Thread: CMJ Restrike Projectiles in 223, 308

Howdy

There was an old thread I found from 2014, OP @Simon. https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....8-223-a-13042/

Tried to resurrect it but system dicked me around so starting fresh

I'm interested how this worked out over time. I have a large qty of both 55 and 62gn FP Frontier CMJ Restrike projectiles in .224 dia as well as a qty of 308 Cal, 155gn Spitzer FP

I loaded some of the 55gn for my 22-250 and found them pretty effective on goats at around 100m. Don't have access to my notebook at the mo but from memory they were doing around 2600 fps so not super hot. No issues knocking them over tho,

I could not get any decent groups from the 223 with 55gn - 1:8 Twist, 16.5" barrel, Ruger Ranch II. Again just had them around 2500 fps. Using Benchmark 2

my Ruger does like 62gn Hdys so I got Bill Wright to bring me in 1000 62gn which I am about to start loading. Probably go with AR2206H

I did some with TrailBoss at subsonic and they seem reasonably consistent but not ultra accurate in terms of groups. I want to crank them up to around high 2000s, I don't think with the short barrel Ruger I can crack 3000fps. Not really sure I need to.

What I am interested in is how folk have found the bullet integrity at higher speeds and at what twist. Like, do they fall apart? At what speed from what twist rate?

@Simon, did you continue down the path? and what did you learn? Was there a later thread?

Is anyone else seriously using these for sub-200m hunting in any calibre?

Issues? comments? loads?

I am intending to do some load dev with the 30cal for my 30-30 and 308 for 100m average bush shooting. And in .22 cal for 22-250 , .222 and .223. It would be good to gather what informed data there is.

cheers

J.

Well that garnered a lot of interest lol

I would have thought at the price and given the general shortage of projectiles there might be more that have tried them out. Maybe not.

My guess is not many people use them for hunting, as they are not a hunting bullet. Their niche is service rifle shooting, no? Nearest thing to them is an FMJ and certainly if there is a question over how fast you can drive them, then they're not something I'd consider personally.

One chap I know who shoots large volumes of 223 for culling / pest control, just gets his soft point ammo / projectiles in bulk. Still works out quite economical so no need to resort to those things... Yet.

Greetings Jhon,
I have used some of the Frontier 155 grain projectiles in light target loads for my .308 which shot pretty well. I did sort them for base faults and culled about 15 out of 200 for fouling loads. I also tried some in my .303 two groove rifle and the deep rifling split the jackets and left a swirl of lead on the targets. This leads me to believe that they are pretty soft and may upset on impact but have not tested that. I would not be surprised if they came apart in a fast twist. I only shot them at around 1,900 fps with a light load of 32 grains of AR2206H. For me I wouldn't use them for anything other than goats and probably not even that. I don't have a shortage of .30 calibre projectiles.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings Jhon,
I have used some of the Frontier 155 grain projectiles in light target loads for my .308 which shot pretty well. I did sort them for base faults and culled about 15 out of 200 for fouling loads. I also tried some in my .303 two groove rifle and the deep rifling split the jackets and left a swirl of lead on the targets. This leads me to believe that they are pretty soft and may upset on impact but have not tested that. I would not be surprised if they came apart in a fast twist. I only shot them at around 1,900 fps with a light load of 32 grains of AR2206H. For me I wouldn't use them for anything other than goats and probably not even that. I don't have a shortage of .30 calibre projectiles.
Regards Grandpamac.

I've shot goats with the 55gn out of a 1:12 twist 22-250 @.around 2600fps. Behind shoulder hit just bowled them at around the 120m. The wound channels were generous and the bullet went through ribs on both sides with lots of internal hemorrhaging but not a lot of meat destruction. I didn't load many up and used most on the range then got a qty of 55gn Hdy SP which I have used since. I want to go back and do some serious testing of the Frontier. The little I have found on the internet suggest the copper coat is thick enough to sustain a faster twist if you don't max.the velocity out. The lead, as you say, seems soft enough, and has enough meplat area, to deform and expand on impact. I'm no expert unfortunately and experience beats lunchtime net surfing hands down. So first up I want to see how they do on the range out to 200 at various velocitiesx comparing 1:8.and 1:12 twists. If I can get accuracy and they hold together then I'll try them on goats and start documenting the wound kill results. If they prove marginal or unreliable then they will still punch paper and make steel sing.

Hi Jhon.
Sorry, I only have just seen your post.

I still shoot both the .223 55gn version and the .308 155gn projectiles.
I don't use them for hunting but do for shooting paper and steel.
I have no doubt the 223 version would work on rabbits fine and likely goats as well. They appear to be quite soft so expand easily.
No more AR15's any more so I now shoot the 223 version through my Ruger Ranch Rifle.

Work up your own loads but this is what my load is currently:
55gn CMJ .223
56.6 OAL
CCI Small rifle Primers
RG Brass (Typically has slightly smaller capacity than standard factory stuff)
CFE223 Powder, 27.1gn
Out of the 16" barrel they are running 2844fps and give me good accuracy.
FYI, Out of longer barreled guns I have run them as fast as 3000 + fps.

I use the .308 155gn version in my 300 blackout.
Cheap target and plinking load.

155gn CMJ
54.7 OAL
CCI Small rifle Primers
FC or LC brass.
W296 Powder, 16.0gn
Out of the 16" barrel (Ruger Ranch Rifle again) they run 1920fps and is an accurate load.
No worries hitting plates out to 200m.

I have had issues with the 233 version flying apart in the past through one of my AR15 rifles.
Put it down to a fast twist rate in the barrel or a Sharpe edge that was damaging the coating.
If they don't fly apart, they shoot well in my experience.

They are a good low cost alternative.

@Simon many thanks for that. I too am putting them through a Ruger Ranch II. Will see how they go

I have personally wondered how these would go on goats, considering they aren't jacketed per se. Did they fragment or stay intact?

I wonder if these would be a good candidate to "snip the tips" to make cheap soft points. Hopefully the shortages don't get that bad though.

I was wondering the same thing, though have not had a chance to try yet. If you wanted some to take a look at let me know and I'll send you some

Originally Posted by Beavis

I wonder if these would be a good candidate to "snip the tips" to make cheap soft points. Hopefully the shortages don't get that bad though.

Originally Posted by Beavis

I have personally wondered how these would go on goats, considering they aren't jacketed per se. Did they fragment or stay intact?

I've used them on goats out of a 22-250 1:12 twist. 55gn flat point. Did not recover the bullet as passed through behind shoulder both times. Small entry hole, lot larger exit, big mess made of lungs both lobes..animal staggered a few paces and dropped. Same out of 222. Velocty around 2600fps so not cranking it. Range from 80 to about 120m. So far. One shoulder shot, shoulder meat was trashed and a boom/flop.