.223 Bullets for Close Range Steel?

[Religious Shooter]

I want to load up some .223 rounds for close range steel practice (20-50 yards). I already have a .22 LR set up but I want to shoot "full power" .223 a few days before a big match to better acclimate to the recoil and blast. I have limited range time before it gets dark and I would rather just shoot than tape.

Midway has some frangible bullets for $29/100.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=964447

I'm looking for a cheaper alternative.

Bennie Cooley mentions in his vid that plastic tipped bullets tend to not richochet as much.

Does anybody have any recommendations/experience with this?

How are the "Super Explosive" bullets from Hornady on steel?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=177566

How about soft points in general?

[JimmyZip]

Haven't seen good results with non-frangibles on steel at close range when using .223/5.56. Will drill holes in your targets like a drill press. Will make you enemies at your club! I curse the guys that chew up the plate racks at our club with them. The plates then have to either be replaced, ot button welded with 7018 rod. This sucks and has to be done in a well ventilated area to avoid the toxcicity of the lead on the targets. Bad juju there.

[Religious Shooter]

I don't know what kind of steel you use at your club. But most likely they aren't made for rifle.

I've shot an LV Steel target and an MGM skinny auto popper (both mine) @ 50-75 yards. Both targets are rifle targets. All .223 FMJ will do is make a slight dimple the surface @ those ranges. No way is .223 FMJ going to slice through them.

But I'd rather not dimple my steel any further. That's why I'm asking about plastic tipped or soft points bullets.

[JimmyZip]

Hmmm...

When you sais close range I was thinking more along the lines of 20-25. You can come by our range and see what happens when someone uses the plate rack at 25 yds with .223/5.56. Can you say swiss cheese? This is hardened steel designed for pistol SG use. And if you are shooting a dimpled surface with this same ammo at even 50 yds, you might get some returns. Not just blowing smoke here, I have seen these things happen.

YMMV

[bigbrowndog]

RS, I bought a cheap regular steel 12x12 plate and shot it with .223 at 50yds and blew holes thru it but didn't care because its what I bought it for. If you intend to do it to someone elses steel be prepared for a fight.

for what you'd pay for frangible bullets, the steel is cheaper.

trapr

[P.E. Kelley]

We've beat the hell out of a MGM Bianchi Rack for the last four years with most everything 3 gunners can throw at it.

This rack has been used from 50 to 100 yards with all manner of rifle fire including four 90+ person 3 gun matches.

Aside from nicks on the plate edges and the plates loosening from the pounding they hold up very well.

I have had LESS splatter problems with rifle bullets on steel than pistol or shot.

This is provided you use high quality steel in good condition. Generally it is the construction characteristics

of target base that "return" bullet fragments up-range.

More to your actual question RS. Varmint bullets may be a good choice. I will try to test that thinking the end of next week.

Patrick

[smokshwn]

Like trapr said...u will essenyially be paying for bullets or steel. Frangibles or Varmint bullets are your best bet but expensive...Barnes sells some good frangibles.

[KellyTTE]

http://www.frangiblebullets.com/products/b.../223/FB223.html

Good stuff. I've had excellent luck with those, but still a bit pricey.

Edited September 26, 2009 by KellyTTE

[Religious Shooter]

Thanks for the link.

...

I bought some bullets from Wideners:

B22476 MPG Frangible 22 CAL 55GR FB $24.40/100

B22436 22CAL 36GR Varmint Grenade $17.95/100

B22414 BARNES M/LE RRLP 22 CAL 55GR BULLETS $23.75 / 100

H22241 (.224) 22 CAL 40 GR V-MAX $16.30/100

B22486 22CAL 50GR Varmint Grenade $20.60/100

I was worried that the 36 and 40 grain bullets were too short to make 2.25". They were long enough to make that COAL with room to spare.

I loaded up the first four bullets with 25.1 grains of Tac and shot it at as scrap piece of ductile iron pipe (water main pipe) at about 35'. The 36gr VG and the 40 gr V-Max penetrated it 2 out of 3 times. The 55 grain real deal frangibles from Barnes went 3 for 3. I'm guessing the weight of the bullets increases their penetrative capabilities.

