New Criterion 223 stainless 1 in 8 barrel shots 1 1/2 inch groups

[sharpshooter]

It doesn't....

[J.Baker]

What does a red (OP) mean under my name?

OP = Original Poster

It lets others know you're the one who started this thread which can be helpful when there's a lot of replies and back and forth in a thread.

Just updated it to read "Thread Starter" which is a little more descriptive.

[azguy]

Your es/sd shows how unhappy the load was. Go buy some Hornady black 75gr ammo and try it(or similar match ammo).
This may very well one of the best thoughts on my subject.
I may be over thinking this. Hornady black has an oal of 2.250, maybe that would be a good starting point. I added to my test loads 2.250 rounds to each load step.

[Dennis]

My personal experience, my 2-223's were very hard to dial in. My 22-250 was very easy and super accurate, JMO.

Below is what I settled with on my 223. I am not recommending this load to anyone. I am only showing the picture for illustrative purposes only. The rifle also like Berger 52 grain "flat based" bullets also. FWIW, on some of my rifles all the way up, some didn't care for the Hornady Bullets, especially the V-Max's. JMO

The "circle" dot on this target is the size of a #2 pencil eraser!

http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae56/Dennis4437/223%20Target%20picture_zpszn5bwydc.jpg (http://s957.photobucket.com/user/Dennis4437/media/223%20Target%20picture_zpszn5bwydc.jpg.html)

[tallsdyotehunter]

I have had issues with "match" chambers in hunting rifles and the tightness in the neck in a AR with feeding, in a bolt gun i always felt that i needed to get 100 rounds down the tube before i do alot of load development to let things wear in, I also use graphite when i break them in seems to work well

[Texas10]

I thought maybe OP meant Old Person.
Yes I am using a hornady modified brass. I am actually measuring OAL with a ogive compairer .
I have several test load made up and will give them a go next week.
I was surprised at the group size, knowing that I would have to work up to an accurate load, I can't fault the barrel, the accuracy is great. With my 1 in 9 savage heavy it shot 3/4 moa out of the box, then worked down from there. The 223 remington savage seems more forgiving than the Criterion barrel. I am hoping, and I will work for a one moa at 500 yards consistanly. The savage would do that at 300 yards but reaching out to 500 600 yards with the 68 grain was just far.

OP= Old Phart in the nearby town of Pflugerville, TX. :p

I find my Savage barreled 223 has a deeper throat than my Criterion barrel, but only by a few thousandths and Jumping the V-max's seems to work best. The 53 grain V-Max shoots well enough out of both to make little sport of 4 inch clays at 500 yds. Last time we were out at the distance shooting range, son popped 9 out of 10 with his 12FV 223 and a Vortex Crossfire II scope. He has shot several 5 shot groups in the zero's at 100 yds with that inexpensive load. Oh, to have young eyes again!

[rsbhunter]

Not against Hornady, but I can't get alot of their bullets to shoot thru alot of my guns.....some will....I have a Stevens 200 in 223 that will shoot 1/2" and some better using Berger bullets, and Varget powder.....I hear alot of comments about how expensive the Bergers are, yet they shoot tiny groups consistently....the peace of mind makes up for the price difference....now, I do shoot alot of the new Hornady eld' s, match and x' s in my 6.5 creeds and they work great....don't get tunnel vision on bullets, powders, or loads....I am sure you will find a load that shoots bug holes..'rsbhunter

[GaCop]

Your es/sd shows how unhappy the load was. Go buy some Hornady black 75gr ammo and try it(or similar match ammo).

+1:thumb:

[celltech]

I am loading Sierra 69gr Tipped Match Kings with 24.5 Varget in Starline brass. They hit 2890fps with SD in the teens and shoot sub 3/4". My 77gr TMKs hit 2722fps with 23.4 Varget and shoot 1/2". Both are 20 thou off the lands of my rifle. I think you have some room to play with there...

[noname]

you need the heaver bullet,like 77 gr sierra..mine don't like the 69 either

[jo2015]

its a criterion barrekl,its hand lapped,dont clean for maybe 100 rounds,try varget or reloader 15

[azguy]

I have tried to get my mind around the shooting dirty barrel vs a clean barrel, I even did as much research on what barrel makers had to say. I am talking about a hand lapped barrel by a known maker.
Hand lapped barrels are bored just slightly tight then hand lapped to a very tight tolerance to be as smooth and uniform a possible. Factory barrels need to be broke in to try and get this tolerance.
A hand lapped barrel gets fouled in the mainly in the first short part of the barrel.
I have shot my barrel just after wiping with a wet patch and drying with a dry patch. The first 2 bullets go about 1 inch above the point of aim but stay about 1/4 inch apart. the next 5 shots go to the point aim about 1/4 inch group. The next 2 group of five shots stay in the point of aim under 1/2 inch. this is with a very clean barrel.
at somewhere 20 to 30 shots the groups open up somewhat. Recleaning seams to start the process all over again.
I do not doubt at all that some shooters do not get this results.
Some one please explain why their barrels shoot better dirty. I am a retired engineer and would really like to have some real information.
All, all the barrels makers state that shooting a clean barrel will give me much longer accuracy life.
Thanks