Hi everybody & load development

Hi All! I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted! My health has been very poor during 2015; that and a job with a long commute kept me from reloading, shooting and posting here. 2016, Lord willing, seems to be brighter- I got laid off (in this case a good thing, and a new job on the horizon- tentative offer today), health has been increasingly better- new Dr. aggressively treating; and between Saturday and today...LOAD DEVELOPMENT!

DISCLAIMER- these are my loads for my gun. PLEASE be careful and follow powder and bullet manufacturers' data. BE SAFE! and...HAVE A GREAT TIME!

I LOVE MY SAVAGES and will seriously not have another rifle. My old model (early 90's 110 LA, .223, Boyd's stock, pillared by me, Nikon MilDot scope) Savage is a 1:14 twist and remarkably, I've been able to create loads for up to and including 55 Gn. bullets. My go-to powder is Winchester 748, BUT yesterday I loaded using IMR 8208 XBR behind 55 Gn. Hornady VMAX bullets. Loads between 23.8 Gn. IMR 8208 and 24.6 Gn.; Remington 71/2 BR primers, LC 7 &11 brass trimmed to 1.750. COAL 2.250 +/- .002. To the range today and set up at 100 yards.

30 degrees F, 68% humidity, variable winds 3-5 MPH right to left, intermittent, though. Tripod and sandbags for rear.

I was impressed by this powder; ALL loads, from 23.8 to 24.6 increasing by .2 Gn., shot well; the worst was just under 1" at 100 yards.

The best was 24.4 Gn. IMR 8208, which rendered a 3 shot .2010" group-essentially 1 small ragged hole.

My best with Winchester 748 to date, using 50 Gn VMAX was 3 rounds at .0650" (!).

Last Saturday shooting Speer 55 Gn. TNT yielded a three shot group @ 100 yds. of .1950". I loaded for these bullets 14 months ago and had not shot until last Sat.! I'm concerned about the Speer loads because that best group used 27.0 Gn. of Win 748. NO OTHER powder or bullet manufacturer comes close to the max loads Speer publicizes. The max listed for this bullet, according to SPEER, is 28.0 Gn. Win 748. No signs of pressure problems but I'll only be using that load in cold weather, if at all!

I'll post pics over the next day or so. It's a great gun and several of you folks guided me in building it up to what it is today.

I'm SO glad to be back shooting and posting here. You have all been so kind in helping me get started and I thank you all! It is a privilege to be here with you!

Brian

Glad you're doing well and back on the site! These cheap ugly barrel nut rifles seem to shoot really well lol. Sounds like youve got a good shooting rifle and load combo!
Keep us posted.
Scooter

Welcome back
I was thinking about you the other day-- glad to hear you are doing better
Have fun shooting and loading. sounds like the xbr powder will do you fine
Jack

It's funny that scooterf mentioned those cheap, ugly, barrel nut rifles. Wasn't that many years ago that the boys at the club kinda looked down their noses and whispered unkind things about my barrel nut rifles. Now they praise the virtues of the nuts on the barrels of their rifles of all makes, and how they had their bolt heads chopped up so they could have a super custom, ultra accurate, latest, newest, bestest, floating, interchangeable, bolt head! Seems some of them have a memory problem.

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Originally Posted by JW

Welcome back
I was thinking about you the other day-- glad to hear you are doing better
Have fun shooting and loading. sounds like the xbr powder will do you fine
Jack

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Hi Jack! Great to be back! I trust you and your are doing well! Yeah, the XBR is relatively new to me (relatively new, period, I reckon!) Always appreciate your help and friendship, Bro!

@scooterf79: Thanks! I'll take these ugly guns any day and every day!

@pnmax84: Theres a guy at the gun club I belong to. Built a rifle from the bench up. Honestly, he doesn't do any better than I do at 100 or 200 yards. BUT he criticizes me for ot shooting 5 shot groups. It's just what I'm used to, and I shoot relatively quick; like I'd be shooting at a varmint or two. To each his own- I'm happy and he's happy...

Pics to follow. Here in Pa. the weather folks got everybody's panties in a twist over the upcoming storm. Tried as I might I got caught up in the fuss too:frusty:

Brian

Welcome back!

I have been using 8208XBR for over a year now and find it shoots extremely well. One of my favorite loads for my 9 twist 223 Bolt gun is the 53 grain, flat base hollow point by Sierra (p/n 1400), with a next best of 53 gr Hornaday V-Max. Both shoot sub 1/3 moa at 100 and 200 yds.

According to the Greenhill formula for optimal twist rate, these bullets are not the optimal for my gun, yet they shoot extremely well.

Go figure!

Welcome back Silvercrow, as i recall you were in the Perkasie area?

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Originally Posted by Texas10

Welcome back!

I have been using 8208XBR for over a year now and find it shoots extremely well. One of my favorite loads for my 9 twist 223 Bolt gun is the 53 grain, flat base hollow point by Sierra (p/n 1400), with a next best of 53 gr Hornaday V-Max. Both shoot sub 1/3 moa at 100 and 200 yds.

According to the Greenhill formula for optimal twist rate, these bullets are not the optimal for my gun, yet they shoot extremely well.

Go figure!

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Hey Texas10- LOL funny you mention that. My gun, having a 1:14 twist...well according to the Greenhill, which I did just for giggles the other morning, the only bullets "recommended" were the 45 Gn (VMAX, etc). Thank the Lord the 50 and 55 Gn. VMAX and Hornady SP, The 50 Gn ZMAX all shoot really well out of my gun! Of course I've only been able to test loads out to 200 yds...so I don't know hat 300 or more would look like. But I'm happy. When I bought the gun, I honestly did not know much; it was a Savage, VERY little wear and the price was right. With the help of a few guys here I have a really good shooting gun. I'm learning something new every day and I'm hooked on trying out various (safe) loadings.

NOW I've gotta find a place to shoot some groundhogs around here...

Brian

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Originally Posted by yobuck

Welcome back Silvercrow, as i recall you were in the Perkasie area?

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Hey Yobuck! Yep...Sellersville. Right next door and currently covered with snow!

Brian