Need your .223 load advice.

[TORCHRIDER]

Looking for loads to shoot from 100-300 yards.
Here is what I have:

Rifle
Savage .223 with factory 26" 1/9 twist varmint barrel.
Shoots about 1/2 MOA at 100 yards with factory Federal Match 69 grain Sierra BTHP

I have Lake City once fired brass completely worked over and primed with CCI400's ready to go.
I would like your bullet and powder type/weight recommendations. I will use common sense and start lower, just wanting to know what works for you.

Thanks!

[jhelmuth]

Bullet-wise, I'd use 69gr Sierra MatchKings for that barrel and range.

Varget is a popular powder (and mostly what I use). I've used varget out to 300 yds before. I believe that load was Lake City brass too (92.0grs for all/each case) - but the brass was new. Look also at Relaoder and I believe H414 would possibly be a good choice too.

I'll pass on telling you what charge to throw (as this will likely be different for each rifle). Given the distance, I'd do a ladder test and start with 23.5grs of Varget and work up. I suspect you'll find a good load somewhere in the mid 24's.

Also load to the lands (assuming you know where that is).

[Dennis]

I have the same rifle, and looking for a load as well!

[seanhagerty]

I shoot 77 SMK's over 24 gr of varget. I am really happy with this load.

[TORCHRIDER]

I shoot 77 SMK's over 24 gr of varget. I am really happy with this load.


Do the 77's stabilize ok in a 1/9 twist?

[psharon97]

My go to load: 21.5g IMR 4198 shooting a 55g Hornady V-max bullet seated out to the lands.

[GaCop]

Bullet-wise, I'd use 69gr Sierra MatchKings for that barrel and range.

Varget is a popular powder (and mostly what I use). I've used varget out to 300 yds before. I believe that load was Lake City brass too (92.0grs for all/each case) - but the brass was new. Look also at Relaoder and I believe H414 would possibly be a good choice too.

I'll pass on telling you what charge to throw (as this will likely be different for each rifle). Given the distance, I'd do a ladder test and start with 23.5grs of Varget and work up. I suspect you'll find a good load somewhere in the mid 24's.

Also load to the lands (assuming you know where that is).


+1 for Varget. VV N-140 would work well too.

[Ring31]

300 aint that far... honestly the 69 is overkill.. and good and less expensive bullet will work.. the new hornady 53gr vmax has a higher BC then any 60gr made.. and cheep..

[TORCHRIDER]

300 aint that far... honestly the 69 is overkill.. and good and less expensive bullet will work.. the new hornady 53gr vmax has a higher BC then any 60gr made.. and cheep..


I may shoot further than 300. I have a 1000 yard range here, but typically use my VLRP in .223 with 1/7 twist to go longer distances.

[jhelmuth]

300 aint that far... honestly the 69 is overkill.. and good and less expensive bullet will work.. the new hornady 53gr vmax has a higher BC then any 60gr made.. and cheep..


I may shoot further than 300. I have a 1000 yard range here, but typically use my VLRP in .223 with 1/7 twist to go longer distances.


You'd be wrong (and aparently don't have much 300yrd experience). If shooting under more than ideal conditions, I'd say it'd be a coin toss between the SMK and vmax - but then again, conditions are rarely ideal...

[1] The 69gr SMK is THE recommended Savage .223 bullet in their 1:9" twist barrels. Savage put a significant amount of testing into this and you'd be foolish to ignore that.
[2] The BC for the 69gr SMK is .301 (SC = 0.196 ) @ 2800+ fps (which will be necessary for 300yds) vs .290 BC for the vmax (at 3400fps).
BC = M/(d^2 * i) where M is the mass of the bullet in lb or kg, d is the diameter of the bullet in inches or meters and i is the drag coefficient or form factor
[3] Windage is much more manageable in the SMK (over the 53gr vmax)


While the Hornady 53gr vmax is a very good bullet, the SMK is superior at 300+ yds and a shoter will take EVERY advantage he/she can get.

[Deerhunter 28]

26.9 varget
55 v max on the lands

[seanhagerty]

I shoot 77 SMK's over 24 gr of varget. I am really happy with this load.


