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My new build 223 will be arriving on Tuesday and I plan on reloading for it. I will be Prairie Dog shooting with it. How many .000's should I be backing off the lands. It is a 1 in 12 twist and I will be shooting 50gr. V-Max's. I have never reloaded for a 223 before. Any thoughts and advise will be appreciated. It sports a Joel Russo stock so pictures will follow, the 2 year project nears completion. Dale
Try it at what your book tells you first. Some bullets like to jump, others do not. Some of the lighter bullets are not in the case very far. If you try to seat them out, you might not have enough bullet in the case to hold it.
If you get a chance, try the 40 gr V-Max. You may never look back. As far as COL goes, get a full caliber (.224") of the bullet into the neck if you can. None of my 223's are very sensitive to COL.
Charlie
The 52 gr bullets work well.
What jump your barrel will like no one can tell, each barrel has its own personality. Some like just touching some may like to be jammed into the lands by .010 or .015, and some like as much as .080 off. It is trial and error. I would start at touching, and move from there.
I do like 82boy post, alway's start touching and go from there. Every barrel and bullet is different.
Dale I do it the old fashion way, set a bullet in an empty case lightly oiled and gently chamber, then gently eject and measure, Whatever it comes out at I subtract .010, .015, .020 and just make up a few of each and see what shoots the best, and go from there.Usually .015-.018 works the best for me.
It is time consuming but at least it helps breaking in the barrel.It is a shame the stock took so long, would have had more time to experiment if it was quicker coming.
I find that jamming into the lands is best for me in bottleneck cartridges.
44 mag, 45 Colt, and 45acp rifles seem to want a jump.
i might be alittle different in the way i do it .i start with doing ladder test on 3 targets all seated the same just changing the charge after shooting that way @ all 3 targets i look for where the groups are close between charges then start by seating touching and back off in .003 increments .and i keep my targets and have log books so i can go back and compare
If I had a dallar for every time I borrowed a cleaning rod to a fellow dogger to get out a bullet that was left in the thoat=I'd be able to shoot a whole lot more ;D
I usually start @ 2.25 as that is what the CZ and AR clips tolorate well. With the single shot Savage I could go out a little farther but do not gain enough accuracy to warrent the hassle.....Minut of prairie dog is good enough ;)
I do all my load development at .010" off the lands if the magazine will tolerate it and when I find the promising load I start moving it in, in .002" increments.
Like 82boy says, I was also taught to start them jammed to find the optimum charge then back off.