55 gr Hornaday GMX for hogs
- Thread starter Ramjet
- Start date
I have shot a lot of hogs with 55 gr. NBT's, so would assume the Hornady's would work equally as well w/proper shot placement. I always wait for a broadside head shot and place shot half way between eye and ear. The 55's have always resulted in DRT w/that placement.
Don't recommend a frontal head shot with the lighter bullets, however, as they tend to "splash" due to angle of skull between the eyes. The 55's placed tight behind shoulder have worked fine on smaller pigs (40# or so) as well but can't vouch for it on larger hogs.
Edit to add: Have also used the 60 gr NP which also worked well.
Regards,
hm
Don't recommend a frontal head shot with the lighter bullets, however, as they tend to "splash" due to angle of skull between the eyes. The 55's placed tight behind shoulder have worked fine on smaller pigs (40# or so) as well but can't vouch for it on larger hogs.
Edit to add: Have also used the 60 gr NP which also worked well.
Regards,
hm
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Quote:Bullets that the 1-12 will shoot:
64g Nosler Bonded
63g Sierra semi point
60g nosler partition
64g Winchester
60g Sierra HP
I have not seen many 1:12 twist .223, but I thought they were not normally good at stabilizing the heavier bullets?
64g Nosler Bonded
63g Sierra semi point
60g nosler partition
64g Winchester
60g Sierra HP
I have not seen many 1:12 twist .223, but I thought they were not normally good at stabilizing the heavier bullets?
cherokeetracker
New member
The 1-12 is not good for the heavier bullets. I have seen a 1in group at 100yds with 55gr then switch to 60 and it opens up. I have also proven that at 100 yds or less I can shoot a 75 grain. But the same load opens up real big after that. Its not good for heavier bullets 1-7 is much better. If a guy was using the loads at 100 or less he won't do too bad. But not the kind of accuracy we expect.
"The 1-12 is not good for the heavier bullets. I have seen a 1in group at 100yds with 55gr then switch to 60 and it opens up."
OK, your gun shot 55g with that particular load well, then you switched to the 60g and it opened up, which means that it did not like the 60g load. Do not confuse this with the twist rate because the 1-12 twist rate will stabilize every 60g Bullet made very well. The 65g Sierra is the most marginal of the ones that I listed for a 1-12 twist.
75g V max and in most rifles the 75g Hornady BTHP takes the 1-8 twist, but occasionally a rifle with a 1-9 twist will stabilize the 75g Hornady BTHP, occasionally.
OK, your gun shot 55g with that particular load well, then you switched to the 60g and it opened up, which means that it did not like the 60g load. Do not confuse this with the twist rate because the 1-12 twist rate will stabilize every 60g Bullet made very well. The 65g Sierra is the most marginal of the ones that I listed for a 1-12 twist.
75g V max and in most rifles the 75g Hornady BTHP takes the 1-8 twist, but occasionally a rifle with a 1-9 twist will stabilize the 75g Hornady BTHP, occasionally.
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derbyacresbob
Well-known member
The Hornady GMX bullet is a lead free bullet. So even though it is a 55 gr bullet it is a much longer bullet than 55 gr lead core bullets.
Hornady, Barnes and Nosler all make lead free 22 cal varmint bullets and they are 35 gr, 36 gr and 40 gr. Most 223 Rem and 22-250 Win bolt action rifles need these lighter lead free bullets so they will stabilize in the 1-12" and 1-14" twisted barrels.
Barnes recommends a 1-10" twist or faster with the Barnes TTSX 55 gr lead free bullets.
I wouldn't count on a 1-12" twist barrel to stabilize a 55 gr lead free bullet.
I have to shoot lead free bullets where I live and hunt at. My 223AI and 22-250 are both 1-8" twist.
Hornady, Barnes and Nosler all make lead free 22 cal varmint bullets and they are 35 gr, 36 gr and 40 gr. Most 223 Rem and 22-250 Win bolt action rifles need these lighter lead free bullets so they will stabilize in the 1-12" and 1-14" twisted barrels.
Barnes recommends a 1-10" twist or faster with the Barnes TTSX 55 gr lead free bullets.
I wouldn't count on a 1-12" twist barrel to stabilize a 55 gr lead free bullet.
I have to shoot lead free bullets where I live and hunt at. My 223AI and 22-250 are both 1-8" twist.
Jim Phillips
New member
Hello guys,
I just joined this forum. I am enjoying reading all the posts with great information. I have two 223 rifles. A Rock Ruver Arms with a 1:8 twist barrel which shoots a Black Hills 75grain bullet well and am getting a Cooper Arms .223 with a 1:14 twist. The gent I am buying it from has been shooting a handload with a 50 grain bullet, the same load which Cooper arms used for the test target. I am sure these guns will shoot other loads but it does seem that the slower twist barrels shoot lighter loads best.
Anyway, I have loads of questions about rifles and loads and hog hunting which I will be getting to over the next few days. I apologize in advance for all my dumb questions but there is a great deal of expertise here for me to utilize.
I just joined this forum. I am enjoying reading all the posts with great information. I have two 223 rifles. A Rock Ruver Arms with a 1:8 twist barrel which shoots a Black Hills 75grain bullet well and am getting a Cooper Arms .223 with a 1:14 twist. The gent I am buying it from has been shooting a handload with a 50 grain bullet, the same load which Cooper arms used for the test target. I am sure these guns will shoot other loads but it does seem that the slower twist barrels shoot lighter loads best.
Anyway, I have loads of questions about rifles and loads and hog hunting which I will be getting to over the next few days. I apologize in advance for all my dumb questions but there is a great deal of expertise here for me to utilize.