Do the 77's stabilize ok in a 1/9 twist?


Yes they do stabilize well in my 1 X 9 barrel. I have heard others say they dont in their 1-9 twist barrel. I guess you just have to test them.

[jhelmuth]

Bullet weight - while indicative of the total bullet-barrel contact surface - is not the actual coefficient used in calculating true twist rates... surface contact is. There's an abreviated published calculation which uses bullet weght, however it is not the true formula (I'll leave it to you to go research it to discover how complex true twist rate calculations are).

So, it is feasable for one brand/model 77gr bullet to work/stabilize, while another would not. It's also worth mentioning that barrles are not all created equal in factory twist rates. When measured, rates can deviate (mostly in factory/OEM barrels) and are usually more pronounced (as a percentage) in faster twists. The combination of these two factors will easily account for why one shooter experiences stability while another does not at the same twist and bullet weight.

[TORCHRIDER]

Come to think of it, I can recall the 77 gr. Sierras shooting well in my Bushmaster 1/9 barrel, but not in my buddies Rock River 1/9. I may have to try some eventually.



Bullet weight - while indicative of the total bullet-barrel contact surface - is not the actual coefficient used in calculating true twist rates... surface contact is. There's an abreviated published calculation which uses bullet weght, however it is not the true formula (I'll leave it to you to go research it to discover how complex true twist rate calculations are).

So, it is feasable for one brand/model 77gr bullet to work/stabilize, while another would not. It's also worth mentioning that barrles are not all created equal in factory twist rates. When measured, rates can deviate (mostly in factory/OEM barrels) and are usually more pronounced (as a percentage) in faster twists. The combination of these two factors will easily account for why one shooter experiences stability while another does not at the same twist and bullet weight.

[zap]

23.7 gr of varget with fed 205m in lapua brass. 2- 2.5 inch groups at 400 yards in calm conditions.

I have a good load with the 69 gr smk"s with N135 , but don't no for sure the charge, I am thinking around 22.5 gr of n 135. I do know it is a tad hot when it gets warm up (flat primers) so use caution!

[Dennis]

What is a good load for the 69grn smk?

[jhelmuth]

What is a good load for the 69grn smk?




Bullet-wise, I'd use 69gr Sierra MatchKings for that barrel and range.

Varget is a popular powder (and mostly what I use). I've used varget out to 300 yds before. I believe that load was Lake City brass too (92.0grs for all/each case) - but the brass was new. Look also at Relaoder and I believe H414 would possibly be a good choice too.

I'll pass on telling you what charge to throw (as this will likely be different for each rifle). Given the distance, I'd do a ladder test and start with 23.5grs of Varget and work up. I suspect you'll find a good load somewhere in the mid 24's.

Also load to the lands (assuming you know where that is).


You might want to read this... but somewhere in the mid 24s would be a reasonable guess.

[quickkillaught6]

Lc brass
26.8gns varget
53gn vmax for pdoging
Seated at 2.318

Rem brass
69smk
25grns H4895
Seated at 2.274
Both shoot good in my 1-9's
All cci-400 primers the heavy bullets liked the h4895 a lil better than varget

[Tarleton_Texan]

My load is
25 grains varget
69 smk seated .002 off the lands
wolf primer
lake city brass

Its a solid half moa out to 300, I havent had a chance to shoot any farther yet.

I still need to test the 68 grain BTHP and 75 grain BTHP from hornady, I have 200 of each I think I can make something work.

[A_Gamehog]

Loads for 68 Hornady, 69 Nosler, 69 Sierra bullets in Lake City brass.

24.0 IMR 8208 near max
24.5 Varget 1.5 under max
25.0 R-15 near max

all these loads use CCI-450's
Lake City Brass. 1/2 MOA out to 400 yards.
My Savages with 1-9 like the Nosler 69's the best.
Seated 2.260 COL for my AR or Bolt guns.

Like others I have found the 53 V-Max is more accurate at 300 yards than any other bullet/load. use Varget or 8208 only.