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July 14th, 2023
Here’s an extreme range of .224-Caliber bullets: 35gr varmint bullet and 90gr match bullet. Of course, along with bullet length/design, you need to consider MV when choosing twist rate.
Even with the same caliber (and same bullet weight), different bullet types may require different rates of spin to stabilize properly. The bullet’s initial spin rate (RPM) is a function of the bullet’s muzzle velocity and the spin imparted by the rifling in the barrel. You want to ensure your bullet is stable throughout flight. It is better to have too much spin than too little, according to many ballistics experts, including Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics. The late Glen Zediker put together some basic tips concerning barrel twist rates and bullet stability. These come from Glen’s book, Top Grade Ammo.
Choosing the Right Twist Rate
I’d always rather have a twist too fast than not fast enough. Generally… I recommend erring toward the faster side of a barrel twist decision. 1:8″ twist is becoming a “new standard” for .224 caliber, replacing 1:9″ in the process. The reason is that new bullets tend to be bigger rather than smaller. Don’t let a too-slow twist limit your capacity to [achieve] better long-range performance.
Base your next barrel twist rate decision on the longest, heaviest bullets you choose to use, and at the same time realize that the rate you choose will in turn limit your bullet choices. If the longest, heaviest bullet you’ll shoot (ever) is a 55-grain .224, then there’s honestly no reason not to use a 1:12″. Likewise true for .308-caliber: unless you’re going over 200-grain bullet weight, a 1:10″ will perform perfectly well.
Bullet Length is More Critical than Weight
Bullet length, not weight, [primarily] determines how much rotation is necessary for stability. Twist rate suggestions, though, are most usually given with respect to bullet weight, but that’s more of a generality for convenience’s sake, I think. The reason is that with the introduction of higher-ballistic-coefficient bullet designs, which are longer than conventional forms, it is easily possible to have two same-weight bullets that won’t both stabilize from the same twist rate.
Evidence of Instability
The tell-tale for an unstable (wobbling or tumbling) bullet is an oblong hole in the target paper, a “keyhole,” and that means the bullet contacted the target at some attitude other than nose-first.
 Increasing Barrel Length Can Deliver More Velocity, But That May Still Not Provide Enough Stability if the Twist Rate Is Too Slow
Bullet speed and barrel length have an influence on bullet stability, and a higher muzzle velocity through a longer tube will bring on more effect from the twist, but it’s a little too edgy if a particular bullet stabilizes only when running maximum velocity.
My failed 90-grain .224 experiment is a good example of that: I could get them asleep in a 1:7″ twist, 25-inch barrel, which was chambered in .22 PPC, but could not get them stabilized in a 20-inch 1:7″ .223 Rem. The answer always is to get a twist that’s correct.
These tips were adapted from Glen’s popular 2016 book, Top-Grade Ammo, now $38.95 on Amazon. That work has numerous helpful articles on technical topics. Here are links to this title and other books by Glen Zediker.
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June 26th, 2019
Midsouth Shooters Supply celebrates its 50th Anniversary in business. The company was founded in 1969 by David “Dirt” King and wife Connie. To mark this milestone, throughout July, customers will have the chance to win prizes, and get great deals on popular products, and have a chance to win prizes.
 Midsouth has put together several giveaways with partners Lyman, Hornady, Nosler, Sierra Bullets, Del-Ton and more. CLICK HERE for complete descriptions of giveaway prizes. You can enter daily and increase your chances winning a Barrel of Hornady Frontier Ammo, a Nosler Liberty Rifle, a Del-Ton ECHO AR Rifle, or other great prizes.
Midsouth will start drawing winners on July 22, 2019 and continue every day until the Grand Finale on July 26th.
Check the Midsouth Home Page daily for deals, giveaways, coupons, and more details. Below are some of the Giveaway Prizes:
Midsouth Giveaway Runs 6/26/19 through 7/24/19
The giveaway starts 6/26/19 and will last through 7/24/19. Midsouth will pick several giveaway winners during the birthday week in July. To learn how to enter (and for more giveaway details) CLICK HERE.
