I'm looking for some decent ammo to shoot through my 20" RRA 1/9. Two that come to mind are:
1) Silver Bear 62gr JHP
2) Wally Mart Winchester white box 45gr JHP

The latter claims 3600fps and I believe this was supposed to be pretty accurate too. I'm trying to find ammo which is reasonably cheap and widely available. There's more accurate ammo out there I'm sure, but it's not a critical issue. Will a heavier HP do just as well as the lighter stuff in blowing up nicely ?

Thanks for any help.

I read several of the varmint hunting boards, and the Win that you mentioned is spoken highly of on the boards.  I might have to give a box or 2 a try some time.

The Winchester 45 grain works great in my DPMS 20" 1 in 9.  I've never tried the other.  Whether a particular weight bullet is effective depends on what you are shooting at.

Blach hills loads a reload of good quality with a 52gr. sierra hollowpoint. This should be one to try in a 1/9, also.

For good a price, excellent results and sub- moa groups I've enjoyed they following with my Bushmaster scoped with a TA-01 Trijicon ACOG 4x32 with Full Line Red Illumination Features black crosshairs during daytime and tritium illuminates reticle at night.


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"PRECISION PLUS"
Many of the country's most avid hunters and rifle shooters agree, Georgia Arms "Precision Plus" Rifle Ammunition has developed a reputation as the most accurate factory loaded rifle ammunition available using the patented Nosler Ballistic Tip boat tail bullet. Try it one time and you'll never shoot anything else. This ammunition in all calibers has proven to be the most accurate and lethal combination on white tail deer we have ever used. We achieve sub-MOA groups at 100 and 200 yards with this ammo in our match long range guns. Ballistic chart available, call for details.

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223 Remington
G223A 55GR Ballistic Tip $15.00/50rnds,
$145.00/500rnds, $280.00/1000rnds for theyre Remanufactured ammo and New Ammunition costs a little more, but like I've said I've had good results with thier Remanufactured ammo.

Even though it's more fun shooting the varmints with the Nosler Ballistic Tip boat tail bullets, if cost is problem they can be killed just the same and cheaper with surplus ball ammo as well as long as you do your part an place bullet in right spot.

I personally like the 55gr V-MAX from Hornaday, or any other Nosler balistic tipped ammo,  they boast a stout 3240 fps, and one a prairie dog  that equals  maxium carnage!!!!! It also does a good number on coyotes, and  on  water filled soda bottles best imitation of a prairie dog I've ever seen!!!!!

I must say, my experience with the Winchester 45 gr. JHP is far less than desireable.  I used it in my Armalite with absolutely NO luck whatsoever.  Every round had to be slapped in by smackin' the #$%@ out of the magazine to load it in the chamber.  I had similar experiences with every other HP round with a similar wide mouthed hollow point.  Each and every other HP round with a very narrow hollow opening and ballistic tip and FMJ and soft point worked everytime without fail.  Perhaps my boomstick is simply too finicky...go figure, its an Armalite.  I guess accuracy comes at a price.

I've used the V-max bullets on groundhogs out to 160yrds with good results.

Winchester 55grn SP will turn a jack rabbit inside out

Another person chiming in for the merits of using the Vmax on vermin.    At 300 yards out you can still hear a bit of a "pop" even through hearing protection from when the little critter explodes from the pressure.   Very nasty little bullets.

You can also pick the things up from BlackHills if you can't find the Hornady Varmint Express.


I've tried the Winchester 45grn hollow point and haven't had that stellar of performance when compared to the Vmax.   The Federal 50grn American Eagle hollowpoint also doesn't do much in the way of expanding, if you see those on a shelf they are more of a match hollow point, nice and accurate but not keen on expansion.

A friend and I just tried out the Winchester 45gr stuff this past weekend at the range with excellent results.  AR's were (1) Bushy M4, and (1) Bushy 16" HBAR.  Both of our guns ran right through the ammo with no problems, and the accuarcy was very good (only tested out to 100yards though).

My local range doesn't allow FMJ, so this stuff has become my new range blasting ammo.  I'd like to see what kind of expansion these bullets really get though before I decide to use them for possibly coyote hunting.

I've been looking at their stuff, and was considering getting the SP or BTHP for varminting. Would these not be a good choice? Gonna be mainly prairie dogs, and other small stuff.

They sure would be a lot less $$ to go that way.

Thanks (again) Troy.

You always answer all my varmint questions. Perhaps I should set up a direct line to you instead. [:p]