Model 12 with H335 and 52 grain SMK

I have been doing some load development for my model 12 FCV in 223. I have been using H335 and 52 gr SMKs and I have found a few promising loads (averaging about .7" 5 shot groups @ 100 yds) in the 25.0gr - 25.5gr range. I am trying to decide whether or not to keep going incrementally all the way up to 26.9 (which is the accuracy load for this bullet/powder combo in a 1/14 twist in the sierra manual) or if I should stick with what I have found and start fine tuning the charge and play with seating depths.

For those of you who have been using this bullet/powder combo, have you generally seen better loads in the <25.6 gr range or in the > 25.5 gr range?

The Savage website shows a 1 in 9 or 1 in 7 twist rate for the model 12 if you have one of these then you will have a longer throat. Meaning your 25 grain load of H335 is what I shoot in my AR15s for practice with the Hornady 55 grain FMJ.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps50905a17.jpg

If your happy with your load your brass should last a long time at the lower chamber pressure.

H335 will spike pressure in hot weather. Don't get carried away.

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Originally Posted by gbflyer

H335 will spike pressure in hot weather. Don't get carried away.

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I agree
Jack

"Accuracy Load" only means in that gun at that time. Every rifle's different. You just have to work it out with yours until you find that sweet spot.

My Savage Model 12 FV likes 26.5 Gr of H335 with the 52 Gr Sierra HPBT Matchking with WCC brass, WSR, OAL 2.250, Sierra 5TH Manual

If have had better luck with the 53 grain flat base match king. H335 works very good in the 223 as well as the 204 ruger. I would keep going up in charge weights .3 at a time.

BigEd

Taking it as fact that I am not as smart as the average bear, where on the Savage website is this information?

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Originally Posted by 243LPR

"Accuracy Load" only means in that gun at that time. Every rifle's different. You just have to work it out with yours until you find that sweet spot.

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PRECISELY!!!!
Did they list the lot number of the powder tested? Does Hodgy list nominal lot variations for that powder? NOPE! So you don't have the same components. The key thing to always remember is NOT how many grains did someone use for "Max", the question is what was the VELOCITY at max. Testing is done in SAAMI minimum spec bore/groove/chamber barrels. Yours will be larger tollerances, if it is a mass produced thing. So if you can match, or beat book velocities; it's because you beat book pressure.

Also don't rely on QL for pressure data as a standard when looking at Spericals from General Dynamics. Hartmut gets 0 info from them or what Hodgy allows, so it is all bomb based testing. From a PT system I can tell you that he doesn't have a very good handle on how they actually burn in a given cartridge.