About Midsouth Shooters Supply:
What started as a modest, catalog-driven reloading supply company in remote New Market, TN, has grown into a technology driven, customer-focused powerhouse in Clarksville, TN. “It’s our 50th anniversary, and we’re growing faster than ever before,” said Michael Ryan, Midsouth’s VP of Marketing. “We’re focused on keeping up with the customer, and not necessarily the competition. We buy in bulk, break down the inventory ourselves to avoid packaging fees, and pass the savings along to the customer.”
What makes this 50th anniversary even more special? This June also marks the 50th anniversary of their owners, David and Connie King. The Mayor of Clarksville, TN, Joe Pitts, had a proclamation designating June 22, 2019 as David and Connie Day! Together, they’ve forged 50 years of commitment to each other, and Midsouth’s customers. Without their guidance and steadfast values, Midsouth wouldn’t be the premier online reloading and shooting supplier it is today.
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December 29th, 2017
Head over to Midsouth Shooters Supply for some of the best bargains of the year. Right now Midsouth is running a huge End of Year Clearance Sale. But this is no ordinary promotion. The deals get better every day until 2018 arrives. You see, every day, through December 31, 2017, prices drop. If you hold out ’til the end, you can score the best deals — up to 80% off the original price. However, if you wait too long, someone else may get the product(s) you want.
Over 800 items are on sale including tools, dies, reloading components, ammo, optics, holsters, gun books, and more. You’ll find exceptional pricing on Norma-brand brass as well as Hornady loaded ammunition and reloading gear.Folks — you really should check out this Midsouth Sale. If you time it right you can get items at half-off or better. Here are just three of the Clearance Sale items … there are over 800 more!
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July 31st, 2017
Here’s an extreme range of .224-Caliber bullets: 35gr varmint bullet and 90gr match bullet. Of course, along with bullet length/design, you need to consider MV when choosing twist rate.
Even with the same caliber (and same bullet weight), different bullet types may require different rates of spin to stabilize properly. The bullet’s initial spin rate (RPM) is a function of the bullet’s muzzle velocity and the spin imparted by the rifling in the barrel. You want to ensure your bullet is stable throughout flight. It is better to have too much spin than too little, according to many ballistics experts, including Bryan Litz of Applied Ballistics. Glen Zediker has some basic tips concerning barrel twist rates and bullet stability. These come from his latest book, Top Grade Ammo.
Choosing the Right Twist Rate
I’d always rather have a twist too fast than not fast enough. Generally… I recommend erring toward the faster side of a barrel twist decision. 1:8″ twist is becoming a “new standard” for .224 caliber, replacing 1:9″ in the process. The reason is that new bullets tend to be bigger rather than smaller. Don’t let a too-slow twist limit your capacity to [achieve] better long-range performance.
Base your next barrel twist rate decision on the longest, heaviest bullets you choose to use, and at the same time realize that the rate you choose will in turn limit your bullet choices. If the longest, heaviest bullet you’ll shoot (ever) is a 55-grain .224, then there’s honestly no reason not to use a 1:12″. Likewise true for .308-caliber: unless you’re going over 200-grain bullet weight, a 1:10″ will perform perfectly well.
Bullet Length is More Critical than Weight
Bullet length, not weight, [primarily] determines how much rotation is necessary for stability. Twist rate suggestions, though, are most usually given with respect to bullet weight, but that’s more of a generality for convenience’s sake, I think. The reason is that with the introduction of higher-ballistic-coefficient bullet designs, which are longer than conventional forms, it is easily possible to have two same-weight bullets that won’t both stabilize from the same twist rate.
Evidence of Instability
The tell-tale for an unstable (wobbling or tumbling) bullet is an oblong hole in the target paper, a “keyhole,” and that means the bullet contacted the target at some attitude other than nose-first.
 Increasing Barrel Length Can Deliver More Velocity, But That May Still Not Provide Enough Stability if the Twist Rate Is Too Slow
Bullet speed and barrel length have an influence on bullet stability, and a higher muzzle velocity through a longer tube will bring on more effect from the twist, but it’s a little too edgy if a particular bullet stabilizes only when running maximum velocity.
