Remington High Performance Rifle 223 Remington 55 Gr PSP

Official Specs

All data verified against Remington’s official product page and multiple established retailers.

Ballistics Table

From Remington official velocity data (3,240 fps MV, confirmed). Zero: 100 yards. Sight height: 1.5″. BC G1: 0.197.

Key takeaway: at 3,240 fps the Remington HPR 55 gr PSP delivers a flat trajectory through 200 yards — only 6.8 inches of drop from a 100-yard zero. The BC of 0.197 is lower than polymer-tipped varmint bullets (V-MAX: 0.255), which means velocity drops off more steeply past 200 yards. By 300 yards the bullet has slowed to 1,996 fps carrying only 487 ft-lbs — adequate for varmints and small predators but approaching the lower threshold for reliable PSP expansion. Practical effective range for this load is inside 250 yards.

The Pointed Soft Point Bullet in .223 Remington

The Pointed Soft Point (PSP) is one of the oldest and most field-proven hunting bullet designs in production. Unlike a full metal jacket, the PSP exposes a lead tip at the nose, which initiates controlled expansion upon impact. The pointed profile provides a better ballistic coefficient than a round-nose soft point, improving retained velocity and flatter trajectory at typical hunting distances.

In the context of .223 Remington, the PSP occupies a middle ground between the fragmenting varmint bullets (such as hollow points and polymer-tipped designs) and the deeper-penetrating bonded or partition bullets used for larger game. At .223 velocities, a 55-grain PSP will typically expand reliably on animals up to the size of foxes, groundhogs, and coyotes, though terminal behavior depends heavily on impact velocity and shot placement. It is not a bonded bullet, meaning the core and jacket can separate at high-velocity close-range impacts, and expansion may be inconsistent at reduced velocities beyond 250–300 yards. This design has remained in continuous production because it offers a practical, cost-effective balance of accuracy, moderate expansion, and versatility that suits a wide range of field conditions.

Best Uses

Good fit:

• Varmint hunting (groundhogs, prairie dogs, woodchucks) inside 250 yards
• Coyote and fox hunting where controlled expansion is preferred over violent fragmentation
• General-purpose field use in bolt-action or semi-automatic .223 Rem rifles
• Situations where a soft point is legally required or preferred over hollow points
• Mixed-use scenarios where the same box covers both range sessions and a hunt

Not the right tool for:

• Long-range varmint work beyond 300 yards where a higher-BC polymer-tipped bullet like V-MAX (BC 0.255) maintains velocity and expands more reliably
• Deer or medium-sized game — the 55 gr PSP at .223 velocities is marginal; bonded or heavier projectiles are more appropriate
• Precision competitive shooting where match-grade hollow point boat-tail bullets are the standard
• States or municipalities that prohibit lead-core projectiles for hunting — this is a lead-core bullet

Reliability Notes

No structured submissions yet.

Based on manufacturer claims and open-source information: Remington High Performance Rifle ammunition is produced to standard commercial tolerances using brass cases and Boxer primers. The line has a long production history and is widely distributed through major retailers. Open-source user reports suggest consistent ignition and acceptable accuracy from bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles at typical hunting distances. Post-2020 Remington production is under Vista Outdoor ownership — some community accounts note variable quality control across product lines after the acquisition, though no specific documented issues have been attributed to this load. All notes here reflect manufacturer claims or open-source community observations, not structured data.

Competitors

Price Reality

• Typical retail range: $22–$28 per 20-round box; case (200 rounds / 10 boxes) approximately $220–$260 when available
• Per-round cost: approximately $1.24 at the $24.89 price point
• PMC Bronze 55 gr PSP offers the same bullet construction for approximately $0.90–$1.10/round — a meaningful savings for volume shooters
• Hornady V-MAX 55 gr runs $1.30–$1.50/round — slightly more expensive but offers higher BC (0.255 vs 0.197) and purpose-engineered varmint fragmentation
• At $1.24/round, this load is priced at the upper boundary of fair value for a 55-grain PSP; anything above $1.40/round for this specific product should be considered overpriced given readily available alternatives

Prices change. Check the Where to Buy block for current listings.

Where to Buy

Remington High Performance Rifle 223 Remington 55 Gr PSP (Box)

The Remington High Performance Rifle 223 Remington 55 Gr PSP ammunition delivers precision and reliability for hunters and shooters, featuring a carefully designed 55-grain pointed soft point bullet for enhanced energy transfer and effective performance on a variety of small game.

$24.89 at Ammunitiondepot.com

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FAQ

Does the PSP bullet in this load expand reliably on coyotes? The Pointed Soft Point design initiates expansion on impact, and at 3,240 fps muzzle velocity it expands reliably on coyotes inside 250 yards. Beyond that distance, impact velocity drops below 2,000 fps where expansion becomes inconsistent — particularly in cold weather which can stiffen the jacket. For dedicated coyote hunting, a purpose-designed varmint bullet with a polymer tip provides more predictable terminal performance at extended ranges. Inside 200 yards under normal conditions, the PSP is a reasonable choice for fur-bearing predators.

How does this load compare to the Hornady V-MAX for varmint hunting? The primary difference is BC and terminal intent. The Hornady V-MAX has BC 0.255 vs this load’s 0.197 — at 300 yards that translates to significantly more retained velocity and flatter trajectory. The V-MAX also fragments more violently, which is ideal for prairie dog and groundhog shooting. The Remington PSP expands more moderately and retains more weight — more versatile if the same load is used on coyotes or foxes. For pure varmint work, the V-MAX is the more purpose-built option; the PSP is the more versatile choice.

Is this load appropriate for AR-15 rifles with a 1:9 twist rate? Yes — a 55-grain projectile is well within the stabilization range of a 1:9 twist barrel, one of the most common twist rates in AR-15 rifles chambered in .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO. Shooters with 1:7 or 1:8 twist barrels optimized for heavier bullets may see slightly less consistent groups, though 55 gr will stabilize in any standard .223 Rem twist rate.

Can this ammunition be used in a rifle chambered for 5.56 NATO? Yes. .223 Remington is safe to fire in 5.56 NATO chambers. The 5.56 chamber has a slightly longer throat than the .223 Rem chamber, providing additional headspace that accommodates .223 cartridges without pressure concerns. The reverse requires caution — 5.56 NATO ammunition generates higher pressures and should not be fired in a rifle chambered strictly for .223 Remington without confirming the chamber specifications.

How does post-2020 Remington quality compare to pre-bankruptcy production? Remington was acquired by Vista Outdoor in 2020. Community reports on post-acquisition production are mixed — generally functional with consistent ignition, but with some accounts of variable lot-to-lot consistency compared to pre-bankruptcy standards. The High Performance Rifle line is a standard commercial product; for hunting applications inside 250 yards, any quality variation is unlikely to affect practical performance. Community chronograph submissions on this page will help establish actual lot-to-lot consistency data over time.

Submit Your Data · Real-World Results

Manufacturer velocity figures are measured under controlled lab conditions — barrel length, temperature, and lot number all affect real-world performance. The data below comes from community submissions tied to specific test conditions and reviewed before publishing.

Once this page reaches 3 approved submissions, aggregate velocity and confidence level will appear here automatically.

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Results vary by firearm, barrel condition, ammunition lot, and environmental factors. Submitted data is for reference only. AmmoReports does not guarantee accuracy of user-submitted results.

Remington High Performance Rifle 223 Remington 55 Gr PSP (Box)

$24.89

$29.79

in stock