine. Once the ammo arrives I'll get to the range & post pics of the results

 

[bubbaturbo]

Off subject a little but I have one of those. Mine is the youth model. I replaced the fore end screw with a wing bolt. Disassembled, it will fit in a small bag, not in order to be sneaky or anything, but with some ammo and a few other things, it made a good grab and go option for heading to the woods on short notice (which was sometimes important when I was still working). Can be reassembled with no tools. I just left mine with iron sights. Elastic butt cuff for ammo. I think I have a sling on it but can't remember. Never thought of it as a tack driver but it is fun. Can't recall if I ever shot anything with it - maybe an armadillo or two.