My failed 90-grain .224 experiment is a good example of that: I could get them asleep in a 1:7″ twist, 25-inch barrel, which was chambered in .22 PPC, but could not get them stabilized in a 20-inch 1:7″ .223 Rem. The answer always is to get a twist that’s correct.
These tips were adapted from Glen’s newest book, Top-Grade Ammo, available at Midsouth. To learn more about this book and other Zediker titles, and read a host of downloadable articles, visit ZedikerPublishing.com.
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July 4th, 2017
It’s July 4th, that means fireworks displays. What better time to order up some gunpowder? We’re pleased to report that Midsouth Shooters Supply and Powder Valley have received some big shipments from the major powder makers. In stock now at Midsouth and Powder Valley are many of the most popular accuracy powders, including: Hodgdon Varget, Hodgdon 4198, Hodgdon 4831, IMR 4166, IMR 8208 XBR, Vithavuori N133, Accurate LT30 and LT32, Norma 203B, Alliant Reloder 15, and many more. Sorry these vendors don’t have H4350 and Reloder 16, but Midsouth has the vast majority of the propellants our benchrest and precision shooters favor.
H4198 and LT30 are great for the 30BR, AR Comp and CFE 223 are excellent for Service Rifle shooters, VV N133 is a top choice for the 6PPC, Norma 203B (nearly identical to Reloder 15) is great in the 6mmBR and Dasher, IMR 8208 XBR is very accurate in the .308 Win, and Hodgdon H4831 is an excellent choice for the .284 Winchester and 7mm WSM.
All these popular Powders (and many more) are in stock:
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May 28th, 2017
Berger Bullets’ much-awaited 200.20X bullet is now available at Midsouth Shooters Supply for $54.65 per 100*. That’s not inexpensive, but this new design could well prove to be the “bullet to beat” for F-TR competition with the .308 Win cartridge. With a high Ballistic Coefficient (0.640 G1, 0.328 G7), the new 200.20X Hybrid Target projectile (Part #30417) should have less wind drift than other .30-caliber bullets in its weight range. The new 200.20X is even more slippery than Berger’s own older 200gr Hybrid (Part #30427), which has a 0.316 G7 BC. The 200.20X bullet has a shorter bearing surface than Berger’s 200gr Hybrid, which should allow higher velocities, and (perhaps) enhanced barrel life. The shorter bearing surface also makes this bullet easy to load and shoot in standard chambers, which means you don’t need a special long-throated reamer to make it work.
The new 200.20X has a 0.328 G7 BC compared to 0.316 G7 for the older 200 grain .30 caliber Hybrid. That’s a significant, 4% reduction in drag. Recommended twist for the new bullet is 1:10″, same as with the earlier 200-grainer.
Tested and Endorsed by U.S. Rifle Team (F-TR)
Developed with extensive testing by U.S. Rifle Team members, Berger’s new 200.20X bullet is optimized for F-TR competition with the .308 Win cartridge. Compared to the standard 200 grain Hybrid Target, the 200.20X has a longer boat tail, longer nose, and a shorter bearing surface. The longer nose and tail of the 200.20X allow the bullet to fly with less drag and a higher BC, which means fewer points lost to wind. Like other Berger Hybrid designs, this bullet is more “forgiving” about seating depths that pure VLD designs. Shooters should find that the 200.20X works well at various OALs, both “jumped” and seated into the lands. Bryan Litz recommends starting with this bullet .020 or more off the lands. When the bullet is jumped a bit, the accuracy should hold pretty well even as the throat moves out.
After extensive field testing at 600-1000 yards, the U.S. Rifle Team (F-TR) has named the Berger 200.20X as the Team’s official bullet of choice. Shown above are Dan Pohlabel and Bill Litz (shooter).
