From factory to hand loads

Full of questions today.
Been using only shelf ammo for my .223 12FV and so far the 68-69 grainers have shot the most consistent. My SIL has offered do do some reloading, so I am going to be at Cabelas tomorrow to maybe bite the bullet(no pun intended).

Should I stay with the heavies or could I have good results with lighter pills with a proper load work up?

I don't want to burden him with a bunch of trials, but I'll pick up a variety if it would be worth it.
What have you found going from factory to hand loads? I know some barrels like heavies and some like the lighter stuff. Is factory ammo any indication or meaningless?
For the most part, my powder choices will be determined by pill size. Right now(for heavies), it looks like H4895, IMR 8208 XBR, and maybe 1200 MR or Benchmark(Cabelas doesn't have RE15 in 1 pounders). I already picked a box of Sierra MK 69gr. HPBT.
I'll get either CCI 400 or Rem. 7 1/2BR(if in stock) primers.

Here's what shoots excellent out of my 12FV in 223 and my 12BVSS in 223, both with 1/9 twist barrels.

For factory loads, nothing I've bought shoots better than American Eagle tipped varmint in 50 g. P/n AE223GTV. It's produced seasonally so there may not be any available during certain months of the year. When it is available, I usually buy several hundred rounds of same lot and use it as a bench mark load for sighting in scopes, barrel changes, and other testing and harvest the brass for hand loading. It's good for dozens of loads.

Second best is Australian Outback 69gr SMK. Good for deer and boar, varmints etc.

For hand loading, I recommend a load work up using 53 grain V-Max with it's excellent BC, IMR 3031 or 8208XBR and Federal Brass from the American Eagle loads, or for more discriminating tastes, Winchester brass while shooting recreational targets or varminting/hunting.

For longer range work, the 69 grain MK with 8208 is fantastic, or the 69 gr Tipped Match King (even better) with Varget. With the tipped match king, my scope adjustment between 100 and 200 yds is 1/4 moa. It shoots both flat and consistent. Both of those loads will shoot 5 shot groups in the zeros to threes, especially when my son (with his younger eyes) is behind the scope.

The American Eagle is a pretty consistent sub 3/4 moa load with occasional groups in the one's and two's. And I've got several targets with three shot groups in the mid zero's with that stupid cheap load. I swear, every time I do that it makes me want to chuck my loading press in the lake!

YMMV.

Not to muddy up my own thread, but I have tried(and still have some of the 50 gr. tipped varmint) and found them no more consistent than the AO and Black Hills 68-69 gr. My POI changes dramatically(~2" always to the right) with the 50 gr. tipped as well as other 50-53 gr. pills. Does yours do this or do you have to change settings between weights?
Glad to hear the 69 MK with the 8208 works well. Thanks for the 53 v-max info.

I have a Stevens 200 that was throated by someone for 75 grain bullets, loaded long, but it shoots 55 grain handloads just fine. Try 'em all, and at various seating depths. Quality of bullets will mean a lot, but even bulk 55 grainers do OK by me. I'm using Varget for everything now.

My FV12 prefers the lighter weight bullets so far in factory ammo but will shoot the 68/69's factory pretty good as well. I've just started with load work up on this one, so time will tell. Every rifle is different in terms of it's favorite load. GL

What Texas10 said.

His results have been essentially identical to mine for at least 4 different Savage 223 rifles. I finally decided that if a Savage 223 will not shoot the American Eagle 50gr Tipped or the Australian Outback either in 55 or 69gr then I look for what may be wrong with the rifle configuration. There are probably Savage 223's that will not but I have just not had one yet.

I personally use and like the Sierra 60gr fb bullet with CCI 400 and IMR 4895 and it shoots tiny 5 shot groups @100.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rjtfroggy

I personally use and like the Sierra 60gr fb bullet with CCI 400 and IMR 4895 and it shoots tiny 5 shot groups @100.

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Every load you posted on another thread for 223 loads have worked well for me also...will give this one a go.

Twist is the key. The 69 SMK's should be perfect for a 9 twist. I have a seven, they shoot fine, 73 Bergers are better.

53 vmax
55 nosler ballistic tips
69 nosler custom competition

Benchmark or h335 for the light ones varget for the heavy ones. If only one it would be 69/varget

What I have found going from factory to hand loads is that working up the load is half of the fun. You never can tell what your gun will like. I have found the projectile seems to be more important than powder, case or primer but there are always exceptions. Be safe, start low and work up carefully.

Cabelas didn't have everything I wanted, but I did get some H4895, 69gr SMK HPBT, V-max 60gr, and CCI 400 primers. If I decide to try some 52-55's, I can get those any time. Wanted some 8208 XBR, but this Cabelas didn't stock it. They had RE 15 at a ridiculous price, but I can get it locally at a better price and may get a can of that as well, if it is still available. I want to start with stick powder since I got regular primers. I actually was just going to get more Australian Outback 69's, and reman. Black Hills 68's(that mine shoots well) and call it a day, but you can't depend on the Cabelas web site as to what they stock. So I am going the hand load route.

i think the heavies are the way to go at the long ones, reason is my buddy and I showed up at a local long range shoot this past summer, distances were 200yds at steel disc, 300yds steel disc and at 430yds steel disc, out of 28 shooters all different guns and calibers, we went first and second, with 223 9 twist 26" barrels stock rifles, trigger work and bedded actions. buddy went 9 for 10 at 430yds i went 8 for 10. we were both shooting the 75 amax with 24.5 varget, i was shooting a cabelas model 12fv and he was shooting the Remington 700 PSS, also have a model 12bvss in 223 shooting the 75 Amax 25gr varget, this gun has 3 kills on groundhogs over 700yds , 711yds, 720yds and 705yds

Chet