So it looks like the low weight VG and the V-Max aren't going to dimple my targets as much.

How would you guys test for splatter?

[KellyTTE]

Thanks for the link.

...

I bought some bullets from Wideners:

B22476 MPG Frangible 22 CAL 55GR FB $24.40/100

240.00 per 1000? Ouch.

How would you guys test for splatter?

I'd setup a box with a piece of steel in it. Shoot the steel and see how much the box gets shredded. That'll give you an idea of how much shrapnel is being released and what direction it tends to go in.

[Religious Shooter]

Yup. I bought them before you posted the link.

I'm going to try the VMax and MPG tomorrow with the "box test".

It may be moot as the bullets at frangiblebullets.com have the desired lower bullet weight. Good price too. Ordering 500 was $85 delivered. That's lower than the delivered price of the V-Max.

[KellyTTE]

Yup. I bought them before you posted the link.

It may be moot as the bullets at frangiblebullets.com have the desired lower bullet weight. Good price too. Ordering 500 was $85 delivered. That's lower than the delivered price of the V-Max.

Jolly Good.

Let me know what you get. My luck with them has been very good, but I'm an single source at the moment.

[TeamGE]

I have used SinterFire frangible bullets for over 10 years in both pistol and rifle calibers. Currently, I use their 42 grain .223 bullet for close range steel and the cost is very reasonable, (83.55 per 1k). Link is for general retail sales. They do sell a 45g and 55g bullet also.

When reloading with frangible bullets, don't crimp. If you do, the bullet will fracture at the crimp and then break when hitting the feed ramp.

[ajg308]

Instead of changing bullets, why not try different targets? Try the BC Zone target from MGM, I have seen it shot from 5 yards away with an AR and no frags came back to the shooters. Here is a link. http://www.mgmtargets.com/products/product_page.php?cat=11

I want to load up some .223 rounds for close range steel practice (20-50 yards). I already have a .22 LR set up but I want to shoot "full power" .223 a few days before a big match to better acclimate to the recoil and blast. I have limited range time before it gets dark and I would rather just shoot than tape.

Midway has some frangible bullets for $29/100.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=964447

I'm looking for a cheaper alternative.

Bennie Cooley mentions in his vid that plastic tipped bullets tend to not richochet as much.

Does anybody have any recommendations/experience with this?

How are the "Super Explosive" bullets from Hornady on steel?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=177566

How about soft points in general?

[KellyTTE]

I have used SinterFire frangible bullets for over 10 years in both pistol and rifle calibers. Currently, I use their 42 grain .223 bullet for close range steel and the cost is very reasonable, (83.55 per 1k). Link is for general retail sales. They do sell a 45g and 55g bullet also.

When reloading with frangible bullets, don't crimp. If you do, the bullet will fracture at the crimp and then break when hitting the feed ramp.

FYI, the ammo from frangibleammo.com uses bullets sourced from frangiblebullets.com.

[TonyT]

At our club we do not allow the use of rifle calibers on steel targets, period! Those bullets will punch holes in the steel.

[Religious Shooter]

Again... it depends on the steel and the bullets that are being used.

I used the V-Max and the Barnes MPG (frangibles) on my LV Steel target at 30 feet. They don't penetrate... period.

The splashback seemed to be about the same with the V-Max and the frangible Barnes. I put a box in front and shot it with both bullets. Both bullets had splatter that had enough force to bounce off the plate and penetrate the front of the box and come out. The sides of the box were shredded.

I just got 1000 of the 42 grain .223's from FrangibleAmmo.com. Delivered it was $93.60. The cheapest 55 FMJ I can get is $75 per 1000 delivered. So the price differential between a frangible bullet and a 55 FMJ is $18.60 per 1000.

A set of three of the MGM steel targets would be about $900. I would have to shoot $900/$18.60 ~ 48K rounds of .223 to break even. That's about 48x$160 = $7,680+ worth of bullets.

I probably only use 1-3K of .223 per year for close range practice --- the bulk of my close range practice is with a .22 LR. So 48K of bullets for close range practice translates to about 16-48 years worth of practice. Buying those targets wouldn't be a good fit for me.