*Grafs.com ($52.99/100) and PrecisionReloading.com ($53.99/100) will also sell this new bullet, but both these vendors are currently awaiting delivery. We’re told that supplies should arrive soon.
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September 21st, 2015
At the request of our readers, we are starting a Monday “Deals of the Week” feature. If this proves popular, we’ll try to run this every week. Here are some of the best deals on hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change. If you snooze, you lose.
1. Grafs.com — CCI Primers on Sale
Here’s a very good deal on CCI 400 (small rifle) and CCI 450 (small rifle magnum) primers. These primers have strong cups so they work well with stout loads. The CCI 450s are a favorite for 6mmBR and Dasher shooters. (The prices include shipping, with a $7.95 flat fee, but not hazmat charges).
2. Midsouth Shooters Supply — Norma .22 LR Ammo on Sale
This is good ammo for the price — plenty good enough for practice and tactical rimfire competitions. We’ve used this ammo in a variety of rimfire rifles and it worked well. SEE Video Ammo Review. Midsouth also has the Norma .22LR Match-22 ammo at $7.95 per box.
3. Bullets.com — Bags and Rifle Cases on Sale
Bullets.com has slashed prices on its Bald Eagle Brand shooting bags and soft rifle cases. The shooting bags, now 50% off, are very well made and hold a lot of gear. The Long Rifle Cases, also 50% off, are designed for match rifle with barrels up to 32″ long. This Editor uses a Bald Eagle bag to carry his spotting scope and compact tripod. SEE Video Bag Review.
4. Bruno Shooters Supply — FREE Shipping on 500+ Bullets
Bruno Shooters Supply offers competitive pricing on Berger and Sierra bullets. And now you can save even more with FREE Shipping on orders of 500 or more Berger or Sierra Bullets. This FREE Shipping offer is limited to one order per customer per day.
5. Natchez Shooters Supply — Nikon Scope Close-Out Sale
Natchez is running a big sale on Nikon optics. Prices have been reduced as much as 43%. If you’re looking for an inexpensive, name-brand optic for your hunting or varmint rifle, check out these Nikon bargains. The M-223 3-12x42mm has nice turrets and constant eye relief. It’s a steal at $279.95.
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August 21st, 2015
Need a boatload of bullets for varmint safaris, or high-volume AR-platform training sessions? Then check out this deal from Midsouth Shooters Supply. Right now you can get six THOUSAND .22-Cal 55gr softpoint bullets for $463.66 delivered. That works out to just $7.73 per 100 bullets. And yes, for a limited time, that price includes FREE Shipping (through August 28, 2015). If you have high-volume applications for .224-diameter projectiles, this deal is hard to beat. You could easily pay two to three tiems as much (per hundred) for similar bullets elsewhere. Buying in bulk saves big bucks.
These 55g Soft Point bullets are made by Hornady. The G1 Ballistic Coefficient (BC) is 0.243. Hornady says these bullets have a “match-grade jacket design” and offer “explosive expansion, even at low velocities”. NOTE: Midsouth also offers Hornady FMJ 55gr 22-cal bullets at low bulk prices.
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May 1st, 2014
 Need bullets? Check out the Blem Bullets Sale at Midsouth Shooters Supply. Quality bullets from a “big-name” manufacturer are now on sale at big savings. These bullets are priced 35% to 40% below normal retail levels. The “blem” bullets shoot fine but may have some cosmetic imperfections such as water spots or discoloration. Other bullets are marked down because there were production over-runs or packing errors.
Midsouth explains: “OEM Blem Bullets Are Back! These are overruns, cosmetically blemished and incorrectly packaged bullets from a major bullet manufacturer. Small blemishes mean big savings. As part of our agreement to sell these, we can not disclose the bullet manufacturer.”
Video Explains Blem Bullets Sale and Shows the Bullets:
If you want to take advantage of this special Midsouth sale, act quickly. Quantities are limited. Midsouth states: “Once these are gone, they are gone!”. Here are a few examples of the sale items — there are dozens of other bullets types on sale. CLICK HERE for List of Sale Bullets.
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April 21st, 2014
Anyone who shoots 3-Gun matches, or who burns through a lot of pistol ammo, can benefit from a quality progressive reloading press. These machines have multiple stations with a rotating shell-holder plate that advances the cartridges. Once you’ve got everything set up and running, you can crank out hundreds of rounds per hour, producing a loaded round with every pull of the press handle.
Right now, Midsouth Shooter’s Supply is offering a great deal on the 5-Station Hornady Lock-N-Load AP (Auto-Progressive) reloading press. This high-quality machine, which sells for $450.00 or more elsewhere, is now ON SALE at Midsouth for just $389.99. To sweeten the deal even more, when you buy the L-N-L AP press you qualify for free bullets. That’s right — buy the Hornady AP Press and get 500 free bullets (retail value $70-$120).
The video below, created by our friend Gavin Gear for UltimateReloader.com, illustrates the features and functions of the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP Press. You can see how the dies are positioned in the tool head, and how the rotating cartridge plate moves cartridges from station to station:
Video Demonstrates Hornady Lock-N-Load AP Press
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March 3rd, 2014
 We like Midsouth Shooters Supply. For 44 years, this outfit has offered very competitive prices, quick shipping, and a real commitment to customer satisfaction. Midsouth has also been a strong supporter of this website since the very beginning (when we were just getting started). The guys at Midsouth are real shooters, who use the products they make and sell.
We’re pleased to report that Midsouth Shooters Supply is introducing its own line of value-priced reloading gear. You’ll find a wide selection of Midsouth-brand products: ammo boxes, load trays, powder funnels, bullet pullers, media sifters, vibratory tumblers and more. And Midsouth is even offering its own branded tumbling media (corn or walnut) and liquid brass polish. We think you’ll find the pricing on all these products to be extremely competitive. Here are a few examples:
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Tumbler Kit
(Tumbler, Separator, Media, & Brass Polish)
Price: $72.93
Item: 038-502024 |
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Hinged-Top
50-Round Ammo Box
222/223 Rem
Price: $1.72
Item:038-502004 (Red)
Item:038-502005 (Clr)
(100-round boxes are also available for $2.52) |
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Powder Funnel Set
(Two Funnels plus inserts)
Price: $4.64
Item: 038-502029 |
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January 24th, 2014
 Here’s good news for short-range benchrest shooters. The two most popular powders for the 6PPC, Vihtavuori N133 and Accurate LT-32, are now in-stock at Powder Valley Inc. (PVI). In fact, Powder Valley even has the hard-to-find 8-lb jugs of N133. If you need LT-32 or VV N133, visit PowderValleyinc.com.
– PVI has 1-lb containers of LT-32 for $24.90
— PVI has 1-lb containers of N133 for $30.35
— PVI has 8-lb jugs of N133 for $196.50.
Consider Norma Powders for Large Cartridges
Can’t get H4350 or H4831sc? If you need slower-burning powders for your .260 Rem, .284 Win, 7mm WSM, or magnum caliber, consider Norma powders. While the popular Alliant and Hodgdon medium-to-slow burn-rate powders are still very hard to find, you can get similar Norma powders from many vendors right now, no waiting.
 Powder Valley has Norma 204, 217, MRP, and URP in stock. MidwayUSA.com has 204, 217, MRP, and URP in stock. MidsouthShootersSupply.com has Norma 204 in stock. The Lapua Burn Rate Chart (shown below) places URP in the burn range of H4350 and Vihtavuori N150, and Norma says “burning rate for URP is close to our 204 but on the quick side.” Norma 204 is slower than H4350 but a little faster than H4831sc. MRP is close to the original H4831. Download Chart as PDF.
Norma 217 does not show on the Lapua chart, but it is a good powder for the heavy magnums. Norma says that “Norma 217 is slightly slower than the discontinued MRP2. It was developed for the 30-378 Weatherby from start. Matches the .338 Norma Mag and .338 Lapua Mag perfect with heavy bullets. It is also a good candidate for [overbore cartridges] such as 7mm Rem Mag[.]”.
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